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Mopar LCA swap

dpike

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i just installed a steer smarts track bar, tie rod and drag link, got it pretty well set but had the wife take it up to OK4WD to get it officially alligned. i considered replacing the lower control arms with adjustables before getting it aligned, but didn't. interesting enough with the OE control arms my caster is 6.5°.
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omnitonic

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So does this shorten their life enough to warrant the effort to retorque them? I don't think so but each person can make up their own minds about it. It might also depend on how well equipped you are to do the torqueing. It is a major effort for some people (like me) to torque the lower ones so I would not attempt the upper ones.
I read advice to loosen the UCAs, and even the track bar, just to unbind everything. When I actually got under the Jeep to do this, I looked at everything and said nah. Nothing moved much, the fasteners would have been challenging to reach with it down on the ground, and I just installed the LCAs and called it a day.

In hindsight, I feel this was totally the right call. So far, I still don't have the LCAs up to full torque yet. I hammered them as hard as I could with my impact, then got as tight as possible with the torque wrench, but it never clicked. When you start getting up there close to 190, it's damn hard to hold onto the wrench on the far side, even when another person is just doing that one job. I'm really glad I didn't loosen any of the fasteners that would be even harder to torque.
 

txj2go

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Yea maybe the fasteners had some effect. The bolt kept spinning on the washer regardless of torque... thats why i'm saying it was tough. One hand on the box wrench and the other on the torque wrench and then try to torque to 190 laying on your back pushing up.. I would like to think I'm strong, but damn that was tough..lol. Definatley helped when my buddy showed up to assist. I hope the ride is better and worth the cost and effort. I do plan to get a lift and hate the thought of removing the LCA's again to compensate for the lift height.
Torqing that much with a standard wrench is tough enough when you're in a good position, but for me to do it laying on the ground under the Jeep was not working. I ended up putting a small jack under the end of the torque wrench and pushing up on it. For the backup wrench, you just have to position it so it is pushing against some part of the body or the suspension. and actually for the front of my LCA I clamped a piece of wood on the side of the LCA and let the wrench push against that. Then I could use both hands to operate the torque wrench side of things.
 

hurricanes99

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i just installed a steer smarts track bar, tie rod and drag link, got it pretty well set but had the wife take it up to OK4WD to get it officially alligned. i considered replacing the lower control arms with adjustables before getting it aligned, but didn't. interesting enough with the OE control arms my caster is 6.5°.
That's interesting on the caster. Are the uppers stock also?
 

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hoag4147

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i just installed a steer smarts track bar, tie rod and drag link, got it pretty well set but had the wife take it up to OK4WD to get it officially alligned. i considered replacing the lower control arms with adjustables before getting it aligned, but didn't. interesting enough with the OE control arms my caster is 6.5°.
OEs as in the mopar lift arms? Jeep not lifted?
 

dpike

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OEs as in the mopar lift arms? Jeep not lifted?
yes, mopar original control arms and the jeep is not lifted, it's a rubicon.

i found it interesting that since my jeep is pretty heavy my suspension is sagged enough that it puts my caster into that "sweet spot" that people say JLs like.
 
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Mattyp1214

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What length are you guys running the control arms you guys with the mopar 2” lifts? Ordered me some adjustables just wondering what lengths got you guys to 6.3-6.5 on the mopar lift!
thank you
 

hoag4147

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What length are you guys running the control arms you guys with the mopar 2” lifts? Ordered me some adjustables just wondering what lengths got you guys to 6.3-6.5 on the mopar lift!
thank you
Many will ask how much lift you received from Mopar lift. From what I have read you should start at about 24 3/8s. But many have set at 24 1/2”. Center eye-to-eye.
 

Mattyp1214

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Many will ask how much lift you received from Mopar lift. From what I have read you should start at about 24 3/8s. But many have set at 24 1/2”. Center eye-to-eye.
Maybe I'll start with 24 3/8s and take it to an alignment shop. I have no idea how much lift I gained now. I've added bumper winch etc. and its been three years
 

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Mattyp1214

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Many will ask how much lift you received from Mopar lift. From what I have read you should start at about 24 3/8s. But many have set at 24 1/2”. Center eye-to-eye.
anyone else with the mopar lift have any insight on the length they have their arms?
 

18BlackJLRU

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I got my LCA replaced with the 68322798AA on my stock Rubicon this morning, my caster went from 4.81/4.93 to 6.07/6.30.

With the new steel steering box and the longer LCA, it almost handles like a regular car… I’m happy !

Since the front LCA hole/bolt/frame had some play, we did a full front end alignment.

I was surprised that the technician’s computer had different torque specifications. In lieu of the 190 ft-lb as stated in the Mopar 2” Lift Kit instructions, he had something like 103 ft-lb plus 145 degrees, it was the first time that I saw such specs. His torque wrench also had the settings for the ft-lb and the degrees. So he had one beat when he reached the correct ft-lb and another one when he reached 145 degrees after the 1st beep.

Here’s some pictures showing the difference in length between the old and the new LCA:

F4B25187-B406-4E38-8E0B-B0743EAC2586.jpeg


AA41B12F-5447-49A9-A269-924F2BC076FE.jpeg
 

BigBruse

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Allmoparparts.com is a vender here fs2020 free shipping $30 each

I just ordered some mopar LCAs for my Moab, gonna be intalling the Teraflex 1.5” spacer lift so figured these LCAs will be a perfect addition.
I just put on the same teraflex
Allmoparparts.com is a vender here fs2020 free shipping $30 each

I just ordered some mopar LCAs for my Moab, gonna be intalling the Teraflex 1.5” spacer lift so figured these LCAs will be a perfect addition.
Just put on the same Teraflex 1.5” spacer lift myself wanting to swap out shocks as well with falcons how do you like the ride with the lCA
 

Hucke_250

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Another question.. so my new lca’s will help with wandering once adjusted correctly, but what would help with what I’m experiencing when I hit bridges or rough places in the road and the steering wheel shoots left or right? Sometimes it can be pretty violent. I have the newest steering damper and track bar from jeep. There is no death wobble, but it will definitely get your attention.
Is your front axle centered? I originally installed my lift with an adjustable front track bar and centered my front axle within a half of an inch. My Jeep drove fine but I was still experiencing bump steer. I finally got a chance to get back under the Jeep and perfectly center my front axle and no longer experience bump steer.
 

BigBruse

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Anybody use the teraflex sport LCA? I have a rubicon JLU with the tereflex leveling kit.
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