Rock Krawler maintenance & All brands suspension general conversation

[Moto_21]

I have had such a hard time finding someone to do work and then getting parts. I moved here from Canada just before Covid. Worst timing ever. Had a great house with a lift in the garage...lots of Jeep builds there. Now I'm here in Cali which is different and in a rental place with minimal tools and would have to work in the driveway. Shame given the suspension on these JLs are more plug and play and easy self install, but I can't do in one day. My parts would be in the back of someones pickup before the day was done.

I feel like it was just installed with no tweaking or road testing. So will need to do what I can while here and then more at home to extent I can. Example I can't do ACOS adjustments without full droop. I may be doing some interesting boulder climbs here and trail tweaks!

Yeah thats a bummer man, if you were closer id help. I do all my stuff in the driveway too lol

Sponsored

 

[Gorilla57]

Agreed...2 piece axle, ask me how i know

Yeah....in the same boat....ask me how I know.

2 sets of RCV’s........

 

[hoag4147]

I have had such a hard time finding someone to do work and then getting parts. I moved here from Canada just before Covid. Worst timing ever. Had a great house with a lift in the garage...lots of Jeep builds there. Now I'm here in Cali which is different and in a rental place with minimal tools and would have to work in the driveway. Shame given the suspension on these JLs are more plug and play and easy self install, but I can't do in one day. My parts would be in the back of someones pickup before the day was done.

I feel like it was just installed with no tweaking or road testing. So will need to do what I can while here and then more at home to extent I can. Example I can't do ACOS adjustments without full droop. I may be doing some interesting boulder climbs here and trail tweaks!

If caster, how about running by like Dixie 4x4 or somewhere there. They could probably adjust pretty quickly/costly for you. Just a thought

 

[xtremejoe]

Yeah....in the same boat....ask me how I know.

2 sets of RCV’s........

Help me understand this comment from both of you?
New to the JL...this jeep is only 4 months old, skipped the JK series and am/was a TJ guy. Just sold it last week. On that one was easy, put in upgrade spline count shafts, JKS disconnects. This thing has a button - lol. Will be using it for the first time next few days now that I'm in Moab.

 

[Gorilla57]

Help me understand this comment from both of you?
New to the JL...this jeep is only 4 months old, skipped the JK series and am/was a TJ guy. Just sold it last week. On that one was easy, put in upgrade spline could shafts, JKS disconnects. This thing has a button - lol. Will be using it for the first time next few days now that I'm in Moab.

You can get 1 piece or 2 piece passenger side axle shafts. If you get the 1 piece, you have, in a sense, locked in your hubs. This means that both axle shafts rotate forward when driving on the street and this causes the front driveshaft to rotate. In my case, I’m running 6.5° of caster and a HEAVY front Adam’s driveshaft. This caused lots of driveline vibrations. Swapped in the 2 piece and driveshaft won’t spin anymore. Problem solved.

 

[Gorilla57]

Oh, and got the rear lowers done today. Had to cut off the old red bushings. Wouldn't press off. Used t-case skid as my home-grown bearing press. Lifted the Jeep up a bunch before the new ones popped on. The are that tight going on the ball and into the housing.

And those rear lower arms weren't the same. One side had Gen 1 bushings, no grease grooves and black oxide set screws. The other arm had Gen 2 bushings, the grease grooves but soft durometer and stainless set screws.

One set screw wouldn't come out WITH heat. Had to drill it out. That ate up almost an hour. Got it so hot, powdercoat was changing color. And still wouldn't budge.

Only have the front lowers left.

Finally......

 

[Roky]

Help me understand this comment from both of you?
New to the JL...this jeep is only 4 months old, skipped the JK series and am/was a TJ guy. Just sold it last week. On that one was easy, put in upgrade spline count shafts, JKS disconnects. This thing has a button - lol. Will be using it for the first time next few days now that I'm in Moab.

The JL came out with a 2 pc front axle so the driveshaft doesn’t spin while your in 2 wd. So on the JL s you can run higher caster and you won’t get a vibration because the ds isn’t spinning. As long as you haven’t changed to a one pc axle then you can get your caster to close to 7 in your case and I guarantee you’ll notice a huge reduction in wandering, if not completely get rid of it.

 

[xtremejoe]

The JL came out with a 2 pc front axle so the driveshaft doesn’t spin while your in 2 wd. So on the JL s you can run higher caster and you won’t get a vibration because the ds isn’t spinning. As long as you haven’t changed to a one pc axle then you can get your caster to close to 7 in your case and I guarantee you’ll notice a huge reduction in wandering, if not completely get rid of it.

Thanks....I guess like the equivalent of locking hubs in the old days (one of us would always forget to manually turn them on at the trailhead)

 

[Roky]

Thanks....I guess like the equivalent of locking hubs in the old days (one of us would always forget to manually turn them on at the trailhead)

Exactly, been there ....

 

[xtremejoe]

Before I ran out, I had to take a pic of the new Jeep built up beside my other car for perspective. I will have to take some wheeling pics this week - I'll see if I can replicate some of yours Roky - you had some nice flex shots.

And a picture of my fat ass with overlanding gear. Inside I have a fridge and stove. Brought the bike for this trip. Figure bike in morning, then when tired drive around. Now is just need some friends (but happy to have made some virtual ones here)

 

[hoag4147]

Before I ran out, I had to take a pic of the new Jeep built up beside my other car for perspective. I will have to take some wheeling pics this week - I'll see if I can replicate some of yours Roky - you had some nice flex shots.

And a picture of my fat ass with overlanding gear. Inside I have a fridge and stove. Brought the bike for this trip. Figure bike in morning, then when tired drive around. Now is just need some friends (but happy to have made some virtual ones here)

Very nice. Both cool looking
Now that I see how much weight you have hanging off the back, I don’t think it’s your caster causing wandering issue. Its because your front tires aren’t really touching the ground . Just kidding but it definitely would make the front a little flighty IMO. I use to have same issue on my lifted truck when pulling boat and we would load it down with supplies for lake trips.

 

[Roky]

Before I ran out, I had to take a pic of the new Jeep built up beside my other car for perspective. I will have to take some wheeling pics this week - I'll see if I can replicate some of yours Roky - you had some nice flex shots.

And a picture of my fat ass with overlanding gear. Inside I have a fridge and stove. Brought the bike for this trip. Figure bike in morning, then when tired drive around. Now is just need some friends (but happy to have made some virtual ones here)

Thanks Joe......look forward to your pics.

 

[xtremejoe]

Very nice. Both cool looking
Now that I see how much weight you have hanging off the back, I don’t think it’s your caster causing wandering issue. Its because your front tires aren’t really touching the ground . Just kidding but it definitely would make the front a little flighty IMO. I use to have same issue on my lifted truck when pulling boat and we would load it down with supplies for lake trips.

No question that is a factor and I would have said it was the primary reason. Except, it didn't float/wander at all on the stock rubi suspension and all the rest of the work (bumpers, steps, gear) I did couple of months ago. Only thing is my rear sagged heavily which is how I ended up with the JKS ACOS spacers. I did this build in reverse, lift and suspension last specifically so it could work around what I installed previously.

 

[hoag4147]

No question that is a factor and I would have said it was the primary reason. Except, it didn't float/wander at all on the stock rubi suspension and all the rest of the work (bumpers, steps, gear) I did couple of months ago. Only thing is my rear sagged heavily which is how I ended up with the JKS ACOS spacers. I did this build in reverse, lift and suspension last specifically so it could work around what I installed previously.

Gotcha. Definitely would have caster checked/corrected before long drive home Again - nice looking rig

 

[MichaelAnthony]

So has anyone installed a ROCK KRAWLER 4.5IN ADVENTURE-X NO LIMITS LONG ARM TRAIL RUNNER SYSTEM? I was wanting to get this ordered but haven't seen anyone on here that has done this? Any input?

Sponsored