Max Travel YJ spring kit install

[Cloud]

Greetings earthlings, I intend to use this post to showcase the install of the only YJ spring kit currently available for our roxors.

This kit is extremely well thought out and its beauty lies in it's simplicity. However, without any formal instructions and only pictures of a mostly finished product to go by, I was left confused on some parts of the install. I am not a mechanic, fabricator, engineer... I'm literally just a guy that likes to take stuff apart and look at it to see how it works. This has led me to really enjoy wheeling because I break stuff, and then get to take stuff apart.

This one is for the somewhat savvy layman. It's a work in progress and I'll be leaving myself notes in the thread along the way for future revision. I'm taking tons of pictures, but if you have a picture that better shows the subject I'm discussing, please share with me via PM I'll add it to the list and credit you where applicable.

Step 1: lift it up and remove the front axle.

You'll need 13/16" socket to pull the wheels. 20mm might work but who has one of those?

Remove the sway bar end links from spring mount using a 19mm socket.

I'm throwing mine in the trash, but you could get longer end links if you wanted. This could be beneficial for a pavement princess, but my Jezebel is a dirty girl so goodbye sway bar. The sway bar bracket comes off with a 16mm socket.

Disconnect shocks with an 18mm socket once removed these are to be donated to the scrap pile. They should slide right off.

Disconnect calipers, I chose the leave them on the axle and disconnect the braided steel line from the caliper(###). This allows the fluid to drain only into a drain pan and not onto the paint and gets the caliper out of the way during the install.

Disconnect the tie rods with a 19mm socket and stow them up on themselves.

A Pittman arm puller wasn't necessary for me but is a wise choice for this. I put the castle nut on about halfway and tapped it with a hammer. Castle nut prevents mushrooming the tie rod stud

I then lowered the vehicle so that the front axle rested on Jack stands. From here I had to use hand tools to remove the nuts holding the driveshaft in place. It's possible a wobble socket could get in there, but I don't have any in this shop. I used a pair of 13mm (rear shaft uses 14mm) combination wrenches. The nuts are nylocks so it wasn't difficult to remove.

With the driveshaft pulled, gently set it somewhere safe and remove the bolts holding the factory springs to the frame with a 24mm socket. Then do whatever is necessary to free the spring from the frame. I used a pry bar. Don't rock the vehicle or it might fall off the lift.

Disconnect the hand brake via your preferred method. It's pretty straightforward and I didn't take pictures. Pro tip: remove the muffler and tailpipe to make the handbrake cable removal easier. I opted to leave the cable attached to the drums and remove the pulley from the roxor.

Support the pinion and lift the vehicle away from the axle. Viola, disconnected axle.

From here undo the bolts holding the spring mount to the u bolts with a deep 19mm socket.

I had to polish the centering pin hole on the front axle as the yj springs centering pin were the EXACT diameter of the hole on the axle. With proper equipment, or another set of hands this may not have been necessary.


@Max A. Genius level attention to detail is showcased with this kit.

More nut sizes to probably come soon.

 

[Cloud]

There are a total of 4 tabs that need to be cut off. They appear to be welded on by man, not machine. I used a cutoff tool to slice the welds, one came right off and the other three needed additional persuasion. Get the surface flat so the spring mounts have a flat mounting surface.

I recommend mocking up the spring mounts about 10,000 times like I did. This is a rear mount.

I measured 2.5" forward of the stock mount location. Measured center to center and ensured both sides were marked identical.

Passenger side (2nd attempt) went off without a hitch. Perfectly level with no adjustments required. I had to adjust the driver side significantly. I used a cheap DeWalt 2" hole saw on the driver side, and a much better quality hole saw, with a neat pilot centering trick, fight the passenger side.

As per instructions, weld the nut to this plate. Because every roxor is hand built, your angles may be different than mine.

14mm

Mine appears to be 90° Mahindra waxed the factory bumper cover bolts, I strongly suggest greasing the threads. They'll be in and out a lot here.

Pay attention here to the orientation. There is a short side and a long side.

Before you affix the front plate, slide the plate with welded nut onto the bumper rail. There is already an opening, use the bolt to hold this plate in place so you can tack the plates together. Genius!

Oops

Prep for welding, my buddy used a 110 buzz box so a clean surface was necessary. I do not recommend this method, the steel is pretty thick and was pushing the boundaries of 110volts. I did not drop the fuel tank.

Remove the muffler and tail pipe if you haven't already.

Ready for paint!

Like I said; this one's for the layman

 

[Cloud]

WARNING: These mounts were welded up apart from the springs. This was a mistake as the mounts warped and required a mini sledge to persuade them into place. This oversight cost me hours of frustration and almost a finger, again...

But I learned some cool stuff so whatever, worth it. This is my first time ever touching leaf springs or removing a drive shaft. Experience and knowledge is very helpful here.

These pictures tell more than my words can. In short; weld that *hit up.

Cold galvanizing compound

Rust-oleum automotive enamel looks great until you beat on it with a hammer.

I made gussets, this kit does not include these gussets. They're likely unnecessary.

 

[Cloud]

These particular 35s measure 34.25" diameter. Probably could run 37s

Need 2xbanjos, 2x90s, and 3x brake lines. Not pictured here (low quality picture below) is a straight bulkhead fitting needed for the rear brake line. The roxor uses -3AN fittings.

Shout out to @Colderweather86 for figuring out the lines and fittings.

As far as I can tell I'm the only one that extended the rear line other than @Max A. Who redid everything south of the power train.

11 13 13 3/8 11/16 wrenches needed for the brake lines.

At less than 300 miles my stock brake lines had been rubbed down to the braided steel. The rubber coating was completely gone where they contacted the tires.

At this time I'm waiting on a -3an coupler to fit the extended rear line into the T fitting.

 

[Cloud]

At this point, all necessary information has been added to this write-up.

I'm running bilstein 33-104645 on all four corners.

Rubicon express re1430 springs on all four corners with re2790 (1 unit of this part number provides bushings for two springs. I needed two units) main eye bushings.

It ain't over yet, but this feels good

 

[Cloud]

 

[Cloud]

You can see in this picture that I'm not done yet. Chief among the things that are not finished here is the spring mounts brackets require a bolt drilled through the factory spring brackets to hold it in place.

In this picture you can see mine are hanging down really far.

You would do well to ensure these are resting against the bottom of the frame rails before drilling the holes or measuring your new front driveshaft length. In this picture my front axle is positioned 3.5" further forward than when it's all done up properly.

I lucked out that my driveline shop happened to have thick walled tubing from a different driveshaft that they were able to use. Our driveshaft tubes are thicker wall than typical. If the shop didn't have the right thickness on hand, I'd have waited until June for proper thickness tubing.

 

[Cloud]

Still much to do but with this comment reserved for me that gives me room for 80 photos and about a book worth of text. So feel free to comment now if you wish. The write up will be completed some day. I just started a pretty intensive job training so I can learn to make that gubmint chee$e if you know what I mean.

I'd say a competent professional could knock this out in 3 days if they started with every part and every necessary tool.

I started with nearly every required part and I'm probably 90% finished after about 8 days of actual effort.

Part numbers and whatnot to are all recorded. I used exactly what the manufacturer suggested.

I do have an engine lift so I'm gonna try not to flip it when I check the suspension travel. The tires rub the springs with aggressive steering as it sits. I've adjusted nothing, don't even have the shocks on or brakes hooked up.

DUN with suspension mods

 

[Holleyb19]

Great job!! I hope to be referencing these photos to install my long travel kit one day!

 

[MaXXis85]

Good Job. Id like to see the rear lower, but that's personal preference

 

[AZROX]

@Cloud: the tall tires look great.

With the setup you have now (lift, tall and skinny tires), what is the steering radius?

Just wondering if the really tall and really skinny tires you mounted still rub on the leafs as you turn left and right.

Can you adjust the steer stops to get a tighter radius than factory setup (no lift and stock tires)?

 

[Cloud]

@Cloud: the tall tires look great.

With the setup you have now (lift, tall and skinny tires), what is the steering radius?

Just wondering if the really tall and really skinny tires you mounted still rub on the leafs as you turn left and right.

Can you adjust the steer stops to get a tighter radius than factory setup (no lift and stock tires)?

Steering radius is pretty bad. I didn't adjust the stops at all and Im definitely rubbing on the leafs. I can turn tight enough for most trails so I'm not worried. No trouble in town driving

 

[Cloud]

Good Job. Id like to see the rear lower, but that's personal preference

Gonna call you carolina Bob

 

[Dan H.]

Excellent documentation here. Thanks for sharing. I will be adding the brake line info to my cross reference list. I would be interested in how the suspension kit handles the bumps?

 

[Colderweather86]

Excellent documentation here. Thanks for sharing. I will be adding the brake line info to my cross reference list. I would be interested in how the suspension kit handles the bumps?

It's a whole different animal. I can fly down desert trails and it handles the dips and uneven terrain with ease.

 

[Cloud]

Excellent documentation here. Thanks for sharing. I will be adding the brake line info to my cross reference list. I would be interested in how the suspension kit handles the bumps?

Major improvement. I haven't done anything crazy requiring suspension articulation yet though. Those tires are incredible and grip on some pretty gnarly mud slopes

 

[Holleyb19]

I got my kit in, and thanks to your documentation I am able to mock up the parts.

• Could you post a photo of the rear spring mount for the front axle completed and the front spring mount for the rear axle? I would just like to see the final installation.
• The 4 smaller sleeves fit between the factory spring mounts to prevent crushing correct?
• And only because I wanna be sure, the front spring mount tabs for the front axle are the four that need to be removed right?
• You didnt need to weld in any of the new brackets (they are bolted in only)?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Cloud]

I got my kit in, and thanks to your documentation I am able to mock up the parts.

• Could you post a photo of the rear spring mount for the front axle completed and the front spring mount for the rear axle? I would just like to see the final installation.
• The 4 smaller sleeves fit between the factory spring mounts to prevent crushing correct?
• And only because I wanna be sure, the front spring mount tabs for the front axle are the four that need to be removed right?
• You didnt need to weld in any of the new brackets (they are bolted in only)?

Thanks in advance!

Post 2 picture two. Post 3 pictures 1 and 4 are all of the front mount of the rear axle spring.

I do not believe I have any good pics of the front, but I'll check.

Sleeves: you are correct, see post 3 picture 4. The sleeve is installed in that picture.

Spring mount tabs: I believe you are incorrectly referencing the original REAR spring mounts for the front axle (see post 2 picture 1) in that image you can see what I believe you are incorrectly referencing, and also what I am intending to demonstrate.

Post 2 picture 1 is a picture of the "final product" this picture was taken AFTER the tabs were removed.

Post 2 pictures 6,7, and 8 include the original front spring mount for the front axle. Note the difference. Removing these mounts is unnecessary and ill advised if you think you'll ever return to the lower performance original suspension. I'll never return to the factory suspension, but I still didn't remove them.

The only thing welded to the frame of the door was the sleeve through the frame in post 2 pictures 3,4,9, and 10.

I apologise for the fact that I am unable to properly organize anything in my life. This thread is likely the chronological order of the actual install. I got the front disassembled, then the rear. Then I drilled the rear right, completed part of the front, finished up the rear 99% completed the front 100% then the rear. Then took the front apart and installed a winch plate and bull bars. Then I became very annoyed that I didn't install the skid plate while the axles were off... That's just how my brain works. I'll start a brake job, then go cook dinner and finish the job while I'm "walking the dog" then wake my dog up and go play. I then will forget that I never got the brakes bedded and scared the living *hit out of myself while looking at a cupholder of "extra" bolts...

You would be terrified if you knew what I did for work and would likely never visit a major city again

 

[Gonecrazyi]

What size tires are you running?

 

[Colderweather86]

Not fully flexed out. Last pictures before it goes under the knife for new axles.