Instructions
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This is a pic of all the parts you should get with the Full Traction Suspension 3″ Ultimate Lift Kit. Take some time to make sure you have all the parts shown as well as all the tools listed on the left prior to starting this project. |
Assembling the Full Traction Suspension
Track Bars and Upper and Lower Control Arms |
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| 1. Start by applying anti-seize to the threads of all Full Traction Suspension rod ends. |
2. Using your finger, spread anti-seize on the Full Traction Suspension rod ends. |
3. Install your Full Traction Suspension jam nuts onto all rod ends. Check for damaged threads and clean or file as needed to ensure a smooth rotation. |
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| 4. Install your Full Traction Suspension rod ends onto all the lower control arms. You do not need to set their fixed length at this time. |
5. Apply white lithium grease to all the black Vecton bushings that come with the Full Traction Suspension Ultimate Lift Kit. |
6. Insert the greased black Vecton bushings into each of the large eyelets on the opposite end of the Full Traction Suspension
upper and lower control arms as shown in this pic. A rubber mallet may be needed to tap them all the way in. |
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| 7. Apply white lithium grease to metal sleeves that’ll go inside the black Vecton bushings. |
8. Insert metal sleeves into the black Vecton bushings on the Full Traction Suspension upper and lower control arms. Again, a rubber mallet may be needed to tap them all the way in. |
9. Insert the Full Traction Suspension mis-alignment spacers into both sides of the lower control arm rod ends as shown in this pic. |
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10. Using a 3/8″ wrench, install the zerk grease fittings into the upper and lower control arms with the nipple end pointing towards the length of the arm. DO NOT tighten these fittings all the way down as it is not necessary and it will make adjustments to its position difficult once everything is installed. |
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11. With the control arms done, begin assembling your Full Traction adjustable front track bars by applying some white lithium grease to the 2 halves of the black Vecton bushings and then install them into the end of the track bar. If the fit is tight, use a rubber mallet to pound them in or a bench vice to compress them in. |
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12. Remove the protective plastic sheath cover off the chromoly rod ends and then apply some anti-seize compound onto the threads of it. |
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| 13. Install the jam nuts that are included in the hardware kit all the way on to the end of the rod end. |
14. Install the rod end with jam nut all the way on to the Full Traction front and rear adjustable track bar arms until the jam nut makes contact with the track bar arm itself. |
15. Apply a little white lithium grease to the track bar metal sleeve included in the hardware kit and insert it through the center of the black Vecton bushings. |
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16. If you find that the track bar metal sleeve is difficult to insert, use a bench vice to help compress it in as shown in this photo or use a rubber mallet to tap it all the way in. |
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17. Insert the 2 mis-alignment spacers into the rod ends of your Full Traction Suspension adjustable front and rear track bars. |
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Installing the Full Traction Suspension
3″ Ultimate Lift |
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1. Park your Jeep JK Wrangler on a level surface and chock your rear tires. Using an 18mm socket and wrench, remove the bolts and nuts securing your front sway bar links to the lower axle mounts. Then, slip a 19mm wrench inbetween the sway bar link and swaybar itself to secure the ball joint stud in place and remove the nut securing it in place with an 18mm wrench. Completely remove the links from the sway bar itself. (NOTE: If you have a manual transmission, skip to step #4). |
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2. If you have an automatic transmission, use an 18mm socket to remove the 3 bolts (one on each frame rail and one on the cross member) securing its skid plate to the frame of your Jeep JK Wrangler. Remove the skid plate and set it aside for now. |
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3. Remove the bolt securing your Jeep JK Wrangler’s front track bar to the front axle mount using a 21mm socket. This can be a tough bolt to remove and an impact wrench or breaker bar will help to make this job easier. |
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4. Using a 21mm socket and wrench (or crescent wrench), remove the bolt and nut securing the factory front track bar onto the frame mount of your Jeep JK Wrangler. Again, this can be a tough bolt to remove and an impact wrench or breaker bar will help to make this job easier. |
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5. Loosen (but do not remove) the lug nuts on your front wheels, raise the front end of your Jeep JK Wrangler one side at a time from the axle using a tall floor jack and then set it back down onto (2) jack stands, each placed just behind the lower control arm frame mounts as shown in this pic. |
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| 6. Remove the wheels off your Jeep JK Wrangler using a 19mm lug wrench or socket and then place them under the frame rails for added security. Leave the floor jack under the front axle to help support it. |
7. Using a 5/8″ wrench, hold your Jeep JK Wrangler’s front shock can in place just below the upper shock mount to keep it from spinning. Then, remove the stud mount nut above using a 16mm wrench. |
8. Using an 18mm socket and wrench, remove the bolt and nut securing your Jeep JK Wrangler’s front shock to the lower axle mount. Pull out the entire shock assembly and set aside the factory rubber bushings and washers as they will be reused. |
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| 9. Being mindful of your brake lines, carefully lower your Jeep JK Wrangler’s front axle until the factory front coils can be slipped out of the upper perch and be removed completely with ease. |
10. Using a 21mm socket and wrench, remove the bolts securing your factory front lower control arms to your Jeep JK Wrangler’s front axle mounts. These bolts will be tough to remove and the use of a breaker bar may be needed. |
11. Again, using a 21mm socket and wrench, remove the bolts securing your Jeep JK Wrangler’s factory front lower control arms to the frame rail mounts and then completely remove it from your Jeep. Be sure to save the factory hardware as they will be reused. |
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12. Your Jeep JK Wrangler’s factory front lower control arms measure 22-5/8″ in lenght center to center. As a starting point, I set my new Full Traction adjustable front lower control arms to being 23″ long which is 3/8″ longer than stock. |
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13. Install your Full Traction Suspension adjustable lower front control arms onto the frame mounts using the factory hardware. Do not torque this bolt yet as it will need to be done once your Jeep JK Wrangler is back on the ground. |
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| 14. Install your Full Traction Suspension adjustable lower front control arms onto the axle mounts using the factory hardware. Again, do not torque this bolt yet as it will need to be done once your Jeep JK Wrangler is back on the ground. |
15. Using a pair of needle nose pliers, pry off the wiring harness from your Jeep JK Wrangler’s drivers side upper control arm axle mount bracket as shown in this pic. |
16. Remove the bolts securing your Jeep JK Wrangler’s factory front upper control arms from the axle mounts using a 18mm socket and wrench. Be sure to save the factory hardware as they will be reused. |
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| 17. Using a 18mm wrench, remove the bolt securing the driver side upper control arm to the frame mount of your Jeep JK Wrangler and remove the control arm itself. Then, loosen the passenger side upper control arm frame mount bolt as shown in this pic. |
18. As you can see in this pic, the passenger side upper control arm frame mount bolt cannot be extracted due to your Jeep JK Wrangler’s exhaust being in the way. For the purposes of this write-up, I recommend that you just cut it and replace it with a new bolt. |
19. Pull the head of the passenger side upper control arm frame mount bolt out as far as you can and then cut it off using a Sawzall reciprocating saw and metal cutting blade as shown in this pic. Once cut, extract the remaining length of the bolt and remove the control arm itself from your Jeep JK Wrangler. |
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20. Your Jeep JK Wrangler’s factory front upper control arms measure 18-3/4″ in lenght center to center. Again, as a starting point, I set my Full Traction front adjustable upper control arms to 18-7/8″ long which is 1/8″ longer than stock. |
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21. Using a 3/4″ socket attached to a ratchet extension carefully feed your new 1/2″x3″ Grade 8 replacement bolt into the access hole on the outside of the frame rail and install the Full Traction Suspension adjustable upper control arm onto your Jeep JK Wrangler’s passenger side frame mount as shown in this pic. |
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| 22. Using a 3/4″ socket and wrench, secure the Full Traction Suspension upper control arm frame mount bolt in place using your new replacement washer and lock nut. Tighten but do not torque this bolt and nut at this time. |
23. Install your Full Traction Suspension driver side adjustable upper control arm onto the frame mount on your Jeep JK Wrangler using the factory hardware. An 18mm socket will be needed for this job. Tighten but do not torque this bolt at this time. |
24. Install both Full Traction Suspension adjustable upper control arms onto the axle mounts using the factory hardware. Make sure that the bolts are installed from the inboard to outside and then finger tighten but do not torque these bolts at this time. |
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25. Zip-tie the wiring harness you previously cut off of the factory driver side upper control arm to the new Full Traction Suspension unit as shown in this pics. |
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| 26. Clean off the lower spring perch on your Jeep JK Wrangler’s front axle and then, using one of the Full Traction Suspension aluminum bump stop extensions as a template, mark the center hole using a pencil or marker. |
27. Set aside the Full Traction Suspension aluminum bump stop extension and then mark the point where you will need to drill your mounting hole on the lower spring perch using a center punch and hammer. |
28. Use a 1/8″ metal drilling bit to make a pilot hole in the center of your Jeep JK Wrangler’s front lower spring perches. Then, drill the pilot holes you just made to their final size using an 11/32″ metal drilling bit. |
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| 29. Using a 9/16″ socket and one of the 3/8″x2-1/2″ self-tapping bolts provided with the Full Traction kit, slowly thread the holes you just drilled out by pressing down and ratcheting the bolt on. Make sure to back out often to clear out the debris and take your time. |
30. Make sure your Jeep JK Wrangler’s coil isolator is still seated on the factory bumpstop tower. Then, take one of your new Full Traction Suspension front coils, slip it up over the factory bump stop and then before seating it onto the lower spring perch, slip in one of the aluminum bump stop extension through the bottom of the coil as shown in this pic. |
31. Insert the 3/8″x2-1/2″ self-tapping bolt through the middle of the Full Traction Suspension aluminum bump stop extension and secure it in place using a 9/16″ socket and a 3″ ratchet extension. Working through the coils as shown in this pic, tighten the bolt to 30 ft. lbs. of torque. |
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| 32. Depending on what shocks you decided to get with your Full Traction 3″ Ultimate Lift Kit, you may find that bar pins will have been pre-installed into the lower shock bushing. If this is the case with your shocks, you will need to remove them and replace them with the metal sleeves that will be included with the shock hardware. A bench vice will help out a lot to press out the existing bar pin enough for you to pry it out and it will help you to press in the new metal sleeves. |
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| 33. Re-using the factory hardware, assemble one of the large flat washers onto your front shock mounting stud and then follow it up with the rubber bushing that has a raised center lip as shown in this pic. |
34. Slip the front shock mounting stud up into your Jeep JK Wrangler’s upper mount, slide on the opposite rubber bushing so that it mates perfectly over the raised lip of the lower bushing and then cap it off with the other large flat washer. |
35. Secure the front shock mounting stud in place with the new nut and jam nut that should be included with shocks. You will need either (2) 17mm wrenches to do this or an 11/16″ will make a good substitute. Tighten this nut to 17 ft. lbs. of torque. |
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36. Using an 18mm socket and wrench, secure your front shocks to your Jeep JK Wrangler’s axle mount using the factory hardware and tighten the nut and bolt to 56 ft. lbs. of torque. |
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37. Now that we have raised our Jeep JK Wrangler 3″ in the front, the axle will have shifted and will need to be shifted back over towards the passenger side by about 3/8″ in order to re-center it. So, unscrew the rod end on the Full Traction adjustable front track bar back out until the gap between the jam nut and the edge of the track bar arm measures 3/8″. Once the adjustment you need to make has been made, make sure that the mounting hole in the rod end is facing the same direction as the Vecton bushing end and then secure the rod end in place by tightening the jam nut against the track bar arm finger tight. |
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38. Install the Vecton Bushing end of your new Full Traction adjustable front track bar onto the frame mount of your Jeep JK Wrangler making sure that the bend in it is facing the appropriate direction and clears the differential. Then secure it in place using the factory hardware. |
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39. Reinstall your Jeep JK Wrangler’s front wheels, lower it back down on the ground and tighten the lug nuts to 95 ft. lbs. of torque. |
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40. Use a crescent wrench to secure the rod end jam nut in place and make sure that you still have both misalignment spacers in place. With the engine off, put your key in the ignition, make sure that the steering wheel is unlocked and then have a friend turn it in one direction or the other until you can line up your new Full Traction adjustable front track bar rod end with the axle mount hole on your Jeep JK Wrangler. Secure the rod end in place using the factory hardware. |
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41. Using a 21mm socket, tighten your new Full Traction adjustable front track bar to the axle mount of your Jeep JK Wrangler to 125 ft. lbs. of torque. |
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42. Again, use a 21mm socket and wrench to tighten your new Full Traction adjustable front track bar to the frame mount of your Jeep JK Wrangler to 125 ft. lbs. of torque. |
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43. If you have a Sahara or X model Jeep JK Wrangler, install the new Full Traction Suspension sway bar link disconnects onto the sway bar itself using the hardware provided and the front axle mounts using the factory hardware. Tighten them to 75 ft. lbs. of torque. You will need an 18mm socket and wrench to do this job. If you have a Rubicon model JK, you will need to install the factory rear sway bar links after they have been removed. |
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44. Using a large crescent wrench, tighten all your Full Traction Suspension adjustable lower and upper control arm jam nuts. Keep an eye on the lower control arm rod ends as you will want them sitting parallel to the mounting brackets and they will have a tendency to rotate over as you are doing this. If they do, use a pry bar and place it between the rod end and one side of the axle mounting bracket to help you keep them in place as you tighten the jam nut. |
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45. If you have an automatic and removed your skid plate earlier, use an 18mm socket to re-install and secure it to the frame of your Jeep JK Wrangler using the 3 factory bolts. |
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46. Remove the wheel chocks from the rear and place them up front. Loosen but do not remove the lug nuts on the rear wheels. Then, lift the rear end of your Jeep JK Wrangler from the differential using a tall floor jack and then set it back down onto (2) jack stands, each placed just behind the lower control arm frame mounts. Remove the wheels using a 19mm lug wrench or socket and set them under the frame rails for added protection. Leave the floor jack under front the axle to help support it. |
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| 47. Using a 16mm socket and a 6″-12″ ratchet drive extension, remove your Jeep JK Wrangler’s 2 upper rear shock mount bolts. |
48. Using an 18mm socket and wrench, remove the bolt and nut securing your Jeep JK Wrangler’s rear shocks to the lower axle mounts. Remove and set aside your shocks for now. |
49. Using an 18mm socket and wrench, remove the bolt and nut securing your Jeep JK Wrangler’s rear sway bar links to the lower axle mounts. Using a 19mm and 18mm wrench, completely remove the links from the sway bar itself. |
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50. Remove the rear track bar bolt and nut from your Jeep JK Wrangler’s lower axle mount using a 21mm socket. As was the case with the front track bar, this can be a tough bolt to remove and a breaker bar will help to make this job easier. |
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| 51. Using a 10mm deep well socket and extension, remove the 2 nuts securing your Jeep JK Wrangler’s emergency brake cables to the bottom of the tub. This is necessary in order for you to get your rear axle to droop enough to install your new coils. |
52. Using a 10mm socket, unbolt the rear brake line brackets which are fastened to the outside frame rails of your Jeep JK Wrangler. Leave them dangling at this time. |
53. Slowly lower your Jeep JK Wrangler’s rear axle being mindful of the ESP wiring. Once your axle is dropped low enough, your factory coils should just about fall out and can be removed with ease. Set aside the upper rubber isolators as they will be reused. |
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54. Remove your Jeep JK Wrangler factory rear lower control arms from the frame rail mounts using a 21mm socket. These bolts will be tough to remove and the use of a breaker bar may be needed. Also, be sure to keep your hardware as they will be reused. |
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55. Remove your Jeep JK Wrangler factory rear lower control arms from the axle mounts using a 21mm socket and wrench. As before, these bolts will be tough to remove and a breaker bar may be needed. Again, be sure to save the factory hardware as they will be reused. |
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56. Your Jeep JK Wrangler’s factory rear lower control arms measure 19-5/8″ in lenght center to center. As a starting point, I set my new Full Traction adjustable rear lower control arms to being 19-3/4″ long which is 1/8″ longer than stock. |
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57.Your Jeep JK Wrangler’s factory rear upper control arms measure 17-11/16″ in lenght center to center. As a starting point, I set my new Full Traction adjustable rear upper control arms to being 17-13/16″ long which is 1/8″ longer than stock. |
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| 58. Install your Full Traction Suspension adjustable rear lower control arms onto the frame mounts using the factory hardware. Finger tighten the bolts for now. |
59. Install your Full Traction Suspension adjustable rear lower control arms onto the axle mounts using the factory hardware. Finger tighten the bolts for now. |
60. Position a 2nd floor jack or your Jeep JK Wrangler’s scissor jack under the rear pinion to help support it. This will prevent the axle from rolling forward when removing the rear upper control arms. |
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61. Remove your factory rear upper control arms from the frame rail mounts using a 21mm socket. As before, these bolts will be tough to remove and a breaker bar may be needed. Be sure to save the factory hardware as they will be reused. |
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62. Remove your factory rear upper control arms from the axle mounts using a 21mm socket. Again, these bolts may require the use of a breaker bar in order to free it up. Be sure to save the factory hardware as they will be reused. (If you have a 4-door model Jeep JK Wrangler Unlimited, skip to step #66). |
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| 63. If you have a 2-door model Jeep JK Wrangler, your rear drive shaft will be at a steep enough angle that it can cause premature wear of your CV joint boots. Before installing your Full Traction Suspension rear upper control arms, I would recommend that you set the pinion up so that it’s parallel (or close to it as possible) with the drive shaft. Using the floor jack you have already positioned under the pinion and an angle finder, raise the pinion up until the degree angle on the pinion is the same as the angle reading on the drive shaft. |
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64. Using the factory bolts and flagged nuts, install the Full Traction Suspension upper control arms onto the frame mount mounts and finger tighten bolts for now. Getting the bolt to line up with the flagged nut can be quite a challenge but if you go slow and take your time, it can be done. |
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65. Using the factory bolts and flagged nuts, install Full Traction Suspension upper control arms onto axle mounts and finger tighten bolts for now. If have a 2-door model Jeep JK Wrangler and made adjustments to your pinion angle, you will need to adjust your rear upper control arms to the appropriate length prior to installing them onto your axle mounts. |
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| 66. Take your new Full Traction Suspension rear coil, hold it so that the tapered end is pointing down and then place the factory rubber isolator on top of it as shown in this pic. |
67. Install your new Full Traction Suspension rear coils on the rear of your Jeep JK Wrangler making sure that the isolators and coils are properly seated in their perches. |
68. Place the Full Traction Suspension Rear Bump Stop Blocks on top of your Jeep JK Wrangler’s rear axle bump pads and secure them in place using the 3/8″x3/4″ bolts, washers and nuts provided with the kit. You will need (2) 9/16″ wrenches for the job but a 14mm wrench will act as a good substitute |
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| 69.Using a 10mm socket and the factory hardware, install the Full Traction Suspension Brake Line Extension Brackets, onto your Jeep JK Wrangler’s frame rails. |
70. Secure your Jeep JK Wrangler’s rear brake lines to the new extension brackets using the 1/4″x3/4″ bolts, washers and lock nuts provided with the kit. You will need a 7/16″ socket and wrench for this job. |
71. Using an 18mm socket and 19mm wrench install your new Full Traction Suspension 12� Straight Rear Sway Bar Links onto your factory Jeep JK Wrangler sway bar using the 12×60mm bolts and nuts provided with the kit. |
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| 72. Using an 18mm socket and wrench, secure your new Full Traction Suspension 12â€? Straight Rear Sway Bar Links to your Jeep JK Wrangler’s lower axle mounts using the factory hardware. |
73. Make sure your new rear shocks have the appropriate bar pin installed. Then, using a 16mm socket and a 12″ ratchet extension, install them onto the rear upper shock mounts on your Jeep JK Wrangler using the factory hardware. Tighten these bolts to 37 ft. lbs. of torque. |
74. Using an 18mm socket and wrench, install your new rear shocks onto your Jeep JK Wrangler’s lower axle mounts using the factory hardware. Tighten these bolts to 56 ft. lbs. of torque. |
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75. Just as was the case up front, Jeep JK Wrangler’s rear axle will need to be shifted over towards the driver side by about 3/8″ in order to get it re-centered. So, unscrew the rod end on the Full Traction adjustable rear track bar back out until the gap between the jam nut and the edge of the track bar arm measures3/8″. Once the adjustment you need to make has been made, make sure that the mounting hole in the rod end is facing the same direction as the Vecton bushing end and then secure the rod end in place by tightening the jam nut against the track bar arm finger tight. |
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76. Install the Vecton bushing end of your new Full Traction adjustable rear track bar onto the frame mount of your Jeep JK Wrangler making sure that the bend in it is facing the appropriate direction and clears the differential. Secure the track bar in place using the factory hardware and making sure that you reverse the bolt so that the threads are pointing towards the rear of your Jeep. If you don’t do this, your bolt may come into contact with the bump stop extension. Tighten this bolt to 125 ft. lbs. of torque. |
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77. Reinstall your Jeep JK Wrangler’s rear wheels, lower it back down on the ground and then tighten the lug nuts to 95 ft. lbs. of torque. |
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78. More than likely you new Full Traction Suspension adjustable rear track bar rod end will not line up exactly with the axle mount hole on your Jeep JK Wrangler and you may find it necessary to have a friend push on the side of your Jeep a bit in order to get things to line up. Or, if you’re doing this on your own, you can use a ratchet strap as is shown in the example pic to the left (from the TeraFlex Budget Boost Write-Up) to do the same thing. Once everything is lined up and making sure that you have your misalignment spacers installed, secure the rod end in place using the factory hardware. Using a 21mm socket, tighten this bolt to 125 ft. lbs. of torque. |
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79. Use a crescent wrench to secure the rod end jam nut in place up against the Full Traction Suspension adjustable rear track bar itself as shown in this pic. |
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80. Using a 10mm socket, re-secure your Jeep JK Wrangler’s emergency brake cables hanger to the bottom of the tub using the factory nuts. |
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81. Using a large crescent wrench, tighten all your Full Traction Suspension adjustable lower and upper control arm jam nuts. Keep an eye on the lower control arm rod ends as you will want them sitting parallel to the mounting brackets and they will have a tendency to rotate over as you are doing this. If they do, use a pry bar and place it between the rod end and one side of the axle mounting bracket to help you keep them in place as you tighten the jam nut. |
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82. Using a 21mm socket, go around and tighten all the Full Traction Suspension adjustable lower control arm bolts, both at the axle and the frame mounts of your Jeep JK Wrangler, to 125 ft. lbs. of torque. |
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83. Using a 21mm socket, tighten the Full Traction Suspension rear adjustable upper control arm bolts, both at the frame and axle mounts of your Jeep JK Wrangler to 125 ft. lbs. of torque. |
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| 84. Using an 18mm socket tighten up your driver side Full Traction Suspension front adjustable upper control arm frame mount bolts to 75 ft. lbs. of torque. |
85. Using an 3/4″ socket, wrench and wrench extension, tighten up your Full Traction Suspension passenger side front adjustable upper control arm frame mount bolts to 75 ft. lbs. of torque. |
86. Using an 18mm socket and wrench, tighten up your Full Traction Suspension front upper control arm axle mount bolts to 75 ft. lbs. of torque. |
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87. Use a grease gun and lube up all the zerk grease points on your new Full Traction Suspension control arms. Some of the zerk grease points may be difficult to reach and I would recommend replacing the rigid barrel of your gun with a hose attachment as as shown in this pic it will help you out a lot. Also, you may find it necessary to adjust the position of the zerk nipples a bit to allow for better access and a 3/8″ wrench will be needed to do this. |
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88. Because of the lift, your steering wheel will be off center a bit. To re-center your steering wheel, use a 15mm wrench to loosen the 2 nuts on the turnbuckle as shown in the pic to the left. Then, rotate the turnbuckle clockwise or counter clockwise as needed while a friend watches the steering wheel (or you periodically check on it yourself) go back to center. Once re-centered, secure the nuts and take it for a drive to check your steering wheel. This may take a few tries to get it on 100% but that’s all there is to it. |
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89. Place an angle finder on the flat base of your front axle as shown in this pic and determine what your caster angle is. From the factory, your caster angle is a +4.2°. For 3″ of lift and 35″-37″ tires, I would recommend that you set your caster angle at about +7°-8°. And, if you set your front upper and lower control arms to the specs I have provided, your caster angle should be about there now. |
And that should be it! You’re Jeep JK Wrangler is now sitting on top of a Full Traction 3″ Ultimate Lift. Double check to make sure you have tightened every bolt to torque specs and then take your Jeep out for a test drive. With the exception of re-centering your steering wheel and setting your caster angle, no further alignment adjustments should be needed as the only thing left would be your toe-in adjustment and this will not have changed due to the new steering design of the JK.
If everything checks out, take your rig out and get it dirty! And, if more adjustments are needed, click on the link below for information on how to do basic front end alignment:Basic do it Yourself Front End Alignment
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to give us a holler. |
Additional Photos
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| Before |
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| After – On the Trails |
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| To see more photos of the Project-JK Jeep with the Full Traction Suspension 3″ Ultimate Lift installed, click on the links below:
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Just so you know, your toe-in will not have changed due to the new steering design that the JK has and if you re-center your steering wheel yourself, the only thing you will be paying to have done at an alignment shop is getting your caster set. Need I say, save your money and do this yourself. 🙂
Eddie
ok, when adjust the pinion and caster.. I only adjust the upper control arms??? I dont need to adjust the lower arms?? I have a 2 door, so Should I leave the lower arms at the measurements you suggested? What should I be looking for to know if I need to adjust the lower control arm length?
Yes, your adjustable lower control arms are designed to let you reposition your axle under your Jeep and the uppers are designed to change the angle they sit at. In the rear, if your track bar is making contact with your coils, it has been pushed back too far and you will need to adjust your lower control arms to be shorter. If in the front, you coils are making contact with the bump stop towers, your front axle most likely needs to be pushed forward and your lower control arms will allow you to do that. However, I should point out that if you have too much caster, your front coils may curve a bit and this could cause them to contact your bump stop towers as well so be mindful of that. 🙂
Eddie
ok thanks. I assume the 2 and 4 door front set ups are the same? So the measurments that you mentioned should work fine right? The rear I’m guessing the there a bit different, then again the could be the same, that would make sense from an engineering stand point. So Will the rear mesurments you stated to start out with work for a 2 door? I’m doing this install next weekend. I guess I’m wanting to get set lengths to start at. I dont want to not drive properly.
Yes, the measurements should be relatively the same. Granted, every Jeep seems to be a bit different and you should check your Jeep after the installation of your kit.
Eddie
Eddie,
You did great job to do the document with along instruction. I wonder if you can provide me the PDF since of this since it use up a lot of papers. WHen I print this one and it will come out many pages with along comments.
Thanks,
Mark
Hi Mark, I really do apologize but I do not have this write-up available as a PDF at this time. Sorry.
Eddie
are there any drive line mods you have to do when installing the 3″ lift I want to run 35s but dont want the headaches of changing the drive line
Thanks
Hi Chad, I apologize for not responding to you sooner. I had been in Las Vegas attending the SEMA show all last week and just got back in late last night. Regarding your question, if you have a 2-door, you will want to change out your rear drive line to a double cardin u-joint style shaft. And, if you have an automatic, you might want to consider replacing that as well on 2-door or unlimited models as well as the factory shaft will come into contact with the auto skid plate. Your other option would be to remove the auto skit.
Eddie
Way Of Life,
Is there anyway that i can contact you personally to discuss somehtings with you. I’m only 15 but just received a 2008 Wrangler JK Unlimited X and i’m oblivious to most things concerning off-roading and technical terminology. If you could just please inform me on the basics about the sport, and then I will teach myself from there.
Thanks for listening,
Scott
Just sent you an email.
Eddie
i have a 4 dr rubicon on order 08…looking to install the ft 3″ lift when it gets here. i recently have read of problems with the esp on lifted 07 models….do you know if this has been addressed?
So long as you have your steering wheel centered, you shouldn’t have any ESP problems and any that you might have will eventually go away as your ESP learns what’s going on. But, you can also have your ESP turned off.
Eddie
I just finished installing a FT Premium 3″ lift kit and used your great instructions as a guide. Only issue, I had to disable my ESP. Is that normal?
While your ESP going off after a lift is somewhat common, most of the time, it is caused by a steering wheel being of center or running too much air in your tires. either way, the ESP system is progressive and will learn. In otherwords, it will eventually figure things out and not trigger all the time.
Eddie-do you know how tall your JK is with the lift and bigger tires? Can you still park it in the garage?
Eddie,
I just completed this install. THANK you so much for the great instructions. Some quick comments while I have them fresh in my head.
On my 2008 Sahara Unlimited there were not any wires attached to the front upper control arm.
For the rear install at step 62 you say to go to step 66 if you have a 4 door. That should be go to step 65. It was a bugger getting those rear upper control arms on after I had put just about everything else on.
Thats it for now. I have some other notes I can pass along if you are interested. I am a technology guy that is sort of mechanically inclined but I have never done anything like this to any vehicle I have owned in the past 23 years. Before this I couldn’t have pointed out a control arm from a sway bar link from a track bar without it being a total guess. As such I have some mental notes on things I “guessed” at during the installation process that may help those with this particular install and similar ones in the future.
Thanks again for this write up.
Cheers
Ron
Yeah, I suppose the wires are only for a Rubicon or a JK fitted with a locker. Thanks for pointing that out.
Hi SuperDave, my JK sits at about 6′-11″ at its highest point with the soft top on and at this highest point, it just rubs the base of my garage door.
Eddie
HELP!!I have a 2008 JK Rubicon Unlimited and had the Full Traction Ultimate 3 inch suspension system installed along with the shocks. I have driven it approx 1000 miles and it has developed a clanking noise. I have had everything re torqued and it seems to come right back?? The shop that installed it has been doing suspension lifts for over 10 years, this was the first Full Traction. I’m going back to their shop to discuss the problem in the morning…any suggestions?? The loud clanking/snapping noise seems to come if I back up then go forward there is a LOUD CLANK also if I go over a speed bump in a parking lot slowly when the front wheels go up over the bump there is no clank only when the wheels go back down to the pavement.I’m very frustrated and ready to sell the JK if I cant fix it!
A loud ‘clank’ is typically caused by something like a coil catching on something and letting go. Have you checked to see if your passenger side rear coils isn’t making contact with the track bar bolt? Or, have you checked to see if maybe your passenger side front coil is catching on the bumpstop tower?
I bought a Rubicon RE7200 Series TJ Extreme Duty Long Arm System and I am having touble with it. Can anyone help me on this? I installed it but getting alot of Vibration. Don’t know what to do. Called the company and they tell me to just adjust it.
If you can help I would be very happy. I am in the millitary station in Bahrain.
Thank you
Mr. Dragon
are you sure that your vibes aren’t being caused by your tires being out of balance? also, if you installed a new aftermarket front drive shaft, have you tried reducing the amount of caster you have?
eddie
hi there Eddie,
I installed the 3″ Ultimate kit all good except for the Front track bar. it dosnt line up Angularly to the Axel and Frame mounts, i had to push quite a bit of presure on the arm to get it to slot in, so its now fitted under tension. i feel this is due to the bushing used, it doesnt allow for any miss Alignment (oddly enough the original factory Track Bar fits better although shorter) I can shorten the lower control arms to bring the axel back and make it line better but it’s still not right, I feel the bushing will wear prematurely, ANY IDEAS?
Also I read that you advised ‘Chad’ that he needed to change he’s rear drive line because he has a Shorty with 35� tires, I have the same but I haven’t heard that you need to change any drivelines before? I have no issues with my rig, should I? What are the problems that occur with Std Drivelines?
Be great to hear from you,
Mal.
mal, how much longer did you make your lower control arms and how much shorter did you make your uppers? also, after changing the position and caster of your axle, getting your track bar into the axle mount will require some effort but you should not have any issues with the bushing wearing out prematurely. at least, i haven’t had any issues and i have well over 30,000 miles on mine.
regarding your rear drive shaft, it being as short as it is will cause your CV boots to be in a constant state of pinch. over time, this will cause them to wear out prematurely and tear. once compromises, water and dirt can get in and ruin your joints. this will not happen immediately but it will happen – i have seen it on numerous JK’s already.
eddie
ok the Front upper control Arms are to your spec i.e. A 5/8″ Gap giving 1/8″ Longer than Stock. The lowers you said to make the Gap 1 1/4″ but i made it 1″ as a starting point so it can still go shorter as it should now be at 1/2″ longer than stock and you ended up with only 3/8″.
Castor angle is L/H 7 1/2 Deg & R/H 5 1/2 Deg. I also have issue with the drivers side Coil spring curving fwd and rubbing on the Sway bar arm! the gap between the pasenger side coil to swaybar is larger its not rubbing but appears to be curving rearwards?
with regard to the CV’s I’d have to change both at the Transfer case wouldnt i? as the angle of the front drive line is at a sharper angle.
Mal.
p.s. one more thing while ive got ya;)- having Dana44 Rear & Dana30 in the front (i have the Manual, Auto’s have 35s’) will that Diff be able to take the 35″ Tires ok? i have 4.56 ratios with detroit 3/4 locker front, Full Locker Rear. have you known anyone to have issues with them? should i look at upgrading to a 44?
hi mal, i had made changes to this write-up about a week ago and have included new pics and specific measurements regarding the control arms. you might want to double check your measurements of them by doing an eye to eye measurement just in case. also, have you check to make sure that you have your axle centered? regarding driveshafts, you’ll have to replace the entire shafts. as far as your axles go, yes, they will be able to run 35’s just fine and know plenty of people who have that setup now.
eddie
Apparently I have the same problem as Rick. I install the FT 3� lift on my 2008 JK 4-door and the front coils have a curve in them. The passenger side coil is curved towards the back and is rubbing on the bump stop tower. The driver side coil is curved towards the front and is very close to the sway bar. The bottom of the coil is seated correctly in the slot of the seat therefore I don’t think I should turn the coil. I had my local alignment shop take a look at it and they tried switching the front coils but the effect was the same. Is there a seating pad at the top of the coil that may require rotating or could there be a problem with the springs? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
David
who did you buy your lift from? could be that you got a set of coils that were cut wrong. i would contact your sales rep to let them know of your problem and see if they can help you out.
HEY WOL,
DO YOU RUB AT FULL STUFF W/T THE FT 3″ ULTIMATE ?
i did a bit at a full stuff and turning but only after installing a heavy front bumper and powerplant. i installed a 1″ body lift and the problem went away.
ok then , so fender flare triming is needed then or do the b/l
thanks
Hi Way of Life,
Do the sway bar discos on this lift have a pin set up to store them out of the way(like the teraflex disco)or do they need to be bungeed?
the links come completely off but the sway bar arm will need to be bungied or strapped up somehow. personally, i would recommend picking up a set of teraflex discos.
I am looking to lift my 2 door automatic x model. I have couple of questions to start with. #1. I have read in the above comments that since I have a 2 door automatic, I will need to replace my driveshafts? If so, could you suggest a front and rear drive shaft (manufacture)? Also suggest where I could obtain them (online retailer)? #2 In regards to the post install and the affects on the speedo, could I get a dealer to re-program the speedo instead of obtaining the aftermarket program-er myself? Let me know. Thanks.
1. you really can’t go wrong with a coast or je reel shaft and you can get either from http://www.northridge4x4.com.
2. if you go taller than a 32″ tire, no, your dealer will not be able to help you out and you will need to get a programmer like hypertech makes in order to recalibrate it.
Thanks for the info.
Is there anyway to lift a 2 door jk without replacing the driveshafts? I read in your old man emu wirte up comments that even with the 2 inch lift, the driveshafts will have to be replaced. Sucks becasue the cost spikes once you consider the price of a decent lift, driveshafts, wheels, and tires. I estimate around $3000. Ouchy.
sure, if you have a 6-speed, you don’t need to replace the front shaft. however, at 3″ or more, the rear will have to be addressed sooner than later. if you want to stick with your factory shafts, you should get a 2.5″ coil spacer lift. that will keep you in the safe zone.
i c… so you are saying that with a 2.5 inch coil spacer lift, no replacement of driveshafts is needed? even on an auotmatic 2 door? if so, then why wont the old man emu 2 inch work with out driveshaft replacements? i realize the old man emu lifts with springs and shocks, and the budget boost lifts with shocks and spacers. still, isnt the driveshaft replacement lift height dependent? if so, what is the cut-off height? sorry to be a pain, but i am trying to figure things out. thanks again for your help.
for the rear at 3″ of lift or more, the angle of your rear drive shaft on a 2-door (which is very short) will be at too steep of an angle and this will cause your CV boots to wear out very quickly. needless to say, in the rear, this is height dependent. up front, the drive shaft is very long and even at 3″ or more, it will still sit at a shallow enough angle that your CV boots will not get compromised. however, with longer shocks, your axle will be able to droop a lot more and when this happens, your drive shaft will swipe into the tranny pan and this is what will tear the spline shaft boot. does this make sense?
makes total sense. thanks. so is there any suspension lift (springs and shocks) that can be used on a 2 door jk without replacing the driveshafts?
the OME medium duty coil spring setup will give you about 2″ of lift exactly. also, the shocks they use are about stock lenght and so you will not get too much droop.
I JUST HAD A FULL TRACTION ULTIMATE 4 INCH LIFT PUT ON MY 08 JK 2 DOOR SIX SPEED WITH 37 INCH IROKS.ALL I CAN SAY IS WOW AND WOW AGAIN.IT LOOKS SO AWSOME.ONLY PROBLEM WAS IS THAT YOU NEED LONGER BREAK LINES THEY ARE NOT INCLUDED BUT OTHER WISE ITS AWSOME.
My 2 door upper rear control arms measure 17-7/16″ center to center and in this write up you say:
57.Your Jeep JK Wrangler’s factory rear upper control arms measure 17-11/16″ in length center to center. As a starting point, I set my new Full Traction adjustable rear upper control arms to being 17-13/16″ long which is 1/8″ longer than stock.
What the deal? I got wierd OEM arms or you got a mis-print?
just finnished installing this kit on a RHD JK 4 DOOR CRD here in Australia, The kit works perfectly well but here are a few problems i ran in to for any ozzzys that want to get the kit. The eye on the front shocks i got with the kit were too small to accept the bushes and sleves off the original shocks, no problem though just got new bushes from a local pedders store that suited. Also the front trac bar supplied with the kit is 30mm too long and had to be cut, the shape is good and doesnt hit the pumpkin. I also found the measurements of the control arms in the write up didnt apply and the bolt which you suggested to cut came out (not easy but with a little manipulating it came out). In regards to the write up though I am very greatful and it made the job much easier. Thank you so much for taking the time to go into so much detail
Dave and/or WOL,
Are the measurements off because the write-up was done on a 4 door and Dave’s JK is a 2 door?
the front end should be the same on both but on a 2-door, the rear uppers will be quite different.
Eddie,
I was considering purchasing this lift but I have seen very negative feedback about the squeaking. Have you or anyone else found this to be an issue? This would completely drive me nuts.
Looks like you have ran both FT and Teraflex. Would you pick one over the other?
Thanks!
Rick
so long as you maintain the bushings with a high quality grease, they will stay quite. what they offer over rubber bushings is a significant amount of bind free flex. having said that, i know that FT will be offering up rubber bushings as well.
Hey Eddie
Nice set of shoes on there!
Which wheels are those and what tires are on them?
Dimensions?
Think this is the lift I’m gonna bring in to South Africa, so I won’t have to ask you zillions of questions on JK-Forum and Facebook anymore 😉
Appreciate all the advice 🙂
Estian