J spring install and bump stop issues (1 Viewer)

[Midlifer]

Newbie here and I have a tech question. Purchased J springs on Friday and installed Saturday. All seemed to be ok until I got to the front bump stop spacers. I figured that that round steel housing needed to be around the rubber to help keep it from breaking off from its mount. I then decided to put the spacer above this steel housing. Things looked off when the new springs and shocks were installed, the angle just didn't look right with the bump stops. I thought that the angle would correct itself once weight was put on it. I drove it fifty miles or so and all seemed well on the highway. Pulled off to get a double double and heard a loud crunch when I pulled into the driveway. Upon inspection I noticed that the metal housing around the rubber bump stop was catching on the spring. I have some before and after shots and have several questions.

1. Did I put the spacer in the wrong place and if so, WTH does it go?

2. The original bump stop and spring show that the rubber was hitting the spring even before the lift, is this normal?

Yes, the issue is on both DS and PS

 

[alkaline747trio]

Looks like a sign of very bad caster....

 

[Midlifer]

Before, after, or both?

 

[Bear80]

Very BAD castor angle, result of a front hit. Either your frame is bent or your axle housing is.

 

[Midlifer]

Oh Joy

 

[Romer]

Could also be the spring wasn't on right and that crunch noise you heard bent the perch. By the photo, looks like the perch thats off to me, best way to tell is to compare sides.

 

[95eighty]

Could the control arm be bent?Check them for straightness.Also the hardware that holds them in place.Are they all there still?

 

[Midlifer]

Both sides seem to be the same judging by the other pics I took. The bad angle seems to be existing, the bump stop appeared to be hitting the old springs as well. I think for the time being I will remove the spacers so that I can drive again. I'm going to have to look at this over and over to see how this is happening.

 

[Romer]

have you installed any castor correction? Bushings, plates, etc?

 

[Midlifer]

MAF 3" drop brackets. All seems to be ok with those, no real issues and all existing hardware seemed to in good shape on the rear of the control arms.

 

[Midlifer]

Here are a couple of shots, not fully extended and prior to new springs, shocks, and drops. When fully extended the brake line was really tight. The control arms looked to be normal, of course I'm new to LC's and auto mechanics. I can't see the bump stop bracket being affected by a front end hit as it appears to be facing to far forward and not back. In one of these pics it almost looks as if the bump stop bracket has been installed incorrectly.

 

[Romer]

Try and take them out. I am running J's with 2" bump stops in the rear and none in the front. Course I am really weighed down bumpers, winch, S/C dual batts.

See how it is without the bumpstops. They looked normal in your last picture to me.

Lot better than something bent

 

[Bear80]

It looks like your passengers side is not near as bad as the drivers side. So both sides are the same or no? Becuase I assumed only the drivers side had the issue. Plus with the stock springs, the stops not hitting in the center seems to point to it compounding with the J's and spacers. The only thing that I can think of the axle rotated fowards. With the stock springs you should not have that issue at all, so somthing is wrong in the arms, axle or frame mounts.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

It may just be the angle of the pic, but on the PS - the top of the spring mount, where the bumpstop attaches, looks likes it deflects upwards sligthly? That would angle the bumpstop.

 

[MARLIN375]

I have never seen the drop brackets in action, but is it possible they move the arms forward as well as down.......and you have them on backwards? looks very strange.......a front end hit that would bend your arms would show damage or tell-tale signs of a previous repair. these pics are from a "bent front diff " thread.

Attached Images

 

[Midlifer]

Both sides have the issue, not sure if one is worse than the other or not. Since I have the ARB front bumper installed and the winch on its way, I will remove the spacers and see how it reacts. While doing this I will try and determine the reason for the bad angle.

 

[MARLIN375]

Another thought....normally bump stops take the load of the vehicle during relatively slow suspension articulation, is it possible they have been bumped or hit hard........you don't jump your truck for fun or anything silly like that.

 

[Midlifer]

you don't jump your truck for fun or anything silly like that.

Now you tell me

 

[Midlifer]

I have never seen the drop brackets in action, but is it possible they move the arms forward as well as down.......and you have them on backwards?

Impossible to put on backwards, I think. They drop the control arm rear mounting point down 3", directly below the original location.

 

[landtank]

One thing with the drop brackets is that the axle no longer travels the same path. It actually starts at the same point vertically as a non lifted truck but as it gets compressed the axle actually move toward the rear so that the bumpstop will hit on the front side of the spring perch.

Because of this any bumpstop used will not contact the axle in the correct spot.