Originally Posted by professional_slacker

This thing is a colossal pain in the ass. so anyone that thinks they want one, I advise you explore all other options out there before you pull the trigger.

First off. bolt on my ass. the only thing the blots do is help line things up before you weld them on.

Secondly. if you have other after market mods, you have to mod and tweak everything and hop it still works as intended. I had G2 Dana44s that the brackets all had to be cut and modified just to make things fit in their appropriate places. and not just the D44 mounts, but the EVO mounts as well. nothing went together smoothly, not even the evo parts to themselves.

Thirdly. once you put this kit on your JK, it's there forever. You cant go back without getting a new frame. so if you do it and decide it's not for you, get a for sale sign and look for a new Jeep.

Fourthly. adjustment F-ing SUCKS. the spanners dont fit in the spaces you have left to work, so you are forced to used improvised tools and scar the hell out of your expensive ass coilovers in an attempt to adjust the preload.


My favorite part was spending all that money for this Kit, installing it, and then seeing my jeep get a case of the leans because (as evo explains) the passenger side is heavier than the driver side. even if it's due to the fuel and tank, you are only talking about 200lbs. Roughly my body weight, so wouldnt my weight in the driver seat offset this? Because it doesnt. nor does TWO 200 + pound men on the driver side. this is a is a poor QC problem with spring rates, plain and simple. my Trail master lift didnt have this issue, nor do most other lifts I've seen. then there was the rear sag issue. I was told (By EVO) that "here out west we like our Jeeps Lower while you guys in the south seem to like 'em taller"...this is a crock. I didnt ask how to get a 6 inch lift out of my coilovers. I asked how to make it ride level and nit LITERALLY sit a half an inch off the hydraulic bump stops. when you drive down a paved road, in good condition, and your bump stops are your suspension...THATS a problem. I had 105MM of preload on those springs just to get it level. I had no more adjustment and that was only on one side. the other was at 28mm. My corner scales had me at .2% difference on all corners and the Right side preload was bottomed out front and rear.

So, I call again. I ended up buying new heavier springs because I was then told "our set up is for stock jeeps" . who does this kind of project to a "stock Jeep" this kits should be either set up for modded jeeps or have options when ordering. stock jeeps weigh around 4500lbs. mine is pushing 6500. the new springs look better, but it still took 75mm of preload to get 2.5" of clearance on the bumps. at least the rear is closer to setting level now with only about 10mm difference in ride height. the right front took 35mm. the left is topped out. tomorrow I'll be scaling again to try and fine tune it now that it has the new springs.

as for the rest of the kit...yeah, good luck getting the johnny joints to hold position and not twist back and forth changing your alignment each time. hey, my wheels stright, oh wait, now it's off 20 degrees, or look it's straight again, oh, now the front end is pulling to one side... yeah, this is a great kit.

Originally Posted by tgoss

How the fvck do johnny joints on control arms have anything to do with your steering wheel alignment? Joints move, it's their purpose. If you're steering wheel is off constantly, check your drag link. That's the only thing you have going on to center it. If your to is off, check your tie rod. Make sure the adjustment collars are torqued properly. If they are, check to make sure the ball joints are good.

It truly sounds like you and your shop have little to no experience setting up coilovers, and I don't mean that to be insulting, they are NOT a straight forward install and easy to fvck up if you don't know what you're doing properly.

Originally Posted by JKZinger

I have been running the bolt on EVO coilovers and the double D long arm with no issues for 4 years. Installed it myself and never have the Johnny joints unthread themselves. Also wheel it almost weekly.

Originally Posted by professional_slacker

if the joints are moving (threading and un-threading) then they are changing your wheel base length. if they are doing it at different rates, or in different directions, which they are, then it throws your chassis alignment out of whack. Ergo, steering will be off. I've been running coil overs for years on my autox car. I know how to set up coil overs. I also have a guy that does my alignments that used to work for the Porsche race team, he's fighting these joints trying to keep them in line. did I mention that I also have been riding and racing dirt bikes over 40 yrs? a coil over is no different than a rear shock on a bike. you'll have to take my word for it what I say I know my way around shock far more complicated and more critical to set up correctly than a king coil over for a jeep.

Originally Posted by tgoss

I guess I have no choice but to take your word for it on the coilovers.... Surely sounds like you know what you're doing if you're experiencing these problems with a kit that normally no one does other than spring rates with King coilovers that just about everyone and their brother uses for a JK.....

And if you can't get the joints jammed and torqued properly then I am truly at a loss. I would venture to guess that everyone else who uses a johnny joint would bitch about them being misaligned constantly and fvcking with the steering wheel, including myself.....

Originally Posted by Chuck-The-Ripper

Forget it brother... He must be too focused on his "chassis alignment" being off to understand what you're saying....
LOL

Originally Posted by caryt

On the JJ's are you cleaning the nut threads and using lots of blue Loctite?

As far as springs and valving if possible take it to a event where King or another shock tuner will be having a test and tune day...I'd let a expert get them correct.