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Hey folks, I've got a quick question I'm hoping you can help me with. My JKU came with a Rough Country 3.25” lift kit (link below for reference) and I'm thinking about changing it. The kit comes with lifted springs and 0.75” coil spring spacers that go between the springs and stock coil isolators.

If I wanted to reduce the height of the lift, couldn't I simply remove the spacers that come with the lift? If so, then I suppose I'd need to make any needed adjustments to the geometry? Unfortunately, I think my current Rancho 9000XL shocks are for a 3-3.5 inch lift. I may also reach out to the manufacturer, but I'm curious if this is an option.

Rough Country 3.25” Lift

 

If all the other components are set up correctly - aka toe, TB angle, caster, bushings nice and solid and diff angles - then there is not a lot of advantage to reducing the lift unless you want much smaller tires than at present. Bump stops should help you protect shocks from bottoming out.

 

Thanks for the reply. I did check with RC and they did confirm I can remove the 0.75" spacer to effectively reduce the lift. Honestly, it's mostly for aesthetic and functional reasons (kids struggle to get in and out, stuff like that) and I don't really use the Jeep to get the full benefit of a lift anyway. I'm currently equipped with Rancho 9000XL (RS999332 and RS999331) shocks and adjustable control arms and front/rear trackbars. The question I'm left with, is what is the most efficient way to do this? I had good luck using spring compressors when I installed the MC coil spring retainers. I know that the other way to do this would be to support the Jeep's frame with jackstands, disconnect the shocks, swaybar end links, and the trackbar and get enough droop to separate the springs. Since I only need to make enough space to pull the coil spring spacers and OEM isolators out, is it possible to support the frame on each corner in turn, compress the spring enough to pull that spacer out and then re-seat it? Either way, I'll probably need to bring the Jeep into a shop to get it realigned and possibly have the rear control arms adjusted (unless the figures @wayoflife suggested in a past thread would be invalid after this change) and things of that nature.

 

Measure the caster prior and if it is near 4.5+ then it will be about 5+ when you are done removing the 3/4". I would leave it at that. Or you can turn the LCAs in by 1/2 thread to get back to where you were. If I were doing the job I would go the droop route by lifting and let the springs come loose then remove the spacers.

 

Listen to Sixty4X4 , block up the frame and droop the axle low enough to remove the spring, by far best and only way to do it. Block up one axle at a time no need to do both front and rear at the same time. Why would you need an alignment? what's going on in the rear that would make you want to adjust the rear lower control arms?

 

I mostly mentioned that I have them if I need to make adjustments. I previously had a pinion correction made on the rear end since it was dipped down from the lift. If I go ahead with this, I'm not sure if additional corrections (or a correction to the previous adjustment) will need to be made.

 

On the JKU wheelbase, the factory rear DS is very forgiving as it has CV joints on both ends. Most won't do any rear adjustment because of the pinion angle. Where rear arms typically enter the picture is being ~3.5" and going up to 37s, cuz that tire creeps so far towards the front of the wheel well that you want to extend the wheelbase back out again....not to mention it just looks funny at that point. If you change the height, and if you have the ability to do so, then you may as well tweak things so the rear pinion is ideal, but it's probably not the end of the world either way.

 

Thank you for the information. If I get it realigned, I might have the shop do that if I choose not to. I believe for the rzeppa joint drive shaft, you want the shaft parallel with the rear pinion and then straight into the transfer case? My transfer case has a little bit of downward angle, so it sort of works as-is. I'll have to measure the angles on it to make sure.

 

Quick follow up question: if I have had the axles centered previously with my adjustable front/rear track bars, would it be necessary to have this re-checked after I perform my "lift reduction surgery"? Or would 0.75" not change things much, if at all?

 

They will shift with the change, but the difference is going to be inconsequential. it might be enough you have to recenter the steering wheel with the drag link though.