4 Inch BDS Lift from bjsoffroad

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deckroid
Posts: 178
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2016 7:32 pm
Location: The Sticks, Idaho

4 Inch BDS Lift from bjsoffroad

Post by deckroid »

Hey everyone

In this time of Sheltering In Place, I thought I would post something from last year. I posted this to Instagram, but I neglected to show it off to my FSJ family and for that, I apologize.

Here we have a staring point...
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I always like to park next to cars like this... it's the redneck in me. I live in a county that doesn't do emissions testing (yet) and some folks gawk when I tell them my mileage. But I temper that with "It's 35 yrs old. How many cars have you driven in the last 35 years? Where are they now? I will stake that carbon footprint against yours any day..."

Let's gather supplies...
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The delivery guy talked with me for about an hour, telling me stories of his grandad and his Wagoneer. It's always the same thing... people see the Waggy and they strike up friendly reminiscences.

Can't forget this...
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That is going to come in handy later on. If I also put out a Thrown Wrench/Tool jar, it would have been over flowing... but I digress.

Let's get to work...
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Jacked her up, took tires off and stared pulling pieces off.

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Some things came off easier than others...
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Sometimes, it just pays to use force
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Got em!
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Now, why won't you line up...?
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Screw this change stuff... I am moving right to paper money!
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Ok, now for the front... um, does the back seem a bit high?
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One left!!!
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Now, it is at this point of our story that I have to tell you of my massive screw up. See, we got it all put back together but 1.) the ride was HORRIBLE and 2.) the back was sticking way the hell up there. When I say horrible, I mean bucking like a bronco on every bump. The rear end would almost hop when I took any bumps at speed. And the tail end up looking like a 6 inch lift with a 4 inch at the front. I read on a few forums that the springs can be a bit stiff and might take a hundred or two miles to loosen up and get comfortable.

After about 3 months, I decided to jack her back up and take a good look around and see what I might have... oh, for #!@% sake... I put the rear bolts for the rear leaf spring facing IN and the bolts were just long enough to catch on the bracket and not allowing it to fully flex. Both of them. GAAA... it's the smallest things that I always screw to pooch on. This is probably why I had such a hard time getting the leaf springs to sit properly when putting them to the axle. I had read about the use of a 4x4 and ratchet straps to flatten the arch out and I gotta say it took A LOT of muscle to do that with these bad boys. Anyway, after feeling like an idiot and a fool, I lay there thinking about trying to swap the bolts for the right direction, but then a buddy came over and said, "just cut em off, I got my torch in my truck". 10 minutes was all it took. When we lowered her back down and took it for a ride, it was SO dang smooth. I am so thankful that I let BJS talk me into the better shocks. Now it rides so smooth on the trail and road that even my wife enjoys going for rides again... and I really enjoy the lift for getting me just a bit more height.

I went fishing last fall out in the desert to a smallish campground by me. It was a good day.
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1984 Grand Wagoneer. V8 360 stock. Mostly original. Repainted 2018 with original Nordic Green Metallic (Flake).
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Stuka
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Re: 4 Inch BDS Lift from bjsoffroad

Post by Stuka »

Thanks for sharing. The swear jar added to the story :)

Flipping the bolts requires pulling the shackles. So I have always put them in from the outside, and cut the ends off. WAY less work, provided the shackle bushings are ok.
2017 JKU Rubicon
Pevious Jeeps: 1981 J10, 1975 Cherokee, 2008 JK, 2005 KJ, 1989 XJ
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pyro
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Re: 4 Inch BDS Lift from bjsoffroad

Post by pyro »

I have the 4" BDS on my J10 and love it.
'81 J10 Laredo 258/T176
'82 Cherokee 258/TF904
'84 CJ-8 258/T176

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jpswapmohn
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Re: 4 Inch BDS Lift from bjsoffroad

Post by jpswapmohn »

I have 4” bds on my Wagoneer. It has taken a while for the rear to loosen up a bit. No weight back there made it ride rough for awhile. Eventually it smoothed out.

The waggles just look correct with a 4” lift.
One day I will wake up and realize that my jeep is complete...one day, I just know it.
88Wag, LT1/4L60E/NP242, J20 axles, etc. http://imgbox.com/g/rNuIasKYrS
95YJ, STaK, D44's, SOA, ARB's, Bilstein 5150s, 35" KM2's
50 CJ3A
77 J-10 (sold)
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AMCGrandInquisitor
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Re: 4 Inch BDS Lift from bjsoffroad

Post by AMCGrandInquisitor »

Thanks for sharing your lift adventure.
I'm seriously considering a lift for my Waggy after I remove the body.
'18 Jeep JKU 4 door Wrangler Sport S Gobi 3.6L V6/MB Auto
'51 Willys 4x4 Station Wagon Tunisian Red I6/T90/D18
'89 Grand Wagoneer Dark Vivid Red/Cordovan 360/727/229
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HowardT64
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Re: 4 Inch BDS Lift from bjsoffroad

Post by HowardT64 »

Nicely done :) would love to do this on mine :)
2016 Jeep Patriot
"Faith"
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