98 tj

[woodendude]

I'm about to order some bilstien 5150's for the Jeep but being new to jeeps I don't know if the rears are a stud or cross pin top connection. Do I need to order the eye to pin conversion kit?

 

[bradleyfitz]

The upper mount is a bar pin.

 

[woodendude]

So the double eyed top/bottom will fit right?

 

[O.D.]

Not on the front.

Front should be double bolt with the x bar through an eye for the bottom and straight bar pin through for the top This is a good pic of the front

Rear should be an eye for a straight through bolt horizontally and a double bolt with the upper x bar through an eye for the top

 

[2Greys]

Oh, and definitely PB Blast the rear bolts a lot before starting. I haven't done my shocks yet but what I have heard about the rears is it is tight back there and a pain in the ass to get them off (a body lift helps) and with rust there expect some breakage unless you soak them and even then no guarantees.

 

[woodendude]

2Greys,
Thanks for the info... I'm only doing the rears now as they need to be done but should be doing the front come spring..

 

[2Greys]

I think the front is supposed to be a lot easier than the back. It's because of the upper shock mount in the back is so restricted to access.

 

[chunkytrunks]

DEFINETLTY start soaking the upper shock mount bolts now. I broke all 4 of mine on my old TJ and that was a 2000. So you probably will have problems. They are a capture nut up top and are hard to get at but if you pull back the plastic inner wheel well and you should see them.

:beer:

 

[woodendude]

TY for tips!!

 

[O.D.]

From underneath, with two long socket extensions on your ratchet, you should be able to reach them but yeah, it's a dirty spot.

I must have been lucky.. I never sprayed any of mine first and they all came off??? And it's a 97? Go figure.

 

[bradleyfitz]

From underneath, with two long socket extensions on your ratchet, you should be able to reach them but yeah, it's a dirty spot.

I must have been lucky.. I never sprayed any of mine first and they all came off??? And it's a 97? Go figure.

Yeah, lucky is right. You pretty much have to drop the gas tank in order to drill out the bolts... Not a lot of room there, definitely a giant PIA if those bolts break.

 

[woodendude]

Yeah, lucky is right. You pretty much have to drop the gas tank in order to drill out the bolts... Not a lot of room there, definitely a giant PIA if those bolts break.

I'm not liking the sounds of that!

 

[bradleyfitz]

I'm not liking the sounds of that!

On the upside, the gas tank drops very easily! 7 nuts, disconnect the fill neck from the body, disconnect the electrical connector, and disconnect the fuel line. The hardest part is lowering the tank if it's full of gas

 

[2Greys]

I think with mine the luck was with installing the body lift. I was sure I was going to break a bolt but it went smoothly.

 

[chunkytrunks]

From underneath, with two long socket extensions on your ratchet, you should be able to reach them but yeah, it's a dirty spot.

I must have been lucky.. I never sprayed any of mine first and they all came off??? And it's a 97? Go figure.

I think you got a wierd TJ though. You didn't break any bolts (except the windshield ones if i'm correct) yet you had holes in the floor. Very lucky, or crazy skill.