Approx. 40mm Lift Increase After Installing 10mm Strut Spacers??

[Hanna]

Hey all.

I have now had my Commander for around 4.5 years and it has had a OME HD 2" lift installed for almost 4 years with no issues. I decided it was time to give it a much-needed front end freshen up recently, mainly as I was worried about the stock UCA's, but also as I knew that the rest was at least 5 years old.

The front end work included installation of the following components:

- JBA Upper control arms
- New lower control arms
- New tie rod ends
- New sway bar end links
- New Jeeperf poly diff bushing (top of pinion to replace a previous installation stuff-up)

Whilst I had it it all apart, I thought I would install the Murchison's 10mm strut top plates that I have had lying around in my shed for about 2 years to try to get some of my front end lift back and correct the rear to front rake. The 10mm spacers are supposed to provided between 0.5" and 0.75" lift (12-19mm) due to the control arm geometry.

Here are my hub-to-fender measurements prior to installing any of the above components:

FR: 530mm
FL: 525mm
RR: 545mm
RL: 532mm

Following the install, the front end was initially sitting at 595-600mm and the CV's were clicking like crazy due to the steep angles. I left it like that for a couple of days and then took it in for a wheel alignment where they re-torqued the LCA's on the ground and now it seems to have settled at a much more reasonable height and the CV's are no longer clicking.

New measurements are as follows:

FR: 568mm
FL: 564mm
RR: 544mm
RL: 531mm

So the front has effectively lifted almost 40mm. Anyone know why it would have lifted so much? Seems a bit odd to me?

I am actually quite happy with the way it looks at the front, the extra clearance and also the way it drives now, so I am considering installing some poly spacers in the rear to level it out. Given I have a 13mm rear height difference from R-L, perhaps installing these 35mm spacers with the right side cut down about 10mm will do the trick?

https://www.ebay.com/p/Rear-Coil-Spa...Kit/3024732717

Thoughts?

[Hanna]

Here's the way it looks at the moment.

For reference, they are 265/70R17 Nitto Trail Grappler tyres (~32") with the pinch weld mod done.

The wheel well liners have been left out for now in case I needed to get to the UCA bolts again.





And here's when it was in 1000 pieces!

[Clarky]

The spacer is only meant to restore the height lost from the weight of a bullbar and winch (approximately 1"), as with my recent Lovells spring & strut experience an extra 10mm can have a X3 outcome.

Your extra X4 outcome may be a combination of spacer and new bushings in the new lower arms and no additional weight on the front.

[Hanna]

Thanks Clarky.

Yeah, I knew that the spacers are designed to compensate for the additional weight of a bar/winch, but I know others have run them for the additional height also.

I am happy with the height, but just wasn't expecting as much based on the experience of others.

Oh well, time to lift the rear another 1" I suppose?!

[Clarky]

Just watch those front CV angels mine were fine in a straight line but turning was a different scenario.

[ren0vator]

Great to see the Thousand Pieces pics
The wheel aligners did their job properly letting the tension out of the LCA bushes
Pushing the strut top down 1 inch never translates to 1 inch rise
As you say it's all in the geometry
And you've ended up with some huge clearance in your front end

[Clarky]

I used double rear spring isolators (2 top and 2 bottom) to boost the rear to where I liked it.