How can I get a Factory "Build Sheet" for my Jeep?
Go to
www.Jeep.com and click on "Contact Us." Then click on the Customer Assistance email link for your part of the world. Fill out the email form and in the body of the message, request a build sheet for your Jeep, including the VIN. DC will respond within a few days with a list of all equipment that was on your Jeep when it left the factory.
Can I change my ring & pinion myself?
You will hear many different opinions on ring and pinion installs. Some say it must be done by a professional, others say it’s not that tough to do. Labor costs seem to range anywhere from $200-$500 per diff, with parts in the $400-$600 (no lockers) per diff range. Special tools such as bearing pullers, dial indicator, dial caliper, in.lb. torque wrench and ft.lb. torque wrench are the minimum required for a correct install. Tolerances are critical and must be set correctly for a quiet running gearset that won't burn up on you.
What's the difference between a locker and a limited slip?
A Limited Slip Differential, or an LSD, is a traction aid that is most often clutch or gear driven. A simple explanation is that as a wheel starts to slip/spin the LSD detects this and transfers "some" power to the wheel that is not slipping/spinning. LSD's are usually fairly well mannered on the street. A locker, on the other hand, essentially locks an axle together for and allows full power to both wheels. Lockers usually have at least some negative driving characteristics when on the street.
What is backspacing?
The distance from the inner edge of the wheel to the hub mount pad. Note: Sometimes the distance from the outer edge of the wheel to the hub mount pad is referred erroneously to as offset. BE CAREFUL!
What is wheel offset?
OFFSET - The distance from the centerline to the hub mount pad (where the wheel attaches to the hub). POSITIVE OFFSET - The hub-mounting surface is toward the front or wheel side of the wheel. NEGATIVE OFFSET - The hub mounting surface is toward the back or brake side of the wheels centerline.
Vibes (wheel shimmy, vibes, SYE's, death wobble)
What's an SYE?
A slip yoke eliminator replaces the slip style yoke that came on almost all TJ’s & XJ’s with a fixed yoke and (usually) a CV style drive shaft with a slip built in. This reduces driveline vibes common with lifted Jeeps and steep driveline angles.
Will I get vibes after my lift? (Do I need an SYE?)
This is not a cut and dry question/answer. The safest answer is: wait and see. Prepare ahead of time; have enough money saved to buy a slip yoke eliminator in case you end up needing it. Of course it's always ideal to get one, but sometimes people can't afford it. That being said, here are the options:
Typically, if you are over 3 inches of lift, you'll need an SYE. Now, that's just typical, not absolute.
Other options are transfer case drop kits and long travel slip yokes. These typically are more of a "band-aid" than a fix and can sometimes cause more problems in the long run.
What is death wobble?
You'll know it if you experience it. Death wobble is when your jeep suddenly, and violently, begins to shake back and forth. It often comes after hitting a bump, and USUALLY at higher speeds. It is truly frightening. This is not to be confused with tire shimmy, where the steering wheel gets a shake in it at certain speeds.
What causes Death Wobble?
Death wobble is typically caused by
A) Out of balance tires or out of round wheels.
B) Loose track bar.
C) Worn front-end joints. (tie rod ends, track bar, ball joints, etc)
D) Bad alignment.
E) Bad caster angle.
F) Bad steering stabilizer.
There are kits out there to correct the effects of high lifts, but usually it comes down to checking those 6 things.
What causes tire shimmy?
Tire shimmy is typically caused by unbalanced tires or out of round wheels. If it gets bad enough it's possible for it to deteriorate into death wobble.
What is and causes bump steer?
Bump-steer is the result of poor (and sometimes unavoidable) suspension geometry. The reaction is described as the vehicle steering off the intended track, on it's own (without driver input), when encountering a bump. Sometimes it is described by a driver as the vehicle needing constant direction correction whenever driving over a bump, "I hold the steering wheel straight but the vehicle steers to the right every time I hit a bump." The cause is the axle tilt, due to the tire hitting a bump, changing the length between the axle draglink mount on a spindle and the pitman arm on the steering box. During a compression bump this length is reduced and the spindle must rotate (steer) to accommodate the draglink length.
Generic information
Common Forum Abbreviations and lingo:
BTT = Back To Top (used when one feels the need to bump a thread to
the top of the main page)
BTW = By The Way
LOL = Laughing Out Loud
ROFL = Rolling On the Floor Laughing
LMAO = Laughing My A$$ Off
ROFLMAO= ROFL + LMAO
IIRC = If I Recall Correctly
IME = In My Experience
IMO = In My Opinion
IMHO = In My Honest (Humble) Opinion
AFAIK = As Far As I Know
AFAICS = As Far As I Can See
WB = Welcome Back
TY = Thank You
TIA = Thanks In Advance
OTOH = On The Other Hand
WTF = What The?
POS = Piece Of
SOL = Sorry out of Luck
FWIW = For What It's Worth
HTH = Hope That Helps
BRB = Be Right Back
BBFN = Bye Bye For Now
TTFN = Ta Ta For Now
TTYL = Talk To You Later
IOW = In Other Words
BTA = But Then Again
FYI = For Your Information
YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary
Common Abbreviations
AT = Automatic Transmission OR All-Terrain
MT = Manual Transmission OR Mud-Terrain
TC = Transfer Case OR Torque Converter
SYE= Slip Yoke Eliminator (also called a fixed-yoke conversion or a short shaft kit)
SA = Solid Axle
SFA= Solid Front Axle
SRA= Solid Rear Axle
CA = Control Arm
LCA= Lower Control Arm
UCA= Upper Control Arm
IFS= Independent Front Suspension
IRS= Independent Rear Suspension
SOA= Spring Over Axle
SUA= Spring Under Axle
BPE= Bar Pin Eliminator
DPA= Drop Pitman Arm
ECU= Engine Control Unit
TCU= Transmission Control Unit
TB = Throttle Body
FI = Fuel Injection
MPI= Multi-Port fuel Injection
TPS= Throttle Position Sensor
IAS= Idle Air Stepper motor
CPS= Crankshaft Position Sensor
MAP= Manifold Absolute Pressure(sensor)
O2 = Oxygen (sensor)
NSS= Neutral Safety Switch (sometimes called Neutral Start Switch)
CCV= Crank Case Vent
PCV= Positive Case Vent
BB= Budget Boost (typically refering to a 2" or less spring (or coil spacer) lift priced at or below about $200)
PLease feel free to add any more.
Common Questions
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