Replacing shocks and springs on 1997 Jeep TJ - Detailed Walk Through
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ก.ค. 2024
- NOTE! (12/3/22): In the video, I state the front lower shock bolts torque to 56 ft-lbs. This is wrong! You'll snap bolts with that. It's 21 ft-lbs (250 in-lbs). Please don't over torque them! (56 ft-lbs is the value for the JK/JKU)
After a year of work underneath the Jeep it’s finally time to replace the old shocks and springs. There’s no “suspension” left in these shocks - every bump is jarring. It’s time to get this ride a little smoother. This video will walk through replacing all four shocks and springs. I try to show basically every major step. Use the chapters below to find a specific aspect of the job.
You’ll notice I struggle with each of the springs. Yes, I could have removed control arms or track bars to make it easier. However, with this Jeep, since I’ve previously replaced all the control arms and the rear track bar, I know getting things to line up again will take a lot of work as well and I didn’t want to go down that road. But it could be an option for you.
In the video I mention 1 backup option in case you can’t get the rear shock upper mounting bolts out. There’s actually a second option as well. I’ve put a link to a video about that option down below as well.
This took me about 12 hours total. I took my time, for sure, but this isn’t a simple 1-hour project, especially when there is rust and corrosion to contend with.
This video provides some tips and tricks, learned the hard way, so maybe it’ll be easier for you if you go after this project.
Parts (some links are Amazon Affiliate Links):
• Rough Country 2.5" Lift Kit: amzn.to/33uFy4G
• Suspension Jounce Bumper Pair (Bump Stops): amzn.to/3p6TZUV
• Bolts for Front Shock lower mount: M8x1.25x30
• Nuts for Front Shock lower mount: M8x1.25
• Bolt for Front Spring Retainer: M8x1.25x20
• Bolts for Rear Shock upper mount: M8x1.25x30
• Bolt for rear shock lower mount: M12x1.75x65
• Nut for Rear Shock lower mount: M12x1.75
• Bolt for rear jounce cup: M10x1.50x35
Video links:
• TDSR Suspension Playlist: • Removing and Replacing...
• Just the fronts: • Replacing Front Shocks...
• Just the rears: • Replacing Rear Shocks ...
• Backup Plan1 - Drill through frame option: • Jeep TJ rear shock rep...
• Backup Plan 2 - Bar pin eliminator option: • Jeep Wrangler TJ and C...
Project TJ is the chronicling of working on my 1997 Jeep Wrangler. It's the SE version of a TJ with a 2.5L four cylinder and a standard transmission. At the time of making this video, the Jeep had ~207,000 miles on it.
I hope you enjoy! Subscribe to the channel and if you’re interested, you can support me on BuyMeACoffee at www.buymeacoffee.com/edvancise
Chapters:
Intro (0:00)
Front Setup (1:47)
Remove Front Shock part 1 (2:41)
Remove Front Spring (5:43)
Remove Front Shock part 2 (8:14)
Install Front Spring part 1 (9:56)
Install Front Shock (12:07)
Install Front Spring part 2 (14:30)
Rear Setup (16:26)
Remove Rear Shocks (18:55)
Remove Rear Springs (22:32)
Rear Installation Prep (24:36)
Install Rear Springs (25:14)
Install Rear Shocks (26:27)
Final Thoughts (27:45)
Disclaimers:
This video is NOT sponsored by any of the brands mentioned throughout this video or video description. All thoughts mentioned are my own. Some links provided are affiliate links. They do not cost you anything, but I make a small percentage from the sale. Honesty is key on my channel, thank you for supporting me!
I am a Do It Yourself, also known as DIY, mechanic. I am NOT a professional mechanic. I do not have any formal training in the automotive field. I assume no liability for anything you choose to do to your car/vehicle or equipment before or after watching one of my videos. All DIY repairs or modifications you perform are made at your own risk. Sometimes, even if you've done everything the right way, you can destroy or damage one or more things on your car or equipment. You must understand this, but by leveraging knowledge and patience, the probability of encountering one or more problems can be reduced.
Also, if for some unfortunate reason, I do give incorrect instructions and something breaks because you followed my instructions, I will NOT reimburse or pay in any way for whatever cost that may be incurred due to following my wrong instructions.
Lastly, please don't do anything to your vehicle or equipment unless you yourself feel comfortable and confident in doing so. - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
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Check out the video description for extra info, parts, tools, torques, and any updates.
Great video
I have a 04 tj...dose the rear coil spring have a retainer bolt to lock the rear spring in place
If not what holds the spring in place. Thankyou
@@brianraymer5542 From the factory, the rear springs do not have retainers to hold them in place if you overextend the suspension. The spring will just fall out. The weight on the frame is what holds the springs in place.
There might be, and likely are, aftermarket retainer options, though.
Thanks for watching and feedback on the video.
Thanks for the great video, about to do a spring change on my 99' TJ and this helped a lot!
Thanks for watching and good luck with yours, Hunter.
The best walk through I've seen, Thank You!
Thanks for watching and the feedback, John. With longer videos like this I wonder if anyone will watch them or find them useful/helpful. Glad to know it’ll help at least a couple of folks.
Great video. Very detailed.
Thanks for the feedback and for watching, Dr. Hugh. If it earned it, please consider giving the video a thumbs up.
Great video, thank you for sharing your work!
Thanks for watching and the feedback, Shawn. With longer videos like this I wonder if anyone will watch them or find them useful/helpful.
FYI , disconnecting the track bar at the axle side allows more movement to get the springs out, also if you had no plans to reuse them and they were difficult to get out just cut them in half.
Very much needed. Thank you. I have confidence to replace mine now. 🤘✌🏼👍 I have 2005 wrangler x, a “little” more rust and your tip of run the bolt back and forth really should do the trick for mine
Good luck and thanks for watching, Tim. That slow back and forth has saved me in a few places - suspension and exhaust manifold for sure.
Good vid…thanks for the tips.
Thanks much - and thanks for watching!
Suggestion: a hair dryer works as well as the blowtorch, but no risk of fire. Takes longer, and don’t tell your wife you borrowed her hair dryer…. so not without SOME risk.
Great video! I’m about to do mine as well. On the front if you’ll drop the front track bar you should have enough drop to get the 2.5 springs in. And on the rear drop the rear track bar for the same. Just something I learned last time. But you had a puck lift and I went from stock so that may have not worked for you.
I agree with you on the track bars. I’ve previously replaced the rear track bar and it was such a pain to get back in, I didn’t want to go that route. I haven’t replaced the front track bar and the bolts look so rusted that I didn’t want to start that project. So, I went the route I did. But you’re right that doing the track bars would likely have worked. Or loosening/removing the control arms, but I didn’t want to do that either.
Thanks for the tips for others and thanks for watching.
where are the 2" spacers you mentioned? - I'm not sure if my TJ has some lift (perhaps a little bit) and would be keen to find out - thx!
Take a look at 7:46 for the front and 23:06 for the rear. Those red rubber-looking things that the springs sit on (rear) and butt up against (front) are the spacers. If those are removed, the gap between the top and bottom spring perches is shortened. Those spacers allow you to use your shorter stock spring but create a bigger gap between the frame and the axle.
on the spot inside the front coils; on the axle, the "plate where the bump stop... smacks into"..... .. on yours is I see that it is flat plate on axle. Is that OEM? Asking to try to determine type bump stop mod was done to my TJ. Someone else did the lift before my purchase. Like yours it is a coil lift. There are kits that mod the bump stop setup by adding spacers to axle plate the stop smacks into and other kits that just have you add a longer bump stop from above and change nothing on the axle plate. But I dont know what OEM looks like. I have some disk in there on the axle.... but don't know if they are added as a bump stop kit like mentioned above if that is OEM.... and you removed your disk orrrr??
Presently have one bump stop that the cup rusted off and bump stop fell out. Both my stops and cups are a bit messed up anyway.... so trying to decipher what I have so I can order the right stuff.
Thanks for watching! The perches on the TJ (example at 10:08) are stock for the Dana 30 axle housing. I also looked at the TJ Parts List and you can see in the drawings that they're present. Also looking at images for the dana 30 axle housing, you can see them as well. I didn't remove any extra spacers or anything on the axle perch/plate. I hope that helps. Good luck!
@@CarbonsDIYGarage mucho appreciate. You verified what another said. Now I know what to order.
Hi! What is that tower that you removed the spacer off of on the front? My TJ has one on onside, but the center "column" or tower on the other side is gone. I cannot get a clear answer if that part is part of the frame or a piece that can be replaced.
Thanks for watching, Haven. Unfortunately, scouring the TJ Parts List didn't reveal that as a separate, replaceable part. Taking to Google, I found this forum thread that seems to confirm that the tower (bump stop tube) is part of the front suspension mount assembly, which is welded to the frame. ("welded to the frame" being the bad news)
wranglertjforum.com/threads/is-the-front-bounce-bumper-mount-replaceable.9677/
The forum discussion might give you some ideas, especially depending on what "gone" really means. But it sounds like some type of fabrication might be needed. Sorry.
I couldn't leave you with just my initial reply. I dug around a little more. I don't know exactly the issue you're dealing with but I did find the SpeedBump mounting bracket kit. Still requires fabrication/welding but maybe something like this is what you're looking for?
www.extremeterrain.com/teraflex-front-speedbump-bracket-kit-9706-tj.html
Good luck!
@@CarbonsDIYGarage thank you so so so much!!! I have a professional welder in the family so maybe I will do this bracket. I just got my TJ up on lifts again and am slowly taking it apart. It’s a 2001 60th anniversary. Has 253k miles on it, and had a bad tranny. I just finished installing a “new” old transmission that has 90k on it, a lot better. But I felt the Jeep swaying all over the road………sway bar link on the driver side was completely broken. 🫨
@@havenlopez7839 Just Empty Every Pocket! Sounds like a great project Jeep! Glad I could help a little and awesome you've got fabrication help so close at hand. Good luck with your TJ!
What paint or rust converter are you using?
Thanks for watching, cam. For the rust I can access, I wire wheel it as best I can and then use Rustoleum black paint over it. All of my rust is surface rust (so far). For places I can’t access, like inside the frame, I use ACF-50.
amzn.to/3HaPv5U
Bummer now you get to do it again and install the bump stops.
Not sure what you’re getting at. Front bump stops never came out (see them at 15:48) and I go over installing the rear bump stops at 26:00. Just went out and checked and they’re still there today.
@@CarbonsDIYGarage Ok sorry thought they were missing in front. Thanks for the video
@@nwmetalbug The rear ones were missing and I did have to replace them. The front ones were still there but old and faded, also faded from being covered by the spacer puck.