I started hearing a popping sound from my rear when I drove over speed bumps or out of my driveway. I went by my dealer to give a quick look and they said that my spring on the rear drivers side is out of the top perch, so I got under my jeep and snapped a pic. Can anyone tell me how this could happen as I have only been off road once almost two tears ago when I first got it. I have the AEV3.5" dual sport which is basically just springs, shocks and brackets so, I don't understand how this could have happened, since the perches weren't welded in and in basically has stock geometry .
In need of the pro's opinions
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I looked at your profile and didn't see what kind of JK you have but, is it safe to assume you have a 2-door? Also, did you install this kit with the their shocks or a different set?
jkmohican
New member
This kit was installed two years ago? Wow. That's really weird. I would say that the installer did not properly install the springs back with the spring spacers and it could have bounced out of place but I'm not sure if that's a real answer for a kit that was installed two years ago. Good luck my friend
no,I actually have a 4 door sport
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Okay, but, are you running the shocks that came with the kit or other ones?
the ones that came with the kit. let me just add that when I ordered my jeep from the dealer I picked the kit because I wanted something that handled great on the road and still good on the trails, but that was before I knew anything really about lift kits and the dealer installed the lift and wheels before I took delivery
Okay then, given what I know, it's entirely possible that the rear coil in question was never really seated properly to begin with and that over time, it just worked itself off the perch from driving. Being that the only thing that holds the isolator and spring in place is compression, it's actually an easy mistake.
Is it possible that if the jeep was up on a lift at the dealer that the spring could have popped out then? I had my jeep at the dealer last week for a recall on the trans cooler line(I think) and I'm not sure if they had to put it on the lift to make the swap. the tech that worked on my jeep broke the XD emblem off of one of my center cap's, forgot to put my wheel lock back, forgot to put the engine shroud back on top of the engine, gouged up my shift knob while he was replacing a yaw sensor, left the center console loose and didn't hook my aux back up under the center console, so thats why I'm asking
Well, anything is possible but, being that they were working on the front end of your Jeep and would have had no reason to disconnect your rear track bar, sway bar links and shocks, I highly doubt it. If in fact your coil was never seated properly in the first place, it would be possible for them to come unseated even more with the axle dangling in the air especially being that it would shift to the side quite a bit as well.
Don't get me wrong but, spring retainers are completely unnecessary IF you make sure to run shocks that are of the appropriate length. If your coils are coming unseated, you're suspension isn't setup right. If it was sold to you that way, the company who made it doesn't know what they are doing.
JKbrick
Active Member
Thanks, so are limiting straps not necessary to avoid damage to the shocks?
David1tontj
New member
I'm pretty sure that the shocks will hold up just fine as long as you don't do a lot of high speed stuff... Rock crawling is all so slow speed that it isn't a huge impact on the shock when it drops to full droop. If you are doing Baja, and hammering it hard, then you might want to throw some limiting straps on it... My $0.02
My ride- 2001 power wheel, 11" plastic tires, upgraded battery, boat sides, custom bumpers, tow hooks, new paint.
JKbrick
Active Member
No Baja here, only mud which I hate so I head north to Michigan where there is sand. Thanks
JK12
New member
Just today I was changing out coils, I have the same lift you do and as Eddie said it probably was just not installed correctly. When I was taking my coils out I had to use a pry bar even with the shock and everything taken off, so with the same kit and everything, I do believe they were not installed correctly from the get go