$25 Adjustable Coil Spacers: HOW TO

[Barillms]

I wanted to share this, it's a good afforable mod I'm sure for most of you guys who want to fine tune your ride height or compensate for sagged coils.
Here is the steps to make these, I spent $25
on having the two pipes threaded and the floor flanges
from my local True Value Hardware store. Of course you
can do this with HREW or DOM.. but most of us don't have
threaders... so this is an option. You could also TAKE your
DOM into the Harware store... and ask it if theire machine
will thread it? It's worth a shot. I just used pipe... it's strong enough
for what I do.
Here's the process.
You're making adj. spacers, and extending
your bump stops at the same time. So depending
on your amount of total lift, you will want to choose
your new stud length carefully. I went with a 10" stud
and had 1/2 of it (5") of the stud threaded. The
O.D. of the "pipe" is 1-7/8".. the O.D. of the round flange
is 4.5". The flange has a inner lip that is perfect
and allows the stock coil isolater rubber pad to sit on the
flange perfectly.
Step 1: Hardware Store Trip
Buy your Pipe, for 6" of lift 10" length of pipe will work,
extending your stock bump stop down around 5" or so.
The wall is around 3/16" inch, the threading process makes
the wall thinner... be aware when welding.
Have all the stud pieces threaded, this is your adjustment
threads. I had 5" of the 10" pipe threaded, giving me about 4"
of adjustment.
Before you pay.. Check the threads by installing the flange to make sure it
threads easily... depending on the person cutting the
threads.. they can easily mess up. Make sure the flange
threads on easily.
This is what you should have:
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e149/barillms/photo.jpg
Step 2: Remove your STOCK Stud (this is an XJ shown)
There should be a pinch seam with spot welds,
remove without damaging the mounting surface:
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e149/barillms/photo-1.jpg
Step 3: Weld on the upper Mounting plate
Your threaded stud needs a plate to support the weight
of the vehicle, this also gives you an opportunity to MOVE
your stud forward to stretch the coil mounting locaiton some
for extending wheelbases. I moved mine forward about 1.5" to
get my front coils/axle closer to the front for better approach angle.
When prepping the welding, make sure the stud is square at 90 to the
plate on all sides, and weld on a low setting because this isn't steel...
it's black iron pipe which is soft and melts easily. Run a small bead..
doing your best NOT to damage any threads.
THE flange must be threaded on BEFORE WELDING...
I used a 4x4 square upper plate, but round would work fine.
I mocked it up, upside-down in a vise, clamped it down where I
wanted the stud to sit on the plate... then tacked it in place...
removed the clamp... then finished welding on low heat.
Some splatter will get in the threads.. .clean the threads
and flange with an air blower & wire brush. I cut notches into
the outer rim of the flange so I can adjust the spacers with weight
on the vehicle with a chisel and hammer by tapping and spinning
the flange to desired lift height.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e149/barillms/photo-2.jpg
Step 4: Weld Plate to Vehicle
The XJ I did this mod on, has a flat platform where the new
plate will rest. Make sure your new studs are placed where you
want them... make sure they're not SLANTED, and make sure
both sides of the Jeep are even by measuring from a reference point.
Mine worked out well, both studs were square.. and once installed
they have an slight OUTWARD slant, and FORWARD slant... allowing
me to move my front axle forward 4-5" and gaining performance angles.
Here is the final welded on New Adjustable Stud:
I have Daystar Poly bumpstops that simply slide up into
the bottom of the stud and a small bolt holds them in place.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e149/barillms/photo-3.jpg
With 6" coils, I can now adjust my front springs from around 7" of lift
up to 11" of lift if need be. 5" of threads gives you about 4" of adjustment.
Good luck! For $25 I'm quite happy with the turnout.
You can use the OEM rubber isolater on the flange OR
a 1.75" Budget spacer, they fit perfectly on the flange
as well as the coils fit perfectly. Enjoy
Final Photo: I like it! Sorry for the poor photos,
it's the best my iphone can do... it's gets the job done.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e149/barillms/photo-4.jpg

[mxg342]

Two questions.

1. what are you using to lock the floor flanges in place? I would think they will back off over time. Also, aren't they supposed to be pipe thread which is a tapered thread?

2. I have always here that welding threads is a huge no-no with pipe. It becomes brittle and breaks.

[Peccavi18]

I like the idea but aren't the flanges cast? With the force of the front end cycling I forsee bad things happening, I'd love to be proven wrong but those bases don't seem thick enough for that kind of constant changing force. I'd say your small adjustment cuts really cost you.

[Barillms]

They are stronger than stock. The mounting surface is now 1/8" thicker.
The cast iron flange is 1/2" thick.. They can't spin, there is the entire wright of the vehicle pushing them against the rubber isolater... It's all good man, it's a simple effective mod.
They're not going anywhere. If one gets tweaked.. I'll build stronger ones.

[koenig]

Neat mod! let us know how they hold up, I'm very curious.

[96greenxjjeep]

plus its not seeing roads

[XJchris98]

They can't spin, there is the entire wright of the vehicle pushing them against the rubber isolater...

"Locking" the flange in place is typically done to prevent the threads from being stretched/stripped as the part is loaded or rotated. Think of adj. control arms, they have a locknut on them to keep the arm 'fixed' in that position..for that very reason.

As much as im against those adjustable spacers, the thought of that cast flange just 'floating' in there....esp on NPT....just down right scares me. :105:

[OverkillZJ]

If you wheel enough, they'll let lose over time. Seeing as it's a trail only rig, I don't see the problem though, and it has me thinking...

[DeathBlade556]

If you think the cast flange will start getting loose or is not strong enough you could thread a second flange on, one upside down the other right side up so the flat parts are flush and tighten them together like backing two nuts together to lock them.

[toocheaptosmoke]

If you think the cast flange will start getting loose or is not strong enough you could thread a second flange on, one upside down the other right side up so the flat parts are flush and tighten them together like backing two nuts together to lock them.


That's what I was thinking too. I've used those flanges for a couple other jobs and they're surprisingly tough. :santa:

[Kip]

that should do for me until I can afford real lift springs in a few months...

is it the same for the rears?

[hyperbuzzin]

It is an interesting idea, but I'd use or make a spanner wrench for adjustments instead of beating on it with a hammer & chisel.

[Barillms]

I don't recommend running them all the way threaded down, I think that will put a lot of leverage on the stud. I put 5" of threads but will only use about 3" of adjustment to keep the leverage to a minimum. Also, I would use HREW for the stud. I used pipe for these ones... But I'm making another set for the
rear of my new truggy build I'm working on.
The base plate that I welded the stud to should be 1/8" at least 3/16 would be better. Try to keep splatter out of the threads by covering them with masking tape. It's a good idea, the flange is thick. It's 3/8" I'd say, I could see the threads giving way before the flange were to snap.

I'm not running these to achieve lift alone, I wouldn't build them with 8" of threads and crank them all the way down to get max lift. That's not the idea...

I made them to add just a small amount of lift, but mainly to adjust my ride height and to level the way my rig sits. Basically I like being able to add an inch or two in any corner to keep my suspension stance the way I want it.

[Deadman 94 xj]

Thanks for the write up. With the suggested modifications I might give this a shot. For me, it'd be for the stronger bump stops. Sure as hell beats $250 for ACOS. I would definitley go with hrew like you said.

Here's a good write up that's similar but with air bumps. If you haven't seen it already, he "boxed" the stock spring base to give it more support. Not a bad idea.

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=982229

[limegreentj]

nice idea...it would def work with some type of lock nut

[Barillms]

people keep thinking they'll spin on their own.. All u gotta do is drill & tap a small hole for a grub screw, if u wanna lock them down. Honestly.. They're snug, with all the weight on them... They won't spin.

[Deadman 94 xj]

I don't see them spinning at all. The only thing I'd be a little worried about is the strength of the pipe where it mounts to the base plate.

It could be snug enough, it's hard to tell just looking at pics.