(Click
on Photos to Enlarge)
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The ACOS assembly
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Stacked urethane spacers
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Notice the deformation
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Notice that my bump stop cup is bolted on. Not all of them
are, so check yours before you start.
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The ACOS installed but not yet tightened up. Notice the
slight gap at the very top of the assembly. This gap is very
important to the installation process, as the instructions
point out.
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I needed to adjust the ACOS to the minimum amount of lift
for my application. Yours may vary.
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The ACOS installed and in use on the trail.
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Fully stuffed - maybe even more than before.
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Original
application
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ACOS
installed
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For
some reason my Jeep has always seemed to sit lower in front than
in the back. The first lift I installed was 3" and it didn't
look too bad. But when I went to 5" springs I often got comments
about the front end looking too low. When I added the body lift
and 36" tires it was really noticeable.
In
an effort to level the Jeep I swapped out the worn out-rubber spring
isolator with urethane ones that were 1/4" thicker. This resolved
things for a while, but, eventually, I added a heavier front bumper
and a new winch and I had to start all over again.
This
time I installed two spring isolators (by stacking one on top of
the other). While this worked for a while, my front end was still
a little too low. The front was pointed down and, quite honestly,
it looked a little strange having a whole lot of clearance over
the rear tires and significantly less over the front.
At
this point I started looking around for alternatives to stacking
the two urethane spring isolators, but the problem I had was that
the size of the spacers on the market didn't exactly fit what I
wanted to do. I didn't really want to "lift" the vehicle
anymore, I just wanted to level out what I already had.
I
started searching to see what I could find. I happened across a
press
release for Off Road General
Store (ORGS) and their new Adjustable Coil Over Spacers (otherwise
known as ACOS) and I had found what I was looking for.
The
ACOS install at the top of the coil springs and replace the factory
isolator and the bump stop mount. They are adjustable from a minimum
of 1-1/4" to a maximum recommended adjustment of 3". Depending
on how your vehicle is set up, installation time and effort may
be different. But rest assured that unlike using stacked urethane
or rubber bushings you should only have to do this once.
Installation
on my TJ was very simple and took no more then simple hand tools
in my driveway. I will not attempt to instruct you on disassembly
of your front end. On mine, the springs will fall out with just
a little force once the shocks, sway bar, and spring retainers are
disconnected.
I
was very happy with the detailed instructions for this product.
In fact, I questioned only a couple of things in the installation
instructions but found that if you follow them they will lead to
a surprisingly easy installation with no surprises. Kudos should
be given to ORGS for not releasing a product before the instructions
were complete - I know this is a small thing but in my opinion,
this is often overlooked these days.
Based
on the thoroughness of their instructions, I will not duplicate
the steps here but will provide a general overview only.
Once
the spring is out, remove the upper bumpstop from its cup by pulling
on it and gently rocking it back and forth. This is the one place
that may be more than a simple bolt on (and something you might
want to check before you start). As you can see from the photo my
bump stop cup(s) are bolted on. According to the ORGS instructions,
some years are welded on and will require grinding, drilling and
tapping to install. This will add some time to your installation.
Once
you have the bump stop cup removed, simply slide off any coil spacers
or the factory spring isolator down and off of the end. Then, simply
install the ACOS by sliding them over the stub that held the bump
stop cup. Install the bolt through the bottom of the new bump stop
extension and tighten it. Then twist the upper part of the assembly
until it tightens against the top of the mount. Adjust the lower
part of the assembly to the desired ride height. Tighten the Allen
head lock bolt and the assembly is in place.
Reassemble
your front end and verify that the height is where you want it.
I found that the minimum lift I was able to get out of the front
end was closer to 1-5/8" than the advertised 1-1/4" but
for my application this was fine. If more lift is needed, it is
very easy to adjust the spacers. Keep in mind that 100% of the weight
of the vehicle must be off of the springs and the spacers before
you attempt to adjust them. I used a Hi-Lift jack on the bumper
and a friend pushing down on the opposite side. This allowed my
spring to drop away from the assembly far enough to adjust it down
slightly. This is probably typical of minor adjustments. Larger
adjustments (over 1") may require removing additional items
or even the spring again - but no new parts would need to be purchased.
One
thing that I did find while doing this install is that the urethane
bump stop extension that is part of the ACOS unit was slightly shorter
(maybe 1/4") then the factory bump stop extension, thus allowing
the wheel to move up slightly higher into the wheel well at full
compression. Since there is no way to adjust the bump stop length
this could be of concern in some situations. Of course, this will
vary from vehicle to vehicle.
On
my Jeep this did not cause a problem, however, this is something
you should consider for your vehicle and perhaps is the one place
where I think that ORGS could improve the ACOS.
I
have been using the product for a couple of months now and have
noticed no adverse affects. I was concerned about how it would hold
up, especially at the top of the threads where my springs would
rub against it when I flex. The springs on my TJ (like that of many
others) actually drop out at the top of the spring mount at full
flex. I was afraid this constant rubbing would have an adverse effect
on the threaded area and perhaps it will over time, but to date
I see no wear from it.
ACOS
are a practical addition to any suspension. They will allow you
to adjust your vehicle side-to-side to compensate for any unevenness
that you see, but in addition to that, I think they will save you
money down the road. All four-wheelers (most that I know, anyway)
are constantly making changes to their vehiclesm whether it's to
make the trails you run easier and more enjoyable or to take you
to the next level of trails. Whether you use the ACOS today for
a mild lift or simply to level your vehicle, tomorrow you may need
them to offset additional weight added to the front. When you need
to, simply adjust the ACOS up to slightly raise the front or adjust
them down to lower it. You can even adjust the front of the vehicle
left to right if you need to.
Like
many people I enjoy comments from people about my rig. The
ACOS doesn't stand out like a flashy paint job (then again, what
does) but they seem to get quite a few comments from people on the
trail. And I must admit, they do look a lot better than the alternative.
I
think this product does what it was intended to do and I would recommend
it to anyone who was even thinking about installing urethane spacers,
wanting to install a mild 1" or 2" lift in the front or
simply needs to level out their vehicle. The installation was painless
and the adjustability will be helpful in the future. Off Road General
Store has a new product that is useful and needed by many.
RESOURCE |
JKS Manufacturing, Inc.
P.O. Box 98
Alliance, NE 69301-0098
Phone: 308-762-6949
Fax Number: 308-762-7553
Email: tech@jksmfg.com |
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Shawn
Pagan is a staff writer for ROCKCRAWLER.com as well as Our
Land Use Editor. Shawn resides north of Houston, TX.
Contact
Shawn at thepagan@rockcrawler.com
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