Avid Lift Install Help!

Discussion in 'Renegade Modified Tech' started by AdventureHawk, May 26, 2018.

  1. AdventureHawk

    AdventureHawk New Member

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    Hey all,

    I'm in the process of putting in my Avid 2" lift and I'm have some difficulty. The drivers side front strut popped in with no fuss. The passenger side on the other hand, is being difficult.

    I have the strut top spacer in the correct orientation but the bottom of the strut will not line up with the knuckle. The bolt holes for the bottom of the strut are nearly an inch lower than where they are supposed to be and the knuckle and control arm assembly are hanging as low as they can.

    With some quick measurements between sides, with everything disconnected from the knuckle the drivers side hangs down approximately 1.5 inches lower than the passenger side.

    Here are some images to further explain my issue:

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    Can anyone offer some insight on this?

    Thanks!!!
     
    Last edited: May 26, 2018
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  2. AdventureHawk

    AdventureHawk New Member

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    For those of you who are interested, or may come across this issue in the future, a solution was found.

    With a bit of help from the team at Avid Essentials a suggestion was given to use a spring compressor to take the pressure off the strut enough to allow the strut to be moved up enough to get the lower bolts in place. With the spring compressor, a little help of a second floor jack, and some patience the passenger front strut was finally installed.

    After some careful review of the situation this was in no way a fault in the design or construction of the Avid lift kit, or inept-ness of my installation efforts. I have worked on the suspension of quite a few cars over the years and I have never had an issue quite like this. The passenger side front control arm on the Renegade (or at least mine) sits 1.5 inches higher than the drivers side without the strut attached to the knuckle. The control arm was completely bottomed out on the front subframe.

    I will just have to remember in the future that if the passenger front strut has to come out, it will have to be compressed on the vehicle before it can be removed.
     
  3. Avid Essentials Team

    Avid Essentials Team Member

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    Great advice from a great source. ;)
     
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  4. FelixYo

    FelixYo New Member

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    Thank you for the follow up, I plan to get this lift kit in the next few weeks and will keep this advise in mind.
     
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  5. Mag

    Mag Member

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    thanks! useful!
     
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  6. Mag

    Mag Member

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    4 hours!
     
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  7. Ian_1911

    Ian_1911 New Member

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    I'm attempting this install and it's absolutely kicking my ass.
    I'm putting in the new Rough Country 2" spacer lift, I see from the pictures, it looks like your spacers are more offset than mine, not sure if that's making it harder or not.

    How exactly did you compress the spring and how much?
    I'm having a hard time seeing how you could fit the strut back in WITH compressors on it. If I compress it a lot, the compressor rods go past the spacer, making it obviously impossible to install.
    Also, did you use the second jack on the bottom of the strut?
    If so, how were you able to get around the control arm?
     
  8. IDoMy0wnRacing

    IDoMy0wnRacing Well-Known Member

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    I installed the AVID 2.5 inch Spacer Lift with the ATP 2 inch Spring Lift (4 inch lift) with little trouble. Maybe because I saw this tread and was a bit more prepared for a hard time.

    I placed the strut assembly up into the strut tower and started the three bolts, but I left them loose (tightened them three or four turns only).

    I placed a large screw driver between the strut and the control arm and lifted up on the strut enough to slide an alignment punch into the lower strut mount hole. With the punch in the lower mount hole, I removed the screw driver. I pushed up on the spindle so that the top mount hole was close, then pushed up on the alignment punch so that the top bolt holes lined enough up to insert the bolt.

    With the top bolt in, remove the alignment punch and install the lower bolt.

    Tighten the 3 top bolts and then the lower 2 strut/spindle bolts.
     
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  9. Ian_1911

    Ian_1911 New Member

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    I'll give that technique a try this weekend and let you know how it goes.
     
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  10. Katrina Guillou

    Katrina Guillou New Member

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    Hi, I'm new to this forum, but I recently started installing the Avid 2" lift. I'm having trouble though reinstalling the suspension strut to the steering knuckle. I know you guys mentioned spring compressors and a second floor jack, maybe I'm doing it wrong, but is there any other way to try and fit the two back together? Or do I need to adjust where the spring compressors and floor jack were?
     
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  11. Dgr401

    Dgr401 Well-Known Member

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    Welcome to the forum. I can't give you any info on your lift but stay tuned. There are some very knowledgeable members here that can give you great advice and I am sure they will respond.
     
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  12. IDoMy0wnRacing

    IDoMy0wnRacing Well-Known Member

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    W E L C O M E ! ! ! to the forum.

    This really did work well for me:

    I placed the strut assembly up into the strut tower and started the three bolts, but I left them loose (tightened them three or four turns only).

    I placed a large screw driver between the strut and the control arm and lifted up on the strut enough to slide an alignment punch into the lower strut mount hole. With the punch in the lower mount hole, I removed the screw driver. I pushed up on the spindle so that the top mount hole was close, then pushed up on the alignment punch so that the top bolt holes lined enough up to insert the bolt.

    With the top bolt in, remove the alignment punch and install the lower bolt.

    Tighten the 3 top bolts and then the lower 2 strut/spindle bolts.

    Do not over tighten the top bolts before installing the lower bolts. You need to flex.
    Don't install the sway bars or the steering (tie rod ends) until after the struts are installed and tightened.
     
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  13. IDoMy0wnRacing

    IDoMy0wnRacing Well-Known Member

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    … some are removing (or loosening) the axle nut to assist with the removal of the struts in the beginning of the install process.
    IF you do/did, sometimes the axle will pull out slightly and wont allow for the spindle and axle to align enough for the spindle to push in far enough to get the lower strut mount bolts installed.

    IF you loosened the axle nut earlier, tighten it back up so that the axle is fully seated in the spindle. THEN, try to install the lower strut mount bolts.

    Another place to look is at the outer CV joint. There is the possibility of the CV joint to separate, which would also cause the spindle from pushing in far enough to install the lower strut mount bolts.

    IF the CV joint separated, turn to spindle hub back and forth while pushing inward and the CV joint should pop back into place.
     
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  14. Dgr401

    Dgr401 Well-Known Member

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  15. Ian_1911

    Ian_1911 New Member

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    "I placed a large screw driver between the strut and the control arm and lifted up on the strut enough to slide an alignment punch into the lower strut mount hole."

    This job was kicking my ass when I was doing it, but this was the ticket for me.
     
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  16. Katrina Guillou

    Katrina Guillou New Member

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    Yea, after a few breaks eventually we got both sides in...took longer than expected, but happy with how the front turned out.

    The back now...that's another issue for me. haha too me a big second mod (especially considering my first was adding factory roof rails) lol.
     
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