Build Thread 1983 CJ-7 revival

[JEEP1983CJ7]

Finally got some work done that didn't involve painting! Ordered new shocks and shackles and got them in this week. For shocks I went with doetsch. Emailed them to ask about the dt3000 but they said they had a shock valved for a jeep so they sent me 4 of those. Turns out they are the plain white made in Mexico shocks that are probably equivalent to any other bottom of the line shocks from all the other shock companies. So I was disappointed in that since I had read somewhere that doetsch shocks were made in America.

Anyway they sent me 2 shocks labeled front and 2 labeled rear as you would expect, but it turns out they are all the exact same shock just slightly different hardware. Well I got the front shocks on fine but it turns out my what I think are stock rear shocks are about 1.5 inches longer than my stock front shocks so they don't fit on the back. Still trying to work this out will have to send them back two of the shocks and measure specific extended and compressed lengths for my rear shocks.

Stock front are approx. 11.75 compressed 19.25 extended
Stock rear are approx. 12.75 compressed 21 extended
Doetsch shock is approx. 12.5 compressed19.5 extended

In the pic the top is front middle is rear and bottom is the shock doetsch sent. All at extended lengths.

View attachment 13811

 

[JEEP1983CJ7]

So luckily the shackle install went a lot better. I ordered front and rear shackles from Currie enterprises since they seemed to be really high quality and looked a lot stouter than everything else I saw. They are 4.25 in tall which is .75 taller than the stock shackles and should net about a 3/8 inch lift but that's not really what I was going for here just a much higher quality shackle that happened to give a little extra lift.

Currie directions were to torque center bolt to 85 ftlbs first then top and bottom to 16 ftlbs.

Pics of the install:

Old front shackles
View attachment 13812

New bushings installed
View attachment 13813

New front shackle in
View attachment 13814

difference between old and new
View attachment 13815

 

[JEEP1983CJ7]

New rear shackle
View attachment 13817

 

[alpha6]

Did you have to drop the tank to get the old ones out and for the new install of the rear ones?

 

[JEEP1983CJ7]

Did you have to drop the tank to get the old ones out and for the new install of the rear ones?

Yep I did have to drop the tank, should have mentioned that. Also had to unbolt the piece that holds the tailpipe in place by the drivers side rear shackle to get at the top bolt.

The hardest part was actually getting the 30 year old rubber bushings out. Was a huge pain in the ***.