aquickmopar
06-24-2013, 07:22 PM
Hey fellow XJ enthusiasts. Figured I would post up an Install Write Up of Ironman Andy's Shackle Relocation Kit, and also give my personal review. I told Andy when I purchased his kit that I would do this for him. Took me awhile to get this done but better late then never I guess Lol. Been really busy lately.
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/2013-05-10_16-40-29_647_zps30d0b8e3.jpg
Ok so here goes. What you will need is of course Andy's Shackle Relocation Kit, and a Jack, Jack stands, and miscellaneous tools, (sockets, wrenches, breaker bar,ect.) Or power tools if you have them. Which I didn't. Lol. I used hand power i'm poor.
First off you want to remove your rear hitch & gas tank skid if you have them.
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/IMG_4627_zpsae05ce78.jpg
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/IMG_4628_zps0d33b181.jpg
Next you want to jack up the back of your Xj and use your jack stands to support the weight of the jeep. You want your jeep up high enough that your rear leafs are fully extended and place the jack under the rear axle. So once you disconnect your rear shackle from the factory frame mount the axel just doesn't drop to the ground. Your shocks may stop this from happening first and you may need to disconnect your rear shocks also if the rear axle doesn't droop far enough. It Should look like this.
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/IMG_4629_zps35ef6154.jpg
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/IMG_4630_zpsc4964c4f.jpg
Once this is done and your shackles are free from the factory frame mount you can install your new Ironman 4x4 Fab Shackle Relocation Kit. Just slide it into place and reinstall the factory bolt. It should look like this.
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/IMG_4632_zps9aa2c9d8.jpg
Then reinstall your gas tank skid & tow hitch if you have either using the bolts that hold the gas skid or hitch (depending on which you have) into place. The Relocation Kit lines up perfect with these holes.
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/IMG_4633_zpsacedb353.jpg
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/IMG_4634_zps368858d1.jpg
Tightened them down and torque to spec.
Once the Relocation Kit , gas skid & tow hitch in that order are installed you can now figure out which hole is needed to give you the best shackle angle for your application, and install your shackle into place using the supplied grade 8 bolt given. Don't tighten all the way yet. Once shackles are reinstalled you can now jack your Xj Back up and remove your jack stands and let your Xj back down until it is resting back down on the ground under its own weight. And check to see how your shackle angle is. If our lucky like me you'll get it right the first time Lol should look like this.
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/IMG_4638_zps86b005c7.jpg
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/IMG_4637_zps9f230533.jpg
If not you'll have to jack your jeep back up, reapply the jack stands and choose another hole for your shackles and then test again. Once you have your shackle angle right you can then proceed to torque the shackle bolt down to spec and grease your shackle accordingly if you have zerk fittings. And Wha La your done. Just step back and take a look at your newly installed Ironman Relocation Kit.
Before Ironman Andy's Shackle Relocation Kit shackle angle.
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/IMG_4631_zps8e7a4834.jpg
After Ironman Andy's Shackle Relocation Kit shackle angle.
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/IMG_4637_zps9f230533.jpg
My feelings about Andy's shackle relocation kit. I LOVE IT!!! It is by far the best kit made. Very Very BEEFY. Indestructible! I was looking between Andy's kit and HD Offroads kit. Both kits were priced fairly close to each other. But I like how Andy's came powder coated, and Andy let me choose the color of my choice with no extra charge. The HD Offroads kit only came Bare Steel. With Andy's kit it had to be installed first onto the unibody then you can install your gas tank skid & tow hitch. With HD Offroads you can leave your gas tank skid & tow hitch already installed and just install the relocation kit right over top of them since its adjustable in that mounting portion. Which I would have probably done if I had ordered that kit to lessen some of the work and steps to install the kit. But i'm glad that I bought Andy's kit cause it forced me to remove the gas tank skid & tow hitch to install his kit, that way later down the road if I ever need to drop my gas tank for anything like replacing a fuel pump or gas tank work I don't have to pull off my relocation kit to get to the gas tank. His relocation kit has met and exceeded all my expectations. It leveled the rear of my jeep with the front since installing his kit. Because my jeep used to sit a little lower in the rear but with the 1.5" lift built into the kit brought me back up level. And now with my shackle angle right my jeep rides soooooooo much better in the rear. Much Much Smoother. Love that. Lol. Plus she now flexes like no other in the rear. My shackles are no longer binding up and stopping me from flexing. If your in the market for a Relocation Kit look no further than Ironman Andy's. By far the best on the market guaranteed. :thumbsup:
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/2013-05-10_16-40-29_647_zps30d0b8e3.jpg
Ok so here goes. What you will need is of course Andy's Shackle Relocation Kit, and a Jack, Jack stands, and miscellaneous tools, (sockets, wrenches, breaker bar,ect.) Or power tools if you have them. Which I didn't. Lol. I used hand power i'm poor.
First off you want to remove your rear hitch & gas tank skid if you have them.
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/IMG_4627_zpsae05ce78.jpg
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/IMG_4628_zps0d33b181.jpg
Next you want to jack up the back of your Xj and use your jack stands to support the weight of the jeep. You want your jeep up high enough that your rear leafs are fully extended and place the jack under the rear axle. So once you disconnect your rear shackle from the factory frame mount the axel just doesn't drop to the ground. Your shocks may stop this from happening first and you may need to disconnect your rear shocks also if the rear axle doesn't droop far enough. It Should look like this.
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/IMG_4629_zps35ef6154.jpg
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/IMG_4630_zpsc4964c4f.jpg
Once this is done and your shackles are free from the factory frame mount you can install your new Ironman 4x4 Fab Shackle Relocation Kit. Just slide it into place and reinstall the factory bolt. It should look like this.
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/IMG_4632_zps9aa2c9d8.jpg
Then reinstall your gas tank skid & tow hitch if you have either using the bolts that hold the gas skid or hitch (depending on which you have) into place. The Relocation Kit lines up perfect with these holes.
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/IMG_4633_zpsacedb353.jpg
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/IMG_4634_zps368858d1.jpg
Tightened them down and torque to spec.
Once the Relocation Kit , gas skid & tow hitch in that order are installed you can now figure out which hole is needed to give you the best shackle angle for your application, and install your shackle into place using the supplied grade 8 bolt given. Don't tighten all the way yet. Once shackles are reinstalled you can now jack your Xj Back up and remove your jack stands and let your Xj back down until it is resting back down on the ground under its own weight. And check to see how your shackle angle is. If our lucky like me you'll get it right the first time Lol should look like this.
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/IMG_4638_zps86b005c7.jpg
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/IMG_4637_zps9f230533.jpg
If not you'll have to jack your jeep back up, reapply the jack stands and choose another hole for your shackles and then test again. Once you have your shackle angle right you can then proceed to torque the shackle bolt down to spec and grease your shackle accordingly if you have zerk fittings. And Wha La your done. Just step back and take a look at your newly installed Ironman Relocation Kit.
Before Ironman Andy's Shackle Relocation Kit shackle angle.
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/IMG_4631_zps8e7a4834.jpg
After Ironman Andy's Shackle Relocation Kit shackle angle.
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/x354/aquickmopar/IMG_4637_zps9f230533.jpg
My feelings about Andy's shackle relocation kit. I LOVE IT!!! It is by far the best kit made. Very Very BEEFY. Indestructible! I was looking between Andy's kit and HD Offroads kit. Both kits were priced fairly close to each other. But I like how Andy's came powder coated, and Andy let me choose the color of my choice with no extra charge. The HD Offroads kit only came Bare Steel. With Andy's kit it had to be installed first onto the unibody then you can install your gas tank skid & tow hitch. With HD Offroads you can leave your gas tank skid & tow hitch already installed and just install the relocation kit right over top of them since its adjustable in that mounting portion. Which I would have probably done if I had ordered that kit to lessen some of the work and steps to install the kit. But i'm glad that I bought Andy's kit cause it forced me to remove the gas tank skid & tow hitch to install his kit, that way later down the road if I ever need to drop my gas tank for anything like replacing a fuel pump or gas tank work I don't have to pull off my relocation kit to get to the gas tank. His relocation kit has met and exceeded all my expectations. It leveled the rear of my jeep with the front since installing his kit. Because my jeep used to sit a little lower in the rear but with the 1.5" lift built into the kit brought me back up level. And now with my shackle angle right my jeep rides soooooooo much better in the rear. Much Much Smoother. Love that. Lol. Plus she now flexes like no other in the rear. My shackles are no longer binding up and stopping me from flexing. If your in the market for a Relocation Kit look no further than Ironman Andy's. By far the best on the market guaranteed. :thumbsup: