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DIY homemade air suspension links. Install with pics!

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161K views 483 replies 94 participants last post by  Jose River  
#1 · (Edited)
Purchased my new HA a few weeks ago and LOVE it. I like the sportier look, but like others I felt the forward rake and huge rear gap could be leveled out. I used the info from another forum member to make my own rear links. Super easy, super cheap, and perfect results. Not only do I feel it looks better, but I'm finding it's much easier to get in and out, loading stuff in the back is easier, and when it comes time to wash you can reach the roof easier. All that over about an inch change in rear height.

I purchased 4 8mm ball sockets from eBay user zorotools and they arrived in one day. BANSBACH EASYLIFT 96111 8mm Ball Socket 22mm M5 Thread Elbow is the name of the item. You will then need some threaded rod, but I happened to have some 10-32 bolts laying around which threaded right in. I just cut the head off and used those. You want to make the total length of the links 3.25" compared to 3.5" stock. Put all the pieces together, set to exact length and snug them up. The open ball sockets must face opposite directions which I forgot to do in my pictures. Slide under the car from behind and pop the old ones off. Replace with the new ones and you are done. NO tools required! Total cost 35 bucks! When set to 3.25" total length you will have perfectly even wheel gap between front and rear. If you want it different than that feel free to set the link length to your desire. I have not driven at night yet to see what happens to headlight cutoff, but be advised if they don't automatically adjust based on the new rear ride height you may have to lower them a bit. That's also easy and only requires a long philips screw driver. I will find out about that when I leave work tonight.

Here are the pics. Sorry the actual Jeep pics aren't great as I didn't have time for a quality shoot.

Original vs custom links. Don't forget the open side of the ball sockets will need to be turned opposite directions which I forgot to do in these pics.
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Originals are 3.5" long. New ones are 3.25" for even wheel gaps.
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New link installed. As easy as popping on.
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Original height measured from the ground to the center of the wheel well arch in entry/exit mode (about 33.25"):
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New rear height in entry/exit setting (about 32.25"):
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Full shot and wheel gap shot in entry/exit height:
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#4 ·
I suppose small dirt particles could potentially get in there, but these things move such a small amount there's no way it could be an issue. Infact, most of the movement is all in the sensor arm itself, not the link. This is a very basic thing really. If it's a concern reach under, pop them out and clean. Would take all of 2 minutes.

bardugle said:
Is the front the same as the back?
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The front links are different. Same concept , but the link is a different length. Also, if you wanted to lower the front I think I read you have to increase the length of the link, not shorten like the rears. Fronts would be just as easy of a job.
 
#10 ·
Yes same thing.



Just an update. So I drove home from work last night and the headlights DEFINITELY have to be adjusted after doing this. They were so high up that I ended up driving home from work last night with just my fogs and DRLs set to dim. First car I passed I was high beamed and I don't want to blind anyone. So, if you do this plan on aiming your headlights down ASAP.

For my commute to work today I put the stock links back in in an effort to see if I can feel any differences in ride whatsoever. If there is its minimal.
 
#11 ·
JTS', thanks for posting this!

I do wish that the photos were not just thumbnails, however...details are hard or impossible to see.
 
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#13 ·
Jim_in_PA said:
I do wish that the photos were not just thumbnails, however...details are hard or impossible to see.
Click to expand...
The pictures are just small thumbnails?? That's weird I am showing large pictures on my side that can be clicked to be even larger? Is everyone else just seeing small thumbnails??

overlanding said:
Lol I bet! I get high beamed in the GC all of the time. They shine high already.
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Why don't you re-aim them? That's gotta be super annoying for the oncoming drivers. Not only does it not blind everyone else, but the output would improve for you as well. A properly aimed HID projector is critical. Too high and you blind people and a lot of your output is above the road, too low and you have no down the road lighting. Adjusting is simple with just a philips screw driver. Find a nice flat wall you can aim at and fix'em.
 
#18 ·
Yeah, but I like to add lots of pics :thumbsup: I got all my info from your thread, I thought I mentioned that in the original post, maybe I didn't.

scooter7728 said:
The front links have to be longer to make the car go lower :confused:
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Yeah I tinkered with the fronts last night since they are so easy to remove (just reach in above the tire). I went ahead and ordered 4 more ball sockets and I will make some for the fronts as well. After dropping the rear to even out the wheel gaps I'm finding that I actually don't like the evened out stance and feel that to look right we do need a very slight front rake. I feel that with an even gap front to rear it seems like the Jeep is always squating in the back. Then I can only imagine when driving or accelerating it probably looks like I have 1000lbs of bricks in the back. So I'm gonna leave the rear at the 1" lowered height, then drop the front just slightly to give it a slight forward rake. Should be a perfect stance and all well within alignment specs. Reason being is if Jeep aligns this thing in sport mode, then 90% of my driving will be at a height just between sport and normal ride height. If anything this will be better for tire wear, so I tell myself anyway ;-) And hey if I ever decide I don't like them it takes 5 minutes to return to stock and I can always sell the adjustable links.
 
#20 ·
I can't believe how small these links actually are. The pics in the first post look like they are a lot larger than what are. Maybe because it is such a close up. I can't believe Zoro sent these things in 2 boxes. One 12 x 8 x 8 box had the ball sockets then a 2" dia tube had the 3' piece of threaded rod. And no charge shipping.
 
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#22 · (Edited)
Received my four additional ball sockets today from zoro tools and I made another pair of links for the fronts. Like I said before leveling out the wheel gaps doesn't look good IMO. The Jeep needs a little front rake to look right otherwise it gives the impression the Jeep has a load of bricks in the back. I measured before and after and in completely stock configuration the Jeep has a 1" difference front to back. This is just measure from the ground to the center of the wheel well arch. I used my rear links at the same 3.25" length as before, and increased the length of the fronts about the same 1/4" in hopes to drop the front exact same amount as rear. First shot and it turned out perfectly. So the Jeep lowered about 1" all around and still has the slight rack which it needs. . Looks PERFECT IMO! I have not driven it yet as I have the Jeep all cleaned in the garage and will wait for rain to stop.
As I said before, alignment shouldn't be an issue whatsoever. As others have said the Jeep is aligned in sport mode supposedly, so since my Jeep is driven in normal ride height 90% of the time, I actually put the Jeep closer to sport mode height for normal driving conditions.
Here are a few pictures in the garage so nothing fancy, but you get the idea. Even though the height difference is relatively minor, you can really feel the difference getting in and out. Looks awesome!! Pictures all in entry/exit height.

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#25 ·
Yeah I mean it's just my personal preference, but doing just the rear didn't look right to me. I am extremely happy now that I kept the factory rake, but lowered all around. Unfortunately I forgot to measure the exact length of the front links, but I started with the exact same change that I did in the rear. So the rear links were SHORTENED 1/4", and the front links were LENGTHENED 1/4". Be as precise as you can and ensure each link is identical length just to ensure the vehicle sits uniform. thats easy enough to do thought.
 
#27 ·
I replied in your main post, but to sum it up...looks awesome! A little lower than what I did, but I'm glad to see you kept the slight rake towards the front. Like I said before the even wheel gaps just doesn't look right.


I just drove my HA for the first time after lowering all four corners. Feels great, no different than stock (which is what I wanted).
 
#29 ·
Finally got a nice sunny day shot. LOVE the height! I know not everyone here will agree, but I think the HA looks sooo friggin good! I also ordered 1.25" Bora spacers and I'll see how I like those. Should give more of an SRT stance without having to spend $3k+ on SRT wheels, and without the crazy extra weight of the SRT wheels.

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#32 · (Edited)
Anytime you change the ride height you will have to adjust them. For those that lower just the rear you must adjust right away as that's when the lights go up and right into other driver eyes. If you lower all four corners evenly like I did then you will not blind anyone, but the headlights might be a tad low. I haven't driven at night yet at this new height, but I expect to have to adjust them upwards just a tad.


Another cool angle:

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#34 ·
Yeah I remember that, but after seeing pictures and doing some research I figure why the heck not. It's just a bolt on mod and worst case scenario if I don't like them remove and sell. The High Altitude in stock form is almost perfect for me and requires very few mods to be perfect. Tint, slight drop, V3 Triton brake lights, and these spacers and I think I'm done. :D
 
#36 ·
I can't imagine there would be. Remember, all these pics you see are in entry/exit height, so when actually driving its higher than that. Not only that, but off-road 1 and 2 still put it plenty high up for situations that require some suspension movement.
 
#37 ·
Your HA is looking good. Now I'm tempted to make this my next mod. I blacked out my chrome window trim tonight. Will post some pictures tomorrow. By the way once you put the spacers on you will never want to take them off. Trust me.
 
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#38 ·
So how did it go? I tried doing it myself and wasn't happy with the less than perfect results. The lower trim pieces were manageable, but the upper ones with curves just didn't come out right, plus it was very difficult to cut perfectly along rubber stripping and all that so I just peeled it off.
 
#42 ·
Hopefully you got the bora spacers. I've tried others before and there is no comparison. You will love the new look it gives your jeep. I find myself standing in the garage drinking a beer and just staring at my ride way to much these days.
 
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#45 ·
A few quick photos of the blacked out chrome trim. Its hard to get good close up pictures so this was the best I could do today. All I can say is that it came out great and I am super anal about this stuff. The prep work took about 4-5 hours and than about another 1 hour of painting.
 

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