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Quadralift lowering/leveling/lifting Links DIY

107K views 158 replies 58 participants last post by  cadman777 
#1 · (Edited)
So I finally ordered the parts to make my own adjustable air links. The Adjustable Air Ride links were just too expensive to stomach, so I figured I'd make my own. I also didn't want to tear apart the stock links, and nobody seemed to be able to find the stock links for sale anywhere. So DIY it is!

Tools needed: hack saw, ruler, pliers/vice grips, 8mm wrench for jam nuts

The balls where the links attach on the Jeep are 8mm, so you need ends to fit, then threaded rod to join them and make it adjustable. Grainger turned out to have everything I needed. You can get threaded rod anywhere, but it was just as easy to order it online with the link ends.

Ball sockets (p/n 6UDU1):
http://www.grainger.com/product/BANSBACH-EASYLIFT-8mm-Ball-Socket-22mm-M5-Thread-6UDU1

Threaded rod - M5 (p/n 21YP35)
GRAINGER APPROVED Threaded Rod,316 SS,M5-0.80x1 M - Threaded Rods - 21YP35|57491 - Grainger Industrial Supply

The ball sockets already come with jam nuts to go on the 5mm threaded rod. Pull the balls out of the socket and toss em or put them aside. Cut the threaded rod to whatever length you want after threading the jam nuts on. Thread on the ball sockets and you have adjustable links. To lower the rear end and level it out with the front, make the rear links 3.25" long (stock is 3.5").

Basically I made two leveling links to bring the rear of the jeep down for $50 shipped. Took me 15 minutes to figure out a good length, cut two pieces of threaded rod, and tighten the links up. If I wanted to make links for the front, I just order 4 more ball sockets and use the rest of the threaded rod.

My plan for the winter is to put the stock links back on the rear, then cut longer pieces of threaded rod so I can put these links on the front to raise it slightly and level it out the opposite way. Gives me a tad higher ride height for the snow or whatever.

I forgot to take a pic of the links before install, but here's what it looks like on the jeep:



PS: Don't forget to lower the headlight beams a bit to compensate for changing the angle of the jeep. Since I lowered the rear end, it brought the headlight cutoff up quite a bit. Enough for me to get flashed multiple times on the way home. Easy vertical adjustment on the headlights fixed that problem.
 
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#3 ·
I only used the links to drop the rear maybe 3/4 - 1", so it's even or just barely higher than the front (still need to take pics). Drove probably 75-100 miles today and noticed no difference in regular mode or sport. Ride feels normal, no noticeable change in the rear at all. No warnings or errors from the computer.

Now to decide if I want to install spacers or drop some dough on SRT reps...
 
#6 ·
Check out some of the quadralift adjustment threads in the suspension forum, lots of people have posted pics of lowered or leveled Jeeps. I'll still get some when I can, since I don't think there were any lowered Summits.

keep in mind playing with the ride heights effects the wheel alignment hugely, one of the reasons its required to set alignments in sport mode.
I highly doubt the rear suspension is affected much by ride height. Camber for sure, but the change is very minimal when dropping less than an inch. I'll keep an eye out for abnormal tire wear, as usual with any suspension modification, but not expecting any.

As for the front end, the Jeep is made to drive in OR1 so if I raised it, it would still be well within spec. I doubt Jeep has extreme toe changes due to ride height on a car with adjustable suspension.
 
#7 ·
Mate your choice on the front rest assured there is a huge difference in the front between settings. Mine has been fuked during its first alignment at the wrong height. Ask yourself why would jeep bring out notification to make sure the vehicle is in sport mode.
 
#9 ·
Under the hood, behind/above each headlight is a hole in the plastic cladding. Shine a light down there and you'll see a phillips head screw. You'll need a long screwdriver to reach it. I can't quite remember which way to turn for down, but you only have two choices :D I don't think it takes much of a turn to lower them pretty good.

(most cars have vertical headlight adjustment with this same method, just look for the screw in the gap behind the headlights)
 
#10 ·
Thanks dcorn.


Also on the alignment issue.. The lower you go the more negative camber you have. Toe etc stays the same. I had alignment done after lowering my jgc with the links. Pretty much can't adj the camber if you are lowered. I was stuck with -1.7 rear and -1.4 fronts.

And yes its was aligned in sport mode( aligment mode on settings screen)
 
#12 · (Edited)
Howiestt is correct. There is barely enough room for camber/caster adjustment on our WK2's. It's not uncommon for me NOT to be able to set the rear to preferred specs even on a stock WK2. The front generally can be adjusted right where it should be with only a tiny bit of room to spare. By lowering just 1 inch, you pretty much blow your chances of having a desirable camber/caster measurement in the end.

On some instances, I have elongated the adjustment slots on the lower control arms to achieve a more preferred spec, but again, there is still very little room to work with if the vehicle has been lowered. Option B would require the use of longer or shorter control arms depending on if you raised or lowered the vehicle.
 
#72 ·
Howiestt is correct. There is barely enough room for camber/caster adjustment on our WK2's. It's not uncommon for me NOT to be able to set the rear to preferred specs even on a stock WK2. The front generally can be adjusted right where it should be with only a tiny bit of room to spare. By lowering just 1 inch, you pretty much blow your chances of having a desirable camber/caster measurement in the end.

On some instances, I have elongated the adjustment slots on the lower control arms to achieve a more preferred spec, but again, there is still very little room to work with if the vehicle has been lowered. Option B would require the use of longer or shorter control arms depending on if you raised or lowered the vehicle.


Zoro has the best prices but they havent been great to deal with. My order was screwed up twice, Im surprised it came at all.


I've been both researching this topic to death, as well as agonizing over making the modification, and have come up with this, so far.....

I took a good look at the front end of my GC yesterday, and I fully agree with "Ratchet"s observation. My GC, at stock height, has the inner pivot bolts of the lower a-arms, at pretty much the full limit, for camber adjustment. So, knowing that lowering the Jeep will increase negative camber, I probably have insufficient travel left, to compensate for any camber change. I suppose I could however, elongate the slots, but then I might not have the ability to adjust the caster, to the proper setting. And this is just in the front. Having seen all of that, I didn't even bother to crawl under the rear.

There is a "camber adjustment" plate, made by 'SPC Performance', and I first saw it on the 'Tire Rack' website. SPC's installation video, however, doesn't really explain, al least to my satisfaction, how their plate will work, if the Jeeps adjustment slots aren't long enough. They clain +/-1.5* of adjustment, starting with the pivot bolt in the "middle" of the slot, and this plate only goes on the rear side of the adjustment bolt. Their tech line opens at 7 AM, but they're two time jones away from me, so nobody answered, when I called a few minutes ago. (DUH!!!)


With respect to Zoro tools, while I was researching the DIY links, I found that Grainger also sells the Bahnsbach elbow joints, as well as metric threaded rod and hex nuts. They could possible be a better source for the materials. Grainger's p/n are #6VD1, for the joints; #25DM54, for the threaded rod. I forgot to get the p/n for the hex nuts....

I started doing the research, in hopes of finding both left hand threaded, as well as right hand threaded elbows, with the thought of making the links "on Jeep adjustable", for fine tuning the ride height. I called Bahnsbach's tech line, and was told that they indeed make LH versions, but while they're available somewhat readily, in Europe, they're not sold here, except by special ordr, of SIGNIFICANT quantities.


Just another of my $0.02 worth..........
 
#15 ·
I haven't, sorry. There are a few other threads about QL adjustment links in this section where people have gone down pretty damn low, basically park mode has about a 1" wheel gap. I don't have a need to go all that low, I just wanted to level out the Jeep to make it look a bit better. I might try to go lower in the spring time after we get through the snow and crap weather.

Best thing about these links is they are easily adjusted and go on and off very easy, so you can try any height you like.
 
#16 ·
Well i got my links and installed them this last weekend. I now am sitting at about where the OR 1 setting is stock as my new auto height. Been working fine. I will take a pic of the difference when i get a chance. I took a few pictures of the process making the links as well. Jeep just feels better higher to me. OR 2 is not possible as a setting now that i sit higher. The system just keeps trying to go higher to get to the setting but it cant then has to cool down. My OR 1 setting is just about at the former OR2 though so it works fine for me. Pipe Metal
Antique tool Metalworking hand tool Wood Auger Tool
 
#17 ·
Nice job! Glad I could help out at least one person :)

Do the replacement links for the front feel flimsy at all? Like is the all-thread stiff enough to be run that long? I don't think there is much force at all on the links, but just something to think about.

If the long links need to be shored up, I imagine a piece of aluminum tubing slid over the all-thread and secured between the two lock nuts would hold everything securely and make the whole assembly stiffer.
 
#22 ·
While I'm NOT unfamiliar with modifying suspensions, I am new to the Jeep world. Having said that, I recently purchased a 2015 GC with the ORAII package, which includes the Quadra Lift suspension. I purchased the ORAII option because I live in the "snow belt" and wanted a limited slip rear axle. Having the Quadra Lift was not important to me.

I've been following the threads that discuss lowering the ride height of Q-L equipped Jeeps, because I'd love to drop the normal ride height of my vehicle a little bit. I've read how limited the caster/camber adjustment range is, on these vehicles, and I know how important it is, to have those adjustments set properly. So of course, it's a concern of mine.

However, to me, anyway, this brings up a question....I know that the SRTs sit a fair amount lower, and YES, I understand that the SRTs have a "normal" shock/spring deal, vs. the air suspension. BUT, are the a-arms of the SRTs different too? If not, how do they get the camber at a respectable setting on them?
 
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