New guy here looking for recomendations on suspension

Just acquired a 75' with a dead drivers front spring , Pretty clean body with normal front floor patch work , Actually clean enough for a scuff and shoot with no bodywork needed , I coat all of my 4x4's inside and out with a spray-on Bedliner using a compressor and Shutz gun , Anyway to my question - Not sure im going to keep it too long as I prefer a 7 (Sorry it may grow on me it may not) so my dilemma is 1: do I buy a single front spring to fix the problem at hand , 2: buy all 4 new stock springs with 1/2" new shackles , 3: Full 2 1/2" lift w/new shackles and shocks , Im leaning on full new stock suspension due to me being 47 don't wheel much and just don't want to climb up or down anymore , If I were younger it would be up there but cool factor don't work for me anymore as much as comfort and ease of use , So money wise being I may not keep it what would be the smart money spent now for possible new owner ? Or what do most people look for in a 5 as it is way past being restored but just enjoyed in good working order , It is a 75 , 258 , 3-speed , 20 , 30 , 44 with 3.73's , Thanks in advance for any opinions.

 

unless you can source springs from a spring shop i would recommend a bds 2.5 lift after a little use they settle in to almost a stock height. they ride way better than the stock ones. ive been running them on a 74 for about five years with no complaints. plus they have an excellent guarantee.

 

Unfortunately I cant really afford the BDS stuff at the moment but wish I could , 1 spring used or new will get me on the road and with the possibility of not keeping it do I really want to invest that kind of money and worry about a loss in return ? Kinda what do I do what do I not do thing....Pic above is a week after shooting it - Still have to reassemble when the weather lets up , Everything else has been worked out just need to fig out the suspension .

 

Post in the want ads here and on other sites like Jeep Forum for some take-offs. I don't think you have many other options other than a lift kit like BDS, or having a spring made at a local spring shop. The Omix-Ada replacement springs aren't that cheap, and recent experience with them has not been good.

Looks to me like you have the standard springs. Even if the used replacements you find are flat, it will make the Jeep driveable and level. I really think you need a pair of springs at a minimum - otherwise the Jeep will look wildly off level. These CJs with apparently perfect identical springs often lean, and unmatched springs are going to make the Jeep hard to sell. Also, these Jeeps show up in junkyards occasionally. Try www.car-part.com and search for some unique part like transfer case, and that will help you locate yards near you that have Jeeps. Just a few minutes ago I found a '74 in Knoxville - presumably it has front springs.

 

Timgr your right about at least doing both fronts if new oe stock that makes sense , Yes 7 front 9 rear , driver side lean as most but my dead spring isn't helping that , Like to see what I have with an oe used 1 if poss , I did put up a wtb in the classifieds here and got a few I have these let me gat back to you with prices but no responses when I said I was interested ? Also scouring clist locally.

 

Another vote here for BDS...I've been running them for years.
Oh, and please don't bed line it...that's a good way to ruin a good jeep IMO.

 

Bedliner job done , Personal opinion I understand but ive done over 25 full bedliner jobs on various offroad vehicles with 0 issues thus far and get compliments everywhere they go , Get it dirty hose it off and go , Here is a few jobs I did last .

 

What kind of liner are you shooting?

 

Raptor Liner

 

I have used O.D.Green , Tan and black so far , Now that I have fig it out , temp , pressures that equal what thickness and pattern I love using it , Only car I wash and wax is the wifes new one...

 

Does that stuff stick to bondo?

 

Prepped right it sticks to everything you can think of , In the past I have sprayed it on pretty much anything but rubber or anything that gets hot (manifolds , exhaust and such) , Unless it was too flexible ive never had an issue with it sticking .

 

Pretty easy to find a couple used springs. As said above, best to swap them at least in pairs. Might be different where you are but here the bedliner thing came and went several years ago. Now it is just looked at as a way to hide rust and pretty much kills any value at least where a Jeep is concerned.

 

I always do before and after pics to show anything someone might think I may try to hide so you know exactly what you are getting , May be area may not , My lifted 02 TJ has been sprayed about 4 years ago and looks like I did it yesterday , Cant much go anywhere in it without someone trying to buy or trade on it , Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and dare to be different I always say , If they aren't a full on resto they are worth what they are worth plus when they are washing , waxing and so on im driving mine....

 

Off the original subject but I have done more than a bunch , Those are just a slim few I have done for myself and others , many more to do in the future as well and I will continue on being different.

 

Done for now.

 

Each to his own.

But as one who owns collector vehicles in hopes to preserve them for generations to come, I have to wonder what kind of rust will be breeding under that bedliner after a few years. And how difficult it will be to deal with.

As for your springs, I'd visit a spring shop and see what they can quote you for a replacement leaf - possibly doing both sides the same. Ought to be fairly cheap.

 

I don't buy vehicles that are of resto quality to be honest , Tn mountain trail jeeps and trucks so they get used for hunting , wheeling and what not , Never be a show vehicle , I have remedied the spring issue and am go to go for the moment , Decided to buy a diesel truck so this on is going to be moving on to new ownership....