NO LIFT YJ Springs??

Hey Guys,

I want to run SOA. I like the extra ground clearance it provides, nothing hanging under the axle tube except the pumpkin and maybe the shock mounts.

I dont want alot of lift. I am thinking of running either a 33" or 34" LTB and just want some more flex than the stiff CJ2 springs. I dont mind fender trimming and moving the axles around a bit to help things clear and i just like the idea of a lower center of gravity.

So is there a way to mount the wrangler springs so that i get the benifits of the flex but not the 4" or so of lift? Some kind of sub mount? Is it actually about 4" of lift? Can i run them upside-down to have a little bit of a smaller lift? Is 4" not that much to worry about?

INFO:
1948 CJ2 / 4.3L vortec, th350, dana 18 / D30 front, D44 rear / Small roll cage / winch and heavy front bumper / mainly built for mild/moderate trail use

 

http://www.earlycj5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71031

Suggest you run YJ lift springs SUA with that small a tire.
For the best clearance run the U-bolt plates that wrap around the springs.

or flip the U-bolts
http://www.dynatrac.com/products_ubolt.html

 

I should have looked a little more befor i posted. thats exactly what im thinking about doing, Thanks!

 

ya i have been researching, ploting, planning, and parts gathering for the last 2 years. i have just now started mine and will be copy cating dummy's jeep very closely. i first wanted to go to 33's and as little lift as possible, but on futher thinking have decided to go ballz out. you'll have to keep the mounts really short in hight for soa. most likely french your shackle mounts into the frame. my uncle built his cj-5 very simular with chevy k5, which help alot with keeping it low to the ground, due to the negitive arch of the k5 springs.
my advice... ask 1 billion questions, look at 6 zillion pictures, and start your project with one intenion, and change that plan about 3 times. best of luck

 

Well ******* since you have done a ton of research on this topic, ill pick your brain a bit. What are some of the other options out there? I know i dont want a coil setup as im sure there $$, i havent herd a whole lot of good feedback from any brands cj2 replacement spring lift, and i know that wheel hop can be an issue with SOA. so am i right in thinkingthat my main options are: Wrangler springs SOA (with lots of lift), Wrangler springs SUA (ned to find more info), and holbrook specialties setup (that i hear is great).

Am I missing anything? Any other options or comments?

 

Not flatfender specific, but a guy in the local Jeep club did SOA with XJ rear springs all the way around. The springs invert a little bit, so you don't get the 5"+ of lift. The springs are very soft and the articulation with his full width axles is incredible. Prolly the most abundant leaf pack available in the boneyard if you were to ever break, easy to mix and match springs for ride height, plenty of aftermarket support for shackles/hardware/etc. due to the XJ popularity. Not trying to steer, I'm really not even a fan of SOA, but his setup just plain works, thought I'd pass it along for the due diligence.

 

Thanks jayhawk, I will look into that one for sure! I like he fact that it is not a common thing too, i like being a little diffrent AND like you said, junk yards have plenty of them unlike yj springs (here near chicago anyway)

 

ya oldschool, what jawhawk said is goos stuff, my cousins cj-5 is on k5 springs that are also inverted, and hes running 33's and it looks real good, lots of droop, but not much compression. the wranglers are good too, but more will have to be done to keep it lower, but they should lay flat with the weight of the jeep on them. i've heard that the hollbrocks rock, never checked into them. any lift with soa will give you wheelhop, cept mabey the inverted k5 springs, not sure if they are plauged as bad on the wheel hop. you can/have to run a wrap bar on the other soa lifts. if you havent bought anything to do the lift yet now is the time to pool your research and figure out which way you want to go. keep picking everybodies brains and i'll help with anything i have learned.

 

Not an uncommon swap. The springs are offset to one side and allow stretching without as much work. Cherokee springs are very soft and will break easy. An easy fix is a second main leaf with the eyes cut off. Inverted springs will also have a habit of breaking, springs don't like to be bent backwards, the second leaf will help with that too.

here is a spring chart, lots of info.
http://littlekeylime.com/MrN/mrnimages/leaf_springs.png

 

Sounds like they might be better than YJ springs to me. I was planning on streaching the wheelbase anyway just a fewe inches if i could to help things out a bit. wouldnt the longer leaf be better too? i would love the holbrook setup but for now i dont have a grand to put into the suspension and the stock leaves are shot.

 

if you look at that list the cherokee springs are 51.5" long.
compared to a yj spring at 44".
believe me the 44" yj springs are going to be hard enough to fit on a flattie.
i think you'll be streching it pretty far out to get the xj springs to work, but it can be done...
oh thanks for that list james.... click and save.

 

If you look at the chart, its a 6" offset for Cherokee springs.

If you want just a little extra, Waggy springs are 2" longer than YJ and only on one side. Think they will hold up better too, but just my 2 cents.

But then again, YJs are over 9" longer in the front according to this chart.
http://www.generalspringkc.com/index.php?p=catalog&parent=146&pg=1

All that being said, it will take the same amount of work to put any different spring under a Flatfender. Pick a spring, set the axle and put mounts where they fall.

forgot to add, if you want offset springs, try looking at Toyota truck rears.

 

OldSchool - there's a similar discussion going on at the early CJ board ("suspension") that you may want to look at. My research on the subject seems to indicate that there are a lot of knowledgable jeep people (I'm not one of the knowledgable ones) who have good reasons for very different preferences. Looks like your limited only by your checkbook, imagination, and technical skills.

I'm considering the Rocky Road YJ conversion (http://www.rocky-road.com/cj-to-yj.html) for my 60 CJ5. Not looking for lift, just a replacement for the immovable (read rigid) stock springs. Anyone have any experience with this setup?

 

Well I dont think I would have a whole lot of trouble fitting a longer leaf like from the XJ, but could I move the axle location hole back 2" or so to make it more of a 21/30" instead of a 23/28"? Then I could move the axle closer to the end of the frame on front and back giving me just a little bit of added length.

Would there be any benefit to this or would it change the suspension geometry for the worse?

 

redrilling the springs can be done but will probably break at the old hole.
How long before it break???????

 

No way I'd redrill the springs. Either swap out the main leaf or go with some of those "zero rate" add a leafs.

 

Jour most likely right. It was just an idea.

What about an offset hole on the mount, I'v seen that before. Something where you can move it forward or back about an inch.

I dont know, im just looking at options. In the end I'll probably go spring under with 3" lift YJ springs and call it good.

 

http://www.polyperformance.com/shop/Leaf-Spring-Perch-2.5-Wide-Offset-Center-p-366.html