need help with axle and suspension choices

[CJ5Whit]

I am wanting to put full width axles and flexy suspension under my CJ5 . Anybody have any ideas I can do without emptying my wallet?

 

[darnkid]

define without emptying your wallet.

if you want really flexy suspension, go with some jk rubicon springs. This will require a lot of time and money to convert to a strut and coil setup. You can get jk axles too, they're dana 44s so that's pretty nice.

Or you can get some yj leaf springs and have a lot of axle options, I don't know how much axles typically cost so I won't suggest anything here.

You have virtually endless options here without knowing your budget.yj leaves and strengthening that AMC20 would be your cheapest plan. It's what I plan on doing to my CJ7 in the future, but I plan on getting JK rubicon stuff in the next 20 years or so when I can afford it.

 

[CJ5Whit]

thanks darn. Im not wanting to have to do everything custom if can keep the leaf spring setup i will if not I plan to do a 4 link setup in rear but then gets costly so not for sure exactly what want to do.

 

[darnkid]

Well I hear that yj springs are pretty flexy for leaves and they're more comfortable too. You could try to get some axles out of an old scout and put them under your jeep. My boss is putting them under his yj, I can't imagine they're too expensive, and they're Dana 44 's.

 

[CJim7]

If you want full width, go with a GM 14 bolt D60 combo, or a 60/60 combo. True 1-tons are the way to go if you taking the time to do an axle swap and go full width.
14b's can be had extremely cheap, for a couple hundred $ you can find them everywhere. A D60 rear will have better clearance, but parts are more expensive.
you can also go with 3/4 ton running gear and settle on a D60/Dana 44 combo. A front D60 is very expensive to set up properly and they are gold when you find them. There is a lot of Ford stuff out there, and a front hp D60 is cheaper then a Chevy D60...but then you need to flip the xfercase.

 

[CJim7]

Also....if you are going full width on a CJ5 , you will want to stretch the rear some. XJ springs sprung over will give you something like 6 inches of stretch in the rearend. There is also Dakota springs which will stretch the rear 4 inches I believe. My figures could be wrong.

 

[Old Dog]

I agree with jim on the axles, and stretching it as far as possable.

 

[CJ5Whit]

thanks Jim and old dog. Iam also wanting to stretch the wheelbase. Thanks for the ideas!

 

[derf]

I used this kit to stretch my wheelbase: BTF Jeep CJ Rear Stretch Kit :: Blue Torch Fab

It moved my rear axle back 8 inches.

If you're going to do axles from a full size truck like a Chevy and keep leaf springs, you're probably going to want to move the springs from directly under the frame to just outside the frame rails. i.e. Outboarding the springs. You need to do this because the differential on the full size truck axles is out further from center than it is on a CJ. Moving the springs out gives you the clearance you need to use the axles without modification. Mountain Offroad makes a bolt in kit to do this, either with CJ or YJ springs: Full Width Axle Kits - Mountain Off Road Enterprises

I'm using their shackle reversal kit on my CJ.

I've done business with both companies and had good experiences with both on multiple purchases.

 

[CJ]

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