New Lift - real soft

[JR74CJ5]

Hey all,

So I bought and installed the rocky-road Old Man Emu suspension system. Love it for off road potential! Flexes real nice and seems a lot stronger all around than what I took off. Little dissapointed with the "lift" as it was supposed to give me 3 to 3-1/2" of lift, but doesn't appear to have done so, though to be honest I may have had aftermarket lift springs already...

Anyways to my question, It's soft. Real soft. Which will be great off road, and over bumps on road, but not so great in turns on the road. It leans bad in and out of turns. I dont want to do anything to permanently stiffen the suspension as I want the soft and flexible for off road.

2 options come to mind:

1. Adjustable Shocks
2. Sway Bar

School me.

I know I can get sway bar with quick disconnects, but 1 don't have a lot of room to pull it off and throw it in the jeep (if thats what you do??)

Adjustable shocks seem like they may help, but don't know much about them yet.

I still have a lot of reading to do on the two subjects, but what do you all like / diss-like about those options?



~ Jr

 

[Old Dog]

I don't know anything about a soft ride.
The quick disconnects just pull apart and you wire tie it up out of the way, so nothing to put in the jeep.

 

[Sasquach]

The sway bar discos are just the link on the ends of the bar. If like mine You will have 2 approx 1/2 x 6" tubes to store
Or as said you could wire them up, I find them a pita and usualy leave the bar connected.

 

[Torxhead]

Your suspension system could stiffen up and settle down some as time goes by, maybe the adjustable jobs might be the ticket. Hopefully you won't have too much tire rubbing issues with the Limited lift you speak of, especially with that size tires. The adjustable shocks do tend to get a bit pricy also. I have been using them for the past 20 some years but always keep them at the softest setting. They still offer excellent shock absorbing qualities. You are not being fooled by low tire pressure are you?

 

[Sam5038]

I bought the same lift as you. The front springs are to soft. I'm getting a add a leaf. Thinking this my fix the lean. Should of bought their heavy duty springs.

 

[mtnwhlr]

I bought the same lift as you. The front springs are to soft. I'm getting a add a leaf. Thinking this my fix the lean. Should of bought their heavy duty springs.

The add a leaf is going to raise it at least 2''

 

[Sam5038]

That's what I want.

 

[Sasquach]

A single leaf is gona add 2" lift?

 

[tarry99]

Hey all,

So I bought and installed the rocky-road Old Man Emu suspension system. Love it for off road potential! Flexes real nice and seems a lot stronger all around than what I took off. Little dissapointed with the "lift" as it was supposed to give me 3 to 3-1/2" of lift, but doesn't appear to have done so, though to be honest I may have had aftermarket lift springs already...

Anyways to my question, It's soft. Real soft. Which will be great off road, and over bumps on road, but not so great in turns on the road. It leans bad in and out of turns. I dont want to do anything to permanently stiffen the suspension as I want the soft and flexible for off road.

2 options come to mind:

1. Adjustable Shocks
2. Sway Bar

School me.

I know I can get sway bar with quick disconnects, but 1 don't have a lot of room to pull it off and throw it in the jeep (if thats what you do??)

Adjustable shocks seem like they may help, but don't know much about them yet.

I still have a lot of reading to do on the two subjects, but what do you all like / diss-like about those options?



~ Jr

JR...........That's a nice spring package, but everyone I know that has it has said the same thing .........that it may be too soft. Some just did not calculate there weight correctly.........Most of the guys had them send the extra leaf.......which helps but not so much for the leaning. Sway bar is probably the best way to correct that with a set of JKS "Quicker Disconnects" http://jksmfg.com/...... you can get a used sway bar off a 1980 -85 CJ even the brackets will work that will fit on your 27.5" wide frame. You well have to weld the bottom bracket for the disconnect on the axle.....no big deal.
Also the Rancho 9000 adjustable shocks also do a pretty good job adjusting them stiff for on road and then softer off road.......but you suffer with the shocks at full stiff while on the pavement while trying to put a bandaid on the loose springs..........Remember loose flexy springs off road: "Great" and on road not so Great! It's all about compromise.........

 

[73CJ]

A single leaf is gona add 2" lift?

Ditto


I'm running soft OME. Same issue sway. Sway bars front and rear. Love it.


Shocks won't increase your spring rate. They will only increase the damping. Only way to increase that is add a leaf or medium or hard OME springs.

Hard springs will increase chances of frame cracks and bruised vertebrae..

 

[mtnwhlr]

A single leaf is gona add 2" lift?

Yes a Add-A -Leaf will give you a 2" to 2 1/2" of lift and will make it more stiff. I have done it on two Chevy trucks and a friend of mine did it on his CJ to clear 33's

 

[JR74CJ5]

Thanks guys.

Looking into the sway bars.

73CJ I found an old thread you were helping a guy out on with some pics of yours.

Going to do some more searching and readying, then i'll be back...


~ Jr

 

[Fastatv]

Thanks guys.

Looking into the sway bars.

73CJ I found an old thread you were helping a guy out on with some pics of yours.

Going to do some more searching and readying, then i'll be back...


~ Jr

I'm signed up for this thread JR. My ride is actually way too stiff, and I'm thinking about replacing my old CJ springs with a softer type....similar to what you have done. Mine beats me to death, so I want the softer ride, but without the sway. I'll be tuned in here. Rick

 

[notwaiting]

I'm considering the same upgrade, and I already have a lift kit with the 2" wide springs.
Did you buy the light, medium or heavy load rated springs?

 

[billyballer]

Just a note of caution. Be careful if you add a rear sway bar. Front sway bar will probably take care of most of your issue, but adding a rear bar to a short wheelbase, leaf sprung vehicle will make the rearend come around in a hurry if you're not careful. In a low slung rear drive sports car this can be tons of fun, but in a CJ can get pretty dicey. Not saying don't do it, just drive accordingly.

 

[JR74CJ5]

I'm signed up for this thread JR. My ride is actually way too stiff, and I'm thinking about replacing my old CJ springs with a softer type....similar to what you have done. Mine beats me to death, so I want the softer ride, but without the sway. I'll be tuned in here. Rick

I'm considering the same upgrade, and I already have a lift kit with the 2" wide springs.
Did you buy the light, medium or heavy load rated springs?

I'll definitely keep the thread up to date - I have the front sway bar now, and plan to have it in within the next few weeks.

I can tell you both now, minus the sway, the system is a huge improvement on ride quality!

Just a note of caution. Be careful if you add a rear sway bar. Front sway bar will probably take care of most of your issue, but adding a rear bar to a short wheelbase, leaf sprung vehicle will make the rearend come around in a hurry if you're not careful. In a low slung rear drive sports car this can be tons of fun, but in a CJ can get pretty dicey. Not saying don't do it, just drive accordingly.

Thanks man!

I'm not planning rear sway bar at this point. Think as you said the front will do nicely by itself.

Will keep you all up to speed on the install of this sway bar, and how it does.


~ Jr