SOA or Lift kit

[plumcrazy]

I need some input. I was thinking of installing a lift kit, but have been reading about spring over conversions. What are the pros and cons of an SOA. Do you still need a drop pitman arm and lowering kit for the Transfer Case ? I did a search and found some info on Rocky-Road SOA, but it says it gives a 6 1/2" lift. I don't really want to go that high. Is it better or worse handling then a lift kit and what is the average lift you would get out of a SOA conversion? Thanks

 

[BajaEdition]

pros of a spring over, cheap (main reason) soft ridw using original springs
east to do
cons, the larger tires overtax the springs, need to deal with a lot od ateering issues
pros of spring lift, most good kits are well developed and include things needed like shims, pitman arms if needed and new bushings, engineered to take large tires
cons, cost a lot of more money, ride harsher due to stiffer springs

 

[Old Dog]

I have a little different take on it

SOA pros You get 5or 6" of lift and can use soft springs for better flex

Cons, unless your a very good fab guy it will cost you way more to get it right than a sua lift

SUA pros buy a kit put it on done

cons as baja said lift springs will ride harsher and flex won't be as good

If your worried about a drop pitman arm than just flip the tie rod and drag link and use the stock arm. Cj's don't need tc drops

Either way you may need a cv joint driveshaft depending on how high you go

 

[mylittlecj5]

i have a differing opinion on the flex issue. i will put my SUA softride suspension against any comparable SOA CJ on flex, and possibly ride quality.

anyways, my thought is if you have to ask...your opening a whole can o worms with a SOA.
SUA is simple and time tested. you can get 2-4 inch lift without any major changes or headaches

 

[LongHorn]

I need some input. I was thinking of installing a lift kit, but have been reading about spring over conversions. What are the pros and cons of an SOA. Do you still need a drop pitman arm and lowering kit for the Transfer Case ? I did a search and found some info on Rocky-Road SOA, but it says it gives a 6 1/2" lift. I don't really want to go that high. Is it better or worse handling then a lift kit and what is the average lift you would get out of a SOA conversion? Thanks

I have a lot of experience with SOA. It's not the answer to every thing, but it's also not as bad as a lot of people say. Number one it's not cheaper than a SUA kit just different. If you don't want at least 5"-6" of lift, it's probably not for you.

 

[Petescj]

 

[plumcrazy]

That is funny.



Thanks guys. I don't what to go bigger than 33" tires so I think a SUA kit is still what I'm leaning towards.

 

[Petescj]

Its just one of those loaded questions. Always stirs up a good debate. If your only looking for 33s then in my opinion a good sua lift will give you what your looking for. Theres more to debate with that also. What terrain are you looking to wheel? What do you want out of your jeep?

That is funny.



Thanks guys. I don't what to go bigger than 33" tires so I think a SUA kit is still what I'm leaning towards.

 

[BajaEdition]

how you want your jeep to wheel is where it is at, or even to ride. I do not tell people what they want, I will let you follow me around and see how I wheel. My style is simple, based on over 30 years of wheeling. I believe that making the end of a trail without braking down is a successful day. And I do wheel those hard trails, I do not run over 33s.
Here is the sticker, there have been many trends, we are just leaving the crazy articulation trend and the mags now off these huge tires on minimal lift reads. That will be the next big rig trend. No articulation just tires. And a wheeling style will be developed to match, as well as 2000 after market kits to do it with.
I stick to the simple and engineered stuff, no huge trends here. My advice would be to drive each kind of lift, and try a few things, now go and pick the one you enjoyed the ride of most, not the one whose owner gave the best sell job. And remember, unless you are going to trailer that rig, over 95 percent of the time it will be on the road.

 

[Old Dog]

i have a differing opinion on the flex issue. i will put my SUA softride suspension against any comparable SOA CJ on flex, and possibly ride quality.

anyways, my thought is if you have to ask...your opening a whole can o worms with a SOA.
SUA is simple and time tested. you can get 2-4 inch lift without any major changes or headaches

mlcj5 is right it makes a big differance which kit (springs) you buy. Some are soft and some are hard as bricks.

 

[plumcrazy]

The "ride" is the most important thing to me, as it doesn't see many trails due to the fact there isn't many places to ride around here. My uncle owns a couple hundred acres accross the road from me with some old logging trails, which my buddys and I ride but that's pretty much it. It's mostly a weekend cruiser and work vechicle when the weather is good, no top. I like the look of a lift, but don't want to lose the ride or handling. I just installed a sway bar and now I really enjoy driving it.

 

[Petescj]

Sounds like a good candidate for an Old Man Emu lift. They only sell 2 12 in kits so youd probably wanna add a 1 in. body lift. OME lifts are known for their ride quality.

 

[2BAD4U]

Sounds like a good candidate for an Old Man Emu lift. They only sell 2 12 in kits so youd probably wanna add a 1 in. body lift. OME lifts are known for their ride quality.

Old EMU with wrangler springs!
Rocky Road has this lift, which I'm looking at using for my CJ7 , plus some flares for 33"s to 35"s. It runs just under $800., but is a very well thought out system, not just a lift kit.
This excellent lift system provides a 3" lift using the finest riding lift springs on the planet... Old Man Emu. Our system provides all the pieces you need for a safe and proper 3" lift including...
OME springs
[SIZE=+1] Spring bushings
[/SIZE][SIZE=+1] Long travel shocks
[/SIZE] [SIZE=+1]Transfer Case drop
[/SIZE][SIZE=+1] Wrangler spring conversion kit
[/SIZE][SIZE=+1] Ubolt skidplates
[/SIZE][SIZE=+1] Brake lines
[/SIZE] [SIZE=+1]Heavy duty shackles.[/SIZE]

 

[BajaEdition]

I have to agree you cannot go wrong with OME, quality stuff

 

[certifiablejeep]

This was a writeup with some info that I got from a variety of people...

certifiablejeep.com - How To Lift a CJ... Correctly!

As for what type, it depends on what you want to do. I would personal cut your teeth on a SUA setup as it extends the existing stock suspension... see if it is for you, if not, then rip it off, sell it off for a little less then you got it and then go the SOA route.

Best thing about it, you will always learn something.

cb

 

[wrangler rider]

im oing a soa right now and holy my jeep is sitting high im abought 5.5 higher because i have built springs
so far ive spent $50 on it
$40 for the perches
$5 for the anle finder
$5 for 2 new spring pins
my neighbor's going to weld it for me and i was wondering could i chop my drop pit. and add in about 4inches or 1/2-1inch steel to keep her cheap?
or any ideas to avoid the $90 drop pit.?

 

[LongHorn]

im oing a soa right now and holy my jeep is sitting high im abought 5.5 higher because i have built springs
so far ive spent $50 on it
$40 for the perches
$5 for the anle finder
$5 for 2 new spring pins
my neighbor's going to weld it for me and i was wondering could i chop my drop pit. and add in about 4inches or 1/2-1inch steel to keep her cheap?
or any ideas to avoid the $90 drop pit.?

It's not cheap, but cross over high steer conversion. Kills the bump steer problems on spring overs. You will need to consider some kind of traction device to limit the spring wrap you get from SOA set ups.

 

[Old Dog]

It's not cheap, but cross over high steer conversion. Kills the bump steer problems on spring overs. You will need to consider some kind of traction device to limit the spring wrap you get from SOA set ups.

This is the only way to do it if you want to do it right.

This is part of the reason SOA is not cheap

 

[Petescj]

Not a safe option at all. As Cj said in a towing thread I posted awhile ago "Dont be a statistic". Just cautionary advice.

could i chop my drop pit. and add in about 4inches or 1/2-1inch steel to keep her cheap?

 

[wrangler rider]

It's not cheap, but cross over high steer conversion. Kills the bump steer problems on spring overs. You will need to consider some kind of traction device to limit the spring wrap you get from SOA set ups.

what do i do about the spring warp? and like i said i built the spring from 2 wrangler sets, (i killed my old pair when i was crazier and jumped it alot) so only the 2 top leafs are singler or its one the top one im not sure
and where can i get a drop pit. cheap or used? ebay?
and my front axle is 1.5 degrees off, will that matter? i can fix but thought id ask
thanks yall