spring blocks

[thistle3585]

I would like to lower my Jeep. The back story is that I got a real good deal on a set of springs but it lifted my Jeep more than I wanted. This is a daily driver and I have no desire to take it offroad. It currently is spring under and I thought the easiest and cheapest way would be to put blocks between the axle and springs. I'm thinking 2-3" but I haven't quite decided. I can't get a clear idea if there is a safety issue doing this on both front and back. My other thought is to put shorter shackles on it. They are currently spaced 4" on center.

 

[Old Dog]

IMO blocks would be a really bad idea.
Putting stock lenght shackles (3" bolt to bolt) would only lower it a half inch.

 

[CJ007]

Looks like this may someday be a PO mod.

 

[thistle3585]

Would there be any options other than replacing the springs?

 

[Old Dog]

Would there be any options other than replacing the springs?

Not that I can think of.

 

[CJ007]

I say find a local Jeep club or put an ad on cl to trade. Someone wants that lift.

 

[tinhorn]

Well, heck, I wasn't going to admit it here, but I'll be lowering my CJ5 a couple inches. I don't intend to go offroad at all, and I want to lower the center of gravity and make it easier to drag my old bones in and out of that skinny door opening.

I've run lowering blocks on a few other rigs (on the rear--lowered the torsion bars on the front). The CJ5 has only 2" wide springs, and I haven't been able to find 2" wide blocks anywhere. So I bought some 2" aluminum bar cut into 4-1/2" chunks. Gonna drill a hole through the block and tap it for one of those round-headed-allen bolts. Longer U-bolts took awhile to find, too. The rear anti-roll bar arrived today--the front one should be here in a couple weeks.

And as long as I'm horrifying my new friends at jeep-cj.com, I'll also admit that the Chevy Tracker wheels appear to have enough offset to get the L78s well under the fenders, where God intended them to be. (It was dark when I got home and bolted one on.) This gives me the optimum track-to-wheelbase ratio of 1.62.

Anybody want my plastic flares?

 

[thistle3585]

Will removing a leaf lower it?

 

[CJim7]

Will removing a leaf lower it?

It might actually....depending on the spring rate of the leaf packs. It will definately make it ride better.

Honestly though, your best bet is what has been said previously. I would bet somebody out there with stock springs would be happy to trade straight across. I would try that first.

 

[73CJ]

Blocks are a bad idea. I've seen them come off a pickup at a most opportune time. Climbing a big hill.

Sell them and get what you like.

 

[BIGTRUCKNUT]

I removed the two shortest leaves all the way around on my 4" lift CJ5 to lower it and soften up the ride a little. No adverse reactions to doing that. It won't net you a whole lot of lowering but it is something - over time the springs should sag too.

 

[IOPort51]

just how much lift do you have??

I would like to lower my Jeep. The back story is that I got a real good deal on a set of springs but it lifted my Jeep more than I wanted. This is a daily driver and I have no desire to take it offroad. It currently is spring under and I thought the easiest and cheapest way would be to put blocks between the axle and springs. I'm thinking 2-3" but I haven't quite decided. I can't get a clear idea if there is a safety issue doing this on both front and back. My other thought is to put shorter shackles on it. They are currently spaced 4" on center.

 

[thistle3585]

I am guessing there is 3.5" in lift. I did not take a measurement from the start but I did after the rear went on and before the fronts then estimated the amount of lift based on how much the back dropped and the front raised. I am not sure what the stock body mount sizes are so I am unsure as to whether the body is lifted much at all.