• Hello Guest, we are proud to now have our Wiki online that is completely compiled and written by our members. Feel free to browse our Jeep-CJ Wiki or click on any orange keyword when looking at posts in the forum.

Suspension setup

Highlights Only
Suspension setup
J

jakeh937

Senior Jeeper
Posts
763
Thanks
0
Location
Petaluma, CA
Vehicle(s)
'79 Cj5, 258 with Howell Fuel injection kit, T18 with dana 20 Tcase, dana 30 front with Detroit locker, AMC 20 rear with LSD and one piece shafts, Warn 8k winch, 1" body lift, 2" suspension lift, 33 tires
Hopefully I'm putting this in the right thread, but looking for some input on setups. Will be painting the frame next weekend and getting curious to know some setups. I found a website online called Rocky road outfitters. On their sites they offer a wrangler conversion set that comes with everything. Or they offer a spring over axle old man emu conversion kit. Has anyone ever ran these? Pros/cons? The spring over seems like it will be a bigger lift (3-3.5) inch. Or is there something better out there that I don't know about?

Thank you everyone, this place is a huge help!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
What tire size are you running?

An SOA will net about 5-5.5" lift. Unless Rocky Road has changed their kit, I wouldn't recommend it. It uses adapter plates and very long bolts to get a bolt on SOA. The best way to go SOA is to cut the perches off and weld new ones on top of the axle. They also use a Z shaped tie rod which is a bad design and will have bumpsteer. It also doesn't address other issues like driveshafts and axle wrap.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
jp360cj said:
What tire size are you running?

An SOA will net about 5-5.5" lift. Unless Rocky Road has changed their kit, I wouldn't recommend it. It uses adapter plates and very long bolts to get a bolt on SOA. The best way to go SOA is to cut the perches off and weld new ones on top of the axle. They also use a Z shaped tie rod which is a bad design and will have bumpsteer. It also doesn't address other issues like driveshafts and axle wrap.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...



Interesting. I plan on running 32-33". Is their wrangler spring kit any better with those issues? I've read that kit is best for giving you performance without giving you other problems you had mentioned.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I'm running OME YJ springs from RRO. Only issue I had was longer shipping date than what they told me (by weeks), but the product has held up well for me. I originally ordered OME's "heavy" springs, but needed to add another main spring because I had too much sag when loaded up for camping trips. If I were to do a SOA , which I wouldn't, I'd cut and weld new perches. Do lots of research about SOA conversions if you decide to go that route.
 
Forgot to mention, I run 32's with no rubbing whatsoever.
 
hole said:
I'm running OME YJ springs from RRO. Only issue I had was longer shipping date than what they told me (by weeks), but the product has held up well for me. I originally ordered OME's "heavy" springs, but needed to add another main spring because I had too much sag when loaded up for camping trips. If I were to do a SOA , which I wouldn't, I'd cut and weld new perches. Do lots of research about SOA conversions if you decide to go that route.
Click to expand...



Did you do the wrangler conversion using the YJ shackles? How does it ride using heavy springs empty?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
hole said:
Forgot to mention, I run 32's with no rubbing whatsoever.
Click to expand...



Sounds like you have exactly what I'm looking for. Be prepared for some questions now lol.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Even with double main springs, rides great empty, better than the worn out stock springs ever did. Mine's an 8 and the longer wheelbase is a big part of that
 
Did you Buy a kit or did you piece the parts together yourself?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Did the kit. You might save a few bucks trying to piece it together, but the kit was a no brainer since time is one thing I dont have a lot of being self employed
 
I don't have any personal experience with the OME stuff, but I've never heard/read anything bad about them. Supposed to be the best riding lift for a CJ out there. They are 2.5" lift springs which work well for 32s. If you do some offroading with 33s, you'll need a little more.

Personally, If I were building a mild CJ on 33s and that was going to see some road miles, I would go be looking at the OME lift and a 1" body lift. My cousin has the 2.5" SL + 1" BL (not OME though) and 33s and it does very well.

IDK if cross posting is allowed here, but there is a very long and detailed thread about the OME install on a CJ on another Jeepforum titles Old Man Emu 2.5" YJ to CJ Install. I haven't read it all, but I think it deals mostly with the 76+ CJs, so I'm not sure what would be different for your '74
 
Awesome. That seems like a really good kit. Now with that kit did you have to get a different Pitman arm?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
No sir, stock pitman. Also didnt need the 1" Transfer Case drop spacers, but again it's an 8. With a 5, you will need to address the driveshaft in the rear, one way or another.
 
hole said:
No sir, stock pitman. Also didnt need the 1" Transfer Case drop spacers, but again it's an 8. With a 5, you will need to address the driveshaft in the rear, one way or another.
Click to expand...



Wow that's awesome news. And yes the rear driveline will be a challenge to figure out. I'll be running a longer Transmission with an adaptor so I'm thinking a cv drive line is going to have to work. Another question I have for you is the shocks.. did you go with the standard or nitrogen ones?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
jp360cj said:
I don't have any personal experience with the OME stuff, but I've never heard/read anything bad about them. Supposed to be the best riding lift for a CJ out there. They are 2.5" lift springs which work well for 32s. If you do some offroading with 33s, you'll need a little more.

Personally, If I were building a mild CJ on 33s and that was going to see some road miles, I would go be looking at the OME lift and a 1" body lift. My cousin has the 2.5" SL + 1" BL (not OME though) and 33s and it does very well.

IDK if cross posting is allowed here, but there is a very long and detailed thread about the OME install on a CJ on another Jeepforum titles Old Man Emu 2.5" YJ to CJ Install. I haven't read it all, but I think it deals mostly with the 76+ CJs, so I'm not sure what would be different for your '74
Click to expand...



Thank you. I have read that write up and it is really good! I have to change my signature it's now a 79 CJ5 . It's been a really challenging project thus far lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I dont remember there being any shock options, but I did mine +/- 5 years ago.
 
As far as shimming goes, did you have to do anything crazy with that or was it pretty close to stock? And thank you to everyone for the awesome input and help!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
No shims, but, after my first test ride (didnt get over 30mph) which was a little sketchy at best I noticed the smallest leaf was tapered so I just rotated it 180 and the ride improved greatly. Never took it to have it aligned , but I have no issues at 70 mph.
 
Very interesting. Do you have any pictures of how it sits? Sorry for so many questions, I do appreciate all the help!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Just sent you a pm
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Jeep-CJ Donation Drive

Help support Jeep-CJ.com by making a contribution.

Help support Jeep-CJ.com by making a contribution.
Goal
$200.00
Earned
$0.00
This donation drive ends in
0 hours, 0 minutes, 0 seconds
  0.0%
Contribute
Back
Top Bottom