YJ Springs on a CJ?

[Niedhogg]

Picking up my first CJ tomorrow night, and the guy says it has YJ springs... What is the reason for this, are they softer and give you more articulation? And how about doing a spring over axle conversion to give me some lift?? What's involved?

 

[LongHorn]

Picking up my first CJ tomorrow night, and the guy says it has YJ springs... What is the reason for this, are they softer and give you more articulation? And how about doing a spring over axle conversion to give me some lift?? What's involved?

The YJ front spring are wider & longer than stock CJ springs.
You were right on both counts on the reason for the swap.
SOA is a good way to go, but to do it right is not cheap & if you don't do it right it won't be very safe.
Take a look at my rig she's SOA with YJ springs, a shackle reversal & high steer.

 

[BusaDave9]

SOA will give you 6 inches of lift. Are you sure you want that much?

 

[Niedhogg]

The YJ front spring are wider & longer than stock CJ springs.
You were right on both counts on the reason for the swap.
SOA is a good way to go, but to do it right is not cheap & if you don't do it right it won't be very safe.
Take a look at my rig she's SOA with YJ springs, a shackle reversal & high steer.

Thanks for the info, I went ahead and bought it tonight but I feel a little overwelmed. Boxes of parts, a rolling chassis without a tub or a top, but the bright side is that the YJ springs, shackles, poly bushings and body mounts, and shocks are new from Superlift, as well as a complete stainless brakeline set with braided lines to the calipers. So I wonder if there is already some lift with these new springs? What is the measurement from the axle tube to the frame rail on a standard or stock set of springs? When I get the chassis home later this week, maybe I can get a part number off of the springs to see. There is also a new pitman arm and I'll check to see if there is a drop in that as well. The goal of this project is to have a nice, capable Jeep in about 8 weeks. If there is no lift on these springs, I have found another set of Superlifts from someone else that are 4" for 200 bucks. I'd like to put 35" tires on this thing, would that be enough?

 

[Niedhogg]

SOA will give you 6 inches of lift. Are you sure you want that much?

I'm not sure, I'd like to fit 35" tires so what would I need for that?

 

[Kane]

For 35's that won't rub under compression you need about 5.5 - 6 inches of lift.

 

[LongHorn]

Thanks for the info, I went ahead and bought it tonight but I feel a little overwelmed. Boxes of parts, a rolling chassis without a tub or a top, but the bright side is that the YJ springs, shackles, poly bushings and body mounts, and shocks are new from Superlift, as well as a complete stainless brakeline set with braided lines to the calipers. So I wonder if there is already some lift with these new springs? What is the measurement from the axle tube to the frame rail on a standard or stock set of springs? When I get the chassis home later this week, maybe I can get a part number off of the springs to see. There is also a new pitman arm and I'll check to see if there is a drop in that as well. The goal of this project is to have a nice, capable Jeep in about 8 weeks. If there is no lift on these springs, I have found another set of Superlifts from someone else that are 4" for 200 bucks. I'd like to put 35" tires on this thing, would that be enough?

When you get it take some clear pictures of everything & post them.
It will make it much easier to figure out what you have.

 

[dino2000]

pics would be cool. I have purchased the rocky road Outfitters conversion kit for the front and all four springs. the rear springs are the same length as the stock rears and the fronts are a little longer. Leaving mine under and running 31's.

 

[Old Dog]

For 35's that won't rub under compression you need about 5.5 - 6 inches of lift.

What Kane said, Or 4" lift and some body trimming.

 

[Niedhogg]

Ok, thanks guys, I'll be checking it out when I get it here. If it does already have a lift, I may just opt for 33" tires. I'm used to 35" tires though, all the trucks I've built have had them, and I am a little worried these little rearends won't take it too well. I've already sourced a pair of "wide track axles", Dana 44 and a Dana 35?, I believe, with the factory Limited slip in the back, and I think, he said it had a locker in the 35, and the pair is 300 bucks. I have also sourced a rebuilt Dana 300 short shaft from another automatic CJ, with the drive shafts for 200 bucks. Seems like a good buy, but I know nothing about what shape they're in, except what they say, and I know mine only have 35K on them. I'm torn, I want to GO BIG, but I really want to be able to drive this thing all over the country... I'll go with the 33" tires for now, leave everything stock, for now. I'm gonna concentrate on the body, when I get one, and also work on all the little things, because in the end, dependability is what I need with this Jeep, for now...

I'm really glad we had this talk...

for now.

 

[81laredo]

If I want my '81 to sit at stock height (31X10.50 tires) could I get a recommendation on a set of YJ Springs? The CJ7 is a Laredo and came with a hardtop, man it rides rough without the hardtop (weight)! The wife has a bad neck and it would be worth the expense to get a softer ride

 

[Niedhogg]

I spent some time tonight digging through the boxes and laying things out. I have a bunch of superlift stuff, mainly poly bushings for the body mounts and suspension stuff. Anyway to get a parts list from superlift to help me identify some of this? I figured out the body mounts, they're two piece bushings and found a sheet with a diagram of their placement. Now, all the bushings are red except for a couple bags of yellow bushings that say something about the springs, but I believe all the bushings were installed in the springs and shackles on the chassis, but they could be sway bar end link bushings I guess but I don't know why they're a different color. There are a lot of rusty bolts and screws (imagine that), a busted guage pod, found all the steering column and wheel stuff, brake pedal, gas pedal and emergency brake pedal. The tub wire harness (are these combined dash and tub harnesses?) looks to be complete. Tail lights, 3 side marker lamps and a forth that has a different bulb mount in the center of the lense, while the others are on the ends so I'm guessing one or three are from a YJ. Rear bumpers and the bumber bar, and a bunch of heavier braces about a foot long each. I'll start getting some pics together and posting them up. Should I start a thread in the build thread for this? It says I can't ask any technical questions in there, but I guess I can ask those in the related threads for whatever I need to know something... How about a source for a detailed exploded view of all sections of the Jeep, so I can match bolts, screws and bracing and, well, everything... That, would be cool...

 

[Jimbos76cj]

Most of those 1foot long braces go from the tub to the fenders. I too have embarked on a parts pile build. http://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/f98/jimbos-1-2-build-thread-9967/ please post up pics.. It's nice to see these projects get saved. I think I have a spread sheet of most of the bolt sizes for every thing that bolts the front end and dash on to the jeep. If I can find it I'll pm it to you. I took it to a friend that works at a local fastener store and got all of them in stainless. I have mine 95% complete and still have a hand full of brackets left over for things like jacks. If you need help with what goes where remember a pic is alot better then a description. Post em up.

 

[75ocj5]

where can i find hanger location for my 1975 CJ5 with the yj lift springs

 

[jdarg]

You need to mock it up w/ a couple tack welds then reposition as necessary. Your goal is to get the wheel centered in the wheelwell and the shackles at 45 degree angle at rest.

Typically the front hanger just goes as far forward as you can get it (i.e. just behind the edge of the bumper) and you end up adjusting the location of the rear to get that 45 degree angle that will maximize your travel and ride quality.