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Y'all were right! YJ Shackles

Took the wife's YJ BACK to the alignment shop (the one that told me all was within specs). Got it back on the machine, all the while during setup and calibration, the shop guys tried to tell me it wasn't their machine with the problem, yada-yada..

Sure enough, the caster was 3.2 degrees. I told the owner that it was a good thing my wife didn't get killed, or I would own his shop now.

So, a recap. Bought a 93 YJ with a shackle lift already on it. It drives kinda touchy. Came here and the consensus seemed to point at the shackle lift and crappy caster angles. The springs are looking kinda fatigued too.

At this point my wife and I discussed her alternatives for her Jeep. She doesn't like the way the tires throw mud and crud all over the side of her "li'l runabout" because of how far the tires stick out. And the mud gets on the nerf bar and she gets it on her clothes getting in and out. But she wants to keep the nerf bars (don't ask).

  1. we could throw 0 at it to have Four Wheel Parts install a Pro Comp suspension on it. And still have the wheels and tires sticking out past the flares and still have the 31"tires and the wrong gearing for them on the four banger.

  1. have the shackles removed, swap in stock size wheels and tires and shackles and get the springs re-arched and get it back to stock condition

  2. install shims and get wider flares and install helper leaves and keep the wheels and tires.

I think she wants to get some OEM Jeep wheels and stock shackles and "put it back the way it was made". Which is fine with me, it'll never see serious offroading other than the 1/4 mile drive up our unpaved muddy driveway. This is also the cheap route - no $'s on flares or lift. We feel we can find some OEM take-off wheels on the cheap and trade someone for her AR rims. The tires are done and need replacing no matter what we do.

Anyone in Texas got some OEM Jeep Wheels that'll fit the YJ?

Reply to
Jeepers
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While you certainly could throw some ProComp Springs under it, let me suggest that they are very stiff, and unless the Mrs. likes to hold her breasts with duct tape, you and she may not be very pleased with the results.

I would suggest a slight cost-up and get springs that are more pliable (softer).

YJ springs are nearly flat, so they are probably fine now.

What rims are you using? You should be using an 8" rim (or even a 7" rim), that's 15x8, not a 10" rim. There is a thing called backspacing to be considered too. If the backspacing is too small, the rims will stick out beyond the fenders, if the backspacing is too great, the rims will rub on the undercarriage.

You can get new rims for about $30 each. The tire store will know which ones you need, especially when you explain the problem you need to solve.

You could keep the stock springs and the 31" tires that you have, and gain the needed clearance from a body lift. A body lift has you remove the rubber hockey pucks between the frame and the tub and replace them with taller hockey pucks. This will return the suspension to stock specs, yet still allow the slight increase in tire size that you have.

Reply to
CRWLR

Agreed.

No. The rear are shot. Both rear leaves are slightly downturned at the front. Four bags of deer corn and it bottomed out on a slight dip.

Typical American Racing Outlaw style 15x8s, too small backspacing.

Naw, I'll want OEMs. Found several at ebay. I'll just keep watching, or look locally, like at the 4x4 shops for take-offs.

The four banger needs some help, that's why we were thinking of going back stock. Jeeps are like that, ya change one thing, ya gotta change four more. We don't really need the oversized tires, or their expense. (that's what my F-350 crew cab 4x4 is for ;^) )

Reply to
Jeepers

That sounds like a good way to go.

Maybe you could even find someone willing to swap the tires if they still are good.

Personally I like the way my tall skinny tires fit. They are exactly the right width for the flares so I have a real hard time getting her muddy.... ;-)

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Jeepers wrote:

Reply to
Mike Romain

Sorry, which way?

Reply to
Jeepers

LOL!

Sorry.....

I was thinking on your musings at the end of the post.

Dropping back to stock shackles and a tire that fits under the flares.

Getting the springs arched a bit works well too. I replaced my rear springs with new stock ones and had them arched for 2.5" of lift.

I then had my old front ones arched the same.

The shop that did it took out the first leaf under the main one and replaced that with a pre-arched 'keeper' spring. I used a truck spring shop and the whole job cost less than $500.00 CDN

I bounce my CJ7 pretty hard and the old front springs have held the arch great over 3 years, even with a Warn winch on the front.

Mike

Jeepers wrote:

Reply to
Mike Romain

Sounds like she wants one with a nice but understated stance. I'd suggest some stock wheels in 15x7 along with some 235R15 agressive all season tires.

You definately want to get those extended shackles off, it will always be touchy to drive. YJ springs are always pretty limp and flat. Rearching will get you another inch at the most from what you have mow.

I have a set of 4 used stock allow wheels with 'Jeep' embossed > Took the wife's YJ BACK to the alignment shop (the one that told me all

Reply to
Roy J

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