Does anyone have any insights on installing yj springs on a cj? I have a 1974 cj5 with a 304 and I would like to install yj springs with a moderate lift (2" or so) to improve the ride and handling on and off road. I am not interested in performing a spring over axle swap or a shackle reversal, but swapping out and moving the shackle mounts to accomodate the different springs. A companion question to the above is what brand of lift springs would be advisable? I have in mind OME, BDS, and superlift lift kits. Has anybody any experience with these brands?
I have been lurking the newsgroup for awhile and I have read many of your posts and you usually have good advice, but I think the problem that the guy had in the video was just bad judgement and not a whole lot to do with springs. Could you enlighten me if there is something going on here that I dont see or understand?
I think you are asking me to think about the spring rate of the springs in my Jeep. As I recall they are 190lbs/in with 7 leaves in front and 210lbs/in with 5 leaves in back. Also, they are relatively flat which is similar to those in a yj. I think that there are so many springs and such a high spring rate because at the time it was thought that Jeeps should ride firm. I also think that these high spring rates contributed to stress fractures in the frame.
advisable? I have in mind OME, BDS, and superlift lift kits. Has anybody any experience with these brands?<
OME, BDS and RE are making excellent leaf spring kits. I had Superlift's YJ kit on my '94 for a number of years before I swapped it out for a RE 4.5" extreme durty kit. It was a good riding & flexing setup, howeverf, some may say the design is getting a bit dated.
The limitation on the OME kit is that it's only 2 - 2.5", which may not be enough for you.
Thanks for your input. Your point about the spring width is a good one and one that I do have some concern over. I was thinking of getting new yj spring hangers and having a bracket built that would provide a sturdier mounting point than just slapping on the new spring perches and shackle mounts. I also have a concern over the front end of my cj being heavier in the front than a yj and that the yj springs might have a bit of trouble coping with the added weight. For now, a 2" lift is acceptable. I have the typical characteristics of a jeep addict, but I also like to incremental improvements rather than "go whole hog" with a big lift.... BTW, who are RE? The project will be started just after Xmas. I will keep y'all posted.
that would provide a sturdier mounting point than just slapping on the new spring perches and shackle mounts. <
The kit's I've seen use a wider JKS-type cast front & rear spring mount and just move them out about 1". In your case the inner mounts have to be spread open or cut off & replace. You could just get some YJ or later CJ bracketry, cut the old ones off & weld 'em on.
front than a yj and that the yj springs might have a bit of trouble coping with the added weight. <
My friends CJ7 has a 460 V8 and is fine. You can always tune the spring pack by adding an additional leaf. FWIW, OME offers several different YJ kits, depending upon configuration, plus they have some add-a-leaf kits available for the same purpose.
Well, for starters, they had to make the YJ frame heavier than the CJ one to handle the flex the softer springs give. Softer springs make more torque on the frame when twisted up because they can have the wheel at a steeper angle to the frame.
If you do any type of rutty hill climbs, the softer springs are a downgrade for getting up there from the CJ springs. This is the same with the coil springs on the TJ's. They start a harmonic bounce and loose traction easy.
We wheel in old sand pits and climb the walls. I go up top in my CJ7 with stock springs arched 2.5" and the second from top leaf already heat arched and replaced as a 'keeper' spring.
Then I sit there and take photos of everyone trying to get where I am... ;-)
I have to be in 3rd low and to the mats to make it with open diffs. I am hitting 20 mph at the bottom and 400 rpm at the crest with it just chewing it's way up. No rooster tails usually. I 'love' my BFG
33x9.5's....
I ran up one ravine wall on an ATV trail last year and only one out of
10 or more could make it. He had a stiff spring lift on a YJ. The rest all bounced out because of soft springs. Got lots of photos on that one. LOL!
Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
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