Jerry,

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.

Thanks,

Karl

On Sat, 22 Nov 2003 15:45:41 -0700, "Jerry McG"
<gmcgeorge.REMOVE@frontier.net> wrote:

>> Does anyone have any insights on installing yj springs on a cj? <
>
>A local club member has done this on a later CJ7 and raves about the ride &
>flex improvement. There are several kits out there but I think OME's is most
>complete. It's not a very big job, they just move the frame eye mounts out
>ward a bit to allow the longer YJ-type springs.
>
>Ghe nly comlication I see for you is the width of your inner spring mounts,
>as on the pre-75's they 2" rather than 2.5". You'd probably either have to
>weld on new ones or find a sensible way to ------ & reshape the ones you
>have.
>
>>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?<
>
>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.
>
>Let us know how this works out.
>

 

Jerry,

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.

Thanks,

Karl

On Sat, 22 Nov 2003 15:45:41 -0700, "Jerry McG"
<gmcgeorge.REMOVE@frontier.net> wrote:

>> Does anyone have any insights on installing yj springs on a cj? <
>
>A local club member has done this on a later CJ7 and raves about the ride &
>flex improvement. There are several kits out there but I think OME's is most
>complete. It's not a very big job, they just move the frame eye mounts out
>ward a bit to allow the longer YJ-type springs.
>
>Ghe nly comlication I see for you is the width of your inner spring mounts,
>as on the pre-75's they 2" rather than 2.5". You'd probably either have to
>weld on new ones or find a sensible way to ------ & reshape the ones you
>have.
>
>>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?<
>
>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.
>
>Let us know how this works out.
>

 

>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. <

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 ------
open or cut off & replace. You could just get some YJ or later CJ bracketry,
cut the old ones off & weld 'em on.

> 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. <

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.

> BTW, who are RE? <

Rubicon Express

www.rubiconexpress.com/

 

>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. <

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 ------
open or cut off & replace. You could just get some YJ or later CJ bracketry,
cut the old ones off & weld 'em on.

> 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. <

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.

> BTW, who are RE? <

Rubicon Express

www.rubiconexpress.com/

 

>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. <

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 ------
open or cut off & replace. You could just get some YJ or later CJ bracketry,
cut the old ones off & weld 'em on.

> 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. <

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.

> BTW, who are RE? <

Rubicon Express

www.rubiconexpress.com/

 

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

Karl Norrena wrote:
>
> All,
>
> 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?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Karl

 

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

Karl Norrena wrote:
>
> All,
>
> 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?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Karl

 

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

Karl Norrena wrote:
>
> All,
>
> 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?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Karl