Has anybody tried to swap chevy springs under their jeep. If so, did it work or why not?

You would have to redrill the spring center hole or else at 63" long you would have one hell of an overhang.

I used the Dodge Van Leaf Springs. They are offset andwould not hang over so bad. But what do I know. I built a mutt 47 willys.

I run dodge springs too due to their 10" offset. Long springs with no more overhang than a wrangler.

Originally posted by 66CJdean
I run dodge springs too due to their 10" offset. Long springs with no more overhang than a wrangler.


How much lift are they providing and how long are they overall?
Seems like they would be WAY longer....
thanks.

They are near flat in front and about 2.5 in the rear. The OAL is 56 with the weight of the jeep on them or 32X22 when they are sitting on the ground.

I picked up a set last weekend a pnp. The plan is to do these on the rear when EJS is over. Then swap the rears I currently have to the front. The rears that are on right now are stock jeepster that are 56 total with 23X33 offset.

I think for a jeepster they would be sweet. I didn't look at what they were going on.

i just got done doing that swap with my wrngler. I love it!! Move the rear axel back 8 inches and have one hell of a buggy to compensate for the longer leaf spring.

Hey Bigblackjeep, how did you set them up. I'm trying to con my buddy into throwing a pair under his heep when I do my swap on my yota, and I need some facts cause he thinks it is impossible to do the swap on the jeep. Did you use the 88-98 1/2 ton springs, and how far did you move your front mount forward? Did you redrill the center bolt on the springs to move the axle backward? Did you use revolver shackles? How much lift if any , most guys put 2" blocks under the springs when they run them on yotas, did you use the 4x4 springs instead of the 2x4 or did you use an add a leaf? Did you do a buggy leaf as well? Thanks

Bigblackjeep, if you could fill us in on your setup you'll answer a crapload of questions I have. BTW if you have some pics of your buggy leaf that would be cool too. i can't figure out which springs are going to have what lift and are how long???? Hook a brudder up! Thanks

Come awn, Bigblackjeep, do ya got any info for us or nt? Any pix?

The buggie will look like the one on the rear springs on my rig.
http://www.respite.org/images/cj66dean/soupcan1.jpg

Dude I know what the buggy looks like, I got one on my Toy. I want to see the chevy spring swap, or the dodge swap if any of you guys got pix of your spring swapped heeps.

Look at the picture again.
You just saw a picture of the dodge spring swap.

Originally posted by riksnacjnow
BTW if you have some pics of your buggy leaf that would be cool too.

No need to be an ass but this guy asked for a pic. and those are the Dodge springs.

Are you using the front dodge/chevy or the rear. I.ve got 4" bds now thatIi would like to try to match maybe a stock spring or a 2" and an "add-a-leaf" to fine tune???

The front and rear are 2wd Dodge dakota rear springs.

i used 52" blazer rears on the rear of my cj. they hang out more than a wrangler spring, but dont seem to hang up much. plus they flex good and no need for a traction bar, just remove the overload.:beer:

Sorry dude, I was in a hurry to get to class and all I saw was the buggy spring. Do you have any specs for us other than the Dakota?

Are they stock heighth springs. or are they lifted? I am going to use the buggy spring so I figure that will lift some. here it is nowhttp://tellico.off-road.com/wwwthreads_uploads/720518-P3200009.jpg

Dean,
COuld you tell me what springs you used for your 3/4 elip? how long did you cut them? any help on this would be appreciated..i am interested to running a setup similar to yours.

in the pics deans not running a 3/4 ellip., but i'm sure he'd appreciate the complement. he has a dakota 2wd spring flipped with the long end forward and a buggy spring set-up. not sure how far back he moved the wheelbase. hope that helps:beer:

Anybody got any "at rest" pics. Articulated pics are cool but its hard to see the finished product. BTW Bigblackjeep where you at we need pics of yours!! Later
P.S I'm not an expert yet, but, isn't a 3/4 elip and a buggy about tha same thing- picture an elipse with one corner missing???dean are your dakotas lifted or are they stock. We're beating this to death and I'm sure you're tired of it. if everybody could list exactly what spring and what lift achieved what height , I'd be done and I could start getting parts together.Thanks for everybodys help
Rich

Originally posted by FULLSIZE
in the pics deans not running a 3/4 ellip., but i'm sure he'd appreciate the complement. he has a dakota 2wd spring flipped with the long end forward and a buggy spring set-up. not sure how far back he moved the wheelbase. hope that helps:beer:

3/4 ellip and buggy are the same thing...you are prolly thining of 1/4 ellip and no they are not the same as 1/4 ellip:D:D:D

3/4 ellip. is 2 shackles, one at the front and rear of the spring and located by a 4 link. :question: it makes sense what your saying, as the spring and the buggy would make 3/4 of a circle when drooped. someone correct me if i'm wrong?:D

Riksnacjnow is right in his description of a 3/4 elliptic. Even in Jim Allen's Jeep book he desribes it the same way. I don't know what the set up is called, that fullsize is talking about. I've heard of somthing like it before though.

i think i misunderstood when i was shown a 3/4 ellip., because the one i was shown had the F&R shackles. my bad, thanks for the correction.:emb:

yes, the 3/4 is the same as running buggy leafs in the rear, jsut different terms. i think what fullsize is talking about has no term for it, just simply running shackles on each end of the springs. the shacklse would not sit straight so it needs a 4 link. but i would appreciate if dean could give us some info on which springs he used for 3/4 and how long he cut them. thnx.

Well I picked up some 2wd dakota springs today and it turns out the short end is 24" and with the spring all the way back about 1-2" past bumper I'll be pushed back 5-6". Man are they soft 3 leaves-I took out the load spring. the have 9" of arch at rest and my 265 pound ass compressed them about 4". I Might have to use an add-a-leaf to get my lift back. the buggy should add a couple inches, so maybe I'll be ok. any thoughts?? I'm open. is all this work worth 5-6: of wheelbase? Thanks

you'd probably get more replies with a post that reads "dakota springs" instead of "chevy springs" at this point.:p

Hey sorry i havent replyed in so long been to busy with the heep and the girl friend!:D Anyway i put the 58 inch long chevys on. I put 3 chevy leaves and 3 of my wrangler to give me the right amount of lift. I used the exsisting mounts, because that was the purpose of the swap to move my rear axel back about 8 inches because my rear driveling was binding up. I then made a buddy leaf and attaches that to the spring, then made a bumper to support the buggy since it ran past the end of my old bumper. I love it so far. My driveline angle isnt that bad at all anymore, and it flexes as if i have quarter elilptic, SERIOUSLY!!!! I even have rear steer a little bit. Ill get some pics as soon as i get my camera working. Anymore question fell free to ask.
Bryan

YES! pics please, i am interested in the 3/4 eliptical specificaly. How long was the sirng you used? pics please. sounds awsome.

black jeep, how far does your leaf stick out past the bumper. I'm planning on 2" max and check this...if you remove the bumpstops above the rear axle you can mount them to the bumper. they are about 3-1/2" wide and should work great. Later

As for the buggy i cut one of my wranger main leaves exactly in half. And it doesnt stick out that far at all. With no rear bumper on the buggy extended 6inchs past my frame. But since i built the bumper its all good now.

did you cut your fender all the way out?

Yeah i cut my fenders back quite a bit. And to make it look cleaner i bought another rear rubber fender flare cut it in half and added it to the old one. It looks pretty good.