Now I finally have a SOA on my Jeep YJ I need other opinion based on their experience/opinion.

My original suspension had 4" leaf-springs with a 2" shackle lift. I really wanted to go SOA because of the amount of articulation I heard can be gotten by moving the springs on top. In the middle of a engine/transmission conversion I decided to do the SOA since the rig was torn down. Now everything is more-or-less complete I have a monster jeep with 33" boggers. I am going to be getting 37" boggers which was another reason for the conversion. I love the way the Jeep looks REALLY BEEFY, which is what I had wanted from the beginning.

I do some fairly serious wheeling and being at some extreme angles is not uncommon and is what my club considers a fun trip. I DO realize that a SOA changes the center-of-gravity and I will be more prone to roll-overs than I was before.

Now the quesion, how tall is too tall. Does anyone else out there have 11" of lift of their Jeep with ANY size tires 33 or bigger? What kind of wheeling do you do, mild or WILD? Any input would be cool.. Most of my friends are making me paranoid ro even drive the dam thing now. I haven't completed the engine conversion so I have not had the chance to actually take it out of the garage. Since I just finished most the conversion and the SOA I have the chance to change the suspension lift and would like some more input before I go kill my Jeep or myself on the trail. I am a really good driver and have made it through some really hairy crap, but have I bitten off more than I can chew?

Ridin' in the clouds.... :confused:

How good a driver you are has very little bearing when you've got a rig with too high a COG.

Hate to be vague, but I like a rig with just enough lift to clear whatever tires you plan on running. In other words, as low as possible and still adequately articulate.
Dion

All I saw in Moab was HUGE fawking Jeeps, with HUGE fawking arch. Makes no sense to me to have a HUGE tall COG......

but a lot of guys seem to like 4" SOA, oh well.




Hey Strong I know you are gonna bitch, so :flipoff2:

heres my towering monster jeep

As low as you can keep it, and still have the suspension work. For that matter I would just as soon limit some up travel, before raising the entire rig to clear a stuffed tire.
Low C of G is on of the most critical aspects of a good overall design.

I did my soa on stock cj7 laredo rears. These springs are military wraped and they give u about an inch more of lift. I also did 1 inch shackles to help out with leveling and shackle angles. I can easily clear 38's with a little trimming. I am currently running 35 swampers and they don't even come into the fender well. But on the plus side my COG really isn't all that high.

I have a 2A SOA on scout springs, and land cruiser axles, don't laugh too loud it actually wheels pretty good not too wide in the forest and clears 35's with ease, would do 38's with more trimming, low is good, but I had to be bigger than my bro :)

Originally posted by H8monday
As low as you can keep it, and still have the suspension work. For that matter I would just as soon limit some up travel, before raising the entire rig to clear a stuffed tire.
Low C of G is on of the most critical aspects of a good overall design.

Exactly!

I agree with H8, even though I have about 11 inches or so of lift. My junk seems to be pretty stable even though its so tall, but I do plan to take an inch or two off and do some cutting. :beer:

I have spring over on Waggy 2.5" springs, longer shackles and 2" BL. I will probably be removing the BL soon to lower my C of G but I am full width so I am very stable as it is.

yeah i have soa with 2" springs but i am sitting at about 84" out side to outside it looks good from a cog perspective i have it cut pretty good as well though because I am going with 40-42's

I dont know about you all, but I am running 36sxs SOA on 60" waggy axles, 1 inch body, Shackle reversal on flat custom wranglers springs and I have been trimming sheetmetal to compensate for areas that the tires stuffed into when flexing it for measurements..

I suspect I will need to trim more when I get some real world flexing done on it..

I am about as high as I want togo with my 5, the limited driving I have done on it seems really stable on the road, any higher and I think I would be asking for issues.

Steve (cutting sheetmetal is damn fun)

i am sitting on 2" warngler lift springs in front an 2" aal in the rear with 36's and TJ flares. my axles are 63" and my COG is real low tall + narrow axles = on your side, short + wide is = mountain goat.

Chris G.