OKAY GUYS..... advise me if you will on what I need to know about for SOA on my 61 CJ-5.. the obvious I do already know such as brake hoses longer driveline changes Questions maybe to answer would be CV joint or not? Dropped pitman arm?? Tie rods??? Steering knuckles ???? Turned pumpkins or not?? I currently am using the Rancho 2 1/2 springs, I understand they work well for this conversion.
What is the best way to do lower shock mounts?

Any answers to any of the above would be greatly appreciated...Thank you.....:D

i also have a 61 CJ-5, i am running the Rancho 4" lift with spring under, and i plan to go spring over next winter, i am going to flaten them out quite a bit in my pipe bender because they willl be to tall, i am also going outboard in the rear because i have a big'ol fuel tank that limits me on what i can do with suspension mods (scissor shackles)

as for you question, you will need to go with one piece tie rods, and dont need to drop the pitman arm.If you have the stock 27 up front (as i do), you cant go put the tie rod above the spring, unless you do some trick fab work, but you really wont need too. you wont need to turn your diffs, but you might as well put a wedge in the rear since you dont have to cut the housing. if you drive it on the road much, Yes you will need to fab up a CV joint, but if you trailer it (you better), you should have no problems......hope this helped ya out, lets us know what you do

Are you using the stock axles?......I'm trying to remember from your other posts....
I, at one time was going to SOA my stock axles but was concerned about being tippy,...I Bought some perches from a trailer shop and mocked it up to see what it woud look like(my 71 would be about the same width as your '61, I believe).
I felt it was way to narrow and spacers or offset rims would be neccessary to complement the overall goal.
With that in mind I was concerned about brakeing the 27A(front) so I oppted for wider axles. 44 front and 44 rear from a v8 scout has a nice width for a narrow CJ.
I almost went that route(exept the front was a scout d30) then desided to go full width,found some 3/4 chevy axles and sold the scout axles.

BOSSGRIP!!!!:: WE MEET AGAIN!! The 61 presently has a 44 front and 60 rear that are the same width as the AMC early 70's axles since I'm running the early AMC flanged axle.
I'm no0t realy to set on SOA since I drive the Jeep daily 36 miles round trip to work( VERY PROUDLY!!! by the way) but I realy like the flex and stance of the whole setup. Like everything else it's all prototype and can be changed again!!! WE"LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

__________________________________________________ ____

:rolleyes: WHILE THE TRANNY'S OUT HUN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND SWAP THOSE DANA 18 GEARS INTO THE 20 TRANSFER,, WHAT DO YA THINK DEAR ???:eek: :nuke: :(

I have a 74 cj5 and am think about doing the soa with 2 1/2" BDS springs from a cj7. It is going to be a daily driver since i have to go to school and work. would i have to turn the axels and how bad would drive line vibration be for it.

Originally posted by wolfthing 2000
BOSSGRIP!!!!:: WE MEET AGAIN!! The 61 presently has a 44 front and 60 rear that are the same width as the AMC early 70's axles since I'm running the early AMC flanged axle.
I'm no0t realy to set on SOA since I drive the Jeep daily 36 miles round trip to work( VERY PROUDLY!!! by the way) but I realy like the flex and stance of the whole setup. Like everything else it's all prototype and can be changed again!!! WE"LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
(
Got Pic's...sound like a decent set up...how wide are they(wms-wms) I'm not familiar with AMC......I thought I remembered you talking about a 40/60 and a D-20 ,but wasn't sure it was you.
If they are wide enough you need not worry about a SOA,on a D.D. ....Big ASS tires are in Order though and that might brake the bank with that many miles day to day...unless you don't mind the cost....Maybe even get two sets of rubber...one for the Road(no pun intended)
You might need to push the rear axle back to increase the length of the drive line and avoid nasty D-line angles....I needed to push the front and the rear to to an overall length of 105" and I'm adding a cv to the rear.... some sheet metal will have to go and I'm raising the Gas tank to make it all happen...
My goal is to keep it the same overall stock length but stretch the suspension.
With it the way it is now...are you hitting the front Drive line on the Bell?...What motor are you running?

Originally posted by peeJ
i am going to flaten them out quite a bit in my pipe bender because they willl be to tall,
:eek: What the hell?!?!?!

Save yourself some time and busted springs, and just run some stock Cj springs.....

BOSSGRIP <>>>> the engine is a Buick V-6, Muncie 4-speed from a car ( soon to be a SM420 military surplus b rand new 1974 never used in original box and plive drab paint cosmoline etc....) Dana 20 transfer that I am putting the 18 geqars in. The axles in question are about 1 1/2 inches wider per side then the old stock 44 and 25 the difference in wheel track between willys and the AMC models. Starting in 72 they took the show away from WILLYS and stretched the wheel base and widened the track..:cool:

I know alll about the alterations in 72 I own a 71,the last of the shorties...
I was wondering about the motor because you are putting in a sm420 and if you don't lift the jeep a "bit" your front drive line will most likely hit the bell (see pic)unless you put in a bump stop.
I had that Car muncie with a 225 for a while too...didn't like it at all...Never went to the sand ...I just didn't know any better and it was available.
I don't know what people do for the dog house but I made due by modifying the original and put in a heal block to get my foot in the right position..(see pic)
Are your axles in the stock position? Do you have any pic's?

The sm420 required even more extensive modifications to the dog house....I basically built a new one. I even had to relocate the gas pedal because of the Girth of the 420....I have some pic's of the install but nothing of it completely finished.....Just yell if you want to see anything.
Some people drop the 420 down so they don't have to add to the dog house...I just don't like it hanging below like that....takes away from my "high clearance" goals...adding a body lift can help with clearance issues,but to me a body lift is just creating another problem...it pushes more weight further above the center of gravity....for me this is not good...Now I'm adding an atlas II and a v8 so I'm building a stronger wider frame and full width axles front 44 rear 14 bolt...
With the wider frame I can fit my exaust system inside the rails...this I'm exited about! one large belly pan and the works are covered....can't wait to get working on it again.

Here is a pic of my Jeep making a great effort to climb out of an Oregon mud puddle...took a few trys but I made it....not as gracefully as the full sized rig that was ahead of me though...
Kind of hard to get traction when your floating...:p

Boss, I had none of those problems putting my 420 in my 71. I used a stock 225 bellhousing with the adaptor removed. What are you running in yours? AFA SOA goes, I've had both stock axles and waggy axles and I wouldnt personally bother with stockers SOA on a early 5. I've done this on a few early 5's and can honestly say the answer to most of the origional questions was different for each one.

earlier pic with about that setup
http://ajax.extremejeep.com/mike/mike_jee.jpg

If you put a 420 in your stock 71cj you had to either lower the cross member, do a body lift or modify the dog house.....

If you didn't do any of this you did something else,and I would like to know what it is.... Or maybe I'm not sure what you are referring to???

The drive line hitting the bell would depend on the axles(rotation -configuration) tire size, existing lift.
My bell was a 225 to Gm with no adapters and I bored out the bottom threads.
I did a hydraulic clutch and power brake conversion and ran a Dana 18.
I ran stock axles 27/44, 1" rancho lift springs with con-fer shackles and 31" tires on 15" rims.

I'm at work right now but if you reply (and you want )I can show you more pics.

I follow ya, I did modify the tunnel cover but that was it. Also had to run a small driveshaft up front to clear the tranny hump. But Im no where near hitting the bellhousing. Thus proving my statement that they're all different anyway :) BTW Im running 78 wagoneer axles f/r with an 18 case an 18" rear shaft and single cardan joints. No need for a CV on mine.

Got ya ....I ran a larger diameter drive shaft and put a nice groove in it:) .
How much lift and What size Tires..that would also change your DL-angle...I only hit in extreme situations.....
I didn't run a cv with that set up but my new config. may need one because I'm keeping the t-case at 0* on the outputs.
At this point I only have the frame built, motor tranny and t-case mounted and I'm still designing the suspension.
-Kerry

Originally posted by BossGrip
Got ya ....I ran a larger diameter drive shaft and put a nice groove in it:) .
How much lift and What size Tires..that would also change your DL-angle...I only hit in extreme situations.....
I didn't run a cv with that set up but my new config. may need one because I'm keeping the t-case at 0* on the outputs.
At this point I only have the frame built, motor tranny and t-case mounted and I'm still designing the suspension.
-Kerry

36's to 38's for tires. How much lift? I have no idea, I've never measured and the spring packs aren't stock off anything (kinda a combination of packs I've assembled) my new setup (60's and a 300) will change things

BOSSGRIP ...... Sorry but I hava noa camera!!!
The front driveline I use is the same diameter as the original and has never touched wiyt 2 1/2 Rancho springs,.....The bell I use is from a buick car (aluminum} and My engine is a 231 if any of
all that matters.




_____________________________________________
It,s all in primer rustoleum red now.........it looks so good this way how can I ever bring myself to paint it. Bright sky blue was suggested....................































:barf: :barf: :barf: :barf: :barf: :barf: :barf: :barf: :barf: :barf: