I have a 79 CJ5 SOA 2.5' springs. Just finished the SOA and used revolvers up front but they wont open up? My rear flexes out and the front is barely tweaked? None of the spring/shackel bolts are overtightend. Any help would be cool.

Originally posted by shortbus
I have a 79 CJ5 SOA 2.5' springs. Just finished the SOA and used revolvers up front but they wont open up? My rear flexes out and the front is barely tweaked? None of the spring/shackel bolts are overtightend. Any help would be cool.

Shocks to short?

swaybar still on? Using crappy stiff rancho springs instead of some nice YJ or CJ rear springs?

Shocks are plenty long,springs are alcans. Its almost like the rear is to flexy,like the rear flexes to the max then the front STARTS flexing.

If your shocks are not too short then yes your rear is opening before the front.

Is this being done on a ramp of crevice. If you're ramping it the vehicle weight will flex the rear causing the revolver to open first in back. If you try it on level ground in a crevice it should perform more evenly.

Can I ask you why revolvers w/ SOA? (that's a lot of travel)

I had them SUA and hated them (slap and pop opening and closing on climbs). Also a guy competed this weekend in our group and used them F&R w/ SOA. He broke about 5 rear driveshafts at the axle yoke, I fully believe it was revolver related in 4 occurances.

Originally posted by bigdude

Also a guy competed this weekend in our group and used them F&R w/ SOA. He broke about 5 rear driveshafts at the axle yoke, I fully believe it was revolver related in 4 occurances.

Yeah, I saw him break the one, and heard about the others.
I agree completely. They sure didn't make him competitive.
You all rested up from "paving" roads for Buddy? :D
The (lifting and throwing the boulder) at tabletop/battleship instance comes to mind.

Originally posted by doctor_G

The (lifting and throwing the boulder) at tabletop/battleship instance comes to mind.

if he wouldn't have gotten up that on the first try I think i would've cried having to reposition that thing:D

Did you use revolvers before the SOA. Did they open up then?

I am using them (Revolvers) in the front only and find that for my Canadian terrain they are a bonus. I could see how that much play would break u's and driveshafts in the rear all day.

I want to convert the rear to eliptic at the end opf this year, but I will still keep the shackles up front. I know everyone hates them here, but for me they seem to be working great.

Originally posted by bigdude
a guy competed this weekend in our group and used them F&R w/ SOA. He broke about 5 rear driveshafts at the axle yoke, I fully believe it was revolver related in 4 occurances.


did he have some sort of anti wrap bar? just curious because when i first went springover i broke a couple of rear d/shaft yokes beacuse of axle wrap. once i built a traction bar it hasn't happened since. excessive wrap will bind the pinion yoke and the d/shaft yoke and something is gonna break.

anyway shortbuss i personally say get rid of the revolvers. just run a standard shackle. i have never run revolvers myself but from everything i have read they are good for the ramp and that is about it. for most wheeling situations the standard shackle setup will work better. do a search and see what you find there have been many negative posts on them here on this bbs. just my op.

I have revolvers only on the front. I took the revolvers off and put regular shackels on, it will flex alot better now but the rear is still alot softer than the front.

Which direction is the hinge of the Revolver facing? If you are using the stock shackle location, the hinge should be pointed toward the back of the vehicle (<). If you are using a shackle reversal, it should be pointing the toward the front (>)and the same direction as the rear.
The other thing to note is that you have more weight in the front with the 350 than the rear of a light weight 5, which will make a difference.

My Revolvers and SOA work very well together. The key to the rear driveshaft is a centered limiting strap. It needs to limit how far down the differential drops, but still allows the tires to articulate - pivot and drop.

Originally posted by Square Peg
Which direction is the hinge of the Revolver facing? If you are using the stock shackle location, the hinge should be pointed toward the back of the vehicle (<). If you are using a shackle reversal, it should be pointing the toward the front (>)and the same direction as the rear.
The other thing to note is that you have more weight in the front with the 350 than the rear of a light weight 5, which will make a difference.

My Revolvers and SOA work very well together. The key to the rear driveshaft is a centered limiting strap. It needs to limit how far down the differential drops, but still allows the tires to articulate - pivot and drop.

First off, do you think he's that dumb that he would put them on backwards:rolleyes: This isn't JU.

Secondly you comment about your revolvers and SOA working very well with a center limiting strap:rolleyes: The problems I mention earlier with the rear driveshaft breaking had nothing to do with excessive differential drop. There are far more problems associated with revolvers than just that. All of them have to do with climbs, hard vertical assaults, and extreme flex while throttling.

orginally posted by BigDude:
Secondly you comment about your revolvers and SOA working very well with a center limiting strap The problems I mention earlier with the rear driveshaft breaking had nothing to do with excessive differential drop. There are far more problems associated with revolvers than just that. All of them have to do with climbs, hard vertical assaults, and extreme flex while throttling.

You dont have those problems with a limiting strap and a traction bar. The strap prevents violent unloading and loading of the rear suspension. I would be willing to bet that the guy you saw break driveshafts didn't have both of those items.

Revolvers get a lot of crap form guy thats have used them on a rig that was not properly set-up! Dont blame the product when the owner doesnt know how to use them!

I will agree that they are unneccesary on real flexy set-ups though.

No one is twisting your arm to remove them. but I'm thinking there are other factors in your suspension that are contributing to good flex, however I believe your giving those revolvers too much of the credit.
IMO, they wont give you anything a well tuned SOA won't.

Revolvers Suck. There, how'z that for an enlightening comment. :flipoff2: :flipoff2:

Revolvers Suck. There, how'z that for an enlightening comment.

Prime example of what I said in my other post.

IMO, they wont give you anything a well tuned SOA won't

I fully agree with that also.

Originally posted by ColoYJ



Revolvers get a lot of crap form guy thats have used them on a rig that was not properly set-up! Dont blame the product when the owner doesnt know how to use them!




BULLSHIT!!!
I have tested them under every type of scenario you could imagine. SOA, SUA, Wrap bars, no wrap bars,..etc. They do not work well on steep terrain. Yes I know how to use them,..and I totaly blame the product. They are the best advertising coupe since the "Pet Rock". The product though as a usefull tool to improve seriouse off road capabilities is a fawkin joke. Anyone that has honestly tested them with an unbiased aproach to testing,...either doesnt know how to test his rig, or isnt going steep enough.

The new shackels I put on the other day work way better than the revolvers,alot stronger also. I adjusted the shackel angle some and this gave me some more flex but the rear is still alot softer. What can I do to equal the amount of flex between the front and rear? I dont want to stiffen the rear.

Originally posted by shortbus
The new shackels I put on the other day work way better than the revolvers,alot stronger also. I adjusted the shackel angle some and this gave me some more flex but the rear is still alot softer. What can I do to equal the amount of flex between the front and rear? I dont want to stiffen the rear.

you say that you are running 2.5" springs. did they come as a matched set or are you running different springs front and rear. it sounds like to me that the spring rates are not matched to the vehicle. how about removing a leaf from the front packs and trying that.

also how are you flexing it? are you using a ramp or what? if so are you pulling up the ramp only forwards or both ways? if you pull up a ramp forwards then your wieght bias moves to the rear of the rig and will cause the rear springs to flex more than the front. the same will happen in reverse if you back up the ramp. if you are using the ramp i say go out and wheel it in real world situations and see how it works. if it still seems too stiff in the front then remove a leave from each of the front packs.....atleast that is what i would do if your shocks are not your limiting factor.

Originally posted by ColoYJ


You dont have those problems with a limiting strap and a traction bar. The strap prevents violent unloading and loading of the rear suspension. I would be willing to bet that the guy you saw break driveshafts didn't have both of those items.

Revolvers get a lot of crap form guy thats have used them on a rig that was not properly set-up! Dont blame the product when the owner doesnt know how to use them!

I will agree that they are unneccesary on real flexy set-ups though.

My response to this would be very similar to H8's, I've tested them also. Another thing I've seen become pronounced with these is axle wobble (wheels fighting to see which one gets to go first) due to the instabilty of the revolvers as they open and close.

i used soa on my 85 cj7 and i used 93 yj leaves for my spring over and i had equal flex on the front and rear almost too much, it sometimes felt like a slinky. I have now tossed the yj's and put toyota leaves for my front and coiled the rear....for now.

question do you have a reversal shackle on it?

i had a reversal on mine and still do and i had no problem with flexing the front.

I have tested them under every type of scenario you could imagine. SOA, SUA, Wrap bars, no wrap bars,..etc. They do not work well on steep terrain. Yes I know how to use them,..and I totaly blame the product. They are the best advertising coupe since the "Pet Rock". The product though as a usefull tool to improve seriouse off road capabilities is a fawkin joke. Anyone that has honestly tested them with an unbiased aproach to testing,...either doesnt know how to test his rig, or isnt going steep enough.

While steep terrain is no the best enviroment for revolvers, they can be made to work with a limiting strap and traction bar. I know because I have done it and have seen a couple people do it. Is an 80 deg waterfall in Montrose or ledges in Moab not steep enough for proper testing? It may be that the old 4cly doesnt have enough juice to throw the revolvers around. I could see how your 5.0 makes you dislike them but they will still work with the proper set-up.
I will remove them though as soon as I bolt on my wag springs if that makes you feel any better.

Originally posted by ColoYJ


While steep terrain is no the best enviroment for revolvers, they can be made to work with a limiting strap and traction bar. I know because I have done it and have seen a couple people do it. Is an 80 deg waterfall in Montrose or ledges in Moab not steep enough for proper testing? It may be that the old 4cly doesnt have enough juice to throw the revolvers around. I could see how your 5.0 makes you dislike them but they will still work with the proper set-up.
I will remove them though as soon as I bolt on my wag springs if that makes you feel any better.



BULLSHIT AGAIN!!!
I have ran thyem when I had my 6 cylinder, and with my 2.5, I have never ran them since I installed the 5.0. I have ran them with limiting straps, and they still unload when the hill is attacked aggressively. I even used U bolts to bolt them to the frame rails,(that actualy worked,...but then of course they are no longer acting like revolvers). I still have a set of them that I let freinds use when they are thinking of throwing away good money. I tell them thatb they can have them if they want to run them,....but they are like a bad case of herpes,..they always return.
I have evn challenged the so called experts on revolvers such as yourself,.. to video tape them, working on a steep climb, then review the tape and tell me you dont see the traction robbing tendency for them to open when pressure builds on the tire and break loose.
Just because you are climbing some slick rock trails in MOAB meens nothing to me. I have seen people use them on tough trails before. But I have seen their rig noticeably better after we get back to camp, unbolt them and run the trail again.
If you want to convince yourself that you havent waisted your money,...fine,..go ahead,..but dont try to bullshit those of us who have tested them extensively over the last several years, only to find them miserably disapointing at every turn.
Im done arguing about it, go ahead and believe what you will,...and anyone reading can make their own decisions, its their money. But I wont feel bad, when Im laughing at you from the top of the hill while those clanky revolvers are clacking open and closed lke a couple of hungry aligators.

Originally posted by ColoYJ

It may be that the old 4cly doesnt have enough juice to throw the revolvers around.

Nope that's not it. I've sat there and watched my old revolvers slap open and closed on an ice covered helicopter pad in Tellico. That night I took them off and sold them the next week. They sucked terribly even with my 4-banger and SUA.

Sell them on JU you'll get more $$$$

I agree whole heartedly with H8monday they belong in the same league as pet rocks.

There are several reasons that it appears to me that Revolvers are inherently unsafe on a Jeep used on a highway. All the professional 4x4 chassis builders that I have talked with have also said to stay away from them. Actually, I can't believe that Metal Made Rite the orginal producer and now Tera Flex haven't been sued big time by some getting into a highway accident due to the way that they would effect handling in emergency situtations.

On my CJ-5 SOA i went double shackle and 4-link and am very happy with my flex.

http://www.azvjc.org/pics/2720_02619104916.jpg