[rockr]

get ready cause i got lots of questions:flipoff2:

search under SOA yields over 1100 threads

what front shackles should i use?
the RE 4.5" SUA shackles are fawking HUGE and i surely don't want to use them and hit rockes with them again

stock shackles?

i don't think the RE 1.5" SOA springs come with shackles.

 

[AaronC]

don't know if it really matters as long as your angle is good.
I still have the stock shackles on, but am going to make some sometime .

 

[rockr]

i wasn't really thinking too much of the pinion angle on the front. i was just gonna weld the new perch an eyeballed 180* from the existing lower SUA perch. the front shaft is so long that i didn't think the angle had to be any tits on thing.

cause when i did the 4.5 SUA lift...i didn't do jack with any shims. just put on the springs and NO t-case lowering. i have never fawked any front shaft joints in 3 years with this setup.

 

[BEAR]

Stock shakles suck I used to break them all the time, make some and brace the hanger too or that'll come off too.

Dont weld them(perches) 180*, they need to be tilted about 4* pinion down when doing a soa to correct caster.
Trust me, I had to cut and reweld mine

 

[Victor]

I run 1/2 in lift shackles on my SOA ( 5 in between holes)and its works great. I wouldn't suggest any taller. Stock shackles are good too but you might want to use beefed up shackles the same length as stock(4 in between holes for YJ). The pinion angle of the front end is critical because that is your caster adjustment of the alignment. Don't do this by eyeball but please be precise if you wnat your rig to steer safely.

 

[rckcrwlr87]

what size leaf you use depends on the size of tires you want to run for 35s you could use the stock ones but you are going to limit how much flex you get out of them. If you want to run 35s and get some flex, or you want 35+" tires then go with like a minimum of 1.5

 

[Beat95YJ]

RE has 2 sets of shackles 4" and 5" c-c. I did an SOA on a CJ with their 1.5" springs. I used the 5" shackle in front (I put the bushing in the frame and 4 in the rear (original hanger)

Works good.

 

[Victor]

Now I am confused about flex. I had thought that stock springs would flex better than lift springs when used SOA. I made myself a set of stock YJ springs using YJ rears with added main leaves from athe fronts so that each pack had 6. They ride really well and no complaints but I had sus[ected that a small level of lift (slightle longer spring) might be an improvement. On teh other hand I don't want to pay for a whole set of RE SOA springs just because it *might* flex a little better. I'm running 35s at the moment

 

[rckcrwlr87]

Well it all depends on how far up the tire will move, my neighbor has a SOA on his YJ with stock springs but it has very little flex because the tires can't move up very far, but yes you are right about the stock springs having a little more flex than lift springs.

 

[66CJdean]

The length of shackles depends on how much arch your springs have. If your springs are fairly flat then a short shackle will work fine. If you are running something with some arch like a 2.5" lift spring then a shackle with say a 5" bolt spread will be plenty but if you are running some 4" springs then a 6" spread or more might be needed depending on how much flex your rig gets. If the springs don't flex then don't worry about running long shackles. My guess is that something in the 4.5 to 5" center to center will be your best bet.

 

[Victor]

rckcrwlr87, when you say that flex is limited by stock springs is that simply because of available room, or that longer (lift) springs give more travel? Its easy enough to get another incch or two of space due to a small bodylift or some cutting or using TJ flares instead of lift springs. If there is no rubbing is there any advantage to lift or soa springs?

 

[rockr]

rckcrwlr87, when you say that flex is limited by stock springs is that simply because of available room, or that longer (lift) springs give more travel? Its easy enough to get another incch or two of space due to a small bodylift or some cutting or using TJ flares instead of lift springs. If there is no rubbing is there any advantage to lift or soa springs?

this is what RE says about their SOA lift springs:

These springs are designed for spring-over applications. Unique reverse eye allows more positive arch than traditional style, resulting in a better ride and longer life due to the fact that the spring does not need to go into a negative arch to compress. Heavy-duty design minimizes axle wrap yet allows incredible wheel travel. Overall load capacity is increase over stock. Can be used front or rear. When used in a spring-over configuration yields a 7" lift. When mounted in a stock configuration 1.5" of lift is achieved. This is absolutely the best spring we have ever used for a spring-over!

 

[Beat95YJ]

I have done 3 CJ's with the RE springs. Non of them has begun to lose its height. It is common for OE wrangler springs to lose static height with only a little bit of wheeling. As soon as the spring goes to a negative arch its days are numbered.

 

[sw99]

As soon as the spring goes to a negative arch its days are numbered.

Then my waggy springs are well over do... 2 years on the rig and the fact that they are over 20 years old. Oh and they were negative arched the first day I took them out.:flipoff2:

 

[Beat95YJ]

Arrrgggghh!

I was primarily refering to springs that start with a positive arch.:flipoff2: I suppose that old 1/2 ton Chevy front leafs will be your next example?