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SOA or lift kit.

4K views 43 replies 13 participants last post by  calpbs 
#1 ·
So I have a project jeep thats getting built frame up. Its a 95 yj, going to be 5 to 6" total lift (1" body) , 33s or 35s, Smallblock chevy with an SM465 NP241. Was planning on an Aussie locker in the front diff, and a limited slip Ford 8.8 for the back. Since I have to do the work on the 8.8, I was wondering what would be better, doing an SOA with the leafs that are on it, or spending the money for a decent 4" lift (Not rough country). I am not worried about the extra work, and the price shouldn't be that far off either way, just wondering what would perform better and be better in the long run. Not a daily driver but will be driven on the street, also some off road. More trails and mud than rock crawling but wouldnt completely rule out the rocks.
 
#2 ·
I have a 95 and just put a lift in it, the old springs were waisted and flat...I mean almost arched backwards flat. I was Leary of the rough country lift but it was in my budget. I did the 2 1/2" spring lift with the 2.0 shocks. I wasn't too hopeful as it wasn't expensive ($500 delivered to my door). But I have to say it's WAY better than I had expected it to be. It actually rides good on the road and flexes even better. Jut my 2 cents on the rough country lift. Anyway my BUDDIE just did the SOA to get the lift he wanted (5"-6") and the old soft stock springs really flex well. If budget is an issue like it was for him go for the SOA. Again just my 2 cents. Good luck.
 
#3 ·
The problem with the Rough Country from all the reviews is how they start to sag after a short time. It seems to be really nice right off the bat but months or a year later they sag and even some people reported broken leafs. Im worried about trying it with the weight of a small block chevy and chevy drive train.
 
#4 ·
Hum.....scratching my head....... guess I'll find out. Good thing I have the 2.5l. I did lots of research before buying and almost all the bad reviews were 6+ years ago. Hoping the fixed their issues. Then again it's a jeep and I'll drive it until it won't drive its self then fix it better. Lol good luck
 
#6 ·
Crown hd stock replacement leaves SOA
And an antiwrap bar in the rear is my suggestion.

My jeep rode decent with RE 4.5 sua springs. But rode miles better soa
and a different steering set up.
I hope you are already planning on a SYE and different drive shaft either way.
 
#7 ·
I by no means am advocating RC but my previous 94 sagged and they replaced the springs with just a phone call. tells me they want to stay in the industry and are willing to fix their problems, and clearly had them. i would love to report on the replacements but I lost that jeep in a divorce. The front springs are on my present jeep and I wanted them to settle slightly. So far so good. I did a bastard pack on the rear and they are good. The SOA puts some serious lift on the jeep but I have been told they do not handle as well on the street, seems like the way to go for a good off road vehicle. Most of the serious off road guys do it. A lot of mods need to accompany this change to get everything working correctly.
 
#9 ·
My front SOA project was around the $700 area. M.O.R.E. steering bracket, 5125 shocks, WFO shock hoops, Ruffstuff parts to build a drag link (previously had crossover steering), new perches and shock mounts etc. But it is a night and day difference from BDS 3.5" springs and crappy white body shocks.

But rode miles better soa
Flexes better too
 
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#10 ·
I went from 4" SUA RC to 2.5" RE SOA. The SOA is a much better ride and it ended up being about 6" lift. I think the big difference is that the SOA leafs are a lot flatter than 4" SUA leafs. If you have to redo the rear anyways because of the 8.8 swap I would do the SOA. I broke my D35 and decided might as well go SOA since I gotta replace the rear axle.
 
#13 ·
That's exactly what I was saying. I think I was near $2K but that included a rear ARB. Still not many kits out there running in the $1,200 range. There are however way too many out there cheaping out on SOA and endangering all of us on the roads.
 
#15 ·
I'd agree with that as well... No a whole lot of sense in going through all the trouble and finances to an axle that cant hold the tires it is spinning.
 
#17 ·
Scout axles will be close, but your right, it's going to change a lot of things, which is why to do it right is so expensive.

When you get into that 37" + tire size that you will likely be on SOA you have a 150-170lb flywheel at each corner, those D30's will handle it for a little while, but will not last long term.

For the cost of doing the swap you likely need new driveshafts and regardless you have to re-do the steering, by not doing axles your only saving maybe $500 - unless you go D60 front (these always seem to be $500-1k themselves). I paid $120 for my D44 front. The 60 rears can be had for $100 if your patient. All the other stuff needs to be changed anyway, it is cheaper long term to buy it once. I had maybe an additional $250 converting the D60 rear to disks and I have a few hundred rebuilding the D44 - but at that point my D30 had enough miles it would have needed the same treatment. Gears should be done regardless with the tire size jump as well.

Full width D44/D60 using H1 wheels to pull them back in a little. I did not want to be stupid wide either.

 
#18 ·
I agree with all that. Keeping in mind in your original post you mentioned 33's or maybe 35's. The D30 can handle that just fine if you're not stupid with the throttle. That being said, IMHO if you plan to stay at 33's stop entertaining the SOA idea.
 
#19 ·
Even on stock springs IMO SOA is way to much lift for 35's, 33's would look like you are rolling around on space saver spares. I agree with above 100%
 
#23 ·
I went SOA on 35's. Below is my list of $3.6k, but I also did belly up, 8.8, exhaust, new wheels and tires at the same time. I have a SBC and my weak link is definitely the Dana 30. I have snapped a couple axle shafts. And I'm talking about twisting the splines off not breaking a ujoint. It rides and handles a lot better than it did with the 4"RC lift, but ride quality is still not on the coil spring level. My plans are to go 1 tons and linked. No rear stretch unless its the body and frame to LJ length (ie no comp cut here).



 
#35 ·
That was my though too but I had no way around it. If I could figure out a way to not use them I would. I have contemplated linking the front but I don't have the skills or know of a shop around me to do it. I am also not sure how to keep from rubbing the links, in my mind if it rubs the rear of the leafs then it would rub the links as well.

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#32 ·
You guys are spending crazy amounts on soa. Yikes

My soa cost me around $200. 4 springs and some used 5100s
Add 550 of you count the axles.

I linked my rig front and rear with coilovers for under 2k.
I would count the axles, because IMO SOA is nearly worthless or not feasible with stock axles considering the tire size you will be running. How did you solve your steering when you did it? There had to be some cost there? Did you buy or make the perches etc... Some place there is a cost associated with that. Some would count tires too, because a jump to SOA is usually going to come with a major jump in tire size. I even factor in my consumables or a specialty tool I had to buy and don't have in many cases, it is a cost required to do the project.

Did you have to rebuild any part in the process? Did you re-gear for your new tire size? That also factors in to me, anything required to keep the rig safe or make it run/drive/perform proper/affect reliability with its new setup I factor into my cost. Putting springs over the axles IS cheap, it is all the stuff to go along with it.

I'm doing it with my engine swap right now, the engine was out so I did gaskets, in the process I discovered bad knock sensors and pigtails, and a few other items that needed to be done before the engine went in. I had $1000 just in little items I had to go over.

Other people may not have, but then those same people ***** when it doesn't work/run/perform quite right after their install. I pay attention to that little stuff, and as a result I have an SOA YJ that can easily run 80 down the highway straight and true (if it isn't windy :rofl: ) I'm not a fan of being broken on a trail, or getting out there and it doesn't perform to expectations, so I try to address it all out of the gate.
 
#33 ·
I try to be opportunistic with parts because I agree with all the associated costs to get things right. I re-geared a 94 for $65 on a windfall ebay deal but by the time I was through I had spent over $500 with ball joints, unit bearings tie rod ends, u-joints brakes etc... the result was I had confidence to drive it anywhere and t performed flawlessly.
 
#37 ·
Costs on mine (from memory)

Traded D30/8.8 for lpD44/D60 from 77 F250 - even
Bought HP D44 $120 Sold lp D44 $100 -- out $20

Calipers $300
Pads $45
U-bolts $80
Used shocks $150
Traction bar $200
SYE $250
rear Driveshaft $300
Drag link $200
Knuckle machining $85
High steer arm and spacer $200
tie rod $80
Wheel Bearings $80ish
Seals $80ish
Gears $500
tires/wheels $800
shock mounts $40
Ball Joints $280
Knuckle Joints $100
Lockouts $100

That's $3730 including the tires, take that out and it's still $2830 and I know I'm missing things such as some brackets etc...

Assuming you buy perfect axles/reuse stock axles/don't need gears and are re-using your wheels and tires for whatever reason: I am still getting to $1305 and that is not counting any little stuff that pops up.

I also ended up buying a tire balancer for $600 when I couldn't find a place that would be willing to balance my H1 wheels and tires because they were 165lbs a piece. I had a tire balance issue that was causing major death wobble. It would eject a pop out of the cupholder a couple feet :rofl: I did not add that in though, as I also had other reasons to buy it.
 
#38 ·
It's all in how you buy and sell things and making your own parts.

Axles were $500.

Gm10 bolt with pass Reid knuckle and high steer arm on it. Also came with a tierod and draglink
14bolt with a Detroit and perches already on it


Both axles in good shape. No purchases required. 4.10 gears. I kept 4.10s even with my 39.5s

Jeep already had an soa when I bought it since it had 4.5 sua lift.

Never ran an antiwrap bar. Made some bastard pack leaves that worked great.

And when I linked it: First pair of coilovers I bought were 550. Second pair I got for 450. Both 14in kings used


Having nice stuff and a jeep that works great doesn't mean you have to spend a lot of money. All said and done before I chopped my rig up I only had around 8k in it TOTAL. That's including purchasing the rig
 
#42 ·
True it doesn't need to be $2K, but.... it depends on what you're putting in it. If you use cheapy shocks etc yeah it's cheaper, but just four shocks was $300, plus springs, anti-wrap, steering brackets, etc.... I quickly hit $1,200.
 
#43 ·
I'm actually in the middle of doing the rear now. Here's a basic breakdown of cost for the REAR:

8.8 Ruff Stuff perches & brackets: $114
Extra full set of stock YJ springs: $50
Rebuilt rear Tom Wood driveshaft: $225
Cross member & anti-wrap bar kit from Ruff stuff: $264
Miscellaneous items (paint, brake line, cutting disc, wire wheel, etc.): $100

I did the front last year in March. I already had the Tera flex knuckle from years back so the cost wasn't quite as bad. I did end up notching the frame.
 
#44 ·
I am gleaming that some purchase all new parts and installs run high $$$. Others are opportunistic in parts trading and manage nice upgrades and bottom basement prices. I have done it both ways and I like spending less and getting more. I am too OCD not to make sure everything is right so I seem to buy or replace many of the small parts.
 
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