[jallen0542]

i have a 89 yj with a 4in procomp lift and the suspension travel sucks everything is unhooked . i am going to do an soa but i was going to do it with my stock leaves after removing a leaf from each pack and adding revolver shackles. what do you think i would be looking at for suspension travel after doing that? or should i go with an after market set that is only like a 1 or 2 inch lift spring. just trying to get as much suspension travel as i can

[Joe Dillard]

I do not recommend removing a leaf from a set of stock style leaf packs & going SOA like that. Stock leafs packs should have plenty of flex without removing leafs. Lots of folks actually add leafs to stock packs for several reasons.

Revolvers + SOA will be tricky to set-up. You should have plenty of flex without the addition of the revolvers IMHO.

Anyway, I use RE's 1.5" SOA leafs. These leafs are specifically made to be used SOA. They are not the best leafs available, but they do pretty well.

[fratis]

more than anything its what you do with the springs that effect performance. how they are mounted and maintained is very important. also there are allot of flex inhibitors other than the springs. stock shock mounting must be changed. ebrakes are another often overlooked inhibitor. do some searching on flex and articulation.

[jallen0542]

thanks i never thought about the e brake limiting travel but that does make sense

[jallen0542]

why would you not remove a leaf from a stock leaf pack it would only soften them up more and i could care less if then bend eventualy.but i dont see a problem with there only being 3 leafs instead of 4

[RedMountainYJ]

not that i have experianced this (my rig is SUA) but from what i hear is with SOA rigs springs will sag because they are over flexed. with a stock spring in that type of set up you can over flex them, giving them negative spring arch (i know that there is a term for this but the coffee is super strong and i cant think straight ). this is why people add leaves to stock spring packs. that and to help fight spring wrap.

x2 on finding other problems other than your springs. Improper shock travel can be a big limit on up and down travel.

x2 on the ebrake cable and brake lines.

find a friend with a fork lift or ramp. you'll figure it out

[Joe Dillard]

I hate to sound like the SOA police, but removing a leaf from the already soft stock leaf pack is pretty much asking for trouble.

I realize that in a stock configuration, stock leaf packs only flex so much. This is partially due to the lower center of gravity (as compared to SOA), plus, the front & rear tracbars are still on, plus the front swaybar is too.

However, remove the two tracbars & the front swaybar from the equasion, and then add the height gained from going SOA too, and now you have a formula for good flex without removing leafs.

With the added height from going SOA, now you'll have room for much taller tires. Much taller tires = alot more stress placed on not only the driveline, but the suspension too. Heavy tires = more potential downward force on the suspension allowing for more flex.

I'm not saying it won't "work" or can't work. I'm saying in most cases it's a bad idea.

Also, bent leafs often break without warning. Not a good thing.

Plus, the softer the leafs are, the greater the axle wrap issue will be. There's a fine line between soft leafs that are controlable, and too soft which will greatly contribute to early fatigue and a leaf pack thats hard to control wrap and for an effective shock to be matched to it.

[doug_1994]

Joe is correct^^^^

Removing a leaf will only give you trouble. I've added leaves to my packs. With a flat pack you will get more travel.

ElHeffe is correct also with over stretching a spring.

Just take a ball point pen spring (its a coil spring but you get the idea). You can "flex" it all day within its limits, but if you stretch it too far. It no longer works. Its the same with a leaf pack.

Doug

[phlex234]

to get more travel, i wentwith greaseable sahckles, long travel shock hoops from MORE and long travel dotesch shocks and BDS springs


i had pro comp and noticed the difference immeadeatly, i would never reccomend revolvers, and i know a lot of people here wouldnt either.

my 2cents

[phlex234]

oh yeah also TJ flares give the tire more room and much longer brake lines

[doug_1994]

Originally Posted by phlex234

i would never reccomend revolvers, and i know a lot of people here wouldnt either.

Have you ever ran them yourself, personally?

Doug

[Big-n-Broke-YJ]

i've added 2 leafs to the xj leaf pack i have up front and it's still too soft in my opinion... i can't imagine taking a leaf out of a stock yj pack... the axle wrap would be horrible on acceleration and braking (many people overlook axle wrap caused by braking.... iminging snapping a leaf spring after slamming on the brakes on the hwy to avoid a wreck? ouch) and your load carrying capacity will be all but a figment of your imagination....

baby steps.... try stock spring packs and see how you like it....

-Erik <---- would run revolvers

[phlex234]

Originally Posted by doug_1994

Have you ever ran them yourself, personally?

Doug

ive seen them up close and have ridden in a jeep with them and he let me drive it, so i guess ummm yeah

[Brokagain]

4" springs don't flex really well, but you should be getting a reasonable amount if every thing is clicking. Do you have oversized shackles? Like 1 1/4"? That would allow more movement than stock shackles. There's a lot that hasn't been said about your rig that we all may assume. Shocks. Brake lines. Track bar, sway bar.

Anyway, a soa is definitly more flexy. You would want springs made for soa if you do that, like RE 1 1/2". Negative isn't good for leaf springs that aren't made for it. Stock springs won't last and it's not worth even trying. Even with a traction bar you would need to add an extra full length leaf. I ran that setup for a few years, but am getting tired of bent and broken springs.

I've never run revolver shackles either, but I saw a Toyota with soa and revolvers roll when it would have stayed up if it didn't have the revolvers. They will tend to unload on sidehills and reduce stability considerably. I find stability to be more important than articulation. But, if built right you can have both.

[jallen0542]

ok thanks guys i appreciate it for all of the help now what would ultimatly be the best setup other than 4 linking my jeep to for the most articulation