My desired Suspension Setup

mountainwolf · 11-29-2005, 08:35 AM

Ok, here is what I am looking to do: get 4.5 in lift leaf springs from RE, put on 1/2 or 1 in shackles from Southwest4x4 and a 1 in body on my 85 CJ7. Now, will I need to shim or will my angles need work after this is complete? Any help would be appreciated.

jadams68 · 11-29-2005, 08:40 AM

You will have to shim the front by 2 degrees and the rear by about 8 degrees.
The RE kit comes with 2 and 4 degree shims, but they are junk and made from aluminum. RE sells steel shims, buy them.

Also the R.E shackles give you a .5" lift over stock...hence the 4.5" lift.

Your setup is exactly like mine....you'll love it.

**CJ51973** · 11-29-2005, 08:41 AM

The caster will more than likely need correcting in the front. The rear will probably require a CV driveshaft so the rear will need rotated to accomodate that. If you don't do the CV and drop you transfer case to keep the vibrations down you will more than likely need to shim around on the rear to make the yoke angles equal. Your drive shafts will also probably be too short and need to be lengthened. This all depends on what is already modified on your CJ and what it's intended purpose will be.

jadams68 · 11-29-2005, 08:42 AM

Yeah good point. I run a CV shaft in the rear from Tom Wood.

mountainwolf · 11-29-2005, 08:46 AM

Oh, my understanding from the RE website was that you got 4.5 out of the springs. I'm actually not planning to buy the kit, just the springs to save some cash. Unfortunately my budget right now doesn't allow for uninterrupted flow of currency into the CJ account... I'll have to call RE and ask them about the total height. I want to get a total of 6 in overall. Thanks for the info on the shims.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CJ51973

The caster will more than likely need correcting in the front. The rear will probably require a CV driveshaft so the rear will need rotated to accomodate that. If you don't do the CV and drop you transfer case to keep the vibrations down you will more than likely need to shim around on the rear to make the yoke angles equal. Your drive shafts will also probably be too short and need to be lengthened. This all depends on what is already modified on your CJ and what it's intended purpose will be.

Intent is to make a jeep that I can drive offroad pretty decent around the washouts and what not we have up here in NH. Not looking for serious rock crawling or whatever, but its not my DD either. CJ is a stock 85, I've got it stripped to the frame, and the frame is going out to get the inside waxed this week, so I have some time to decide all this, but it seems like a bunch of work, (not to mention cash) to do it right.

Is the CV shaft issue due to the shackles or the leaf spring lift? (unfortunately I know/understand very little about what happens to a vehicle when it is lifted.

mountainwolf · 11-29-2005, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CJ51973

The caster will more than likely need correcting in the front. The rear will probably require a CV driveshaft so the rear will need rotated to accomodate that. If you don't do the CV and drop you transfer case to keep the vibrations down you will more than likely need to shim around on the rear to make the yoke angles equal. Your drive shafts will also probably be too short and need to be lengthened. This all depends on what is already modified on your CJ and what it's intended purpose will be.

You're talking about something like this right:

http://www.goemerchant1.com/index.cgi?Merchant=southwest4x4&PageToView=catalog &Cartid=11601133278323&Department=96984&ExpandedDe pts=&prodid=8858398#8858398

Item # SW2D - 2" wide Caster Kits

John N · 11-29-2005, 10:39 AM

The RE front 4.5" springs for a CJ are 2.5" wide, you will need conversion shackles or have to do something to fit them on the front, if you aren't buying their kit. They won't just bolt on.

**CJ51973** · 11-29-2005, 12:30 PM

The CV rear shaft is to eliminate the vibration that a steep angled drive shaft will have. Ujoints running at more than about 12 degrees will vibrate and the more angle the worse it will be. Your rear drive shaft is short to start with so it already runs at a bit of an angle compared to your front. Lifting the Jeep increases the angle because the vertical distance between the transfer case and the axle increases. See Tom Woods site for more details or search this forum.

Bard · 11-29-2005, 05:46 PM

I went down the same route before. I have done suspension lifts with body and frame lifts, So this time I opted for a change that does work. I went spring over axles, buy the perches and weld them on, does require to swap the front and rear spring hangers on the frame, run stock springs w/ add a leafs, with H style shackles, mine are 2 1/2 and dropped the tranny an inch on the frame with some square tubing, drive shafts remained the same, haven't twisted one yet, knock on wood. As for steering, you just need to adjust the tie rod end and drop arm. I run 34"s with a ton of clearance, goes down the road nice and trails even better. I am going to upgrade to 36's this spring. Saved a ton of cash going the this route, but since you are down to the frame, it is an option, Just a thought from another Jeeper in the Granite State