YJ spring under VS spring over?
- Thread starter webyepn
- Start date
RockMonkey
Suddenly Enthusiastic
Spring over is better in every way as long as you add a traction bar for the rear axle. Better yet add one for both axles. You do have to address some steering issues. In the stock steering configuration the spring hits the drag link once you go spring over. The best way to deal with it is to get a knuckle with a high-steer arm on it. There are aftermarket options for this, or I believe swapping on a WJ knuckle can fix it. I don't know what other issues you have to address to swap to the WJ knuckle. We got a knuckle from Tera when we built my dad's YJ.
You're opening a huge can of worms and they all need to be addressed to have a good, functioning setup. Search everywhere you can (here, Jeeps Unlimited, Jeep Forum, Pirate4x4, Google, etc) and read everything you can, then start asking specific questions.
If you want to run SOA, you're looking to run at least 35" tires. Will your stock axles handle those? No. So you'll need new axles with new gears. I run an '89 G. Wagoneer front D44 and a Ford 8.8 in the rear with 4.88 gears on 35's. You'll need an SYE and CV drive shaft to accommodate the drive line angle. You'll need new shocks and brake lines to accommodate the lift (roughly 6" for SOA on stock leafs). You'll need a traction bar on the rear, and possibly the front if you can swing it. You'll also need to address the steering issue, which isn't simple or cheap. Like RockMonkey said, you'll need a new knuckle to get at least cross over steering (drag link attaches up high, but tie rod still in stock location).
If any of those steps are done half-assed, you won't have a safe rig and/or will break crap every time you wheel. Like I said, it's a big can of worms, so do your research before you start.
SUA, on the other hand, can be done without a lot of the steps listed above and you can still have a capable rig. The taller you go, the more stuff that needs to be addressed, so do your research.
If you want to run SOA, you're looking to run at least 35" tires. Will your stock axles handle those? No. So you'll need new axles with new gears. I run an '89 G. Wagoneer front D44 and a Ford 8.8 in the rear with 4.88 gears on 35's. You'll need an SYE and CV drive shaft to accommodate the drive line angle. You'll need new shocks and brake lines to accommodate the lift (roughly 6" for SOA on stock leafs). You'll need a traction bar on the rear, and possibly the front if you can swing it. You'll also need to address the steering issue, which isn't simple or cheap. Like RockMonkey said, you'll need a new knuckle to get at least cross over steering (drag link attaches up high, but tie rod still in stock location).
If any of those steps are done half-assed, you won't have a safe rig and/or will break crap every time you wheel. Like I said, it's a big can of worms, so do your research before you start.
SUA, on the other hand, can be done without a lot of the steps listed above and you can still have a capable rig. The taller you go, the more stuff that needs to be addressed, so do your research.
Drclarkin
Stingers Rule!
- Location
- Montrose, CO
Upsides and downsides to both......spring over. Negatives = You have to have at least a rear traction bar, its hard to find good springs that last. Custom steering of some sort. Positives= better flex than off the shelf spring under. More lift to fit bigger tires.
Spring under Negatives= the taller you go typically the stiffer it gets. Postives= all bolt on. almost no axle wrap.
Which ever way you go make sure you do alot of research before you buy/fab
Spring under Negatives= the taller you go typically the stiffer it gets. Postives= all bolt on. almost no axle wrap.
Which ever way you go make sure you do alot of research before you buy/fab
- Location
- Bountiful, land of rocks
I just had a set of Waggy fronts (front of my 'Jeep') and XJ rears (rear of my 'Jeep'-flipped around) military wrapped from AAA spring. Fairly inexpensive to have done ($200). We'll see how long they last compared to the 'stock' packs I was using before.
RockMonkey
Suddenly Enthusiastic
I can't really say I agree with this one either. My dad's YJ we used JCWhitney 1" rear springs all the way around. He's running 33s and it works great. He drives it to all trails, to work occasionally, and even tows a tent trailer behind it sometimes. His springs have held up great, and they were cheap! Don't tell me about why he shouldn't tow anything with it, I know, and I've told him...
He says the suspension works better ON the road than the stock, or previous spring-under lift ever did.
I ran my stock steering setup for years with SOA before I eventually got the Tera knukcle and did high steer. My drag link would slightly rub on the pass. side spring, but never enough to bend it or cause any other issues. My real reason for finally doing high steer was to move my tie rod up and keep from bending it. I also run 35's on my Dana 30 up front, and ever since I updated shafts to the '95 ones that take a 760 u-joint, I have never broken a shaft. 4+ years and still crossing my fingers. My D35 was not as lucky. The entire housing snapped, so I replaced it with a Ford 8.8. For springs, I run Tuff Country 2" up front and a custom set of XJ's in the rear. I have bent 2 springs up front. One thing to note: many people think that doing a SOA is going to be cheaper, but in order to do it right it will cost you more. You will need to get a slip yoke eliminator kit of some type and new driveshafts, but if doing a SUA lift of over 4-5" I would still dothis. And of course the traction bar, at least in the rear. I don't have one up front and have never seen a need for one. Moral of the story: your stock axles will be ok depending on your driving style; you should spend more doing SOA than SUA (if you do it right); and in my opinion SOA beats SUA anyday.
