?73 cj5 extremely rough ride?

[Caleb0863]

its my leaf springs... i tried pushin down on the corner an it had almost no give idk why i hadnt checked this sooner.. an the springs have almost no arch to them at all.. i can pick up on the corner just a lil an the springs come on up.. i called skyjacker an they have a set for it that will also lift 2 1/2" they want like $550 for the set and another $85 for u bolts.. do yall know of anymore avalible springs?

 

[TerryMason]

I would just go ahead and buy a complete lift kit (shocks and all), and do away with the longer shackles.

If you're buying most of a lift kit anyway, I'd go ahead and get the whole thing and do it right.

 

[bobcat481]

True dat...do away with those 6" shackles. I put 1 3/4" boomerang on mine a fely guilty about it. Shackle lifts can bring up alot of problems. I would really like to see what your castor angle is! Stock springs have almost no arch to start with. Terry is right start over....do it right and you will be happy. Better ride, and I bet you just might even be able to drive it down the road aT highway speeds. It will be worth your money to be able to go to town and get groceries with it!

 

[Caleb0863]

yeah i gotcha but could i just lower it down some more because those shackles have different mounting positions if i put it on the bottom one itll only be about 2 1/2 to 3" over stock? would that be low enough to not affect me that much? i can cut the bottom portion off an brace the rest. an the shocks for a 4" lift would be like $40 a piece. how good of a setup would i have if i did all that?

 

[Weylyn]

1. they are old springs, replace them. get the right lift kit. I have a 2 inch lift on my jeep. This is by springs. I also have a 1 to 1 1/2 in lift by shackle. I have ran 35in tires with no rub but choose to run 31 in do to honey factor. Honey has dodge dakoda 4x4 with 31 inch tires. She gets new tires since the truck is driven daily. I get old worn out tires since I tootle around the property. My jeep likes 33x12.5x15. It is very happy with the wider tires, handles great and while I hate going down the freeway, it will run comfortably at 70. I would trash the current shackles you have. Personal experience, shackles bend when you don't want them to. Usually when nobody is around and your several miles from home

 

[bobcat481]

Cutting down the shackles you have isn't going to help with a smoother ride. It will help your castor angle in the front and give you better road handling. There are decent lift kits out there that may not be "top of the line" or, carry the brand names that you read about often and they are still good kits. In my opinion alot of the cost of the high-end kits is advertisement. Rough Country puts out a decent lift for the price. (in my humble opinion) Springs, bushings, shocks, and all for around $450. You be able to run 33's. I don't know what you budget is, but that reasonable for new suspension and smoother ride.

 

[Ggg]

Caleb
Tell us what size tire you want to run. Tell us what type of wheeling you want to do such as; rock crawling, trail riding, or mud bogging. Also let know a rough idea of what your budget is.
With this info you will get some accurate suggestions on how to accomplish what you want. Without this info all we can do is guess, and that may not be very helpful.

 

[Caleb0863]

yeah i know that want help the ride i was saying cut off the extra after i lower it down just so it wont be hanging.. ok id like to run a set of 34" ltbs prly 12.5 wide.. i dont want the 33s i have and my 35s are wore out.my buddy has a set of the ltbs and i really like them and they are pretty cheap. im gonna be doin trail riding and mud riding, no rocks no where near me.. and as far as total budget i dont really know, but i can throw a few hundred in it a month comfortably.. another ? i have the 232 in it, i also have a 258 i think? whatever the bigger i6 was. how much more power can i expect outa that motor if i was to put it in?

 

[bobcat481]

Someone let me know if I'm wrong but, 4" lift w/ 1" body should get you comfortably over those 34's. A cheap lift w/ 1" of body will run around $600. This will solve many a problem. Even though it may not be "Top-O-The-Line" the cheap lift will get you off those crazy shackles and get you smoother and safer. Save up for a few months and do it right. As far as the I6 questions...not for me.....I'm a 4-banger. I would assume about 26 cu.in. more power

 

[Sine Deviance]

another ? i have the 232 in it, i also have a 258 i think? whatever the bigger i6 was. how much more power can i expect outa that motor if i was to put it in?

Just judging by the small increase in CID, not much. And not nearly enough to warrant the time spent doing the swap, let alone the money, if any were needed. If you really want to swap, I'd go with something bigger. The AMC 360 would be a good choice. They are relatively cheap and plentiful. And if you can get some motor mounts and a flywheel for a 360 it'll probably be a direct bolt-in.

 

[Ggg]

Someone let me know if I'm wrong but, 4" lift w/ 1" body should get you comfortably over those 34's.

I think 4" of lift will clear 34" tires just fine, at least that is the maximum lift I would run for 34" tires.
I agree I bet there is not much power difference between the two engines, especially since they both are likely to be high mileage. Caleb might consider rebuilding the 258 as funds allow with some performance parts and then swap it in. V8's are great but will be pushing the limits of the stock axles with 34" tires, the 6cyl will not be as hard on the drivetrain.

 

[Caleb0863]

yeah well i think im gonna go with the SkyJacker 2 1/2" lift springs some smaller shackles around just an extra inch or so.. and i really dont like the look of body lifts but a 1" shouldnt be very noticeable.. i may get 10 1/2 wide tires, i think that would cut down on some rubbing issues as well... and be a lil easier to pull.. engine: yeah i didnt think it would be much but it was worth askin since i had the motor already.. ive been callin every where in my area lookin for a 304 or 360 and i cant find one anywhere? whats an average price on a running 360?

 

[Caleb0863]

yeah i need to check on some performance parts for the 258.. i dont know what shape it is in. we bought a jeep that had been rearended pretty bad from a guy and he said the motor ran fine at the time he wrecked it.. i believe the jeep was a late 70s model.. i need to look around the shed an see what hap to the axles and trans outa that as well.. i read that that trans was a good one with a really low 1st gear.

 

[Sine Deviance]

ive been callin every where in my area lookin for a 304 or 360 and i cant find one anywhere? whats an average price on a running 360?

First, like Ggg said, your sixer will be easier on your stock drivetrain than a V8 would be. Still, I think your drivetrain can handle a stock V8. If you do decide to go to a V8, consider beefing up your axles a bit. Rebuilding the sixer with some performance upgrades thrown in is a good option, but I think you'll spend more money than you would swapping to a used 360 in stock trim. And the end results would probably be better with the V8 in terms of power.

As for the 360... well... there's not really an average price. It depends on the mileage, physical condition, and what comes with it, really. You can find AMC 360's in junkyards nationwide using this site:

Car-Part.com--Used Auto Parts Market

They range in price from $300 to $1,000 or more. Just depends on the mileage, the condition, and some other factors. But I'm willing to bet you can find one in good running condition with average mileage for $500-$700. You could probably get a non-running rebuildable AMC 360 for $200 or less. Just gotta look. If you want new parts you can get a remanufactured AMC 360 for $1,300 from this company:

http://www.remanufactured.com/AMC_Jeep_Engines.htm

The AMC 360 is the 5.9L and is down the page a bit.

 

[JohnnyO]

yeah i need to check on some performance parts for the 258..

Clifford Performance :: Make 6 = 8

 

[Weylyn]

Caleb, as a proud owner of a stock 258, stick with it. You have a lot of options and since you are not looking to do heavy rock crawling or mud bogging, I would keep the 6. I agree, no more then a 4 inch, you won't need the body lift. My jeep never had problems with the 12.5 wide tires. I have ran 31x12.50 15 for many years and only recently have I ran 10.50 tires.

 

[big_o_tom]

Hey Caleb, were do you live?

 

[Caleb0863]

northeast louisiana.. franklin parish