Another SOA Question

[jeeprostyle]

Well i've been looking into different types of lifts and deciding what i should do. At first i was gonna do a 3 inch body lift and that was a big no-no so i was just gonna do a 1 inch body lift and a 1 1/2 shackle but i was shunned for this idea. So it came down to a suspension lift or an SOA. Im not really sure of what a suspension lift is but i understand how the SOA works . . . . i think. Correct me if im wrong but this is what i have concluded, an SOA gives up to 5 1/2 inches of lift while a regular suspension is like 4. An SOA gives you more flex but over time the leaf springs began to sag so you have to replace them . . . ummm . . . . they both require work down to other parts of the jeep because of the added height like brake line lengthening, some work to the steering, and putting in an SYE or dropping the tranfer case. I think an SOA would be cheaper but im not sure . . . i was thinking i want to do the SOA because it seemed like the better and cooler way to go but im not quite sure so i figured i would ask. Any Thoughts??? ~ Justin

~ Sorry for the long post where i just ramble on . . . hehe

 

[Snitty]

SOA would be cheaper if you are going 4 inches or more... you still should have the SYE, and will still need to extend the brakelines... you might want to relocate the shocks as well.... if you have any specific questions... lemme know

 

[jhiggins]

Snitty, why do you want to relocate the shocks ??? Also what do you do with all the front steering components???

 

[jeeprostyle]

What was the cost on a complete SOA after the mods you have to do on a jeep to make up for the newly founded height?? ~ Justin

 

[Joopin]

You need to relocate the shocks to make up for the longer travel height, or you could buy new shocks. The steering needs the dropped pitman arm and the trackbar needs to be adjusted or replaced with an adjustable one.
Total cost on this including SYE and CV driveshaft will come out to be around $700-800, thats what my guess is. That doesn't include the new wheels and tires but for almost 6 inches of lift you can't beat it! I have heard of people doing it for less than this by rerouting brakelines, fabbing perches, etc.

 

[jps4jeep]

I have noticed that vehicles that have a SOA lift, if the shocks remain on the lower perches, they will come in contact with the axle tube during articulation and get all mangled and bent! That is the first reason to move them, second, it will increase ground clearence.

Do 65 CJ's have trac bars??

Johnny

 

[88WRANGRED]

can i do a SOA with a 2" lift already installed??? maybe future plan if it can be done.

 

[jps4jeep]

You can, will net about 8 inches of lift give or take. You will need to fab up new brake lines, and your drive line will need some serious attention in the way of T-case drop, SYE, shimmed axles and I would advies a 1 inch motor lift. A custom drive shaft will need to be fabed up, I don't think the SYE drive shafts most places sell will be long enough.
As for the front, the steering will need to be addressed, I would do a drop pitman arm, as weel as a "high steer kit" which will place the steering higher on the knuckle. A double stabilizer might be in call if it will be a driven on pavement regularly, if strickly for trail, toss it in the trash! Lots of steering adjustments will be needed.

Want help?

Johnny

 

[jps4jeep]

Dana 44 vs 35

Probably look like this

 

[88WRANGRED]

WOW :shock: i really don't want my jeep to look like that at all, i'm sure that it is more than capable, but as far as look wise YUCK. we can talk about this over the weekend and i think you can answer a lot of my questions. SATURDAY gettin close i'm gettin out of work @ noon friday and i'm off............................AH!!!!!!

 

[jeeprostyle]

700$ - 800 $ aint bad at all for 6 inches of lift and new tires and wheels is a must. Well if i do end up doing the SOA it wont be until next summer and i'll have to save up around 2000$ if i want to do it right . . . possibly more . . . this whole idea accually came from lookin at my dads power wagon, the leaf springs came stock up above the axels so i figured why not do it on the jeep and long behold theres such thing. . . hehe, thanks for all the advice and the pics ~ Justin

 

[Snitty]

we did the SOA for under $100, most of the price was in shocks... but we didn't do the SYE, we dropped the Tcase 1.5 inches and pointed the pinion up... for steering, we relocated the tracbar and made a Zbent drag link... we extended the brakelines with fittings, and just added more length... but you can get a set of stainless lines for about $100 all around... we started with a BAD job on the brakelines.. but eventually went on with a better design... if you want to see pics... go here

http://members.cardomain.com/bigblkpjcrusher

any questions??? let me know

 

[jeeprostyle]

Im having a hard time getting the webpage to come up, maybe i'll try later and have better luck but im interested in seeing the pics. ~ Justin

 

[Snitty]

This is how we used regular eyelet shocks to adapt to the front shock mounts... it worked very well and costed a total of about $0.60 for both sides

This is how we lowered the Tcase.. a simple length of 1.5" square tubing with 3 holes in it... we pointed the pinion toward the tailshaft of the Tcase as well.. never once has there been a problem with vibration or any other driveline related problems.

This is how we mounted the rear shocks... we made up some shock mounts out of a small section of 2" diameter pipe with a shock mounting bolt welded to it... this setup allows for amazing flex, never bottoms out, and helps restrict side to side motion while driving... but.. the only thing it doesn't help is axle wrap... as you can notice, we had a problem getting the tracbar bolts out... the cutting wheel did a great job there

Here is a pic of me doing some fabbin' to get the draglink ends to fit inside the pipe we used to make the Zlink... instead of unthreading the ends, we cut a 6" length off the end, and fit them inside the new pipe, then welded them around, then cut grooves down lenghtwise and filled them with weld to ensure that they would never come apart... we did it this way so we didn't have to go through the trouble of threading the inside of the rod to fit the ends in... it took a lot of tinkering to get it right, but we got it... also below is a pic of the draglink before we put in the reinforcement welds... we would have used a dropped pitman arm for this as well... but there was NO getting the old one off... we broke 2 pullers, a few ratchets went to crap, heat didn't help... all we could do was just give in to the effects of NY winters

Here is the final product (before we cut the shackles down)... that pic there shows BBJ on some 32" laredo M/Ts... we were thinking that 32" tires would look small.. but it is not bad at all, especially now that the springs are a little more loose... as you can see, the flex is not bad, the swaybar is still connected in all of these pics, which is why the front is not flexing so great...

any questions???? ask away...

 

[jps4jeep]

Snitty, wanna drive up to boston and help me with my projects, I could use a wingman like you! As for the pitman arm, It took me anout a week and about $40 worth of tools, but it will come off! You need a special tool called a BFH!! hehe

Johnny

 

[Snitty]

we almost resorted to using the cutting wheel to split it off there.. then decided to back off and go with plan L

 

[Mxpx182lit]

i used a craftsman gear puller to get my pitman off! i broke two knock offs but the craftsman did the job, when it popped off it shot across teh garage so be careful!

 

[Snitty]

next time, it WILL be the cutting wheel.... then i'll find that the new arm won't fit

 

[jeeprostyle]

The SOA on the jeep looks great man, i think it is a must on any jeep but thats just my opinion. This time next summer i'll have a beautiful machine like that . . . hehe