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1" Superlift springs and other spring kits

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Pope891 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Pope891 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: 1" Superlift springs and other spring kits
    Posted: 17 Dec. 2019 at 11:13pm
From what I gather, these are not manufactured by Superlift anymore.  

I am looking to lift my project about 1-2" but I am concerned about lifting too high and being unhappy with the result.  I also might go with a custom set from the local spring shop, but that will be pricey.  I want good flex.

Any input from the forum would be appreciated.

Also, if anyone has a set of 1" Superlifts lying around, I would be interested.  I don't know that the dimensions are, but would like to learn.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mark W. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Dec. 2019 at 12:24am
Your best ride is going to come from longer springs  like CJ-5 springs which are longer. But will require you to rebuild your spring and shackle hangers.

And spring that lifts your Jeep is going to ride rougher then stock

IMHO
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote oldtime Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Dec. 2019 at 12:29am
Why would anyone want to lift a flat fender Jeep unless your planning wide tires ? (outside the body width)

I have a new set of 1" Super Lift and trust me they actually have less arch than the standard springs.
I do not consider that to be a lift spring.

Good flex mainly results from low load capacity or relatively thin overall thickness of spring pack.
Flex is typically improved when the individual leaves making up the spring pack are thin as opposed to a just a few thick leaves.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lowenuf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Dec. 2019 at 12:48am
i am currently doing an early CJ5, and trying to decide if I will use a set of 2.5" lift Rancho springs, or a stock set of YJ springs..... I need to decide soon, tomorrow I plan to start making my brackets...lol
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Pope891 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Dec. 2019 at 12:49am
Mark W,

Thanks for that suggestion on the early CJ5 springs.  
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rocnroll Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Dec. 2019 at 12:58am
It's all kind of subjective really....(and what you are comparing)
 
Most 1" springs used to be sold as "replacement" springs...and if you put them on a jeep where the springs were completely sacked they would give 3 or 4 more inches of height (measured at the fender) than what you had with the worn out ones.  Lots of time this resulted in being about an inch or so over what most people would call 'stock' height.
 
After a little use and the usual settling of the springs they would stay around 'stockish' height....nothing I would call "lift" either unless you are referring to the lift you got from the wornout ones.
 
So actually that is just a description to kind of get you in the ballpark for what you may be looking for, a descriptive term not neccesarily an accurate term....I equate it to the old hot rodders' term of 3/4 race cam, that one doesn't really make sense either (and may be showing my age with that one)
 
All that said, the last 1" lift springs I bought were Ranchos (again showing a little age) and they DID ride much better than the 11 leaf springs they were replacing and continued to ride better as the spring loosened up...so, some people have different comparisons and a lot of it depends on, like I said, what actual comparisons are being made.
 
Instead of a blanket statement I'll just say I wish I had another new set of them, I'd run them.
 
(as a disclaimer I will say they were sold as "1" replacement" springs....maybe they got that name because you had to replace the stock shackles with conventional shackles to run them)LOL
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Y2GREY Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Dec. 2019 at 11:48am
Over the years I've messed with a lot of different springs on a lot of different Jeeps and Fj 40s. I'm not a resto guy so stop now if that's what you want. The Best setup I've found for the MB5 (which is SOA) are Walck's . We fun rear springs on all 4 corners (been done for 70 years) pull a few leaves to flatten them out and away we go. No SOA needed to do the swap... simply locate a new hanger directly behind the original and move your shackle mount out to the front of the frame rail and off you go.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote drm101 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Dec. 2019 at 2:16pm
What's an SOA?

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lee MN Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Dec. 2019 at 3:12pm
If you have a local spring shop that “Builds” springs go there, they make what you want. My Humble Opinion.

SOA- Spring Over Axel.... Pretty sure you do not want that.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GeorgiaFlattie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Dec. 2019 at 3:32pm
Originally posted by drm101 drm101 wrote:

What's an SOA?


Spring Over Axle.

In stock configuration the springs are mounted under the axle.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mbullism Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Dec. 2019 at 3:35pm
Originally posted by Lee (MN) Lee (MN) wrote:


SOA- Spring Over Axel.... Pretty sure Positive you do not want that.

FIFY LOL
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rick G Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Dec. 2019 at 8:41am
FWIW...

When I was originally designing Gus’ rebuild, I wanted to use 33x12.5x15 tires.  I didn’t know about this site back then.  So, I researched and found that I “needed” at least 3.5” of lift.  So I ordered the only 3.5” lift springs that I could find at the time (2011) and added a 1/2” lift Daystar shackle for good measure.  Springs were Black Diamond and cost me $800.  Took me a while, but I finished Gus’ build in 2015 and he definitely sat taller than any other 2a I parked next to.  I wheeled him in that arrangement for a year or two and did OK, mostly because I had a lot of rubber to grab hold of rocks and obstacles (I ran them down as low as 2 psi w/o any problems).  BUT....man those springs were stiff; actually there was NO flex at all.  BUT, I “needed” the lift, right???  Right.  So I removed 2 of the 5 leafs from each spring pack.  Voila, now I have flex and a soft ride!

In the meantime, I found this site and realized that I “needed” skinny tires, but I didn’t want short ones, so I got the 34x9 super swampers, and of course, I needed the extra lift, right? Well, fast forward to Sept 2019 when I broke the rear main leaf spring.  Gus fell right down on himself.  Ouch.  When I got back home, I decided to have the local blacksmith spring builder build me a set of springs.  So off came the “lifted” springs for measurements and comparisons.

Guess what???  Those 3.5” lifted springs were EXACTLY the same length and arch as the originals.  I sat them one on top of the other.  There was NO difference.  The way Black Diamond had achieved the “lift” was to build a 5-leaf spring pack with each leaf being 5/16” thick.  With this leaf design there was NO squat or flex, thus giving me about 3.5” of “lift”.  

The springs that I had made locally are thinner, 2” longer and an inch more arch.  They end up sitting just about like original springs once installed, although I do have a true 1/2” lift with my shackles.  

If you watch my videos, and others that have filmed me, you will see that my lifted springs have offered no real advantage over stock springs.  But you might say, that I need the lift with those 34” tires.  Well, maybe not.  If you are going to run a tire that is wider than 9” and taller than 32”, then yes, you will need some help from your springs to make that work.  But, if your tires are upwards of 33” or even like mine, then you may not need the lift if your tires are skinny and fit inside the fenders.  Yes, you will have tires rubbing, but so what?  I have polished inner wheel wells on both sides of the rear, but it hasn’t hurt anything.  The fronts have never been a problem.

All this long-winded rambling is to say, don’t buy aftermarket lifted springs for your Willys.  They don’t make them correctly to begin with, and second, you probably don’t need them unless you are building something very specific.  If you are building something specific, particularly around a large tire, then have a custom set of springs made.  I say all this, to hopefully save you from some headaches and wasting a bunch of money on something that doesn’t work, like I did.

HTH,
Rick
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AKoller Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Dec. 2019 at 1:37pm
Originally posted by Rick G Rick G wrote:

FWIW...

When I was originally designing Gus’ rebuild, I wanted to use 33x12.5x15 tires.  I didn’t know about this site back then.  So, I researched and found that I “needed” at least 3.5” of lift.  So I ordered the only 3.5” lift springs that I could find at the time (2011) and added a 1/2” lift Daystar shackle for good measure.  Springs were Black Diamond and cost me $800.  Took me a while, but I finished Gus’ build in 2015 and he definitely sat taller than any other 2a I parked next to.  I wheeled him in that arrangement for a year or two and did OK, mostly because I had a lot of rubber to grab hold of rocks and obstacles (I ran them down as low as 2 psi w/o any problems).  BUT....man those springs were stiff; actually there was NO flex at all.  BUT, I “needed” the lift, right???  Right.  So I removed 2 of the 5 leafs from each spring pack.  Voila, now I have flex and a soft ride!

In the meantime, I found this site and realized that I “needed” skinny tires, but I didn’t want short ones, so I got the 34x9 super swampers, and of course, I needed the extra lift, right? Well, fast forward to Sept 2019 when I broke the rear main leaf spring.  Gus fell right down on himself.  Ouch.  When I got back home, I decided to have the local blacksmith spring builder build me a set of springs.  So off came the “lifted” springs for measurements and comparisons.

Guess what???  Those 3.5” lifted springs were EXACTLY the same length and arch as the originals.  I sat them one on top of the other.  There was NO difference.  The way Black Diamond had achieved the “lift” was to build a 5-leaf spring pack with each leaf being 5/16” thick.  With this leaf design there was NO squat or flex, thus giving me about 3.5” of “lift”.  

The springs that I had made locally are thinner, 2” longer and an inch more arch.  They end up sitting just about like original springs once installed, although I do have a true 1/2” lift with my shackles.  

If you watch my videos, and others that have filmed me, you will see that my lifted springs have offered no real advantage over stock springs.  But you might say, that I need the lift with those 34” tires.  Well, maybe not.  If you are going to run a tire that is wider than 9” and taller than 32”, then yes, you will need some help from your springs to make that work.  But, if your tires are upwards of 33” or even like mine, then you may not need the lift if your tires are skinny and fit inside the fenders.  Yes, you will have tires rubbing, but so what?  I have polished inner wheel wells on both sides of the rear, but it hasn’t hurt anything.  The fronts have never been a problem.

All this long-winded rambling is to say, don’t buy aftermarket lifted springs for your Willys.  They don’t make them correctly to begin with, and second, you probably don’t need them unless you are building something very specific.  If you are building something specific, particularly around a large tire, then have a custom set of springs made.  I say all this, to hopefully save you from some headaches and wasting a bunch of money on something that doesn’t work, like I did.

HTH,
Rick


What he said.

But seriously, I have virtually the same story as Rick. The only difference is my springs haven't broke YET (they will). As soon as mine do break I will order either factory replacements or do as Rick did and have my local spring shop make a set.

The other difference is I saw the light just a little sooner than Rick and have 7.50-16 NDT's on order right now. So my lift really isn't going to be necessary.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Gristle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Dec. 2019 at 2:02pm
I also have Black Diamonds and plan on removing some leaves to soften the ride.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Pope891 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Dec. 2019 at 5:40pm
Rick G and AKollar - thanks for your thorough and detailed feedback.  This is good information for everyone to share.
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