Spring Over Axle on 6 Leaf YJ Springs
After having both a 2.5" and 4" lift on my Scrambler, I was ready for a little more height and additional
flex. I figured I'd try some stock YJ springs, so I found two used sets locally. I used the 5-leaf packs
(originally rear springs on the YJ) on all four corners, but I added a full-length leaf by cutting the eyes
off the main springs from my unused packs, making for 6 leaves total. I was sure to use anti-friction pads
between all leaves, and I obtained the rebound spring clamps at my local spring shop.
On the axles I welded on MORE anti-wrap spring perches and shock
mounts. I also used a new passenger-side parking brake cable on the drivers-side as the original was too
short. My driveshafts needed to be lengthed approximately 2" to accomodate the extra height
A couple of notable points that I was unaware of prior to starting this project -
- Using the longer YJ springs requires moving the front shackle hanger forward on the frame, and this causes
a difficult front bumper installation. I had to grind my bumper to make it fit, and I had to use down-sized
bolts on the lower holes
- Since the front YJ springs are slightly longer than the stock CJ springs, your front axle will move forward
a bit. The problem is that the pitman arm doesn't move forward since it's connected to the frame at the steering
box. The picture below shows how the drag-link would interfere with the tie-rod during suspension travel. I
switched to using a stock YJ pitman arm before driving it. The stock YJ arm has about a 2" drop when used in a CJ,
and it is a little shorter causing a wider turning radius
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