Critique outboard spring mount

BugsandJeeps

Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2006
Location
Concord
Looking for feedback on this. I am planning to outboard the spring mounts on the 61 Willy's wagon I am building. This mount is 1/4" x 3" flat stock. I still need to add gussets but I am looking for feedback on whether or not this mount is strong enough to handle a 14 bolt with 35's/ 4.56 gears and a mild 350? I will be using stock jeep main eye hangers and shackle mounts. Please fill me in on what else, besides gussets, I need to do to make this work. Should I bolt or weld this top the frame?
DSC04088.JPG

Mike
 
The frame is c-channel right? Can you box that area and add a tube thru both sides (framerails)?
 
The frame is c-channel. I am planning to box the frame and build new bumper mounts front and rear to tie the frame together. Other than that does the mount look strong enough?

Mike
 
Maybe it's me, but usually I see most people just relocate the spring perches on the rear. The front is different, to use full widths you have to outboard because of the narrow frame, and where the spring perches are located.

Also, when I have seen mounts like that, they usually don't have the back plate on them and are welded directly to the frame. Are you planning on bolting them on or welding them on?
 
I am undecided on the bolt vs weld. the frame is in good shape but a 14 bolt is a heavy beast so I am wondering if welding might result in tearing of the frame. Also I am outboarding front and rear instead of going under the frame because I don't want this to be too tall.

Mike
 
I have new perches for it so I will remove the old ones. Big reason for going outboard is to keep it low and have the hangers up above the bottom of the frame instead of having them hang down.
 
Have you thought about in-boarding your rear springs? There are some people on the PBB that do this, and it's supposed to help flex quite a bit, but still give you the low stance like outboarding.
 
Haven't heard of it before. One thing i'd be concerned about is stability. The truck is going to be pretty high so I'd like it to be as stable as possible.

Mike
 
Outboard Fronts to clear Diff, but leave rear mounts under frame or Inboard. Unless you are wanting more stability and not as concerned about flex. Do they look strong enough? Hard to say from a picture.

I wouldn't be as concerned about the weight of the 14 bolt as much as the weight of the vehicle.
 
I just finished this for the second time, on my CJ, do it right the first time

I didnt and it cost me alot of time and material

the plate you made looks exactly like part of the kit that poison sypder customs builds for their CJ full width kit, minus the back plate, on their kit the back plate is not used, but vertical gussets are used in their place

I opted out of doing shackle reversal on the front

the poison syder kit, along with the Blue torch fab kit utilizes a shackle reversal

like was already mentioned, on my CJ, I used a dana 60 rear and left the spring hangars, and shackle hangars in their stock location, and welded on new perches

Now on the front 60, I outboarded the rear spring hangars and front shackle mounts 2.5 inches off the side of the frame

my kit doesnt look as good as the kits you can buy, but I didnt spend the $, and it is functional now, just finished welding everything backup for the 2nd time yesterday
 
Where about in Concord?
This willy didn't used to be blue and orange did it?
336wheeler's coment is right about flex if that's what you want with leafs, though it will lose some stability.
 
I picket up the willys in Winston Salem. I am looking to build a decent mild use trail rig that will see some road use. I am going with 35's and even with keeping it as low as possible I will still be around 80" to the roof. The full width axles will offset some of the height I hope but I do want it to be stable so I thinking the outboard will help on that as well.

Mike
 
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