Massaging CJ7 leaf packs

willness33

willness33

Here for the memes
Joined
May 3, 2005
Location
Alexis,NC
More noob CJ questions. Currently my 7 has a 1" BL and stock height, very good/new leafs on 33s. It's not a wheeler. I do live on a very unmaintained dirt road and will get the back tires into the flares on occasion so an extra inch would probably make a big difference. I'm not interested in 2.5" lift springs at this time but am very open to adding a leaf from another source to gain just a tad more height and hopefully, maybe keep the ride from getting too stiff. Who has achieved this and what springs did you source?
 
I've got a BDS 2-1/2" lift on my '78 CJ5 plus shackles similar to this, I've run 32" tires for years with no rubbing, got new 33x11.50 15's and they rubbed slightly. went back to 32x10.50x15's
YMMV

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Mountain Off-Road LS9034 MORE Rear 1/2" Lift Lubeable Shackles for 76-86 Jeep CJ

M.O.R.E. Lubeable Jeep Shackles are made from 3/8" thick steel. A thick walled center brace bolts in place with grade 5 hardware. The shackle bolts are drilled and fitted with a zerk to allow the grease to flow into the "channeled" black polyurethane bushings.
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I've considered a little shackle lift up to 1" but would honestly like to figure out another long leaf or 2 that could gain a little upward bump. I guess I can just start playing with some junkyard leafs.
 
Bastard pack it. I’ve done that a few times. I’ll look up the measurements tonight and do some research and see what I can find for you.

Remember, long and thin keeps it smooth(er). You’ll gain a little lift with each leaf you put in. Usually Chevy and older f150s work the best. I’ve not played with many newer style leafs yet. Yotas may work to if you find a taco somewhere and possibly a tundra.

Edit: Don’t hold me to this, but I think someone told me once, that you could swap them out for yj packs. Same length maybe a touch wider, but better ride and you can add some more (xj maybe?) leafs to give it a little more lift and keep the axle wrap at bay but I’ve not done that personally.
 
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Drunktaco said:
Bastard pack it. I’ve done that a few times. I’ll look up the measurements tonight and do some research and see what I can find for you.

Remember, long and thin keeps it smooth(er). You’ll gain a little lift with each leaf you put in. Usually Chevy and older f150s work the best. I’ve not played with many newer style leafs yet. Yotas may work to if you find a taco somewhere and possibly a tundra.

Edit: Don’t hold me to this, but I think someone told me once, that you could swap them out for yj packs. Same length maybe a touch wider, but better ride and you can add some more (xj maybe?) leafs to give it a little more lift and keep the axle wrap at bay but I’ve not done that personally.
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Bastard pack was going to be in the title and that's my intention. I was mostly hoping someone had good personal info on what works and what doesn't. I'd switch out complete packs but what's there now is all very new, just a tad low and I rub flares overy some bigger bumps. Nothing detrimental but annoying. Flares are already trimmed a tad. Im good with the stance but I'm betting that after trial and error with bastard springs I'll probably still have to go with 2.5" springs.
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willness33 said:
Bastard pack was going to be in the title and that's my intention. I was mostly hoping someone had good personal info on what works and what doesn't. I'd switch out complete packs but what's there now is all very new, just a tad low and I rub flares overy some bigger bumps. Nothing detrimental but annoying. Flares are already trimmed a tad. Im good with the stance but I'm betting that after trial and error with bastard springs I'll probably still have to go with 2.5" springs.
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Yeah I’ve done a few and had pretty good results. I just got off work so I’ll have to sleep on it but I’m sure I can think of something. I just don’t know the measurements off the top of my head. If you add 1 or 2 good length leafs from say a late 90s f150 I think that’ll be close. I’m pretty sure rear yj packs will interchange so if you’ve got some of those around you may be able to snag some from it. For an inch, it probably won’t take much. Thickness of the spring plus added arch/support.
i think the rear cj leafs are 2.5 and yjs are too. I think it’s the front springs that are a tad more narrow.
 
The rears are 2.5". Just measured them yesterday. I thought the fronts were the same but never measured so you may be right.
 
Width is Def different, I don't remember the dimensions but I know they are.
I know there are some separated leaf springs laying around my house or in a scrap pile. Can't remember what they came from XJ CJ or the S10 bastard pack we used for the XJ. You can have em if interested, I'll look tonight,
 
You can re-arch the stock springs.
 
All excellent suggestions. I'll have to think about what I really want long term for this thing. The absolute next thing on the list is replace the original shocks lol. Ok, they may not be original but have as much dampening left as a baseball bat in a culvert.
 
paradisePWoffrd said:
I recall a waggy leafs give it ~2" lift.

IIRC, the CJ are 2" up front and 2.5 in the rear.
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Correct, 2" front and 2.5" rear. You can swap out the front to 2.5", but you need new spring plates and shackles. YJ leaves will make it sit lower with stock springs. they are completely flat unlike the cj springs. I currently have a SPO front on my YJ with stock springs and 3.5" SUA rear springs. Running 33x10.5". I put add a leafs in my first cj and ran 31's. It fit them just right. They won't help your ride though. I'm not sure what you could use in the spring pack for the front, but a Yj main leaf would work in the rear with the eyes cut off.

Imo, your jeep looks too tall to have stock leaf springs even with the BL.
 
M.O.R.E. sells the hanger to covert to YJ width in the front, couple that with some YJ shackles and you should be good.

Actually YJ main eye bushings may be larger, so you might have to buy YJ shackle for the front and 1" longer CJ shackle in the rear. Or just swap complete YJ springs in....
 
orange150 said:
M.O.R.E. sells the hanger to covert to YJ width in the front, couple that with some YJ shackles and you should be good.

Actually YJ main eye bushings may be larger, so you might have to buy YJ shackle for the front and 1" longer CJ shackle in the rear. Or just swap complete YJ springs in....
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I may look at that in the long run.
 
Trying hard to remember what i did. I eventually had bds 3" yj springs on my cj7. I think i used rear cj shackle hangers on the front. Since the fronts are skinnier, you have to beat the frame side hangers wider.

Gotcha on the current part numbers. They must have more arch than factory. But then again, I've only ever had worn out factory springs.
 
justjeepin86 said:
Trying hard to remember what i did. I eventually had bds 3" yj springs on my cj7. I think i used rear cj shackle hangers on the front. Since the fronts are skinnier, you have to beat the frame side hangers wider.

Gotcha on the current part numbers. They must have more arch than factory. But then again, I've only ever had worn out factory springs.
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Same. My last cj they were sagged flat. Having positive arch is new for me lol
 
Far as I know every Spring shop in the Charlotte area, are Gone. I had 1 set re-arched, & they didn't last vey long. Better to add a spring or helper. I've got a New set of shocks, that I tried, & thought they were too harsh. I called to exchange them , but they couldn't take them back. They just sent me another set. $50 for 4 new shocks!
 
rodney eppes said:
Far as I know every Spring shop in the Charlotte area, are Gone. I had 1 set re-arched, & they didn't last vey long. Better to add a spring or helper. I've got a New set of shocks, that I tried, & thought they were too harsh. I called to exchange them , but they couldn't take them back. They just sent me another set. $50 for 4 new shocks!
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That's a nice score. I'd have made you a good deal on them if I didn't have some arriving today.
 
Alright I did some pondering and quick number searches. F150 leafs should work pretty good actually if you can find some cheap. Same width, pretty thin, subtle arch, and the length will fit good between the wraps and the rest. Give it a shot. New center pin, u bolts, should be good. I’ll get you the exact model numbers/what to look for if you want.
 
willness33 said:
That's a nice score. I'd have made you a good deal on them if I didn't have some arriving today.
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I'm assuming the 2.73s or whatever factory was. I haven't been into the differentials yet. They're not ideal but this isn't my forever engine and trans. 5th is still usable-ish. It's not really that bad since I do very little if any highway driving. I run out of 4th gear at about 50mph. I run out of hp in 5th at about 65. Maybe I'll pop a cover off this weekend.
Drunktaco said:
Alright I did some pondering and quick number searches. F150 leafs should work pretty good actually if you can find some cheap. Same width, pretty thin, subtle arch, and the length will fit good between the wraps and the rest. Give it a shot. New center pin, u bolts, should be good. I’ll get you the exact model numbers/what to look for if you want.
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I'll dig around pull a part or lkq when I get a nice day or 2 off. Thanks for the info!
 
Us Samurai guys have been doing the mix-n-match for years using CJ front leafs.
The fronts are the same width as Sami leafs. One or two are also the same length.
Re-arching only works for a while . Even on lightweights like Samis.
You can add one long and one short .... that's almost an immediate 1/2" just from the leaf thickness.
I'd do the shortest on the very bottom. The long in the middle or close to the longest.
OR a single lone lift stuffed into the middle ..... A 2" lift spring by itself in a regular pack shouldn't give 2" of lift.
But that's one will be a bit of a gamble on what you actually end up with.
 
Do y'all just buy the replacement spring clamps when bastardizing the leaves? Currently I have 12 total between the 4 spring packs.
 
During a test phase, I’ve actually just used big worm clamps or just u bolts and a drilled piece of flat bar until I get a feel of it and make sure I like it.
 
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