Stiff CJ suspension

Baker

Baker

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2010
Location
Suffolk, VA
Ok so I have a 78 cj5 it has a 360 in it so there is a little weight up front. I put a 4" pro comp lift on it and it rides absolutely horrible. What are my options to soften up the ride without breaking the bank. It's sitting on 34" boggers and I'd like to keep it around the same height.
 
Cheapest solution would be to pull the third leaf from the packs.

-- Main Leaf --
-- Second Leaf --
-- Third Leaf -- (pull this one)

It will likely drop a bit though. Any other solution is going to be expensive and time consuming.
 
I don't mind spending some money if I can keep it around the same height and Improve ride quality
 
Back in the late 90s when I was researching 'which 4" lift kit for my CJ', everyone said stay away from the ProComp, it rides like crap, and being so stiff, it has no flex. I ended up putting 4" Skyjacker Softride springs and Rancho RS9000 shocks on and it rode great; I got quite a few compliments on it not riding like a dump truck. Maybe try swapping some softer shocks on, see if that helps. Otherwise, you're looking at new springs or pulling/swapping leafs. YJ leafs up front are supposed to help to, being 2.5" wide instead of 2".
 
The best ride out of a CJ is with a shackle-reversal. But they come with some serious driveshaft issues that cannot be ignored.
 
ALL New springs, start out Stiff. Like tires, they will soften up with use. How much, can't say. Different shocks might help, & or you may have to take out or swap some leafs.
My first 2.5 Old Man Emu YJ springs, mounted on my CJ, sat Taller in the rear. I took out the very bottom leaf, & it leveled up. It Was several years later, that I had to put that leaf back in.
Sagging & bottoming out. I also didn't like the Control or Feel, of the Emu shocks, & swapped them for Rancho RS 9000.
 
Dropping the air pressure in your tires will help some too. Seems most every thing else has been covered.
 
I say all of the above.
Pull a leaf.
Run the sprimg eye bolts until the spring are broke in.
Shackle reversal makes a huge difference and the expense and a long travel driveshaft is worth it.
Let some air out of the tires boggers should not need more than 20lb on the street for a cj5.
Or if you dont mind spending some coin a 3 link and coilovers will cure it all.

Buckeye Performance Inc.
offroad fabrication
drivetrain/differential service
828-779-2242
 
Thanks guys. I think the jeep is going under the knife and I'm going to toss in a dana 44 up front and 14 bolt rear and 4 link it. I think I'm just going to go with coil springs. A buddy has a juggy with Xj front coil springs in the rear and it works well so I'm thinking about going that route.
 
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