willys jeep suspension

trevoringle

trevoringle

Just a dirtbike rider with a RZR
Joined
Feb 8, 2010
Location
vale
i got a 1947 willys cj2a that im working on, the stock leaf springs are way beyond gone so i was just wondering if anyone out there knows of a good lift out there for them, or possibly putting springs off another jeep would work, making hangars is no problem, just not sure if stiffness would be an issue or not, thanks for any input
 
JCwhitney.com i think has stock springs for your app. May have lift also.
 
alright thanks, probly gonna check that out....hopefully theyre kinda cheap haha too many projects to do
 
you can put alot of other springs under the jeep just takes measuring. Some peopel will swap in later CJ springs. I used YJ springs but in a spring over. If you are looking to keep a stockish flatty, then stick with stock repalcements or small lift 2.5 they go good with an early jeep. Going any taller then you start opening the can of worms to do steering, brake and major suspension upgrades. Good luck!
 
I dont care about keep it even stockish at all, i just want something to four wheel in, i would like to go with something better though, 1947 is a little outdated, have you had one of the early cj's before and did that?
 
I had a 63 CJ5 that I wheeled in many forms and just sold off a 52 CJ3a.
The 47 is rugged, light and nimble.
Does it have Dana 60s and capable to run with buggies. No.
For the year it is a very capable rig. It does have limitations but if you want to make it into something bigger and more powerful, you may want to start with a differnt platform. If you are looknig for something to run 31-33 tires, and have a smaller motor then the flatty would be good. The steering is not power and to get that you will fab up a new steering, brakes will be upgraded. The list goes on and on. All it takes in money. But I would say keep it stock slap on some mud tires and have a great time. If it is in good shape i would consider restoring it. Chopping it up would be a crime unless it is rotted out real good. The drivetrain is perfectly suited for the jeep in factory or mildly modded form. I have been on the stock axles of an early jeep with 34s and they held up real good. But it will take money to make it drive and handle like a new jeep. Just remember you dont need extreme horsepower or 1 ton axles to have offroad fun. :)
 
keep it stock and have fun.Been wheeling my M38 for 5 years and love it.Stock spring packs will run you 100 dollars a piece at White Owl Parts down here in Kinston.They have a website and you can email them.They will hook a brudder up.

Keep your tire size to 31 inches tall and 7.5 to 9 inches wide and you will be fine for a while.Go 31-10.50s and there are some upgrades you will need to do to the front axle but nothing to do RIGHT NOW tho.
 
yeah thats pretty much what im wanting to do on this one anyways, im probly staying with 31s and just a little lift, mostly just because my springs are just wore out so bad, the front ones are de arched right now. i just want something to have fun in and not have to haul far away just to find a challenge for it, my brother has a buggy with 44s on it and around here just really isnt that fun because it is big but that makes everything easy to do....but one question about the stock springs, being that mine are so wore i really dont know how much ground clearance they had, so is it any good? and would they be able to clear 31s?....just a side note, restoring is out of the question, before i got it from my grandpaw just a while back whenever he had it though the years it got pretty much rusted out and the body was trash so he add the back off of a 70s cj so its pretty much impossible to get it back to stock willys now
 
and when you say upgrades to the front axle, what exactly do you mean?
 
As the saying goes..."I have as much fun with my little one as they do with their big ones!"

I have been bashing a "stock, locked, and lifted", '67 CJ5 for about 5 years. I have beat the tar out of it and it goes places no one would imagine! I love it!

ai242.photobucket.com_albums_ff284_OlJeeps_Trail_20Pictures_The_20Farm_20Mar06_800Picture225.jpg


I have dumped it 11 times...twice over backwards!

http://s242.photobucket.com/albums/ff284/OlJeeps/Jeep Flop Pics/

The specs...
F head on Propane
Dana 44 rear, two piece axles, 5.38 welded
Dana 25 Front, 5.38 lock-rite
Power steering
Shackle reversal
2.5" lift
33" Boggers

I say build it little bits at a time and wheel it!
 
that sounds like a pretty solid setup, about how much did you have in regearing it and in the 44 on the rear?, and as far as buying a locker in the front, is it any cheaper to find a dana 25 or 30 with lockers and gears in it already, i know ive seen a good many posted on here for sale....thats about what i think im going to build, just as the time and money comes ill add a few hear and a few things there untill it gets to what i want
 
yeah i wasnt for sure what it has, i just know they are low, itl about climb up anything without any gas hardly at all
 
trevoringle said:
that sounds like a pretty solid setup, about how much did you have in regearing it and in the 44 on the rear?, and as far as buying a locker in the front, is it any cheaper to find a dana 25 or 30 with lockers and gears in it already, i know ive seen a good many posted on here for sale....thats about what i think im going to build, just as the time and money comes ill add a few hear and a few things there untill it gets to what i want
Click to expand...


The gears and axles are all stock original. Only changes were... replaced the original D27 front axle for a D25 (because I had D25 spares), Welded the rear diff, added the lockright to the front

Honestly...the front locker has gotten me in more trouble and has broke more stuff!! (But it has taught me how to better use the throttle!) You can live without it, as I did, for the first couple of years! As Dan said, these old Jeeps are light and nimble and they will get around surprisingly well with only the rear locked.

Dana 30 with discs is a great upgrade. I have one here to put in mine. BUT...If you do this you must change the master cylinder to a later model firewall mount Master Cylinder in order to get a large enuff MC to operate the discs. (The stock MC is barely enuff for the 9" drums!) Then you also will need to regear the 30 cuz they didnt come with the 5.38s.

You must live right out the road from me. You should stop by and see my junk! Be glad to go over it and answer any questions you might have about building old Jeeps!
 
yeah i was wondering where your at?, i saw it said lincolnton, if i could i would like to....i just turned 19 and pretty much just learning as i go and tearing into stuff to see what i can figure out so any help is good
 
if anybody can help w/ dat willys...ol' jeeps is da man ta ask
 
trevoringle said:
and when you say upgrades to the front axle, what exactly do you mean?
Click to expand...
The spindles are held on with bolts that thread into the cast knuckles.They will rip off with abuse.Ask me how I know! Those need to be changed to studs.Easy to do just time consuming to take off the knuckle.I run 7.5x16 tires on stock rims.It does just fine and the tires were 70 dollars apiece.Takes me where I want to go.Depending on backspacing of the rims,9.5 wide tires work good but that is the max.10.5 will rub the outside of the fenders . I've been working on these things since 1991 so I've got experience with them.
 
Ol Jeeps, how did you put power steering on the F head. I converted my M38a1 to a manual saginaw box, but i didnt see a good way to put a PS pump on the block.
 
if those bolts break on the spindle, will the front end kinda bind and lock up if you have it in 4 wheel drive, thats what mine does now but i havent gotten to taking it apart to see what the probly is yet
 
If the bolts break, the wheel spindle & outer knuckle is running away from your jeep. I had the same axles at one time. If you need help shoot me a pm I'm in vale also probably pretty close to you.


I have a 48' willy
 
alright, ill try to figure it out first, if i cant ill see what you can do
 
Wish i could make it to the flats, but its just not going to happen for me. Nice work on the bracket.. I'll have to borrow that idea when it comes time to do the upgrade.
 
Rancho makes some 1" lift replacement springs you might want to consider. I run a set on my 1967 CJ5 with 30" tires. I got a deal on a pair of used/never ran fronts and bought the rears new. The older CJs (1971 and down) are very similar mechanically to the flat fenders. You might want to check out earlycj5.com and "the cj3b page" lots of good info on the older CJs.
 
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