Leaf Springs-enlighten Me

I’d like to hear from the folks that have run YJ springs soa or sua, CJ5 springs vs the stock leaf springs. I’d also like to hear about experiences with aftermarket springs or custom. Also I’d like to hear opinions and concerns with said spring you’ve had dealings with.

 

You'd probably get more responses in the Intermediate forum, assuming this is for your '73.

 

Simply........what are you looking for in a leaf Spring? Ride , Lift , Articulation...........all of the above???

A wider , flatter ( in arc ) and longer spring such as a YJ will decrease the frequency rate to increase comfort..........

I believe your 73 has 2" wide springs up front and 3" wide in the back?........OEM Jeep springs are designed primarily to hold the vehicle at the proper ride height........and that in itself leaves the term comfort to another vehicle................Custom leaf springs can be had by Deaver in So Cal and Alcan in Colorado........They can bridge most of the gaps mentioned above although lift is hard to equate in the same sentence as Comfort...............be prepared to first axle weigh your vehicle with all the weight you would normally carry.

 

This is for the 3B. I’m starting to do work to the axles and frame so I’ll need springs soon. I’m looking for articulation and ride. I’m going to run a d25/d44 for now.

 

I know I am in the minority, but the original springs that came factory on the Tuxedo Park were the best combination for stock-length springs. They were 2-stage, 6 leaf up front, and 5 leaf in the rear. Later '60s CJ5's with light suspension used the same rear 2-stage springs for a few more years. Tuxes had relatively soft/flexy 3 or 4 main leaves, with 2 flat heavy "overload" short leaves.
Normally, you rode on the soft flexy springs, and harder cornering or heavy deflection brought the flat leaves into play.
The Tux articulated quite well, and rode better than any other contemporary Jeep.
I'd like to find a set of these in decent condition, as my originals from '65 are long gone!
-Donny

 

Love my bds running them on the 74 had them on a yj.

 

I gave a pair of those 5-leaf rear springs to Chuck, who may still have them. They came as standard equipment on the intermediate CJs.



I recall they are currently being offered as replacement springs, DAYTON 97369.

 

I ran 2.5" Rancho springs on my B for probably close to 3 decades. A lot of people think the ride is a bit hash, but they were so much better than the stock springs that there wasn't really any comparison. They are a little stiff and I had wheels in the air on rocks all the time. But with 4 leaves, you gain significant ground clearance under the spring plates compared to the stock springs, assuming you are still spring under. And those springs never did acquire a Jeep lean.

I removed them to install the Holbrooks and am having a few second thoughts on those. The hardware supplied with Holbrooks is in short, crap. The frame hangers appear to be Omix and are 3/16" instead of the 1/4" thickness of the stock ones. Even the mounting holes are askew of being perpendicular to the spring bolt bores. The supplied 9/16" bolts leave about a third of the poly? bushings seated on threads. Good luck with the longevity of that. I replaced all the hardware except the hangers.

Then there is the "military wrap". It was not centered on the main leaf ends in any of the 4 springs and, in fact, was warped laterally so it was the contact with the hangers and shackles on one side or the other making the package an 1/8 to 1/4" wider than 1.75". I carefully ground the excess off but that isn't something I expect to have to do with a "premium" spring package. Omix maybe.

 

They must have changed their spring supplier.......at one time it was a company in Portland I believe that was making the springs and parts..........The last set I bought was nice stuff.

 

from what I see on the inter web Benz Spring moved .Seems there located about 2 miles from my house. NIKMIL may know something.I haven't talk to Ed Holbrook in a couple years. As you said always quality product.

 

I welded the plate on the bottom of the spring hanger. Wanted to spread the loading out and also be wide enough to weld to the box plating on the inside and 1/4" plate on the outside of the frame rails.

 

What ratio of 'road use' to 'trail use'?
And how hardcore are the trails it will actually see? What size tires?

The best articulation and ride will be the biggest headache on the street. The best scenario is a flexy setup with detachable swaybars.

I'm a fan of SOA Wrangler springs, but even when done with as little lift as possible, you'll still end up with around 6" of lift minimum.

 

John, Looks like those springs missed the QC department on the way out........did you check the label on the box as to where they were shipped from?

The Holbrooks are pretty good guys and been playing with Jeeps for decades.............I would send them a picture of those springs.......as some almost look to wide to fit in the hanger?

 

75 Trail/ 25 street
Rough trails. some rocks, washouts, washboard roads. "Drive it like I stole it" 32-33" tire minimum.
I plan on running saginaw or ford steering. I'll attempt to make a cage for it.

 

Frame spring mount relocation.

Factory spring specs

2a/3a/3b

Front Length 36 1/4
Rear Length 42

ECJ5

Front Length 39 5/8
Rear Length 46 1/8

 

My understanding is that the ECJ5 rear springs are too long for the the flat fender frame without extending it (rears on front or rear). I've run ECJ5 rears on the front of an ECJ5 with good success. I plan to do it with my current rig because I have the springs. Takes a little work.

On the other hand, people run the 41-42" flatfender rear springs front and rear on a flatty frame. That's gets you longer springs in the front. I've seen a thread or two on the CJ2A page about this.

 

I always heard leaf springs were for poor people. That's about all I have to offer.... Although, I do have YJ springs on a couple flatties. They work pretty well, but you do have to add a bit to the front of the frame.