Lifted Pictures

Meh! Sorry to hear that you’re having these issues with this company. They have always been highly recommended.

 

I had the same problem with the u-bolts on my BDS 2.5 kit, unfortunately I bought it on Craigslist new-in-box, so I couldn't use the BDS guarantee. I ended up ordering the correct u-bolts from them, which wasn't very expensive.

 

I also have 1" longer shackles in the front and it still looks like I am going downhill. The BDS 6 leaf when laid over the old late 70's 2 1/2" Rancho springs lined up perfectly. About 5 1/2" from the center of the
spring eye to the top of the spring for the front. The rear is is 6". The Ranchos looked like I was going downhill too. The BDS springs dropped 1" in the front and the rear remained the same. I am not really interested
in longer shackles. My driving impressions on the street...noticeably softer and a little more body roll. The Ranchos were like being on a rail in mountain corners, to the point where you did not know if it was going to roll.
I also feel like I will need to put more camber in which drops the front even more. It appears the front could use a 3 1/2 to 4" lift.

I can't stop saving your pictures! You have some nice Jeeps. John

 

Thanks!

I should have also mentioned I have 6 degree caster shims on the front so that lowers it a little too.

I'm not a fan of long shackles either and especially in the front so I built them pretty stout:


I would have posted the other Jeeps for lift pictures too but the springs on both of them are no longer available. Not particularly useful for someone looking to buy new springs.

Really due to lower front height with the BDS springs I prefer the ProComp springs on the '69. They have similar ride quality and military wraps but sadly they disappeared from the market some time in the last two years.

 

Thanks. Lots of suppliers have disappeared over the years. Never thought one would have to rebuild rusted junk with a lack of available parts.

I suppose I will call BDS again and see what they say about the drooping front end. I may go a different way with this. Looking at options to make it the way I want.

What year is your Buick 350?

 

I've considered pulling a leaf out of each of the rear springs to lower and soften the back but have never gotten around to it.

The 350 is a 1970 4bbl. It's a bolt-in to a V6 Jeep except for the obvious length issues:


I really like the engine. It was in the Jeep with a chopped down radiator and really small fan when I got it. After reworking the cooling pack, it's great Jeep motor with gobs of low end torque.

You can see my cooling system work in the build thread starting here: 71 Wheeling Rig

 

Fireball's jeep in action on a way-way-steeper-than-it-looks hill climb.

 

I would be afraid of ruining the spring. Plus, I like the lift. Lifetime warranty though. Thinking about the Superlift 4" springs for the front. Put on stock length shackles and 6 degree shims. Use the 1" longer shackle on the rear if needed and mod from there.

That is a sweet pre-smog engine...285hp and 375 ft. lbs. of torque for the 9.0-1 compression or 315hp and 410ft. lbs. at 10.25 ratio. Four speed trans and that is too cool! There can't be many around in that combination.
Did you consider an intermediate grill, though I imagine it would have been as much work with the front cross-member. You kinda like me in that you want things the way you want and will put in the work to make it happen. Even if it's wrong twice or more.

I will read your thread when I am not so sidetracked. Can't figure out where time goes and how I had time to work. I laughed hard when people said I would be bored when I retired.

 

We need to meet up for a trail ride sometime!
I’m in Cottonwood.

 

Nice! Let’s do it! I actually bought my cj5 just west of cottonwood about a year ago. There are a few of us with pretty much stock jeeps. We just cruise around the hills.

 

An intermediate grill and a new crossframe that's further forward would be the easiest way to do it. Since the Jeep still has all original paint, I wanted to keep the grill it came with. It's just a hobby so extra work doesn't really matter.

 

Let me know the next time you guys go cruising.

 

2-1/2" Rancho Springs with 1" longer shackles and 31" tires.

 

Old Man Emu YJ lift Springs with 5" ctc shackles and 33" tires.

 

I get it. Do you have any more plans for the 71?

 

Red, White & Blue. Awesomeness.

 

I'm at a crossroads with that thing. There are two hobbies I want to do:

1. Work on Jeeps
2. Explore the wilds locally and in the neighboring states.

The intent with the '71 was to quickly build a Jeep for wheeling I could drive on the highway all day if needed. The remaining items for that plan are a rear locker, front part of the roll cage, rock sliders, better skid plates, moving the exhaust inside the frame rails, recovery points, a winch, a D44 front end with locker/disks, onboard air, 3pt harnesses. After all that, it still won't be that great to drive down the highway.

That's still a ton of work to do and I'm already two years in. On top of that a lot of the trails around here are UTV width. Scratching the crap out of the still shiny original paint isn't great either.

I'm pretty close to selling it and the blue '68 and replacing them with a TJ. Then I can explore the area in the TJ and spend my time working on the CJ2 to build a more serious wheeling rig. I'm not getting any younger and that may be the only way I make progress on both hobbies.

...but I really like the '71. I think I'll end up selling the blue Jeep in the Spring, working on the CJ2 and seeing how I feel about the '71 at the end of summer.

We'll see.

 

Sell... is a dirty word that's not allowed on this site! My 1961 has been a long term project that started as a tub laying on it's side in my backyard. I have had many Jeeps
over the years and various other four wheel drive vehicles. Had a 1948 Willys 2 wheel drive pickup that i put Ford 390 with a C6 auto into. Kind of an early ratrod.
At least you have plans and TJ would be nice. Old is just a number. It is funny cause
for over 10 years I thought you were an old guy...then I saw one of your pictures
and was surprised. You are not old!
This project keeps me out of the gentleman's clubs where I met my GF over 20
years ago.

The 61 taken yesterday.

 

I’ll date myself my then brand new ‘78 running 33” BFG’s with then the probably best lift kit available Burbank Spring 4”. It was a great combination 40 some years ago. I have installed several of the BDS kits on TJ’s & a couple of CJ’s I really like there fit as well as the quality and ease of installation.

 

That is a great looking Jeep.