Body Spacers

I need to replace my old worn out body spacers. I see that most manufactures don't recommend the rubber ones anymore, the new ones are Polyurethane. I've also noticed that you can replace them with a little lift....... I've seen 1" 2" and 3". Does anyone have a comment on if I should replace with the lifts ( I was thinking about 1"). Would it cause any problems with the lift? Are there others that are better then the Polyurethane?
Thanks for the feedback

 

on old jeeps they are just a piece of old tire. not sure when the switched to actual modern body mounts. But there really isnt any body lifts for the early jeeps because of this.

IMHO, I would never ever ever go above 1" with a body lift for safety reasons. In an accident, the longer your body mount bolts the more leverage is on them and thats alot of force.

 

Those manufacturers that recommend the Poly spacers produce poly spacers... what do you expect them to recommend?

the rubber ones under my tub were still in usable condition after more than 34 years of abuse. why use something else?

I did replace them though, went to the U-wrench-it and got a couple of square feed of a pickup bed mat (1/2" thick) and cut my own. they look just like the originals, cheap, and will still be there when the tub rusts out again.


$.02

 

Just for reference, my 55 had in places what looked like remnants of original woven strap type welting that was used between the body and frame mounts, It was only about 1/8 inch thick.
I used the thin reproduction rubber type for new mounts and I am happy with them.

 

I just replaced mine with poly. they where "stock" no lift. the new ones are about 5/8" to 3/4". the old ones(ones that were still there) were smashed to about half that. I never been a fan of body lifts, i think suspension lift or maybe a small shackle lift are safer.

 

The old rubber ones that are in there now are either smashed in half or cracked/split in half, can't seem to keep the bolts tight after a few four wheel'in runs. I was looking at the Daystar 1" pucks but everything I seem to find only go back to 1976...... my jeep is a 1974.

 

I bought a poly set on ebay for my '74....wasn't too expensive if I recall. No lift.

 

Buy new body mount bushings. You can buy just the body lift blocks on ebay, I think for $2.99 each. I like body lifts( small ones) it makes it easier to get to bell housing bolts and to clean everything under the jeep.

 

Does anyone know of a link that can take me to the spacers and longer bolts that come with the 1" lift.... I can't seem to find any body spacers for my year of jeep with the 1" lift.
thanks

 

I used the Energy Suspension master kit, part number 2.18104G. Covers 55-75 CJ5 & CJ6.

 

I used this twice, once on a glass body and once on steel pick up body. Worked great. You cut it how tall you want it, I used a power miter saw.http://www.4wd.com/productdetails.aspx?partID=7128

 

Bob that's a first for me, never thought of cutting my own out of something like that. Do you know if the stock bolts would fit or do I need to buy the 5/8"?

 

Stock bolts should work. I used 1/2" diameter. If you do use it and a power saw to cut it, take the saw outside or your wife will kill you! damhik
5/8 is the hole size, 2.5 diameter. Stuff is pretty dense, not hockey puck hard though.

 

Great! Sounds like just what I need. One more question if you can answer. If my exsisting (old rubber ones) were about 1/2" thick and I want to add a 1" lift should I cut them out at 1" or 1 1/2" to get the full 1" lift.
Thanks for the help

 

They will compress some over time, not much. I used a large flat washer on top and bottom , kind of like a shock bushing with washers either side.

If yours are 1/2" they were prob 3/4 to 1". There is enough for a couple Jeeps in one tube. Cut a couple at 2" and see how it looks. Dont forget the one under the grill/core support. If you raise the body you have to do that one too or fenders and grill will not align properly. You cut a couple at 2 you can always take 1/2" off if it is too tall. You may have to grind off the tack weld where the steering column goes through the dash flange. Every inch you raise the body you will gain about the same amount of room from seat to steering wheel.

 

i was thinking of doing this as well-looking for about one inch of body lift. i know the 55-75's have the hard rubber or plastic, but the 76-up have the option for the polyurethane

would those technically work for me? i'd like that poly for a better feel of body to frame (little extra padding), or are they really that different.

i'm ok with not a perfect fit and putting a little extra work/custom into it, but if it is way different and not worth it, i'll probably get my own stick and just cut them as reccomended above.

thanks

 

I just ordered the 24" rubber mount this morning and will probably install within the next couple of weeks. If you haven't heard back from your question I will let you know what I think of them....... but then again I'm sure anything going to be an improvement over my old worn out ones. I was just wondering how many mounts the 74 CJ-5 is going to have, just so I don't miss one

 

On my 56 we drilled a hole into the center of hockey pucks, their cheap easy to find and about 1" thick, have worked great for three years anyway.
I also have swinging pedals, if you have through the floor pedals might not want to go too high.

CAM

 

I just had to go check..... yup I got swinging pedals also, plus tilt steering, so hopefully I won't have any problems with the lift. With the 24" rubber tube, I should be able to cut twelve 2" pieces, hopefully that will replace all of them.

 

I think, and I use that word loosely, there are 6 (may be 8 though) on the tub and 1 up front under the radiator. It's seemed a little softer than poly, not quite as hard as a hockey puck. Thte tighter you put the bolts, the less forgiving it will be. If you compress it it will get hard and ride hard. You want to tighten the bolts enough to make it bulge between the washers and the body not move, but not enough to squirt it out or split it. Which would take a lot to do. been a while since I did this so the # of mounts could be way off.

I thought some were different thicknesses so you may want to check before you just cut all 2" bushings. 2' piece will prob compress 1/2", maybe a little more. Mine was a glass body so it was pretty light. They also do get harder as they age. They don't crack but do get hard when exposed to the elements.