Your Thoughts on a Bolt-on SOA kit

[tmmoll]

An one have, or heard of somone using there bolt-on SOA kit. The reason I'm going this route is because I'm waiting on a 8.8 for the rear, then I will weld on the perches. But for now i just want to use this kit. Any advice would be great.

 

As for the guys and gals that have used this kit, how much lift did you get in the back?

[Pete M]

For $15 you can get perches from the dealership and for another 10-20 bucks you can pay someone to weld them on. You can even bolt everything together dry (nice and tight) and drive to a local welder. I've done it.

The cost is insane compared to what it takes to do it right. :thumbsup:

 

And going SOA will give 5.5-6.5 inches over your current height.

[watchamakalit]

For $15 you can get perches from the dealership and for another 10-20 bucks you can pay someone to weld them on. You can even bolt everything together dry (nice and tight) and drive to a local welder. I've done it.

The cost is insane compared to what it takes to do it right. :thumbsup:

 

And going SOA will give 5.5-6.5 inches over your current height.

What he said. :agree:

[BLHTAZ]

I have seen bolt-on kits in action and have never heard of any problem with them. Motions kit appears to be good quality and a viable option if you absolutely can not get welding done.

 

I do agree that welding on new perches is the best way to go, and you would have to live in a pretty remote place to not be able to find someone to do 5 minutes worth of welding for you. :cheers:

[DirtyComanche]

I dunno about not being able to get welding done in a remote place... I figure the more remote it is the more likely somebody has a welder so they can fix their own junk.

 

Look for a machine shop, or a welding outfit... Do the prep, sinch the ubolts down and drive easy. A job that big is pretty much a beer job in most shops that don't do small stuff.

 

 

Or, just buy the 8.8 and weld the perches on, then swap it when you do the rest of the lift. Might as well not do the work twice.

[jpdocdave]

not positive on mj's, but i don't like them on yj's because they leave and add so much stuff under the axle. a great benefit to soa compared to sua lifts is clearance, when you have bolts and perches hanging off the bottom you didn't gain as much clearance.

[BLHTAZ]

not positive on mj's, but i don't like them on yj's because they leave and add so much stuff under the axle. a great benefit to soa compared to sua lifts is clearance, when you have bolts and perches hanging off the bottom you didn't gain as much clearance.

Yep...that's a big downside to a bolt on. With a properly done SOA, all of the stuff on the bottom of the axle is gone allowing for that additional clearance and nothing to hang on.

[Redramman]

An exhaust shop should be able to do small welding jobs.A body shop will too but probably charge more $$

[JeepcoMJ]

$15 for proper perches, $50 or a couple cases of bear to have a local weld them on, figure out your new shock mounts, and your set. this is all remedial fabrication. easy as hell.

[mvusse]

When I was originally contemplating SOA for the future I though that bolt on kit looked pretty good. When I actually did it I bought a set of after market perches that were something like 8.5" long to prevent axle wrap, got it all set up and bolted together and tacked them into place with the neighbor's wire feed welder.

 

I then took the axle (which did fit in the back of my Cherokee, I wasn't sure it would) to a local welding shop and had him weld it on the rest of the way. $20, fully insured and guaranteed. Used the largest stick welder I've ever seen, and the weld looks better than anything I can do with a MIG.

 

If I didn't have access to a welder at home I would have torqued down the bolts good, make some marks so I can make sure the axle didn't rotate on the way and carefully driven it to the welding shop.

 

The bolt on kit, even though it looks good, costs more than having perches welded on, does not allow you to adjust the pinion angle if needed to correct for non stock shackles or a tc drop kit, and gives you more junk underneath the axle to catch on rocks off road. Don't waste your money.

[tmmoll]

Sound like Ill just wait on my 8.8. What about a SYE kit? Would I need one when doing a SOA?

[james750]

You won't need a SYE on and SOA on an MJ. Because MJ's have a very long wheelbase (both LWB and SWB, but LWB is even longer) a SYE isn't needed until your at about 12"+ of lift. My SOA gave me 10" and I still do not need an SYE.

[DirtyComanche]

That said, a SYE is still a useful upgrade.

[Pete M]

That said, a SYE is still a useful upgrade.

 

Yup. If you can afford the costs, it only makes thing better. :thumbsup:

 

For a lot of lift, you will need a longer rear driveshaft.

[tmmoll]

So for a SOA its not needed, but couldnt hurt. Got it.

 

My manche is a 86, no rust but alot of dirt and grime with 86000 miles. Should I replace the leafs or just clean them up a little bit, then some new paint? If I should replace them, were can I get new stock springs? Any other small details I should know about an SOA?

[james750]

Are your current ones damaged? Sagged? If not, I would just clean them up.

[tmmoll]

No the look fine.

[mvusse]

Get some new slide thingies, a wire wheel for an angle grinder, new center bolts and a can of spray paint. No point replacing perfectly good leafs.

[tmmoll]

Alright guys. Thanks alot for the help.

[MiNi Beast]

So you did get help after all? That's good, come back soon now you hear? :clapping: