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Doing An Soa


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Been scouring the internet and here and can't find anything. So here is my question. I'm in the middle of doing an SOA. I have the axle completely out and I'm taking it to a welding shop when I can to get the spring perches welded on. What else do I need to get welded on? I heard about the shock mounts and I have two of them that I ordered but I have no idea where they weld to. Also it looks like the brake lines on the axle are going to be in the way of the perches. These may seem like dumb questions but I seriously cannot find the SOA instructions anywhere, especially for a comanche. Also it looks like the previous owner put drop brackets on the rear leaf spring. Is this going to interfere with my SOA?

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going SOA gives like 6" of lift over your current height.  seeing as you already have some lift, how tall did you want to be in the end?

 

as to the process.  the perches need to be welded on. then the shock mounts get welded on.  both things need to be in approximately the same orientation they are in now (though your lower shock eyes will be 90* from stock depending on which mounts you bought).  though the shock mounts can be put on a bit higher than stock for some more clearance.  don't forget the longer brakeline if it hasn't been installed already (which I kinda doubt it has).

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I assume your opening question refers to the two steel brake lines running from the distribution block on the axle to the wheel cylinders. Yes, those are in the way of the relocated perches. They will have to be removed. After the perches have been welded on, you make up new hard lines that bend around the spring perches.

 

If you are having a shop do the welding, have you considered how to locate the perches to set the correct driveline angle? How will you convey this information to the shop?

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  On 9/9/2013 at 1:46 PM, TCAdkins said:

And there is perches on the underside of the axle (where the leaf springs were originally.) I was going to basically have the perches welded on directly over them. And I was going to be there when the shop does it.

 

That takes care of locating the new perches laterally (side-to-side). With a lift of more than 6 inches (the SOA alone is going to generate about six inches -- with those drop shackles you're probably look at 7" to 8" of lift), you should do a test fit of the axle in the truck so you can check the u-joint angles and adjust the angle of the perches on the axle as necessary.

 

If what I just wrote doesn't make sense to you -- your driveshaft has two u-joints in it, one at the front and one at the axle. The front one puts the driveshaft at an angle to the transfer case output shaft. The rear one transfers the angle of the driveshaft to the angle of the pinion gear in the axle. Those two angles need to be the same, or you'll have driveline vibrations and you'll eat u-joints. Mounting new perches parallel to the old ones will almost certainly NOT be the correct angle for properly orienting the pinion to the driveshaft.

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Okay thank you. You probably saved me a lot of money in the future. So basically I should put the axle underneath the springs and hook up the drive shaft so I can get the placement of the new perches exactly. And also I don't want 7-8 inches so I'll be removing the drop shackles as well

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Was just going to add that you'll obviously need to source some u-bolts in the correct size for your axle tube. That and deciding on what you'll use for a plate. I believe you can reuse the stock one if you swap sides and also cut off the shock mounts. I like the WFO Concept Shock mounts that weld on the axle.

7ate4a8a.jpg

Of course this is SUA

va4yby7u.jpg

 

When I go SOA, I'm considering using a UBE or U-bolt eliminator but I think based on what I've learned on here U-bolts perform as well or better than a UBE set-up

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  On 9/9/2013 at 6:19 PM, Bornindesert said:

 I like the WFO Concept Shock mounts that weld on the axle. va4yby7u.jpg When I go SOA, I'm considering using a UBE or U-bolt eliminator but I think based on what I've learned on here U-bolts perform as well or better than a UBE set-up

 

Those shock mounts are well made (or appear to be), but they are a VERY bad idea IMHO.

 

Look at the stock mounts for an MJ. Both the upper studs and the lower studs are parallel to the axle (perpendicular to the driveline). These mounts locate the lower bolts parallel to the driveline and perpendicular to the axle. That means if the axle rotates much at all during flex, instead of the lower shock mount allowing the shock body to rotate on the bolt, it's locked in and the only movement you get is however much flex there is in the rubber bushing.

 

They should have run the bolt through both sides of the mounts.

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As far as shock mounts go you can use the stock mount just flip them left to right and mount them to the top. This will limit the flex but if you are looking for quick and easy to get on the road it will work. You can always fab something up later for mounts. I have never personally done this but have seen it done. I don't think there are any serious problems other than limiting flex.

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$#!&. I just looked at them and I never received the shock mounts...so I have to order them. However, I looked at my bilstein 5100's for the rear and they have a different mount, like the front ones. I don't want to order more so is there a type of rear mount that these will mount to?

 

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