School me on spring options.

[Sir Sam]

I ripped the dana 35 out of the CRD MJ last night and took it along with some other stuff to the scrapper. I have a 8.25 from an 05 KJ CRD with disks, limited slip and 3.73s. Its need coil spring perches and a few other brackets cut off but I think I'm going to use it. I think front will be going with a LP D30 due to clearance issues with the engine oil pan, I have a set of 3.73s for a LP D30.

 

That said, I got the axle out of the way in the garage by setting the MJ down on it now that the D35 is gone and ratchet strapping it down. Springs are old and not sitting level. Time for new springs, perches, and u bolts.

 

What suppliers do you guys recommend these days for springs? I'm looking for stock height since its SOA with an 8.25, if I really need more lift later I'll go with a different shackle. I'd like to go with something near the metric ton weight rating. Most of the time a wilderness topper will be on the Jeep which is HEAVY.

 

Thoughts/links for me?

[Sir Sam]

So been looking and researching, the only places I see that seem to sell leaf springs for the MJ are Rustys and a place I have never heard of called general spring:

 

http://www.generalspringkc.com/product_p/97-571.htm

 

Now the 1700lb spring still comes in a little short of the metric ton springs, but I suppose its good enough. Con, $500 shipped for 3 springs.

 

Rustys springs are cheaper at $300 w/o shipping but only come in 4" lift variety. This would mean I would need to do a SUA setup instead, which i don't really prefer.

http://www.rustysoffroad.com/jeep-suspension/jeep-leaf-springs-leaf-spring-accessories/jeep-mj-comanche-84-91-suspension-leaf-springs/rustys-leaf-springs-mj-4-rear-pair.html

 

Any other thoughts for me?

[johnj92131]

There was a General Springs group buy about a year ago.  Buyers seemed happy with the product.  Or at least I don't recall any complaints.

 

I have been looking at spring options for my Diesel Comanche TDI conversion.  BTW, the truck will also have a Wildernest

 

My inclination is to go with the standard load springs for ride comfort.  Rather than the Metric Ton springs for load capacity, I am looking at:  1)  AirLift bags.  These can be adjusted for heavier loads or lighter loads.  Rated capacity 2000 lbs.   2) Air shocks. Also adjustable but with perhaps a rated capacity of 500 per shock.   3)  Aeon rubber springs.  No air adjustement. Simply adjust by the load in the bed, as the bed moves down to the axle, the rubber springs make contact and start to pick up the load by compressing the rubber springs.  Rated Capacity:  3000 lbs.

 

The standard capacity General Springs are about $330 shipped - close to $200 less than the Metric ton springs.  Air shocks are the cheapest, with Aeon rubber springs costing just over $200 and AirLift bags at about $240

[HOrnbrod]

My GS metric springs don't ride any harsher than the stockers they replaced after they got broken in. It took ~500 miles. An 3+2 MT spring is nothing but a stock spring with an extra overload spring for more carrying  capacity. Good to have when you need it. OME rear shocks and GS MT springs work well together and ride / handle much better than the stock springs I had. 

[Sir Sam]

Hornbrod do you have the GS 1700lb springs or is did they have a metric ton spring that I can't see anymore?

 

 

 

How do these GS springs compare in terms of height to stock? They don't say they are built to be lift springs so while I'd expect them not to be sagged how does the height compare to stock 4wd or 2wd?

[HOrnbrod]

The 3+2 MT 1700LB spring listed is the only one General Springs has ever had. I bought a set when they were first listed about 7-8 years ago. Initially they gave me almost a 3" lift over what I had as my stockers were very sagged. They eventually settled down slightly less than 1" over the stock MJ height. But it'll vary truck-by-truck.

 

It's not like we have a lot of choices for ready-made MJ MT springs. Hell Creek Suspensions used to make them too, but it looks they stopped. 

 

[Sir Sam]

2 hours ago, HOrnbrod said:

The 3+2 MT 1700LB spring listed is the only one General Springs has ever had. I bought a set when they were first listed about 7-8 years ago. Initially they gave me almost a 3" lift over what I had as my stockers were very sagged. They eventually settled down slightly less than 1" over the stock MJ height. But it'll vary truck-by-truck.

 

It's not like we have a lot of choices for ready-made MJ MT springs. Hell Creek Suspensions used to make them too, but it looks they stopped. 

 

Thanks that good to know. Sounds like they are the right height for me to start with. Combined with soa should put me in a good position. 

[Sir Sam]

So I guess I've decided on GS leafs, and I think I am going to use this kit to SOA:

http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/3SSsmall.html

[HOrnbrod]

I didn't notice at first you're going SOA. You do know the 3+2 MT springs will really jack you up - like 6" over the SUA MJ stock height at minimum? Is this what you want?

[Sir Sam]

Horn, ya I know it will be higher. Right now I have the MJ with stock springs sitting on the rear end. It's higher than before but I like about where it is sitting now. That's why I was asking how much you got over stock. But..... I don't want it way higher than it is now. An inch or two over what I have now I could deal with. 

 

Assuming you are sua......would you be able to measure from your rear wheel center vertically to the bottom of the flare. That would let me do some maths and measuring to see where I would be assuming your final spring settle. 

[HOrnbrod]

It's 20" from the center of the wheel cap to the bottom of the flare Sam. And that's with using longer than stock (about 1") Teraflex extended shackles. I had to add these to get the rear end back up as the MT springs compressed and settled down an inch during the first year.

[Sir Sam]

Thanks man!

 

Got home to measure, I have one side sitting at 21" and the other at 24" right now with the springs sitting in a ghetto rig setup on the KJ coil buckets(for rolling around only).

 

Friend of mine has a SUA sitting at 23 that supposedly has 3.5" springs. I'm thinking this puts stock height at about 19" from center to flare lip. This would mean a SOA with zero lift should put me around ~25". I have some greasable XJ length shackles that I could use to lower it a little if it ends up being too high for me in the rear.

[Eagle]

5 hours ago, Sir Sam said:

Friend of mine has a SUA sitting at 23 that supposedly has 3.5" springs. I'm thinking this puts stock height at about 19" from center to flare lip.

 

 

No. Cherokees are 17" at the rear. Years ago I measured some stock MJs and I estimated that a Comanche was 21" from center of axle to bottom of flare. It might be as low as 20" but not 19".

[Sir Sam]

4 hours ago, Eagle said:

 

No. Cherokees are 17" at the rear. Years ago I measured some stock MJs and I estimated that a Comanche was 21" from center of axle to bottom of flare. It might be as low as 20" but not 19".

 

Interesting. That's more food for thought. My old springs are so sagged and uneven I'm not sure what my stock was. 

 

I don't really want to wind up at 26" but 24" sounds good unloaded. And the metric ton sounds good as well. 

 

Might just pickup both both sets of perches and decide which one works the best with the GS MT. I wish GS offered some different height options. 

[Skorpyo]

6 minutes ago, Sir Sam said:

Might just pickup both both sets of perches and decide which one works the best with the GS MT. I wish GS offered some different height options. 

Give them a call, before I decided to go SOA I called them and they said they did a line of "lift springs" for the MJs and they could fab up a custom order for me that would net about 3" of lift over stock. The price wasn't what I was looking for ($400) but definitely not terrible. Its worth a shot.

[Sir Sam]

So I did Call GS, sounded like they had an order in for some lifted MT springs. Sounds like I could go with those and SUA and if needed a shackle lift to get some more. I'm thinking this is how I'll go. 

[HOrnbrod]

Did you speak to Joe? He's the main man there...

[Sir Sam]

On 9/2/2017 at 10:06 AM, HOrnbrod said:

Did you speak to Joe? He's the main man there...

Don't recall his name. He told me about their lift built springs, but wasn't able to give a clear answer about how much lift they provided. But it's a MT spring with some lift so I think I'll be happier with he ability to keep it low going spring under. 

[Sir Sam]

Got my springs in, finally. I would hate to have been someone who had to wait from them from the initial order. I ordered back in early sept and was told it would be 2 weeks untill they shipped. I finally got the springs last week.

 

So springs opinions. The military wrap is not super tight, but I suppose it will do what it is supposed to. Springs are beefy and heavy. They are not painted, just "oil rubbed". I will likely remove the overload springs, clean everything with degreaser, and paint black. The center pin is not very tight and the overload springs will spin on the main springs. The centering pin nut looks like someone smashed it with a rock to get it get to length. I'll remove it when I paint it, and then put it back together with a castellated lock nut, tack it in place and then round it out. To fit my spring perch kit the nut will need to be rounded off.

 

Overall not bad, took a long time and was comparatively expensive for lacking in a few things like paint, decently tight centering pin, and a center pin nut that doesn't look like it was chiseled off with 1957 Cadillac bumper.

 

[Crash]

I would just find a correct-length allen bolt/nut. Is what I use on my XJ and MJ springs.

[Jeep Driver]

On 9/3/2017 at 12:09 PM, Sir Sam said:

Don't recall his name. He told me about their lift built springs, but wasn't able to give a clear answer about how much lift they provided. But it's a MT spring with some lift so I think I'll be happier with he ability to keep it low going spring under. 

 

Interesting, your statement here, I was told the same thing by Joe, I then got into somewhat of a pissing match here as to what exactly is a MT spring. 

[Jeep Driver]

2 hours ago, Sir Sam said:

Got my springs in, finally. I would hate to have been someone who had to wait from them from the initial order. I ordered back in early sept and was told it would be 2 weeks untill they shipped. I finally got the springs last week.

 

So springs opinions. The military wrap is not super tight, but I suppose it will do what it is supposed to. Springs are beefy and heavy. They are not painted, just "oil rubbed". I will likely remove the overload springs, clean everything with degreaser, and paint black. The center pin is not very tight and the overload springs will spin on the main springs. The centering pin nut looks like someone smashed it with a rock to get it get to length. I'll remove it when I paint it, and then put it back together with a castellated lock nut, tack it in place and then round it out. To fit my spring perch kit the nut will need to be rounded off.

 

Overall not bad, took a long time and was comparatively expensive for lacking in a few things like paint, decently tight centering pin, and a center pin nut that doesn't look like it was chiseled off with 1957 Cadillac bumper.

 

 

You're a little critical here. 

 

You will want to paint those yourself. Those have been dropped, slid, thrown, bounced...........

 

As for the pin, it's not designed to keep the pack tight, your ubolts will do that. 

 

As I understand it, those where custom made just for you in Nebraska, one of two US spring manufactures. They are good, you'll like them, worth the wait.........we all waited a few weeks, some longer than others. 

 

Put those on, see how you like the ride and the height.

 

 

You'll be happy.

[Sir Sam]

16 hours ago, Jeep Driver said:

16 hours ago, Jeep Driver said:

 

Interesting, your statement here, I was told the same thing by Joe, I then got into somewhat of a pissing match here as to what exactly is a MT spring. 

 

Ya, based on their rated capacity I don't think they are technically a MT spring, but who knows what a new OEM spring would have been rated to the same way. What I should have asked, was compared to their regular spring how much lift it would provide. Or the dimensions of the spring to understand how they varied from the "no lift"

 

 

 

 

16 hours ago, Jeep Driver said:

You're a little critical here. 

 

You will want to paint those yourself. Those have been dropped, slid, thrown, bounced...........

 

As for the pin, it's not designed to keep the pack tight, your ubolts will do that. 

 

As I understand it, those where custom made just for you in Nebraska, one of two US spring manufactures. They are good, you'll like them, worth the wait.........we all waited a few weeks, some longer than others. 

 

Put those on, see how you like the ride and the height.

 

 

You'll be happy.

 

 

Yup I'm a little critical. I spent $500 and got a product that was 5 weeks later than expected with a few minor criticisms, so I posted.

 

 

 

 

 

[Hudy]

I'm in this same boat now and happy I found this thread. I want to verify because I'm a little lost here... did GS make you a lifted MT spring or did you purchase the stock height MT spring?

 

Thanks.

[Jeep Driver]

It's not a MT spring, it's a MW spring. 

 

I'm not going to bother measuring..........from axle to frame..........from ground to flare.............from center of axle to flare...........whatever.............

 

 

You'll be about 4.5" above your worn spring. The Military Wrap increased my height 1.25" over GS's standard spring. I'm using a JKS shackle.