Cheap WB stretch

[4wdhunter]

I've been wanting to stretch the wheelbase on the CJ7 2-2.5" for a little while now. I'd like to stretch it more but that's just not in the budget right now (see cheap above) :D.

I know plenty of companies that sell new spring perches with mutiple center pin holes in them for extending WB, but I was wondering if I could just redrill my current perches. Is this a good idea or bad idea?

Any opinions greatly appreciated.


Mark

[scoutfam]

since on one else has jumped in here yes you can drill out your existing perches provided there is room to do so. If not the three hole perches are only about $25 per pair. Now on to the not so cheap part. If you stretch the length by say moving the rear axle back and inch and the front forward an inch that is about a 2 inch stretch no problem but now you have to look at your yoke length and make sure that they can handle the change in length other wise you will have to either use spacers, if they are available for the cj7, or have your d shafts retubed to the proper length. So to rap up moving the asles is the easy part, making the d shafts line up correctly is the not so easy part if you don't have enough length in the yoke.

[4wdhunter]

Thanks for the information. I know the perches themselves are pretty inexpensive and I can do all the cutting and welding myself so thats not an extra cost issue for me. Good point on the DS length, that is something I'd forgot to take into account. I'd like to eventually get some heavy duty ones made but don't have the $$$ for that at the moment.

Have you or anyone you know tried this?

[RidgeRunner]

Scout is correct. Drilling the spring perches works fine and moving the axle is the easy part. The hard (and expensive) part is that driveshafts can be too short, steering linkages can interfear with each other and with the axle housing.

I did this to the front of my old Toyota with hi-steer and ended up with the tierod contacting the pitman arm with the drivers side at full stuff. I ended up having to move it back.

Just take a good look at all parts involved and make sure everything will clear and that your driveshafts will still be ok before you start. Of course you can just try it and see what happens, you can allways move it back if it doesn't work.

[4wdhunter]

That's the info. I was after, thanks a lot. I just couldn't find an instance where someone had actually done what I am thinking of trying to do.

I've thought this through quite a bit, but was originally planning on getting new springs with relocated center pins but ain't got the money for that at the moment so I thought I'd try this other way. I'd like to try redrilling first 'cause it's easy and if I screw it up I can always weld on some new ones.

I do have a plan for relocating the steering box mount forward, but did forget about the DS length issue, so thanks again for bringing that up.

This mod probably won't happen until this winter. Just trying to think/plan ahead.

[RidgeRunner]

I'd like to try redrilling first 'cause it's easy and if I screw it up I can always weld on some new ones.

Even if you screw it up you can always go back to the origional hole untill you can fix it.

If I remember correctly, I moved my Toy axle 1.5" forward. It worked great untill I got the tierod stuck above the pitman arm on Carnage Boulder one day. :lol:

[4wdhunter]

Even if you screw it up you can always go back to the origional hole untill you can fix it.

If I remember correctly, I moved my Toy axle 1.5" forward. It worked great untill I got the tierod stuck above the pitman arm on Carnage Boulder one day. :lol:

D'oh! That's a crappy way to find that out.

I don't know why I'm thinking about future mods, I can't seem to find the time to do the ones I've already got parts for :(.

[Brody]

I've been wanting to stretch the wheelbase on the CJ7 2-2.5" for a little while now. I'd like to stretch it more but that's just not in the budget right now (see cheap above) :D.

I know plenty of companies that sell new spring perches with mutiple center pin holes in them for extending WB, but I was wondering if I could just redrill my current perches. Is this a good idea or bad idea?

Any opinions greatly appreciated.


Mark

Try these guy for spring brackets:

http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/Leaf-spring-brackets_c_33.html

Yes to what everyone else has said. I drilled out the spring perches on my front axle on the truck...just removed the springs and had room to do it.

Most certainly cycled the axle up and down when you have it relocated. I tried to move mine farther forward than it already was (2") and looked cross ways at it with the wheel off. One inch was going to cause my drag link and tie rod to line up and bind, so it stayed in the 2" forward position.

You do have a couple of options here:
I posted a link to PSCs off set tie rod ends that have the rod ends mounted at a 90 degree angle in relation to the tie rod. These will get you about another 1-1 1/4" of room. Check to see what applications they fit as they didn't have the 23mm size I needed on the Yota.

Here is that link:

http://www.pscmotorsports.com/tie-rods-parts-ball-joint-type-rod-ends-c-160_130.html

Move the steering box forward. You will want to gusset the frame rail with flat stock when you do this, but it will allow for moving the box more towards the front.

Englewood Drive Shaft will re sleeve and balance your drive shafts for around $100 per shaft if you mention either my name, Peter Brody, or Front Range 4X4. Moving either the front axle forward or the rear axle back will necissitate lengthening the drive shafts.

Use a spring relocation plate, available through Trail Gear, Sky Manufacturing or maybe Ballistic Fabrication. All these resources are noted in the tech links section and/or vendors. These are extremely cheap, you don't have to drill any additional holes, and you have the option of 1" forward or backward of your stock location. You simply loosen (best) or remove your U bolts, raise the rig or raise the spring(slightly dangerous, but works if you are very careful) off the perch, insert the re location plate, then move the axle.

Someone mentioned a a drive shaft spacer...again this is great, as it is just a bolt on. It would be just a question of finding one for your rig. I know that companies make them for Sammis and Yotas, so I imagine that here are some out ther for Jeeps..

[Gecko Cycles]

I thought I posted this earlier. Brain fart. Must have hit the wrong button.

There are these plates too from the guys at Spidertrax.
http://www.spidertrax.com/core/media/media.nl?id=36&c=407909&h=780aa4635629e04dd206

[Brody]

I thought I posted this earlier. Brain fart. Must have hit the wrong button.

There are these plates too from the guys at Spidertrax.
http://www.spidertrax.com/core/media/media.nl?id=36&c=407909&h=780aa4635629e04dd206

Thanks, Ken! What is the price??

I noticed that my brain farts come more frequently as I get older...

[4wdhunter]

I thought I posted this earlier. Brain fart. Must have hit the wrong button.

There are these plates too from the guys at Spidertrax.
http://www.spidertrax.com/core/media/media.nl?id=36&c=407909&h=780aa4635629e04dd206


Thanks for the info. and the links Brody & Gecko, especially about the DS place.

M.O.R.E offers those same offset plates (link below). I've thought about using them, but since I'm still SUA I'd lose ground clearance. Even tho it'd only be about 1/4" I still don't like the thought of losing anything.

http://www.mountainoffroad.com/Catalog/Mounting%20Hardware-Axle/offsetplates.html

Below is the sterring box mount I'm planning on using that relocates the box 1.25" forward.

http://www.mountainoffroad.com/Catalog/SteerBrace/cjbrace.htm

Anybody see any problems with my thinking? I need all the help I can get as my brain farts have been increasing too. Must be getting old.

[Brody]

Nothing wrong with the way you are going. I don't think that you will even notice a 1/4" lose in height, especially with the springs mounted so close to the wheels. Chances are that your wheel is going to lift the spring plate out of the way before you hit anything anyway, much as it does now. The only place that you would actually notice a 1/4" loss is more towards the differential and these aren't going to affect that at all. If you get bound up to the point where you hit on the spring perches, you were going to hit the stock perches anyway, as you are already in the s**t...

The steering box mount looks way stout and I don't think that you can go wrong with this set up. I would still add a piece of 3/16" plate to span the distance that the box mounts to by about 3" on either side. If you don't have access to a welder or don't know how to weld, either I or one of the other folks on the site that do weld can hook you up.

Probably not necessary, but frames are noted for cracking in this area on most rigs running bigger tires and doing some fairly aggressive wheeling. I plated mine on my rig when I moved the box forward going on the 'better to have it and not need it a than not to have it and need it' principle. Trail breaks suck...

[Patrolman]

Just a thought, if you do decide to go with different spring perches, that might be the time to consider a SOA. Why do all the cutting/welding without making the leap, unless you never want to go that road to begin with.

[Gecko Cycles]

Thanks, Ken! What is the price??

I noticed that my brain farts come more frequently as I get older...
$24.5/pr

I think they are 2" wide. I was told that it isn'e a problem with 2.5" springs but you could put 2 1/4" wide shims on the side if you are concerned.
http://www.spidertrax.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.16/.f

[4wdhunter]

Just a thought, if you do decide to go with different spring perches, that might be the time to consider a SOA. Why do all the cutting/welding without making the leap, unless you never want to go that road to begin with.

I've got no real desire at the moment to go SOA, plus I don't really want my rig to sit that high. Kinda like the height it's at now plus with the springs I got I feel that I get pretty good articulation. If/when I do decide to go bigger I'll at least have to get a new front axle and the might consider linking it, which will only happen if I hit powerball tonight :D.

[4wdhunter]

Nothing wrong with the way you are going. I don't think that you will even notice a 1/4" lose in height, especially with the springs mounted so close to the wheels. Chances are that your wheel is going to lift the spring plate out of the way before you hit anything anyway, much as it does now. The only place that you would actually notice a 1/4" loss is more towards the differential and these aren't going to affect that at all. If you get bound up to the point where you hit on the spring perches, you were going to hit the stock perches anyway, as you are already in the s**t...

The steering box mount looks way stout and I don't think that you can go wrong with this set up. I would still add a piece of 3/16" plate to span the distance that the box mounts to by about 3" on either side. If you don't have access to a welder or don't know how to weld, either I or one of the other folks on the site that do weld can hook you up.

Probably not necessary, but frames are noted for cracking in this area on most rigs running bigger tires and doing some fairly aggressive wheeling. I plated mine on my rig when I moved the box forward going on the 'better to have it and not need it a than not to have it and need it' principle. Trail breaks suck...


Thanks for the vote of confidence. I really do value your opinion as well as everyone else's on this board.

I am planning on plating the frame front to back since CJ frames are notoriously weak. I've also just recently (last 6 months) gotten into fabricating my own parts and do have a welder which am getting better at using. So I feel I should be able to weld them myself, but I do really appreciate the offer though. Again, this is probably another one of those next winter mods.

I really have thought about using those offset plates before, but I just put ubolt flip kits on F&R and feel that drilling another hole into those bottom plates might make them too weak.

[Brody]

I really have thought about using those offset plates before, but I just put ubolt flip kits on F&R and feel that drilling another hole into those bottom plates might make them too weak.

Again, you shouldn't have a problem with an additional hole or two. Take a look at the bearing surface where the springs mount and you will see that there is going to little, if any, stress put on the plate where the springs sit. All the force is straight down if the U bolts are tightened down right and the plates are generally made from either 3/16 or 1/4 stock with quite a bit of meat all the way around the holes.

When I did mine, the front actually had 3 holes on one spring perch and one center one in the other...absolutely no reason why, probably because that was what I received in the mail when I ordered the new perches. Anyway, I drilled the other perch to match. Turned out that I couldn't move it more anyway, but there has been no issues with having 3 holes in either of them. Many of the after market spring perches come with 3 holes from the manufacturer, so this isn't an issue.