Muddog, You're right if I get wider axle then I would probably have enough space to fit regular springs. But I decided not to do that since the Jeep is a daily driver and wider means being slower in the terrible traffic I have to go through daily here in Cairo.
Tim, How come you're going to put an upper A arm in front? I don't think it will fit since the engine oil pan is in the way and it will definitely hit the arm at full compression. That's why almost every 4x4 with a straight axle up front either uses upper and lower control arms like the TJ, XJ & WJ or radius arms like the Land Cruiser and Land Rover. The Arms are always parallel to the engine and with proper design will clear the engine and everything else in the way.
Also an A arm up front instead of the track bar will cause bump steer when the suspension compresses. Visualize this: When the suspension compresses and the axle comes close to the frame the track bar pushes the axle a couple of inches to the side. Since the steering drag link is almost parallel to the track bar at all points in the suspension travel loop, it will keep the tires straight although the axle moved a couple of inches to the side. Hence no bump steering. Now if you install an A arm up front instead of the track bar, the axle will not move to the side, it will move up and down perfectly in the center of the frame. When the suspension compresses and the axle comes close to the frame the drag link will actually push the wheel a couple of inches to the right and severe bump steer will occur. I hope I explained this correctly, if not let me know and I'll give it another try.
Later
A.B.
