[DanStew]

Well looking at pictures of my jeep I noticed I really don't have much articulation. Even though most of my terrain is flat, i would like a little more spring action. I am trying to keep the jeep spring under. It is a 1963 CJ5 with the old thin springs. I have a 4 inch super lift lift. I already loosed up my shackle bolts, but there is not much else to do. I suspect the springs don't twist at all in the shackles. I don't want to do anything major right now, just something to tweak a little more flex. I have Confer 1 1/4 shackles with the solid middle section. If I have stock type shackles this would give me a little more twist. How much flex has anyone ever got from the older springs?? Who makes a spring system that is softer and more flexible?

THanks
Dan Stewart 1963 CJ5 "Caloosa JeeperS" member

 

[Guest]

You could take apart all your spring pack and coat them with graphite paint? Uhm... get all urathane bushing for the spring mounts and suspension -adds alittle more flex.. Make sure you got the right shock combination.. these limit alot of articulation.. Loosen your shackle bolts and drive down a bumpy road for awhile then tighten them back. Keep everything greased and such ... this should help squeeze alittle more flex..

78 CJ7 "Issues"

 

[DanStew]

Does the graphite paint really work? I heard about people doing it, but thought it was a fluke. I thought that the rubber bushings were more flexible? I used to have the poly bushings in my original springs, but when i got the lift, i went back to rubber. I want to get the greasable bushings. That would be a great improvement. Maybe not for the articulation, but It should prevent the metal sleeve from becoming one with the shackle bolt, thus making shackle removal such a pain /wwwthreads_images/icons/crazy.gif
Thanks for the ideas

Dan Stewart 1963 CJ5 "Caloosa Jeepers" member

 

[TOM85CJ7]

You can open up the spring clamps.
I heated mine with a propane torch and then used a hammer and pry bar to open them up. I left them in place to keep the leaves from shifting side to side. They are open to the sky which allows some addtional droop.

Loosen the shackle bolts.
I have confer greasable shackles. I loosened the the shackle bolts until they are just touching the bushings. I then installed an additional locknut over the original locknut. I then tightened the 2 locknuts together. There is no way they will loosen up, and my shackles swing freely. I have poly bushings.

These 2 mods greatly improved the ride on my CJ. Before I did this my 2.5" Pro-Comp lift would buck like a wild bronco on every bump. It was very uncomfortable to ride in.

Hope this helps, by the way both of these mods are easily reversed if you don't like the results.

Later,

http://home.off-road.com/~tom85cj7/home.htm

 

[614]

i agree with tom on opening up the spring clamps. i've never left em open to the sky, i've always heated em up and bent them back, just not as close to the leafs as they were before.

J ust
E mpty
E very
P ocket

 

[DanStew]

Does opening up the clamps effect on road driving? I do drive frequently on the road. Would like to try this. I havn't looked at my clamps, but if I open them up to the sky, won't the clamps fall off, or are they attached permenantly to the spring pack.

Dan Stewart 1963 CJ5 "Caloosa Jeepers" member

 

[TOM85CJ7]

My clamps are riveted to the bottom of the spring pack. I drive my CJ on the road frequently with no strange handling. I have heard of people opening the clamps up and then bending them back down over a piece of 1/4" plate and the removing the plate. I don't know if having my clamps open all the way is a benefit or not, but it hasn't caused any problems and my CJ flexes well.

Later,

http://home.off-road.com/~tom85cj7/home.htm

 

[DanStew]

Thanks Tom,
I will be giving my friend with a torch a call to open the clamps.

Dan Stewart 1963 CJ5 "Caloosa Jeepers" member

 

[Guest]

just wondering but how much lift can you get with just shackles. My friend has replacement springs that are way more flexy than most lifts.

69' Jeep CJ6, 225 v6 buick, turbo 400, dana 18