ive really lost my mind coils front on a cj

[Dusty]

ive got some 3.5" lift early bronco coil springs in the front of my cj8 im working on getting the bracketry worked out on the front of my d44 and am using RE long arms. It is already supported by the coils but i am still using the leafs to keep is centered and located correctly so its only attached to the rear spring bolts not via the shackles.

only thing that might hold me up is my front d44 is a SUA d44 with the cast in spring perch so i am assuming my tube is pressed all the way in the casting past the spring perch because what i have to do is mount the lower control arm bracket to the tube right where the spring perch is right now and far as i can tell there is no easy way to go about about attaching the lower mount to the housing without some extensive grinding on that part of the casting OR building a bracket that utilizes a flat plate under the cast spring perch utilizes the original style fastening ubolts and then welding the plate to some gussets coming off of the housing. down side is that would leave you with a few nutz hanging down below the plate but the plate would eb securely fastened and welded to the housing with less cutting to the casting......

Anyways thought i would share. i paid $400 for the two lower arms and the upper arms and then picked up a axle bracket kit from RE (for simplicities sake) $200 for the axle brakets and busings ect so $600 i already had the bronco coils and built the upper coil buckets myself i'll do a panhard bar last once everything else is hooked up and in place so i can see where i will have room....

what fun a Long armd and coild front 401 powered 5spd scrambler ....... then i went with used waggy rear spring packs in the rear of my cj it sits at a nice hieght about 9" front the top of the tire to the top of my rear fender flares. So no more SUA for me


could have spent the money on a E-locker but the old power locks make the trail more challenging and still work ok, the coils and LA's.

[Blown7]

Hey Dusty, I need more info, I was thinking about doing a four link, or three link someday myself to the the 7 but the more I think about it the more I find I'm not smart enough yet to figure out these complicated suspension arraingements. You doing this from the seat of the pants or using some guide or book or partial kit? I'm very interested in your project or anyone elses. Thank you. Jeff

[jeepsr4ever]

Sure you can mock up the brackets or even easier yet buy them from RE they make all the coil bukets and brackets you need for your dana 44 and long arms!!

[Dusty]

i did buy the RE brackets they were too cheap not to buy them, what i am fabbing is the upper frame mount coil buckets and also the lower mount as the cast iron pumpkin interfeers with where it should mount

i opted for the long arms because of the simplicity. vs triangulation ect if i went with 4 link.......... this way so long as things are parallel... the arms ect because they are essentially radius arms and the panhard bar angle is parallel to the drag link and your caster is close when you weld the coil buckets on everything else will function

i'll go into more detail later. had a couple of employees call in sick so i went in and am working today

[Dusty]

Trial and error. ....

The RE arms worked good. Coils the Bronco coils are too thick and too wide. I ended up using the OME 933's which when matched with a new set of Waggy rear springs sit about right. if using old flat Waggy's the OME 932s are on par. Originally i ran the RE 3.5" springs, the rate on those is pretty stiff and they were too tall so in the short term i cut the RE coils to the right ride height. Weight wise i have the 401 with aluminium heads/ RE10000 winch and a 80lbs bumper, plus the NV4500 which isnt much different from a t-18 in weight maybe 50lbs. The Long arms mount directly under the frame and the mounts dont apear as though they will be catch alls. email me next week and i shoot you picts as i am just finishing up cleaning off the scraps

The Panhard used 3/4" hiems and was fairly easy its parralell to the drag link and almost the same length. I am using partsmike high steer arms with his 3/4ton tie rod ends ect so the drag link ties into the front og tie rod instead on into the knuckle. Am using a 2" drop pitman arm with the taper from the top down.

Will post pictures but also will say i wish my front axle was 2" wider on eash side. currently front was cut to 55.5" or 56" WMS2WMS using CJ knuckle and hubs. i have since converted to ford rotors and early flattop waggy knuckles and spindles so i am about 57.5" front and i am 54 in the rear. all i can say is lots of positive wheel spacing. it doesnt potrude too far past fender flares so its kind of a sleeper. with 35" tires on 10" wheels it is 9" from top of tire to bottom of fender flare in front and roughly 9.5-10" in the rear.