SUA vs SOA: A Comparison

[Robb]

Hey Fellas!

Can someone, a little more experienced than I, give me a quick "pro and con" comparison of SUA vs SOA?

The main thing that pops in my mind about SOA is axle wrap, but at the same time, I haven't seen many wheelin rigs running SUA.

I am looking at some leafs that may provide the lift I need in the rear, while maintaining SUA. Of course, running SUA will give a little ground interference, but that little amount may be worth the price, giving that SUA may help out the wrap situation.

Does SUA help the axle wrap situation? Can you throw me some pros and cons of each?

If I decide to play with these particular leafs, I need to order them in the next couple of weeks (on sale), so.............help a brotha out!

 

[SGR1600]

I'm interested in the answer to this question too.

 

[N2MUDN91]

For those of you that have SAS'd your front ends. Did any of you SUA the front axle? How could that affect it also?

Shane

 

[Makahveli]

well I was told if you add multiple add a leafs to your rear then add warrior shackles to it will almost lift it as high. but with all those add a leafs in the rear it would be a very uncomfy ride. its not that the guys are against it, they are just trying to get a desired clearance.

 

[Fusion213]

Here's a guess of mine.
To get as much lift as a person that went SOA, you'd have to get leaves that are arched more, so your flex is reduced.

 

[unclemeat]

I have a SOA on my X. The main advantage is cost. I reused the stock springs. Another advantage is ground clearance, all that stuff, shock mount and springs, is above the axle and out of the way. The disadvantage is axle wrap. I do not have a highly modified powerplant so it is tolerable. I can add a traction bar or modify the spring perch to reduce the axle wrap.

 

[Msupertek]

SOA do it. I didn't notice any difference in its axle wrap or drivability to be hones with you. If you do a good job you will have no problems, plus it is a cheap way to lift the rear and definitely gives you a lot more clearence. I used to hate it when my springs would hang me up on a dinky little rock!

Oh and I do wheel look at my pics, just recently I put enough mods to make it kinda hard to drive on the road (due to the full spools front and rear).

 

[Dannyboy]

I've been running soa for a while now and lost my driveshaft twice. That was because I was wheeling and haven't paid to lengthen it yet, but know that I should. Other than that I've loved it and with a few quick bolts I was on my way again.

Considering all the other vehicles out there that are SOA stock (XJ, Ranger, Excursion, F-250) it's not like we're doing something "bad" to our trucks by going SOA. I am VERY impressed with the flex out stock Explorer springs because you get a ton of up and down travel. We do have 4.slo motors so axle wrap isn't really an issue that I have seen even on the rocks.

I've recently driven several lifted Superduty and Excursions. A lot of people talk bad about block lifts, but lets not forget many manufacturers still use them in their kits. My Excursion with blocks to lift the back was a great ride. THe one's with a heavy arch (like what you'd end up with on with a SUA) rode like a brick and you would limit your uptravel.

I'd start with the SOA (mine cost $32) and do from there if you find any reason to not be satisfied.

 

[TheRookie]

there are perches that are onger than normal out there to prevent wrap. I will be doing my SOA soon

 

[Byrd91]

Great topic guys. I was recently contemplating this for my long term plans. I want to build an all around (mud, trail prerun) vehicle. Right now I'm SOA and was contemplating going back, but I think giving up the ground clearance and flex would be worse than the prerun performance and axle wrap advantages of SUA. Also, a nice traction bar is easy to build.

 

[Robb]

Originally posted by TheRookie
there are perches that are onger than normal out there to prevent wrap. I will be doing my SOA soon

There are perches out there to HELP to prevent axle wrap. No perch is going to prevent it. If anyone knows of one, Rick would probably like to know, since he is breaking DSs because of it. Oh, and on the argument that a 4.0 OHV doesn't have enough power to create wrap, Rick is a perfect example to disprove that also.

This is becoming a great topic, and I hate to throw it off with my personal situation. From my point of view, I am going to end up with "other than stock" leafs anyway, so using stockers ain't gonna cut it. This is when all the peeps running stocks pop up with all the praise about them. And yes, they will do great, but I want a pack with more leafs and a little more flex. I am uncertain at what height my X will end up at, but with the older one, even with a SOA, I needed another 4" or so to level it out with the front. So, for a decent flexing pack, I can go custom for $500+ or I can try to incorporate a mass-produced leaf pack (+/-300). I think I have found such a pack, but at minimum, they run about 6" (up to 8"), taller than a stock X pack. This is why I started thinking about running SUA.

So, in my situation, cost becomes a non-issue. An after-market leaf pack is going to be installed either way.

Then there is the clearance issue. I have found kits (squared u-bolts with special perches), which convert the bolt ends to the upper side of the axle. With the use of such a kit, I would end up with only a couple of 1/2" "rods" hanging under the pack. This shouldn't be an issue when stuck between big tires and a differential.

 

[TheRookie]

yeah you meant what i knew. I dont get it, why not just use rounded u bolts and put them upside down? Putting a flat plate ontop of the springs. THEN you have clearance

 

[james t]

hmmmm...... $500 for custom pack.... or $500 for a set of wildhorses/JD EB front springs, a few rod ends, and a couple of feet of 2" .250 wall DOM.

 

[james t]

oh, and if you want more flex AND keep the stock leaves SOA then just get a set of the BC bronco's spring rockers. they'll give you about 1.5" more lift and make just about any leaf flex like mad. they are not ramp-queen junk and have been proven offroad. axle wrap can be taken care of easy if its causing a problem.

 

[Swee294349]

i'm in need of some ride height measurements for the rear. i am spring over axle in the back with an add a leaf (1.5-2.0") i am going to a spring set up in the front and just curious how much lift i actually have in the rear so i can order my front springs. by guessing around 7.5"-8.0" in the rear would i be in the ballpark? 5.5" superlift SOA and a pro comp add a leaf 1.5-2". any help would be appreciated.

thanks

 

[Msupertek]

I can, I had my springs rearced in the rear +2 inches then done a spring over and a superlift 5.5 inch lift. I ended up adding 1 inch daystart bushing pad kit to even the front with the rear. Basically the rear was 2 inches higher than the front.

I now have a solid axle in front (just done a conversion) so now I am going to have to lift my rear another 2 inches because of my set up.

 

[Swee294349]

what was your total ride height? i'm goin with leafs in the front, but if the rear and front don't level out i can probably add an add a leaf right?

 

[Byrd91]

What's the trailer ball on that 4 link for? New tow point because there is going to be no frame?

 

[Robb]

Originally posted by Byrd91
What's the trailer ball on that 4 link for? New tow point because there is going to be no frame?

That's a 3 link.

The result of lots of beer and a tube bender infatuation!

 

[410Fortune]

It looks as if he was doing a 3 link setup using the trailer ball method, but decided on heims in the end.

I believe that is considered a 3 link setup as well since both the upper links connect atop the diff.



There are alot of desert style trucks that run leafs under the axle, and rely on good springs (like deavers) and a good shackle and shock setup to get alot of travel.

I havent seen anywhere that when you go SOA your center of gravity is raised a little more.

So lift does not = flex

But going SOA really gains some clearance for rocks on the already groudn clearanced challenged Explorer (especially the spring hanger)

So it really depends on what you use the truck for, trails and low range 4x4ing = SOA

High speed whoops, etc.....SUA

My BII was SUA stock and I can see why they made the Explorer SUA in order to improve the ride of the stock vehicle. A properly setup SOA will not effect the streetability much, in fact my truck is about 10 times better then stock and I am just getting started for the rear axle

I am going to do:

Deavers
Shackle reversal
extended shackle (possibly depending on ride height)
and some resevoir shocks through the floor with a cargo area cage (cant call it a bed cage in a BII