How to: $32 Spring Over Axle Conversion - SOA

[FROADER]

$33.00 here, but they're the right size.

http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/spring-perches-antiwrap-c-14.html

 

[dylan_133]

how much is it to lift the front end? and what does that involve?

 

[Dannyboy]

For all the guys who have asked to lift the front, you need to search other threads.

Spring over axle is very popular and the exact same for 1st gen (91-94) and 2nd gen (95-01). 1st gen needs a TTB lift and a 2nd gen needs an IFS lift of some sort. You can go solid axle on either year but that is pretty involved. The front lift involves a kit with drop down brackets on either year and is expensive. Probably the cheapest thing I've seen guys do is a 2" coil spacer or adjust their torsion bars and then slope a body lift to be 3" in the front down to stock in the rear to level the truck out. Search for those key words in you will find trucks set up like this.

*edit-2wd trucks can also add a longer spindle to raise the front.

 

[steelo1]

Umm don't know if I'm in the right place here but what about coil over leaf (rear obviously), anyone done it & hows the ride/lift.
Thanks
Steelo

 

[184baller]

what would happen if you did it with out the perche

 

[Dannyboy]

what would happen if you did it with out the perche

it would work about as good as this

 

[Jzop]

hey danny, wouldn't replacing the spindles from stock to 2 or 3in in the front help out with leveling out. especially for those with BLs already who still want some more lift using the SOA

 

[Dannyboy]

hey danny, wouldn't replacing the spindles from stock to 2 or 3in in the front help out with leveling out. especially for those with BLs already who still want some more lift using the SOA

Yup, I've always owned 4wd trucks so I forgot that one, I'll update my posts.

 

[djmillett]

Anyone have problems with the driveline after doing a soa? Just finishing an soa on my '91 and it is looking like I need a longer driveline.

 

[FROADER]

Anyone have problems with the driveline after doing a soa? Just finishing an soa on my '91 and it is looking like I need a longer driveline.

Unfortunately over the years we have noticed that some trucks need it and some don't. It's kind of a crap shoot whether you will or not.

 

[djmillett]

Unfortunately over the years we have noticed that some trucks need it and some don't. It's kind of a crap shoot whether you will or not.

Is there a driveline that bolts in from another vechile? Or is it a little more complex?

 

[FROADER]

Nothing that I know of bolts in to fit the needed extra length. I would take it to a driveline shop and have them lengthen the stock shaft.

 

[Dannyboy]

Even if it works, you risk twisting your splines because instead of 2" of spline being in the slip yoke, you only have 3/4 to 1" of spline. All the force is applied to that. I slipped mine out twice, once hitting the brakes hard on the street, once wheel hopping on the trail.
I definitely recommend lengthening it on the street or for off road use.

 

[fordpower1989]

ok so i have a 99 sport with a leveling kit. its got the IFS in front with torsion bars and 8.8 in back with leveling kit. I am lookin into doin an SOA in the back and a torsion lift in the front how high can i crank the torsion bars?, i dont know much about this how much lift would this give front and back? also i have 30x9.5x15 tires would these be fine for daily driving and very light wheelin as i cannot afford new tires now. I need new upper ball joints in front would a torsion lift do more damage to those? thanks for readin guys hope to hear ur advice

 

[BlueStreak94]

i've got a 4" tuff country lift on my 94. its got the add a leaves in the rear but the back end still sags down about an inch and a half. can i take out the add a leaves and just do the SOA to pick my back end up to match the front? also with the 4" up front do i need to worry about extending my driveline?

 

[Dannyboy]

front driveline should be good to go, I'd lose the add-a-leaf and go SAS if you think the back is too low.

rear as mentioned before may not need to be lengthened but it's likely that you will have less of the slip yoke together putting more stress on the splines.

 

[BlueStreak94]

gotcha. however i do have longer shocks than stock with my 4" lift. is there anywhere i can mount them besides the sway bar bracket or am i pretty much gonna have to lose my rear sway bar? not that i care losin it, just wonderin.

 

[djmillett]

gotcha. however i do have longer shocks than stock with my 4" lift. is there anywhere i can mount them besides the sway bar bracket or am i pretty much gonna have to lose my rear sway bar? not that i care losin it, just wonderin.

From my own experience you will be less likely to have to lengthen your driveline if you do the SOA just like dannyboy shows in his first post with the shocks mounted basicly in the original location. In this case you should be able to use your current longer shocks. You can then keep your sway bar but will have to find a way to modify it.

 

[Dannyboy]

I drove my 94 every day and didn't notice any loss of handling by getting rid of the rear sway bar, my original theory of keeping the shocks on the stock plate worked well with just the rancho 2.5" lift shocks even with the 5-6" gained.

 

[BlueStreak94]

I can't tell from your pic danny, but i'm guessin that you just left your original spring perch under the axle in place and just sandwiched it between the axle tube and the shock mount?