How to: $32 Spring Over Axle Conversion - SOA

[Dannyboy]

yup, if it was not there I'm not sure how well the u-bolt plate would sit as it could possibly shift, if you do it like I did there was no real reason to grind it off..

 

[BlueStreak94]

yeah. makes sense

 

[red.EDDIE.4x4]

not sure if this has already been answered...but in dannys first pics are those stock leafs?
and would this work with a rough country 4 inch rear shocks?
oh and what did danny use for the front lift on his SOA conversion?

 

[Dannyboy]

yup, those are stock leaf springs. I used shocks for a 2.5" rancho lift and used the stock mounting plates so the 4" would be even better.

My front end first was a mix and match but basically a skyjacker 6" lift and then went to a coil sprung Dana 44.

 

[djmillett]

I used a 4" lift for the front with my SOA. With the 4" the back is a little higher but with a 6" the front would be higher.

 

[red.EDDIE.4x4]

so is there a way to make a 4 inch lift work in the front? or would you just have to buy 5 or 5.5 inch coils?

 

[Dannyboy]

that would work, your front would just sit lower. I started like that 4" lift, 3" body lift spring over axle, 32's.

 

[Mud4Life]

Little bump lol

Quick question, seeing as how a 4" lift would leave my front end lower with an SOA. Could I just use some F150 coil seats for another 1 1/2 lift? Would I still be able to get my front end aligned?

 

[djmillett]

Little bump lol

Quick question, seeing as how a 4" lift would leave my front end lower with an SOA. Could I just use some F150 coil seats for another 1 1/2 lift? Would I still be able to get my front end aligned?

I'm no expert but from what I understand the 4" pretty much maxes things out so you would have a problem aligning the front. If I remember right you would also need a different drop pitman to go more than 4".

You would need to go with a 5" or 5.5" lift to level it out or some people have done a body left and staggered it so there is 0" lift in back and 2" in front.

 

[Dannyboy]

Little bump lol

Quick question, seeing as how a 4" lift would leave my front end lower with an SOA. Could I just use some F150 coil seats for another 1 1/2 lift? Would I still be able to get my front end aligned?

Actually you should be fine with a 4" drop bracket lift, 4" lift coils and F150 seats. I actually ran a 6" coil with F150 seats from the 4" drop position on the skyjacker drop brackets. The 6" position just seemed too low and didn't want to align on my truck.

 

[austinnelson117]

quick question dannyboy, is there any welding involved? My bosses friend was willing to help me with this but said i would have to weld on the perches but he wanted me to pay a hefty sum.

 

[lifeguard379]

yes there is welding.

unless you buy the super lift soa bracket.

 

[Mud4Life]

How well do those brackets work? I'm thinking of buying a set because then I don't need to weld + screw around with pinion angles... But I heard they break unless you reinforce / gusset them?

 

[red.EDDIE.4x4]

quick question dannyboy, is there any welding involved? My bosses friend was willing to help me with this but said i would have to weld on the perches but he wanted me to pay a hefty sum.

to me...it sounds like a good excuse to buy a welder!

 

[Dannyboy]

pinion angle isn't really an issue, just make sure the front of the perch and rear of the perch are the same distance from eachother on the top & bottom.

I made a highly sofisticated diagram to explain that you can see below. remember from math class, x=x !

Now if you didn't weld, the perches would shift, but you could bolt it all together and drive very gently to a garage or fab shop I would think they should charge you more than $30-50 to lay a few bead on the perches.

 

[chad551]

Here is how I did mine.. Hope this helps a little.

First clean the area where the new perches will be mounted.

Set in place.

Get the bottom perches at zero degrees. You will need a jack to place under the axle to rotate it.

Get new perch at zero degrees

Burn it on..

 

[austinnelson117]

Is there any specific type of welder i would need? Also, how hard would it be because i have no experience with welding

 

[Dannyboy]

Is there any specific type of welder i would need? Also, how hard would it be because i have no experience with welding

Then go weld up some lawn ornaments to display in your yard to learn, not a 4,000 lbs truck that could lose control when the driveline shifts because you have no idea what you are doing. it may be urban legend, but a driveshaft can pull out and act like a pole vault.

 

[austinnelson117]

Then go weld up some lawn ornaments to display in your yard to learn, not a 4,000 lbs truck that could lose control when the driveline shifts because you have no idea what you are doing. it may be urban legend, but a driveshaft can pull out and act like a pole vault.

lol ok. so would any type of welder work?

 

[Dannyboy]

lol ok. so would any type of welder work?

Sure, use a Flux or JB.