NOTAJP goes solid 1st gen. leaves

Time to join the club. It took me almost two months to complete my project due to lag time of receiving parts, receiving the wrong parts, spending many hours at work (still at war) and tools breaking down. All were under warrenty but still... If it could go wrong, it did. Something always goes wrong with any project. I have built many rigs in the past but this SAS was the worst of my luck. Once everything was here the project went very well. So far this thing drives, tracks, and feels great. Tomorrow hopefully I'll get it out on the highway.
Here's some of the hi-lights:

Rear axle:
8.8 with 4.56 grears and Detroit locker
SOA with AAL and Rancho RS9154 shocks
ProCompStainless steel brake lines
Comming soon: Disc brakes, OME 2" springs

Front axle:
Moved forward two inches.
Dana 30 HP with 4.56 grears, open carrier
Posi-lock cable axle disconnect
SOA with Rubicon Express 1.5" leaf springs, Bomerang shackles, F250 shock towers, and RS9012 shocks.
M.O.R.E. hi-steer cross over steering with heim joints
Rancho Steering stabilizer
ProComp Stainless steel brakes lines moved for more axle drop
Comming soon: Warn alloy shafts and hubs, ARB or Ox locker

Body:
Unlimited Products fiberglass cowl induction hood
Hannamen front fiberglass fenders
Baja Concepts rear fiberglass fenders
James Duff pre-runner winch bumper, Warn XD9000i winch
Comming soon: fiberglass rollpan, CRL customs rear bumper, and paint!

Interior:
JVC EL Calmelion Head Unit, Pioneer three ways up front and two ways in the rear
Uniden Classic CB
Flame gauges

Drivetrain:
stock 4.0L, 5 speed, BW 1354 all with 150k miles, one new clutch @ 100k
KKM True Rev Intake, Helix throttle body spacer, Jacobs Ignition and wires
200amp alternator, Optima Battery
17x10 American Racing Atlas polished wheels
315/70R17 (35x12.50R17) BFG All-Terrain tires. They measure a true 35" tall!
Comming soon: Center Force Duel Friction clutch, Custom front and rear driveshafts

All work was accomplished by myself

Who says you can't flex out leaf springs. I have 12.5" of wheel travel. You can see it in the pics. I started measuring for shocks on a 19* ramp. That wasn't enough (the rear tires came up the ramp before the front stoped flexing )so I used a fork lift.If I were to change anything, (and I will) I'll change the rear spring hangers. That is my binding point with the shackles. I could get a lot more flex out of those springs with different shackles and mounts. Then the price of 14" travel shocks more than tripple! maybe later...

You can check out some of the SAS build up pics in my gallery. Here's a few for starters:


Front spring hangers:

Rear spring hangers:

Steering and axle:

 

[Redrig]

you guys make me so jealous!!!! good job.

 

[NOTAJP]

Please forgive the poor quality pics

Here's she sits level:

19 degree ramp

On forklift:

Left front:

Rear stuff:

 

[NOTAJP]

Originally posted by redrig
you guys make me so jealous!!!! good job.

Thank you.
Just takes time and $$$. Bring yours over, I'm ready to do another one.

 

[Redrig]

now you gotta rub it in some more

Bring yours over, I'm ready to do another one.

im on my way. those pics are awsesome

 

[AlaskanJack]

I don't understand why go SOA in front? Help me understand why you chose this option over going like a coilover front setup.

 

[NOTAJP]

Originally posted by AlaskanJack
I don't understand why go SOA in front? Help me understand why you chose this option over going like a coilover front setup.

Because I can. haha. No seriously, I'm a believer that leaf springs have a lot of potential. Simplicity is the key. Almost as much flex could be achieved with leafs as coil-overs. Cost is a major factor. The coil-over price is $500/per shock. Then the engineering factor is multiplied by several. Leaf spring suspension is tried and true. There was an article in Peterson's 4Wheel and off-road a few months back that went into this debate in detail. CoryL and I have gone rounds with this issue also. I believe coilovers are trendy and over rated for most of us daily-driven blue-colar working 4x junkies. That's not to say I'm not impressed by any rig that is set up properly.

This setup should keep up with the likes of JoshC and Taxxman, which both have coils. I've enjoyed my work and would do it again in a heartbeat. I would like to work on building a coilover setup, think that would be fun and I have plenty of ideas for future use.

Well Kurt, either I've enriched your knowledge or pissed of a bunch of people. I'd better get off my soap box before I get shot. Let the bashings begin.

Edit: I've changed my wording as to not sound so cranky.

 

[NOTAJP]

Forgot to add this pic for above. Here on the forklift, you can see that the hub is level with the bottom of the body (pinch weld). The right front leaf spring is perfectly flat so I won't have to worry about breaking any leafs. The left front (as seen above) isn't even fanned out all the way so I think if I play with the shackles just a little bit I can get more drop.

 

[Derrick C.]

Well we already talked through PMs about your swap but damn man I can't get enough. Useing leafs up front and spring over is a very simple, cheap, and a very cool way to go. Although I do agree with you on coil-overs are just a trend and over rated, I think its hard to match that kinda travel out of a leaf set-up. Just my.02.

Boy I hope you were just cranky at 2am. You started one hell of a war. I'll keep checkin and you have my number if you need me to smack some heads together.

Just one more thing......when my secret axles get here(don't know when) I want your help. I'll provide beer or pop and food.

 

[TravisC]

Great job! It looks awesome. If you want to go with leafs, more power to you. I'm not hating on anyone's rig that's got a SAS, if it works it works.

 

[GJarrett]

Originally posted by NOTAJP
The left front (as seen above) isn't even fanned out all the way so I think if I play with the shackles just a little bit I can get more drop.

I cannot tell for sure, but in one of your photos it looks like you still have leaf clamps holding your front spring packs together. Simply remove the clamps and you'll get a lot more droop. To take the place of the clamp, weld a square 2 1/2" u-bolt to the bottom flat leaf with the tines pointing up to provide a channel for the other leafs to stay inside and that will prevent them from rotating out of place.

 

[Trckmagik]

Looks great Notajp. Exactly what part did you order from M.O.R.E? I am still needing the steering corrected on my Daily driver. Keep the pics coming.

 

[JoshC]

Looks good man, glad to hear you got it on the road

So when does she see the off road?

Originally posted by NOTAJP
I really don't want to step on any toes but my pictures prove that I have just as much, it not more flex then Taxxman and JoshC.

No toes stepped on here....to each his own. I'm not a huge leaf fan, and i had the change to get the coils done for a good price so i did. I'm anxious to see some flex pictures off road, maybe help us compare it a little bit more.

Maybe we could do some measureing and see how much each setup flexes??

Those tires look tiny cause you have 17 wheels. It's funny cause you don't normally see 17s off road, at least on an explorer! But good job man!

 

[AlaskanJack]

Well I didn't think any bashing was going to happen. I just wanted to understand better. I just saw a 2dr sport with a ghetto SAS. He had coils the last time I saw it and when I passed him the other day I was surprised to see Leaf Springs now above the axle in front.

 

[NOTAJP]

Originally posted by Derrick C.
... Although I do agree with you on coil-overs are just a trend and over rated, I think its hard to match that kinda travel out of a leaf set-up. Just my.02.

Boy I hope you were just cranky at 2am. You started one hell of a war. ...
Just one more thing......when my secret axles get here(don't know when) I want your help. I'll provide beer or pop and food.

Haha! First I do apologize for being posting at 2am. I didn't mean to sound cranky. Coil-overs have their place: Rock Buggies and desert champions use the hell out of them. I just don't think the cost and engineering is worth it to this dumb ass. You know I'll come down there anytime.

 

[NOTAJP]

Originally posted by GJarrett
I cannot tell for sure, but in one of your photos it looks like you still have leaf clamps holding your front spring packs together. Simply remove the clamps and you'll get a lot more droop. To take the place of the clamp, weld a square 2 1/2" u-bolt to the bottom flat leaf with the tines pointing up to provide a channel for the other leafs to stay inside and that will prevent them from rotating out of place.

The clamps are still on the leaf packs but they have free space above the pack just as you mentioned. So the top of the clamp never touches the top leaf. I hope that made sense.

 

[NOTAJP]

Originally posted by Trckmagik
Looks great Notajp. Exactly what part did you order from M.O.R.E? I am still needing the steering corrected on my Daily driver. Keep the pics coming.

Trckmagik, thank you. You were a big inspiration for me. I used their steering correction kit (part #9930Z) but added one more bracket on top to get a better angle. Thanks to the help from my buddy at Comp 4x4 down in Utah for the ideas. The steering is great. I'm very happy with the investment. I'll get some better pics of the steering for you.

 

[NOTAJP]

Originally posted by JoshC
So when does she see the off road?

No toes stepped on here....to each his own.

Those tires look tiny cause you have 17 wheels. It's funny cause you don't normally see 17s off road, at least on an explorer! But good job man!

Thanks Josh. I really don't want to offend anybody, especially you being one of the pioneers to SAS. I do like the coils and loved them on my TJ.

Hopefully today I'll get it off road on my way to work, that's if my shocks get here this morning.

I know, those 17s are huge! That was the only draw back. I do like them because it is different. They drive so nice @ 75mph and don't track as bad as 15" rims do. My neighbor has 35x15s on his Chevy(cough) and I had to park next to him to show the height. I'll get some more measurements soon.

 

[NOTAJP]

Originally posted by AlaskanJack
Well I didn't think any bashing was going to happen. I just wanted to understand better. I just saw a 2dr sport with a ghetto SAS. He had coils the last time I saw it and when I passed him the other day I was surprised to see Leaf Springs now above the axle in front.

I thought I might get a little for downing the coil-overs. I think the easiest swap would be an EB setup. I would have done it in a heartbeat like we did on my Father-in-laws Bronco II, but I could envision more flex with leafs and I wanted the HP D30. We had just bought the 17x10 rims (third set in a year) and my wife was not happy about buying another set already.

 

[AlaskanJack]

We had just bought the 17x10 rims (third set in a year) and my wife was not happy about buying another set already.

Yikes I bet, mine would've killed me. She is already asking about the set of 32x11.5's sitting in the garage. I bought them off my buddy after we lifted his Ex and he got some used 33's and rockcrawler rims 15x8.

The tires go with the 2" lift coils, skyjacker steering stabilizer, dual front shocks, rear LS carrier and front 3rd member with 3.73's, limited grill, clear corners and wheel spacers for my semi stock 93 Sport that is awaiting a tranny transplant. I still need to pick up an AAL and Warrior shackles for it. She gasped at that. It isn't even running yet! Why buy stuff for it? "Cause when it does get the tranny in I want to ride in style!" *snicker, snicker

Most of the items I have been collecting for a while even before the tranny and t-case went.