SOA CJ5 needs softer ride

I need a softer ride for my '79 CJ5 that came with an owner fabricated SOA lift and Dodge truck D44 and Chrysler 9.25 axles. I have pretty bad back issues due to an IED attack on my last deployment. As far as I can tell it is using the stock CJ springs.

I've been researching a coilover 3 link/4link setup, but the cost and fabrication seem a bit daunting.

Seeing as the Dodge truck had SOA, and these axles are mounted that way on my CJ5 I thought about keeping the SOA. I've been reading that the YJ springs flex better (that's good) but am mostly looking for a softer ride as I have back issues.

I want the best ride I can get, and OME always get recommended, but they only make a 2.5" lift spring, and my current SOA is all the lift I need. What's the best riding YJ spring out there? Tempted to just get stock ones. If I can't get a softer ride, I'll end up doing a coilover swap that will be much more expensive.

daddyusmaximus said:

I need a softer ride for my '79 CJ5 that came with an owner fabricated SOA lift and Dodge truck D44 and Chrysler 9.25 axles. I have pretty bad back issues due to an IED attack on my last deployment. As far as I can tell it is using the stock CJ springs.

I've been researching a coilover 3 link/4link setup, but the cost and fabrication seem a bit daunting.

Seeing as the Dodge truck had SOA, and these axles are mounted that way on my CJ5 I thought about keeping the SOA. I've been reading that the YJ springs flex better (that's good) but am mostly looking for a softer ride as I have back issues.

I want the best ride I can get, and OME always get recommended, but they only make a 2.5" lift spring, and my current SOA is all the lift I need. What's the best riding YJ spring out there? Tempted to just get stock ones. If I can't get a softer ride, I'll end up doing a coilover swap that will be much more expensive.

Click to expand...

I had a SOA on my 85 CJ-7 with stock springs, it was not the softest ride, but I was in my early 20's then so....

If I remember correctly the YJ springs are a little wider up front, switching to them would be a little bit of fab work. I know some YJ guys who are putting XJ springs on the rear because they are longer, and are SOA from the factory, also will require mor fab work.

On my old CJ-7 the biggest ride improvement, other than switching to coil overs, was a shackle reversal on the front axle. More fab work, and to make mine even I had to run a longer shackle in the rear. It made the ride a bit less jarring, but not all that cushy.

I am sure I will catch some crap for this, but the best riding YJ on leafs that I remember was actually on an old teraflex lift kit, it was a mono-leaf made of fiberglass. Flexed well and interesting to see. Pretty sure it is long out of production by now.

Kinda thinking that stock YJ springs may be the ticket.