Suspension

[The Bird Man]

Some of you may know by now that I'm slowing building my SJ back together, it's now at the point where it's drive-able so I took it for a little test drive down my lane and a dirt track. I know SJ's were never built for comfort nor are you going to get a car comfy SJ without spending some serious dosh, but I would like to enhance it just so it's more comfortable. My current springs are completely stock and have seen better days, they will need changing at some point. Been wondering what the best route to go down is. I do like the idea of YJ's but 1. How much would the full set up cost if I were to do the work myself ? And 2. Where can I source a set of them ? Any advice would be greatly appreciated

[ferris]

If you can fabricate all the brackets yourself then it will just cost you the price of the springs, and maybe some longer brake lines and shocks.
Getting hold of a set of springs can be quite difficult. You can get a new set but they cost around £450. Second hand sets dont come up very often but if you keep your eyes open they do pop up now and then. I'v managed to get hold of two sets, the first set were nearly new and cost me £300 and the second set i got for £150 so the prices vary.

[Jordi]

I paid £180 for YJ springs.

[The Bird Man]

How much does the ride improve once converted to YJ's ? Like on a scale of 1-10 I want to make sure It's deffo worth the expense and effort

[ScottieJ]

It is a big difference but needs to be combined with some decent shocks for the best results.

Tbh I would compare the ride in mine to a jimny......maybe even better than a jimny.

My conversion pretty much just cost me the price of the springs and some steel plate to make all the mounts and new spring plates with. I already had the longer shocks and extended brake lines that are needed.

There is quite a bit of fabrication involved in the conversion if you are doing it yourself.

[The Bird Man]

Really that much ay :o Well, sounds like it's deffo the way to go then What shocks are you running Scottie ? I know it's probably on this forum somewhere Brake lines are no problem, there's a place near me which makes them up to what ever size you want I'm hoping to do that fabricating myself, it's something I would like to do more of.

[The Bird Man]

Just had a scan on Ebay for some, just in case my luck was in But as I expected there were non but I did come across some anus Cherokee leafs, I mention it to a pal and he said someone he know said that they work too. Has anyone heard of this also ? Do you differ much to the YJ's ?

[trotter]

Look for ladamans build thread if i remember right he's using navarra springs on the rear. As for yj springs try local scrap yards they are quite rare but they do come up now for sale now and then.. Like ferris said price varies between £150 and £400 for a set of yj springs.

I cheated with mine and bought a conversion kit, from http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com the trail tough yj kit with missing link front shackles. Its not cheap but its a well made bolt on kit, (i had a couple of issue's with it that needes looking at, keep am eye out for when i get my build thread updated)then after fitting it best thing to do is flex it up to get measurements for longer brake lines and shocks.

[ScottieJ]

Cherokee springs are quite a bit longer than YJs so I wouldn't use them myself and they won't work with a YJ conversion kit. Would be an option if you were running big tyres though, YJs reduce your approach and departure angle with small tyres as it is, Cherokee springs would be even worse.

I'm just running some KYB gas astra shocks at the moment, but they are a bit to firm on the back because there isn't much weight.