Anybody done the leaf spring over exle convertion?

[twiss]

The only time I've actually hit mine wasn't really off road at all... I was driving up a 45* concrete slope onto a flat road. Bottom of the transfer box skimmed the edge of the kerb
Luckily it didn't to much damage but it could have!

Also, regarding the springs being low.... I think it is good!

If the springs were on top you would be bashing your axle casing instead. As the springs and ubolt plate are only about 1-2" thick you won't even really gain that much clearance.
The bit you want to watch out for is the differential, and the only way to improve diff clearance is with bigger tyres, which will require either suspension lift or some bodywork

[ScottieJ]

I've hit mine and its raised well I've got the guard it's mounted in.

Unless you have body lift you need to modify the transmission tunnel and floor to be able raise it enough so that it doesn't hang below the chassis rails.

As Twiss says the diff is still the lowest thing on the axles so if you are going to ground out on anything it's the diff housing.

[donkeychomp]

I prefer the virtual lift look too, but if you really want spoa I'd advise that every inch you go upwards, you want to go as wide too. So a 2" lift you need 1" spacers or wider axles, or wider wheels.

[mike harris]

Spoa !! Yes do it !!

[timwilks13]

Ok so there is 1 fan lol, but yea spring under with a nice big anti wrap bar is the way to go!

[Anton]

To be fair, Tim, I'm not really anti SPOA, I do like my truck as it is - but I just think it'd be a bit better SPUA with the arches cut. More stable.

I really like the way it drives, especially on the road where I'm looking down on everyone except bus drivers...

[dan_2k_uk]

SPOA.
* Raises COG.
* Increases driveline angles.
* Increases bump steer if a high steer kit isn't used.
* Increases axle wrap
* Ruins castor and prop angles if not done accurately.

Staying SPUA.
* Lower COG
* Better or standard drive line angles.
* Less axle wrap
* Less bump steer
* Can still run big tyres with a virtual lift.
* Slightly less approach/departure angle unless running big tyres (SJs already have amazing approach/departure angle anyway)

[mike harris]

Spoa has many benefits as well as its issues.

Do it right and it's good.

Spoa is for cool people

[mike harris]

Spua gay amount of ground clearance.

Virtual lifts aren't the prettiest of things

Just spoa it !! Be fine

[ScottieJ]

I have more than enough ground clearance and I'm spua, there's many ways to do a virtual lift, I disagree that it looks ugly, depending how much you do it it can still look pretty much standard.

In my opinion staying spua keeps the truck more reliable, there's less stress on the propshaft UJs running at a shallower angle. You can build spua set ups just as flexy as spoa and at full droop the UJs are going to still be running at a lot less of an angle than they would be with spoa.

There's less leverage on the leaf springs making them last longer.

You can run stock steering and not have to run a sketchy Zlink or spend loads on a high steer set up that ruins the Ackerman angle.

While I agree you can make an spoa set up work well and drive fine, to do it properly it's a lot more expensive, people say spoa is cheap but to do it properly it's a lot more expensive than to build an spua Sj that is just as capable, if not more capable in certain situations.

Even in the US loads of people are going back to Spua for the extra stabitly, over in Australia all you see nowadays is built SJs still spua,, keeping it low means that you can keep your Sj narrower giving you more choice of lines and being able to squeeze through gaps taller and wider vehicles can't.