More Flex Please!!!!

[chris486372]

Does anyone know how I can get a little more flex out of my cj-7 i am running a 4" lift and 31's getting ready to up grade to 33's and I was looking at some longer shackles or some revolver shackles does any one know if the revolver shackles are worth $200??????? :confused:

[D4x4Fish]

To get more flex you need to find out whats not flexing. Last weekend at work I used a forklift to lift the my Jeep up. My front tires stuff nice. Tire goes all the way inside, my TJ flares should take care of any interference. My shocks are going to have to be longer when I do my shackle reversle and buggy spring. My problem child is in the backend. My springs no-flexy vary well. I will be doing a springover when my new axles are complete. When I get my YJ springs I'll try them.



I wish I would have asked the question about the buggy spring hear before I bought the kit. With the shackle reversle and buggy spring when my front axle drops down so will my pinion angle. The revoler shackles in the front when it drops down the pinion angle stays the same.


I personally will not be putting a revolver in the backend, I have read alot about the shackle unloading when doing down a steep hill. (no way to lock them out) Rick runs a "Nth Degree Mobility's ZigZag"
http://myjeeprocks.com/feature/nthdegree_zigzag.php
some pix of the flex he gets is impressive. Check out "Nailer341" posts http://pierviews.com/photogallery/na...er%20gulch.htm I'm sure Rick will answer any question you might have on the NthDegree setup.


My 2bits

[chris486372]

so if i use the revolvers on the front will they unload going up hill??

[chris486372]

It looks like my back axle doesn't flex as well but both axles tuck my 31's nice maybe my shocks are limiting my alittle since I took my sway bar off

[D4x4Fish]

so if i use the revolvers on the front will they unload going up hill??

not sure. I never have read or heard anything about that. Good question. With the buggy spring I'm going to build in a lock out.

[chris486372]

Can I run the Nth Degree setup with revolvers or will I even need revolvers?

[sarah]

Here's a link to the zigzag since Rick probably won't be on to comment until tonite. Tell them you saw it on MJR! http://www.nthdegreemobility.com/zig-zag.htm

[D4x4Fish]

If I had not a bought my buggy spring kit, I would had gone with revolvers in the front and the Nth Degree in the back. But keep in mind that if you go with either you will need to repalce the driveshaft. Because of the increased travel in the supension the driveshaft splines will need to be longer. You dont want to get all flexed out and pull your driveshaft apart.


On the otherside of the coin a good set of springs goes along way. The front CJ spring in 2" wide where as the YJ spring is 2 1/2" wide, allowing for more flex. Looking at some of the pictures posted here on the message board, Nailer341 runs with a 4" spring lift, I think, and is pretty impressive. Just out his web site.

[rick]

The Zig-Zag replaces the shackles altogether. You no longer have a shackle in the traditional sense. The cross bar totally elminates that funny shifting you get when the shackles flop going around a corner. The rear of the jeep feels planted now. I discovered that my shocks (Rancho 5116's - 24" extended) were still limiting my flex in the rear. The main problem is not the shock length (although that could be part of problem), but rather the orientation of the shock bushings. My rear lower shock mounts are weld on brackets on the axle, which puts the bolt through the bushing parallel with the axle. This means that when the axle droops, the bushing has to deflect as many degrees as the axle drops from horizontal. This is actually limiting the droop beyond about ~30 degrees. I'm in the process of relocating the shock mounts so the bushings are oriented on the centerline of the vehicle (by just welding a bolt on the front of the axle tube) so that when the axle droops, the shock bushing has no effect on the axle travel. I'm also going with some longer shocks in the process and making a new upper shock mount that spans between the frame rails. I'll put some pics up when I get it done. The Zig-Zag will make many problems apparent because when it separates, there is absolutely nothing in the suspension to prevent the axle from drooping. My ebrake lines ripped out of the brackets, the rear brake line is stretched a bit, and my diff cover "self clearanced" the gas tank skid after I put the Zig-Zag on. I think once I get all the kinks worked out, it's gonna have some crazy flex. You also have to have a spring that can compress fully... so work out the basics first and then think about the Zig-Zag. If you don't do the Zig-Zag, then you should definitely have longer shackles if running a 4" lift spring. The high arch of the taller springs mean that the spring has to have room to grow much longer than a stock spring when it compresses. This is the main purpose of a longer shackle, not just to gain a little lift.

:shades:
rick

[igofshn]

RE springs seem to be the best. I would look into them first.