Rear springs your thoughts

W3CSX · **Posted:** Wed Aug 30, 2006 10:49 am

I'm debating the rear lift on my Jeep. I have been running a CRD Frankenlift since December. The OME coils are just too short IMAO. I added an extra upper spring pad about three months ago. Which keeps the rear just barely above the front. By the time I load up the cargo area for a trail ride (tools, cooler, recovery equipment etc.) the rear sits lower than the front, just when I need it the most.

I think the logical answer is to get taller springs. But not sure which ones to look at. What do you think will give me taller height? Right know I'm thinking Rusty’s or Skyjacker. Any opinions or thoughts?

Thanks

Jason

spoonplugger1 · **Posted:** Wed Aug 30, 2006 11:23 am

Just taller springs won't help, as if you keep everything the same a longer spring is a softer spring. You'll have to engineer a longer higher weight rate spring to get what your looking for. I don't know if anyone makes a heavier spring than the OME heavy spring. You may not have the heavy spring out back, Heather (ALL J) or somone else may pipe up with the info.

BJ'naKJ · **Posted:** Wed Aug 30, 2006 4:26 pm

I'm in the process of lifting my '06 CRD and have installed the OME HD springs in the back. It now sits a full 3" higher than it did with stock springs.
Did you use the HD version of OME?

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Wed Aug 30, 2006 4:52 pm

They did use the skyjacker springs with the franken lift. Wonder why they stopped? I dont know if they are taller or not?

I also have the OME HD rear springs. They have settled down to around 2.25in of lift. :wink:

DaveKJ02 · **Posted:** Wed Aug 30, 2006 5:07 pm

Why dont you talk to Al. He's run so many springs he may know one that may work. Maybe your fat CRD could run the Jeff Daniels adjustable plate to raise the rear a bit more than the "2.5" OME's give with a 4" LJ spring and the plate to realign the pinion?? Then when you sag-you'll be level!

jason thompson · **Posted:** Wed Aug 30, 2006 5:56 pm

sky jacker spring are very soft
if you put a taller spring with less duty rating it will still sag if you put in a heavy spring with no weight it will ride like crap
what I had to do to my TJ w/skyjacker springs is load all my tools and "stuff" in it then order the right spacer wich was 3/4"
but now if I take my "stuff" out I look like a dummy cause my rear is 3/4" higher than my front

that being said I would go with say a med. duty OME spring and make it level with what you will haul on a daily basis but I would not try to make it level with a bunch of stuff in the back cause at some point it will look funny or ride real bad
I would also ask my self of the stuff I am bringing out with me how much do I need?
another thing that will help if you have a roof basket is to put the spare tire up there and all the way to the front that should put it in the middle and not all the way back

FreedomKJ · **Posted:** Wed Aug 30, 2006 6:57 pm

Jason: You may want to look into air helper springs.

W3CSX · **Posted:** Wed Aug 30, 2006 7:21 pm

What I have now is the HD OME coils. These springs only provide 1.5" of lift. Not as tall as the others are rated. When we put them in I was just under 1.5" of extra clearance w/o any weight in the jeep. 8-9mo down the road I'm looking at more like 1" over stock with the extra spring pad.

Davekj02 can attest my "FAT CRD" as he calls it. Was sitting 1" or so, lower in the back than up front at the lift party. Granted this was with all the tools, space heaters etc. I had in the rear. But, this was strait out if the box.

I would like to see the rear at least 1" higher or so out back. This is why I thought the longer springs might do the trick.

Jason

jason thompson · **Posted:** Wed Aug 30, 2006 9:36 pm

W3CSX wrote:

What I have now is the HD OME coils. These springs only provide 1.5" of lift. Not as tall as the others are rated. When we put them in I was just under 1.5" of extra clearance w/o any weight in the jeep. 8-9mo down the road I'm looking at more like 1" over stock with the extra spring pad.

Davekj02 can attest my "FAT CRD" as he calls it. Was sitting 1" or so, lower in the back than up front at the lift party. Granted this was with all the tools, space heaters etc. I had in the rear. But, this was strait out if the box.

I would like to see the rear at least 1" higher or so out back. This is why I thought the longer springs might do the trick.

Jason

longer sorings will be fine if you dont mind the rear a lot higher than the front on your daily drive
I am not a spring tech but I do know that most springs are variable rate meaning that the first 3/4-1" is softer than the rest of the spring
try removing your spare and see how much it goes up

Also has any body weighed a crd on a certified scale? and more importantly has any body weighed the front and back?
I would be willing to bet that the rear is very close to the same as a gas KJ
I will post up the weights I get because now I am wandering about it my self.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Wed Aug 30, 2006 9:54 pm

Jason is right about the "variable rate meaning that the first 3/4-1" is softer than the rest of the spring." :wink:

Ive read about that on OMEs' website.

jason thompson · **Posted:** Wed Aug 30, 2006 10:29 pm

Jeepjeepster wrote:

Jason is right about the "variable rate meaning that the first 3/4-1" is softer than the rest of the spring." :wink:

Ive read about that on OMEs' website.

Ya see some times I dont make this stuff up

but some times :twisted:

W3CSX · **Posted:** Fri Sep 01, 2006 12:23 pm

bump

Im looking for more Skyjacker Vs Rusty's type coments here.

thanks
Jason

spoonplugger1 · **Posted:** Fri Sep 01, 2006 12:47 pm

I know the Firestone leveling air bags have been used on the KJ with good results, it was an inexpensive quick fix if I remember correctly. There was a tutorial with pics somewhere I saw, they just add the bags as they changed to rear springs out on the lift. If I remember right one reason All J moved to OME in the back was availability of parts when he needed them.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Fri Sep 01, 2006 2:11 pm

spoonplugger1 wrote:

I know the Firestone leveling air bags have been used on the KJ with good results, it was an inexpensive quick fix if I remember correctly. There was a tutorial with pics somewhere I saw, they just add the bags as they changed to rear springs out on the lift. If I remember right one reason All J moved to OME in the back was availability of parts when he needed them.

Wow, I would love to see that tutorial! I never heard of anyone using them on a kj?

Eddo · **Joined:** Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:01 pm **Posts:** 1214

Jeepjeepster wrote:

spoonplugger1 wrote:

I know the Firestone leveling air bags have been used on the KJ with good results, it was an inexpensive quick fix if I remember correctly. There was a tutorial with pics somewhere I saw, they just add the bags as they changed to rear springs out on the lift. If I remember right one reason All J moved to OME in the back was availability of parts when he needed them.

Wow, I would love to see that tutorial! I never heard of anyone using them on a kj?

http://www.suspensionconnection.com/cgi ... 4146J.html

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Fri Sep 01, 2006 4:02 pm

Thanks eddo! I must say that is really cool! I always thought that setup cost much more than that. Even with the price of the compressor($190) its a really good deal. The libby seems to handle weight really well, but that would work great on our Grand cherokee! It sags something awful with the least bit of weight. . :roll:

Troysterr · **Posted:** Fri Sep 01, 2006 8:03 pm

That is pretty sweet.

Pardon my ignorance, but is the compressor necessary, or just a convenience? I get the impression from the ad that the air bags can be inflated using a regular air pump or compressor, if you don't mind doing it from outside the vehicle.

chefdab · **Posted:** Fri Sep 01, 2006 8:31 pm

Shame he hasn't posted here in a while, but I know that Speleorelic had those helper air bags for when he tows his pop-up trailer. I assisted in the install up at big Al's garage last year. He used Al's compressor to inflate them initially but the set up he used was to have the valve for the helper spring located just below the license plate on the lower lip of the bumper. This way he could use a hand pump or the hose at the gas station if he needed to top them off down the road.

Rear springs your thoughts

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