Lift questions

FatSmitty

FatSmitty

New member
I have searched and read pages on this topic on this forum and others, and have never seen a SUA front axle with lift springs and a rear axle with SOA and stock springs. Is this a practical setup? Can it be done? And would it be safe? I have a '66 800 with a 152,t90/d18. It has a d27 in front and tappered d44 in the rear. A po did a homebrew SOA on the front and rear, but did not cut/turn the front, just put the springs on top of the axle. They also butchered up the steering componants. I have a matched set of d44's from a 77 terra that is trashed and I use it for parts on my sii. I would like to put the sii d44's under the 800 using 800 springs to keep from modifying things to much. I know that I have to change up the mc and proportioning valve and such. I'm looking to run 31" to 33" tires, with out rubbing. I do not want to trim fenders. SOA in the front is out of my skills range, but I think I could do it right on the rear axle. I plan on using the rig for mostly daily driving and some week-end warrior/camping/ medium trail use. I don't want to build a rock crawler, just a mild and capable 4x4. I would appreciate any opinions, ideas, experiances, or thoughts.
Thanks,
Nevada
 
fatsmitty said:
I have searched and read pages on this topic on this forum and others, and have never seen a SUA front axle with lift springs and a rear axle with SOA and stock springs. Is this a practical setup? Can it be done? And would it be safe? I have a '66 800 with a 152,t90/d18. It has a d27 in front and tappered d44 in the rear. A po did a homebrew SOA on the front and rear, but did not cut/turn the front, just put the springs on top of the axle. They also butchered up the steering componants. I have a matched set of d44's from a 77 terra that is trashed and I use it for parts on my sii. I would like to put the sii d44's under the 800 using 800 springs to keep from modifying things to much. I know that I have to change up the mc and proportioning valve and such. I'm looking to run 31" to 33" tires, with out rubbing. I do not want to trim fenders. SOA in the front is out of my skills range, but I think I could do it right on the rear axle. I plan on using the rig for mostly daily driving and some week-end warrior/camping/ medium trail use. I don't want to build a rock crawler, just a mild and capable 4x4. I would appreciate any opinions, ideas, experiances, or thoughts.
Thanks,
Nevada
Click to expand...


First off - I don't know for a fact, but I would assume that it would take very careful planning, as well as quite a bit of experience with suspensions, to pull off what you're talking about. Second, ask yourself how much more complicated this hybrid suspension / leveling the damn thing would be, compared to taking the time to do a proper SOA both front & rear. It might be out of your skill range, and if this was your only vehicle I'd understand not wanting to attempt it, but... It could be a learning experience if you had the time. Not to mention you make it sound like it's broke, so I'm all for encouraging you to slow your pace at the moment, and let opportunity allow you to properly fix it.

Not trying to be a smartass or anything, it just seems like a lot of trouble for what might be poor results (given the different suspension interaction) and I hate to think of a person putting in time and not ending up pleased with the product. Btdt myself, and I realize "it's never finished!" but this might be an area where the full, synchronized conversion of both axles would pay off long-term.


Someone else will chime in with more helpful information, this is just my $0.02.
 
That was pretty common years ago. People would use the stock springs in the rear and a 4" leaf up front with huge reverse shackle fangs hanging down to give it th e little extra lift it needed to match the rear.
 
It was a 90's sort of thing. I had my rig set up that way a long time ago. It won't beat a properly set up SOA.
 
kyleandhisih said:
first off - I don't know for a fact, but I would assume that it would take very careful planning, as well as quite a bit of experience with suspensions, to pull off what you're talking about. Second, ask yourself how much more complicated this hybrid suspension / leveling the damn thing would be, compared to taking the time to do a proper SOA both front & rear. It might be out of your skill range, and if this was your only vehicle I'd understand not wanting to attempt it, but... It could be a learning experience if you had the time. Not to mention you make it sound like it's broke, so I'm all for encouraging you to slow your pace at the moment, and let opportunity allow you to properly fix it.

Not trying to be a smartass or anything, it just seems like a lot of trouble for what might be poor results (given the different suspension interaction) and I hate to think of a person putting in time and not ending up pleased with the product. Btdt myself, and I realize "it's never finished!" but this might be an area where the full, synchronized conversion of both axles would pay off long-term.


Someone else will chime in with more helpful information, this is just my $0.02.
Click to expand...

It is actualy super easy to set up.
 
Thanks for the responses. I wondered about getting it to level out right myself. Keep the responses coming positive or negative. What do you guys think about the CPT long travel suspension kit in front and SOA with stock springs in the rear?
Thanks,
Nevada
 
Cool, this has been driving me nuts trying to figure this out with what I have allready. I really dig this forum and being able to throw stuff out there with out getting flamed. It seems like guys just want to throw SOA out there because it's popular. I read a lot about it, and it just doesn't seem like a "cheap" lift to me. Maybe one day I May change my mind, but going this route will allow for that without haveing wasted money on things. The gurus in my part of the country all live down south and to far away for working parties. The guys here in my neck of the woods (non IH orientated) just say SOA, and I don't think they truely understand what that involves. Thanks a bunch for all the input!
Nevada
 
fatsmitty said:
I have searched and read pages on this topic on this forum and others, and have never seen a SUA front axle with lift springs and a rear axle with SOA and stock springs. Is this a practical setup? Can it be done? And would it be safe?
Click to expand...

I ran my old '78 that way for many years. It was both my daily driver, and I flogged it offroad on the weekends. It was safe, and worked well.

I had Skyjacker 4" springs up front, with slightly longer shackles (about an inch longer than stock I think), and ran stock leaves SOA in the back with stock shackles. The back sat about an inch or two higher unloaded, and was nearly perfectly level with a full load of cooler/tools, etc in the bed. I wouldn't hesitate to do it again, although a properly executed full SOA is probably better, though the front end is where all the work is on an SOA.
 
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