Links are for Legos. Four links, three links...whatever. Leaf springs are where it is at and real men know it too.

OK....just kidding of course, but for Project Blue Oval YJ, which came from the factory with long ol' skinny pieces of spring steel holding things up, keeping it simple and easy meant retaining the leaf spring set-up that Chrysler Corp. in it's wisdom bestowed on the YJs. Leaf springs are easy to understand, simple to modify, and have been getting the job done on 4x4s for quite some time.

Of course, a well designed multi link suspension will out perform a leaf set-up, especially if high horsepower and really big tires are put into play. But a poorly designed link system will under perform a well built leaf sprung Jeep. Do you really want to know what anti-squat, roll center, etc. is? Well you may need to hit the books or rely on someone who knows their stuff before you head down the multi link path.

Of course, even leaf springs can involve lots of decisions and may require quite a bit of modifications to frame and bracketry. For instance, should I go to a longer leaf spring than stock? This can yield many benefits including a softer ride and more flex. How about a spring with the same length but an offset center pin for extra wheelbase without cutting and grinding? Or, should I use a junkyard spring from some other donor rig or go for an aftermarket lift that I know will fit? Should I splurge on a full custom spring made just for me and my needs? How much lift should there be in the spring?

Or how about the endless debate on whether leaf springs should stay under the axle tube (SUA) or go over the axle tube (SOA). Man THAT is a big can o' worms. Did I say leaf springs are simple and easy?

I have decided to stay with a stock length Wrangler spring made by an aftermarket suspension company in a SUA location with 4" of lift in the spring, but I am moving the spring mounts to get the wheelbase I want. Whew! Let me hit briefly on a few points that led me to that set-up.

• First the biggy - SUA vs. SOA: With SOA you gain natural lift equal to the thickness of the axle tube and the height of the spring perch. You can use a flatter spring since the lift is not dependant on the arch in the spring and typically you get a nicer ride and more downtravel in the axle. It does cost quite a bit to get it set up right as steering modifications can hit the pocket book hard. Also, you may get more lift than you really need and loss of stability on off camber trails can be spooky. One of the biggest issues with SOA is axle wrap under heavy throttle. This may require an anti wrap bar like this one or this one to keep springs and driveshaft u-joints from being damaged. SUA allows for less steering changes, less lift if you don't want to be too tall, and there are tons of bolt-in systems from manufacturers everywhere. They typically do not have issues with axle wrap and they usually make for a more stable ride. The bad? Well, they can ride poorly if the springs are not built well, there is more stuff hanging under the axle tubes to get hung up on, and you will not likely take the ramp travel index trophy for your awesome flex abilities.
• All leaf springs are not created equal. The Cadillac of springs are made by companies like Alcan and Deaver. they custom bend and stack just the right blend of steel to match the weight of your rig and your intended use. At slightly less cost are the aftermarket lift springs and full kits. Do your research before you buy. I decided to use some 4" lift Skyjacker Rockready Wrangler springs (page 10 of this .pdf file). Full military wrapped and tapered with anti-friction pads, I used a 2.5" version of this on Project this Old Scout and I was very impressed with the overall performance of the springs. Cheaper than dirt is a junkyard spring such as a Jeep Wagoneer front spring. If you have the ability to cut, grind, fab and weld, you can make almost anything fit anywhere, you just need to decide if it is worth it in the end. Staying with a stock length Wrangler spring means I can bolt up nearly anything made for a Jeep YJ and go.

I wanted to stay low in overall lift (how low can you go? Click here for more thoughts on that deal) and get longer in wheelbase. I could have used a spring intended for a Jeep Wagoneer. It bolts up and, due to the offset of the leaf spring center pin, it extends your wheelbase by 2". Depending on which version of Waggy spring I chose, I could have gotten my 4" of lift since a 2" lift Waggy spring usually gives 4" of lift on a lighter Jeep YJ. However I wanted about 7" of overall wheelbase extention. I figured 6" in the rear and 1" in the front would be about right. One popular way to extend the rear is to use Jeep XJ rear springs with the short side toward the rear fixed hanger. The longer offset towards the rear requires you to accomodate the shackle hanger onto the bumper, but it can be done. I decided to just move both the fixed and the shackle hanger in the rear and keep the 6" axle move. Either way you need to relocate the gas tank but that is another tech article!

For the front, I cut off the old fixed hangers and fabbed up some new ones. I should have just been more careful how I took the old ones off and re-used them, but it turned out fine. I moved them forward 1" of stock and I did not move the front hangers. I want a more relaxed shackle angle for more downtravel, so we shall see how it works out. I can always adjust later. I used 1/4 inch plates and built them to match the stock inside width of just under 3". I used M.O.R.E shackles to keep it all swinging free and happy.