URGENT -Correct leaf springs for CJ5 - No lift

I have put in 10 leaf springs in the front and 8 leaf in the rear on the advice of a jeep parts supplier. Now that I have them in, they cause my 66 Cj to slant back (High in front , low in rear). It looks like a WW2 airplane. I called several other suppliers and none of them could give me a straight answer to what the correct springs were for a 66 CJ-5 225 V6. The company I bought them from said that "they should work, but it could have had a different spring count." The ride is very stiff.

One guy told me to drive it around for a few months and the Jeep would settle. I have been doing this for the past 3 months and it settled with the front remaining higher than the rear.

I am going to buy 1 1/2 and 2" shackles for the rear to try and competsate. Does anyone have a solution?

 

The "different spring count" part is right. Different manufacturers will use different numbers of leaves in the pack depending on how they design the springs. The original Jeep leaf springs will have a specific number of leaves, but that won't tell you the rate or ride height of those springs - it depends on how they were made. The Jeep parts manual will have the part numbers and numbers of leaves for each year, but again, that doesn't have a lot of meaning without knowing the design specs for those springs.

JMO - if it were mine, I'd send the springs back. You should only have to pay for the return shipping. If the seller is reputable, they'll take them back, since they advised you to break them in.

 

i agree with tim.

i know some people have gone to kragge and asked for stock. seems to me that in the fsm i have the spring rates are listed as well as the leaf counts for the original part numbers. i'd look the rates up for you but i am away from town and don't have my "good book" with me.

i used rancho "stock style" leafs but they still have a 1" lift. i like em though. my back rides lower than the front only be cause i have a large 31"x10.5" spare tire and wheel mounted back there.

if i put a winch on the front it would probably even out.

 

I just recieved my stock springs from Krage 7 leafs in front 5 leafs in back I havent installed them yet but I also have the 225 v6.

 

I'd sent them back.

Heavy duty springs give a very stiff ride.

Are you sure you need them??

 

Is the consensus 7 in front, 5 in back from Krage? It makes sense to me, I just want to get it right.

 

Does anyone have the correct numbers? Are these the ones you ordered? I looked these up on Krage:

Spring, 5 Layer Rear, (also referred to as 97369)
Part#: 937506 (18202.05)
Model: CJ5, 6
Year: 54-75

Spring, 7-Layer Front
Part#: 999529 (18201.03)
Model: CJ5, 6
Year: 55-75

 

the number of spring leafs only has to do with the firmness of the ride
it won't control the amount of lift
that's controlled by how much arch or lift is put into them by the mfr

 

I guess i'll buy the 7 and 5 spring. I wish I knew a good manufacturer. Would lifting it make a difference? I just want a level Jeep..

 

I've got 12 leaves front and 11 leaves rear. With the 283 Chevy and Koenig winch, it sits pretty level. I like the stiffness for offroading. I don't use it as a DD. I suppose if I did, it would be too stiff a ride. I guess you have to figure out what you're going to use it for and select the springs accordingly.

tommy b

 

I think my '56 has 5 leaves in the front springs and 7 or 9 in the rears. I'll have to check. This is how it sat after sitting in storage for 30 years. I'm thinking I'll try running the springs I have for awhile, I can always swap out springs later on.

 

Your jeep looks great. I spoke to several shops today. They said the original had 7 in front and 9 in the rear. I think that will bring the front down and the back up. I'll change the shackles as well.

 

I had the same slanting problem - front higher than the rear. But, the springs on my '69 were really in bad shape. I replaced them with Omix-Ada repros from Krage and it leveled out. They seem to work well and were not real high dollar.