Took The SOA Off

R

RedWrang

New member
1057107

I took the SOA lift off my Jeep last night. I was not happy at all with the way it handled and rode. I have researched all options and every thing I done was correct, I even took it to a guy thats done hundreds of these and he said it looked sweet. I am just going to go with a 2in susp. lift and leave it at that.[addsig]
 

1057109

what was wrong with it? did it feel too high? how long did you drive it like that? what size tires were you running? :) lol lotsa questionados...[addsig]
 
1057114

now your makin me rethink my soa plans... was it sloppy? did you use a steering dampener? did you ever get that axle wrap fixed? More Details!!![addsig]
 
1057121

We have a local Jeep parts shop been in business many years and with the web site jeep dealers he is so slow and behind the times not many folks go there now. He still has been around a long time and has seen many ideas come and go. Swears by rough country lifts and hacklethorn shock.

I ask him not to long ago for his ideas on the SOA lift and he said he would not even ride in one. I ask why and he just shruged his sholders and said if jeeps were better off set up that way why did they never build em that way.

I ask again and he said just drive one if you get the chance and see for yourself why. Again I have never got a straight answer from anyone other than I like it or I hate it. so like the rest here said what do you dislike about the SOA so much that you are willing to remove all that work?

Thanks Tug[addsig]
 

1057150

It will definately handle different than a SUA Jeep, you just have to get used to it and drive it accordingly. There is a HUGE difference between the 6" SOA lift and the 2" SUA lift you plan on installing, so it sounds like your problem was more with the lift height than the fact the lift was SOA or SUA.

Don't everybody jump ship on SOA, this has been done for decades with great success. Remember that it's probably the best method of obtaining 6" of lift on a leaf-sprung jeep while getting the most flex and performance from a suspension.

I'll still be doing a SOA on my YJ when funds allow. Tug, don't bail on your plans due to one account :lol: [addsig]
 
1057160

Hey TUG, sounds like your parts guy and me are clones. Except I prefer Rancho (most of there stuff seems better thought out than most).

Did you know that Heckethorn are a renamed, old Big Yellow racing shocks (revalved for offroad). Been around since I was a kid.

Rough Country started out as a Skyjacker knock off, at 2/3 the price.

The only reason for a flat spring pack, is to reduce sway. Arched packs ride alot better, but have more sway. Sticking a flat pack at the end of a folcrum, and raising the center of gravity, negates the benefits.

The answer is probably a wider spring with an arch, which would have to be a little softer because of the width. Opens up a whole can of worms. Jeep engineers, probably came up with an acceptable (compromise) solution, trying to make it roadable and off roadable. A little modification, logically, should only cause small problems.

Steve´s Jeep, looked like it had a SOA, makes you wonder, if he would have been at stock or near stock hieght, he might have come out of it better. I don´t see much side damage, looked like it got stressed (sliding sideways), to the point of maximum flex and came unsprung. Of course I could be wrong, but I´ve seen it before.[addsig]
 
1057184

Man I can't bail on anything cause I have been so wishy washy on what I want and don't want I have never really made up my mind to do either. I stay so confused with all the input that i get, do this, dont do that, i did it, and i want to do that, and what if. Man I may never do anything but go get stuck. That is part of the fun i guess. Later tug :roll: [addsig]
 

1057243

First off bounty hunter im not discouraging anyone from doing an SOA. If anyone wants to do it go for it. Im not saying it sucks its just I did not care for it. I drove it out of town last weekend and around town quite a bit. tug it wasn't too much work I took the SOA off and had it back SUA in 2 hours last night except the front shocks and the pitman arm. Dingus it was not too high, actually I like the heigth and it still had the 30 in. tires on it. Yes jopin I got the axel wrap out of it and it was pretty smooth. I just like the overall smoothness of the SUA ride. I'll be able to go anywhere with a set of 33s on it that anyone else will go with 33s with the body lift and a 2in. susp. lift. The pics are at photos.yahoo.com/baddjeep2002 if anyone wants to see. The pic of the rear driveshaft angle was corrected.[addsig]
 
1057267

Good looking job. Sorry it did not work out to suit you. I still don't know what I will do. You are not stoping me cause I never really got started. But tell me what did it feel like. was it tight loose shifty wobbly what? tug[addsig]
 
1057313

I know how you feel. Man mine drive real bad. My wheel has like 3" of play both ways while drivein down the road or the freeway. Very unstable. But I love how it looks. Got to give some to get some...[addsig]
 

1057325

I hear ya jeepin. Tug it was just all over the road at times. I was doing about 70 and hit a small bump and it just took off on me. It wasn't anything wrong with what I done or how I did it. Just wasn't for me.[addsig]
 
1057338

Eventually, I'll be doing a spring over conversion. I'm not to concerned about how it handles on road, (it ain't for the road) I tow my jeep to most runs, cuz it sucks for speed now (top's out at 62mph) If my jeep was my only means of transportation, it might be a different story. Fortunatly it's not.



[addsig]
 
1057423

Im considering the SOA this spring. Mines not a daily driver so I dont think the handling on pavement will be a huge issue. I have some questions about your pictures though. How did you have your shocks mounted to your axles? Are those the OEM shock mounts with some kind of adapter? Also did you get longer shocks? In the picture it looks like they maybe your stock shocks with the shock mounts raised to fit the shocks. Thats just what it looked like in the picture kinda hard to tell from a picture. Is that what you did? Please explain.[addsig]
 

1057457

I´m not gonna try and tell anybody what to do with there ride. Just seen to many people get in trouble, with seriously modified vehicles. Especially short wheel base narrow track, vehicles. Don´t like to hear bad stories (people getting hurt), so I generally advise against it. I´ve had a couple, fairly high and fast, but they were trailered to the play ground. And had multipoint harnesses, and helmuts for the passengers.
Driving one raised, with a loose suspension, and tires, to big, to lock up the brakes. Rates right up there with roof surfing, looks neat but not for me.
Just an oppinion. Does look neat though. :) [addsig]
 
1057471

GEAH those are some custom extensions my dad and I made so I could still use my brand new shocks. They could be for sale now tho.[addsig]
 
1057504

More questions. Did you do a "HiSteer" conversion? If not was your steering linkage bumping against (anything) your springs or binding with the angles you had? Did you use a Drop Pitman arm? How did you address the axle wrap problem? [addsig]
 

1057527

Ghea read a little further back in this post. Yes dropped pitman and no rubbing. I re welded new perches to correct the axel wrap.[addsig]
 
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