Spring Over Axle?? Pros and Cons

SOA with stock xj's in the rear and stock 7 leaf waggy's in the front. Lots of sawzall lovin and 38" SX's, drives beautifull believe it or not. Caster set at 4 degrees, No sway bars or track bars and I can cruise it down the inerstate at 80 with one hand on the wheel
Flexy as hell also
 

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ncbeachjeep said:
Thanks guys for all the input. I really don't want to go to SOA, I just want 2-3 more inches of lift but I am considering cutting the fenders now. Any input on the best way to cut the fenders and make them look good?
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Step 1: Get yourself a set of TJ rear fender flares.

Step 2: Use a c-clamp to hold em in place and step back/adjust until you get them just right (top of fender running "parallel" to edge of the "pickup bed rail" etc

Step 3: Mark the metal along the inner lip on the TJ flare in place, using a metal scribe (or screwdriver or perm marker) This should get your pattern.

NOTE: You may want to actually cut out slightly further (less deep of cut) and then notch the metal every few inches. Then you can use pliers/wide clamp thingy to bend the tabs back thus creating a stronger lip.

NOTE2: When you make the cuts etc this is gonna be sharp edges, be careful, maybe use metal file to soften the edge from knifelike!

Step 4: Go ahead and mark your new holes for mounting the flares while they are still clamped on there! Then remove and get ready to cut metal.

Step 5: a "cut off" wheel on a drill/rotary tool works cut, takes a while. A sawzall will be FAST, but be careful and take it slow or you will make ugly cuts too fast, etc. A "jigsaw" also works really well for this as you can turn/follow the curves nicely.

Last step, clean it up and then PAINT the edges/exposed metal with something, primer, if nothing else buy a rattlecan of Rustoleum enamel and TAPE off so you don't get alot of overspray on the Jeep, inner fender doesn't matter since dirt etc gets on it anyway. Once the paint has sealed up nicely, bend over those tabs. Then REPAINT since you just knocked some off when bending the tabs.

Finally, mount the fenders! (Old TJ fender flares might be faded, you can rattlecan paint them shiny black again and they will look like new! Or even flat black will spice em backup from faded out look)

Hope that helps, that is prob more than many folks did, but I sense you have a nice looking ride and want it to look good afterwards even if you are cutting off extra metal.

Front fenders....prob dont' needed any trimming? Just the rears is my guess..
 
Yeah Sam, you don't have to cut the front at all! LOL SURE!!! :D

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Oh that's nothing special....lose the flares and hack the fawk out of it!






















j/k, nice looking CJ-7 :driver:

What's the problem? :confused: Re-reading your post, you just say they 'look stuffed'. If there's no rubbing, leave it alone! :D

You could raise the rear flares an inch or so, and cut the sheet metal below it. That's all I did with 35s and no body lift, except I used YJ flares (YJ and CJs use the same cutout on the inside).
I went to town on the front, and couldnt figure out where the flares would go..so they didnt get back on :huggy:

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Nice jeep NCbeach...I would just leave it! Unless you are going up in tire size I would leave it how it is. You can always put taller bump stops on the frame so the tires don't rub on the fenders.

:beer:
 
ncbeachjeep said:
I am on of those weird jeep owners that thinks my old girl is too good of shape to go cutting her fenders, but thanks for the response.
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ncbeachjeep said:
See what you guys think I should do? SOA, Cut the Fenders, Shackle Reversal or NOTHING!?
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Nothing
mabe some bump stops
It sounds like you are on of those guy's ( like me) who has a nice jeep and wants wheel but does not want to damage it.



go buy urself a Beater and mod the crap out of it and you won't have to worrie about screwing up the nice jeep
 
ncbeachjeep said:
YOu know that has crossed my mind. I was thinking about buying a YJ and just cutting everything off it, but my wife wants a SCOUT
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There you have it, the decision has been made, buy a beater SCOUT! :lol:
 
Sounds like I have about the same amount of lift as you do on my CJ7. I am running 35s and only rub when I am at max flex. I have not cut the fenders. I have 2" spring lift, 2 " body lift, and 1.5" lift shackles on the front and back and have no problems. I did however have to add wedges between the front axel and the leafs to get the caster back right. I have a friend that can make them and will prolly sell you a set real cheap! The shackles cost me about $50 for both sets from Quadratec and they are pretty beefy. Dont cut your fenders. There are not many good looking CJ bodies out there anymore that are original.
 
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