I lifted my 1985 Jeep CJ-7 with used
Procomp 2.5" springs, a new set of Prothene bushings, Rancho RS9000 shocks, and A LOT of time. If I were to do it again, I would recommend buying a new lift kit (as it is about the same price)
First off, you will want to use air tools. I tried to do this by hand, and spent three days on only one rear spring. Make sure to jack up your Jeep securely and use common sense - there's no need to get hurt.
Start with one wheel at a time, and after you finish that, move onto the next. You will want to first remove the shocks. Now, completely loosen the U bolt nuts
.These are the nuts screwed onto the U shaped bolts on the axle, that
hold the axle to the spring -
The Jeep will fall on you here if it is not jacked up and secured properly. Once you get them free, then pull remove the spring eye bolts (theses are the bolts at each end of the spring). You may have some trouble here, but rest assured, these are just regular bolts, and with enough force, penetrating lube, and time, they will come off. Now, go back and remove the U bolts. and remove the spring.
Now you must replace the bushings. Bushings are the spacers that sit between the spring and the shackle. You have two types of bushings to choose from - rubber or polyurethane. Rubber is stock, and seems to absorb more shock, but polyurethane will not deteriorate, so most people use poly. I bought my new bushings from
JCWhitney. To get the bushings out, you'll want to drill holes in the old ones, then knock them out with a hammer, as the pictures below illustrate: