cj5 wanting to stretch the wheel base

Tyler Bates

New member
Ive got a 73 cj5 with a sbc 350 and a turbo 350 transmission. it has 40 int tires and chevy 3/4 ton axles locked in rear and posi in the front. 456 gears. and 205 t case. I am thinking about stretching my wheelbase because I have heard a lot that a big problem with the cj5s is the wheelbase causes rollovers what is the easiest way to go about this/
 

How much of an increase are you thinking about?
 

x2, soa on waggoneer rear springs front and rear will net about 4.5" total; also Rancho 44044 springs will net the same result.

Stock XJ rear springs front and rear will net about 11-12 inches of total stretch.

to add, your wheel base will not do much for a roll over side to side, getting you vehicle lower to the ground will do that. consider linking front and rear.
 
x2, soa on waggoneer rear springs front and rear will net about 4.5" total; also Rancho 44044 springs will net the same result.

Stock XJ rear springs front and rear will net about 11-12 inches of total stretch.

to add, your wheel base will not do much for a roll over side to side, getting you vehicle lower to the ground will do that. consider linking front and rear.

I would love to link the front and rear just havnt got a parts sheet together for everything I need nor do I know what all I need or price and I heard that cj5s roll over backwards on hills and did have a thought about moving it by linking it would you know a full parts list for it.
 

Ok... Are you still at the original wheelbase length? (83-84")

Just for comparison to the 100" ....
The yj/tj is about 93.5"
The LJ (unlimited) is 103"

[☠]lllllll[☠] 89 YJ ...SOA +6.5...44"Trxus' I Love my dirtYJeep! [☠]lllllll[☠]
 
Ok... Are you still at the original wheelbase length? (83-84")

Just for comparison to the 100" ....
The yj/tj is about 93.5"
The LJ (unlimited) is 103"

[☠]lllllll[☠] 89 YJ ...SOA +6.5...44"Trxus' I Love my dirtYJeep! [☠]lllllll[☠]


yeah still factory has full size axles, but the location is the same and nott sure if that 100 number is accurate or hear say
 
Well.. I am sure that there's some justification (mathematically or otherwise) that supports 100" as "ideal".....
Realistically, I would think the 93.5 (yj/tj) figure would be just fine.....It obviously works for the yj/tj 's....

So, basically you need to add 10" - 16"...
(10 to reach yj/tj and 16 to be "ideal")

Do you have a picture posted anywhere ?

[☠]lllllll[☠] 89 YJ ...SOA +6.5...44"Trxus' I Love my dirtYJeep! [☠]lllllll[☠]
 

Well.. I am sure that there's some justification (mathematically or otherwise) that supports 100" as "ideal".....
Realistically, I would think the 93.5 (yj/tj) figure would be just fine.....It obviously works for the yj/tj 's....

So, basically you need to add 10" - 16"...
(10 to reach yj/tj and 16 to be "ideal")

Do you have a picture posted anywhere ?

[☠]lllllll[☠] 89 YJ ...SOA +6.5...44"Trxus' I Love my dirtYJeep! [☠]lllllll[☠]

and that would be good with me so just different springs would relocate my axles with no other mods?
 
No other mods? In theory .... But associated with that ....
Shackles have to move somewhere...
Driveshafts have to get longer...
Springs are different widths so perches/etc have to switch....
Anything else coming off an axle will have to be lengthened to reach pretty much
And don't know how close your body is to tires.... But that may be an issue

[☠]lllllll[☠] 89 YJ ...SOA +6.5...44"Trxus' I Love my dirtYJeep! [☠]lllllll[☠]
 
No other mods? In theory .... But associated with that ....
Shackles have to move somewhere...
Driveshafts have to get longer...
Springs are different widths so perches/etc have to switch....
Anything else coming off an axle will have to be lengthened to reach pretty much
And don't know how close your body is to tires.... But that may be an issue

[☠]lllllll[☠] 89 YJ ...SOA +6.5...44"Trxus' I Love my dirtYJeep! [☠]lllllll[☠]

I had figured most that stuff, and had originally thought that I could just move my shackles back and shock mounts and get a longer driveline, but the rear shackle is almost all the way to the back of the frame, so didnt see any option without extending the frame, but didnt think about different springs or could go all out with the four link, but hear thats pretty pricey to build
 

Yeah I bet it's pricey to go that route...
All in all, the spring swap is more time consuming than costly... Perches are cheap enuff ... I saw a web post somewhere of a guy who did a Cj5 on the cheaps... Let me see if I can find it again...

Check your springs... I think factory cj5 s are 1.75" wide... Wagoneer/Dakota etc are 2.5"...

[☠]lllllll[☠] 89 YJ ...SOA +6.5...44"Trxus' I Love my dirtYJeep! [☠]lllllll[☠]
 
Ok I found that post... Hope it helps you decide which way to go.

[................. I know this is old, but I am in the middle of a stretch and it isn't that tough or expensive. Do you know how to weld and use a tape measure? Obviously the cheapest way to stretch a CJ5 is to use Dodge Dakota springs which will net you 10" due to their offset, but require you to mount your rear hangers off the bumper and use a boomerang style shackle. I am sure people will argue that, but let the people that have done it speak first.......

If you are a cheap ******* (like Me) go get a XJ CV front shaft and add 20". Granted this really only makes sense for 35's and bigger, emphasis on bigger. Anyway my biggest expense is the 10 spline CV yoke and obviously the gas tank has to go somewhere!.........]

I also read somewhere that Blue Torch Fab has some kits...
 
Ok I found that post... Hope it helps you decide which way to go.

[................. I know this is old, but I am in the middle of a stretch and it isn't that tough or expensive. Do you know how to weld and use a tape measure? Obviously the cheapest way to stretch a CJ5 is to use Dodge Dakota springs which will net you 10" due to their offset, but require you to mount your rear hangers off the bumper and use a boomerang style shackle. I am sure people will argue that, but let the people that have done it speak first.......

If you are a cheap ******* (like Me) go get a XJ CV front shaft and add 20". Granted this really only makes sense for 35's and bigger, emphasis on bigger. Anyway my biggest expense is the 10 spline CV yoke and obviously the gas tank has to go somewhere!.... .....]


so would you use the front and rear dakota springs? doesnt sound very difficult, but if you do use the front to get that wheelbase then I would think you would have do do frontend work to move steering components
 

No front... All back axle movement as far as I can tell... The Dakota springs are that much longer !
Looks a little ... Strange but I guess you'd get use to it????

[☠]lllllll[☠] 89 YJ ...SOA +6.5...44"Trxus' I Love my dirtYJeep! [☠]lllllll[☠]
 
No front... All back axle movement as far as I can tell... The Dakota springs are that much longer !
Looks a little ... Strange but I guess you'd get use to it????

[☠]lllllll[☠] 89 YJ ...SOA +6.5...44"Trxus' I Love my dirtYJeep! [☠]lllllll[☠]


Cool deal I will definately keep that in mind plan on doing it this winter just trying to figure out which route to go with it. Thanks for all the help!
 
There is no Ideal wheelbase for a jeep, there are a lot of factors that need to be considered to figuring out what wheel base works for your rig. In my part of the counrty, the ideal numbers we shoot for are a CJ5 will benefit from a 99" WB, a CJ7, yj or tj will benefit from a 106" WB, but this is not set in stone, I wheel my YJ with 96-97" WB, I have about 3" of stretch. I wheeled all weekend with buggies with 106-110" WB I only had one climb that I had to pull cable that some of the buggies got up because of the increased wheel base (and they all had 39" red labels and I was running 38" SX's) but with my WB, I was able to go places with greater ease due to tighter turning radius and I wasn't falling into the same holes they were. so basically it is all subjective, figure out what you ideally want, what you can afford, and what you are capabile of building. I would suggest searching the internet and seeing other peoples build and seeing how they went about it, take notice of what worked and what didn't, don't be hell bent on something because you "Like" it.
 

Hi. I widened my jeep by putting Scout 44 axles underneath it and when I put a shackle reverse kit inn I decided to move the front axle forward 4" for proper flex of the shackle. Glad I did it rides better and less weight on the front end now. Good luck to you!
 
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