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Height difference

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Avery08 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Avery08 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Height difference
    Posted: Dec/05/2014 at 10:38am
Does anyone know how much higher my car will sit if I swap in eagle suspension?I have a 82 spirit in the driveway with excellent suspension I can get the ride height from.Just need to know the ride height of a stock suspension eagle.

If no one on this board owns an eagle but know some one that does can you help me out with this measurement?Thanks.


Edited by Avery08 - Dec/05/2014 at 1:33pm
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carnuck View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote carnuck Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec/06/2014 at 3:39pm
http://s6.photobucket.com/user/carnuck/library/spirit?sort=3&page=3

Have fun! We saved most of the conversion pics from Spirit to SX4. The super high rear lift was achieved with an Eagle rear axle and Wagon springs. The wagon main leaf is too long for the smaller body and it rode like a rock but was a fun(ny) car to drive for a bit and see the look on people's faces.
   We took it apart again and put the Spirit main leaf in with the wagon springs except the main installed. Ride improved 95% (lots of body sway which works offroad) We bolted in an XJ rear axle (spring pads are correct alignment) and added shock mounts after we did the front.
   We pulled the motor/trans and unbolted the engine crossbar and undid the lower balljoints and used the hoist and tire stacks to raise the body enough to bolt the Eagle engine crossbar in. Strut rods and brackets have to be changed too (on the frame) as well as idler arm and steering box spacer.
   We left the original upper arms and springs in. Attached the Eagle crossbar and struts with brackets. Lowered the steering box and added the Eagle swaybar and idler arm and tierods. Bolted in the engine crossbar struts under the rad (pre '80 cars don't have the bracing or holes for them) Note: Start with everything in place before tightening all the bolts and recheck suspension bolts after about 50 miles. 2 of the frame nuts for the engine crossbar look like wheelnuts on studs to ensure the correct alignment of crossbar to frame.
   The steering box needs a longer column. We got around it temporarily by taking the bolts out of the dash mount and sliding the column down and re-doing the firewall plate but the Eagle column swap is best. Maybe XJ would work but they don't have column shift auto except 84 to '86 with 904 auto. Comanche has a cable column shifter for AW4. We used pieces of two shift rods to make a long one and welded them together with the adjuster still in work order and flipped the lever on the AW4 trans to get the correct direction for PRNDL.
    The floor needed notching for the AW4/NP242 conversion but Brandon went way overboard and had cut the floor from the parts XJ to put in (never did). As far as I can tell the only spot that needed modding was from the gas pedal to the back of the driver's seat and not even that much of it. AW4 would clear but the Mopar trans is wider and the tcase is driver's side so it needed a bump.
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carnuck View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote carnuck Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec/06/2014 at 3:41pm
Spirit before lift (totally empty)


After rear lift with wagon springs and carrying 30 bags of concrete. Stock front



After front suspension installed but before motor re-installed (front only dropped 2 inches)




Edited by carnuck - Dec/06/2014 at 3:47pm
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Avery08 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Avery08 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec/06/2014 at 6:31pm
Thank you very much Carnuck you have provided with more info then I've found anywhere.I hope I can do the same for you in the future.
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EagleFreek View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote EagleFreek Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec/06/2014 at 9:36pm
Mine's not stock so I can't help with a measurement. What are you trying to accomplish? Raise your spirit a few inches? In the rear the Eagle is spring over axle and the Spirit is spring under. So you'll either have to use an Eagle rear axle or cut the spring perches off the axle and weld them on top if you want to use "Eagle suspension". Putting your stock springs on top of the axle will raise it the height of the axle tube plus mount.  I have no idea what the difference is up front between the two, but you can just put coil spring spacers or V8 Javelin springs on the Spirit to raise it. 
1986 AMC Eagle Wagon 4.2L/4.0L head, AW4,NP242, Chrysler 8.25" rear. SOLD
1981 AMC Eagle Wagon-As Seen On TV Lost in Transmission

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carnuck View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote carnuck Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Dec/07/2014 at 6:41pm
XJ is the right rear axle width too. It's rise is spring pack thickness plus twice the thickness of the spring pad (from one side of the tube to the other) plus the thickness of the axle tube. Spring sag and change in weight distribution (because the car starts facing downhill and the springs twist the opposite way afterwards.
   On average 5-7" lift.
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