New US Made Springs for FSJ

[Moosehead]

Checked around a few places for a new set of stock springs for a 78 Waggie and ended up at Alcan. Bill was super responsive to an email request and the next day I put in the order for a newly made stock height set of springs with an extra 400lbs load built into the rear springs for mild towing duties (one extra leaf).

Alcan expects to have them made and delivered in 3 weeks, will report back when received and installed, but very pleased with their responsiveness, knowledge, and that they are Colorado made springs. A bit more expensive than others but was willing to pay to play. Alcan already had all the dimensions eye to eye, front to back, width, and capacity for our rigs.

Others either have Crowns for stock height, or in the case of the +2” lift from BJ’s I had previously waited for nearly 3 months as they were being made and had no hard estimate of turnaround so ended up cancelling. BJ’s now expects them in sometime soon and the +2” are being made by Deaver.

Otherwise, in stock US rear springs were nearly impossible to find at stock height or mild lifts from everywhere including General, SD, others. The 4” lift kits from Rustys, Rough Country, Skyjacker are readily available but I was not looking for a lifted setup.

[Cecil14]

Alcan's been around here and the other forum for a long long time. Great group of guys. I've called them a few times for odds and ends, and they have always been great, so it's not just with big purchases.

BJ's, on the other hand, has had a lot of inventory problems (at least from my experience), often with no ETA at all on items. I've had to cancel my last couple orders and just go elsewhere. When they tell me "we have no idea when we're going to get item xxx," it's time to find a new vendor.


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[candymancan]

maybe for your 78 they cant be found.

But made in usa springs General springs. sd truck springs.. and other websites do hsve them.. i know i ordered them myself and installed them on ny 90.. made in PA usa i forgot the company that made em but the american flag sticker was on it. the company has been making springs for 100 years i believe.. 97-402 and 97-485 are the part numbers. At least the ones i got. There are diff part numbers for diff loads. But yea 3 or 4 websites carry then

[Stuka]

Hell Creek can make stock height springs, as well as various lift heights. Alcan is great, and you will be fine with them. But there are plenty of US made springs for our rigs.

[VA-AMCjeep]

I have general springs on my j10, really nice ride. I actually got them to make it 2.5" lift height for the rear and 2" lift height in the front. If I remember it was like 75 extra per spring for a custom height. I wouldnt hesitate to use them again. As for alcans, I have always heard good things.

[deckroid]

I have an 84 Grand Wagoneer with someone's 3 or 4 inch lift in the front and SOA block thing on the rear. It is pretty dang rough. I recently took a ride in a restored 1990 GW. It was stock height and it rode like a caddy. Very light on the bumps at slow speed and when we took THE a specific railroad crossing at speed (I have seen minivans lose plastic on this crossing) it bumped but didn't jar teeth loose.

If I could find THAT in a lift... I would gladly hand over money. Anyway... I have heard good things about Alcan.

[Cecil14]

Even with the best lift springs around, you're going to lose ride quality compared to stock springs. It's just physics; to gain lift, you have to make the spring physically longer. Now you cram that longer spring into the same mounting points (same distance). The lift springs simply can't flex as much as the original springs.

The only way to get a real super cushy lift would be to completely change suspension. Either go with coils or airbags.



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