For years, 4x4 enthusiasts have thrilled to the exploits of coil-sprung vehicles in the backcountry. Extreme four-wheelers took advantage of the articulation and fine ride associated with coil springs when Jeep introduced the TJ Wrangler in 1997.
To ensure that YJ and CJ owners weren't left in the dust, so to speak, Warn Industries' Black Diamond Suspension division has developed a new multilink coil-spring suspension for their vehicles. The new suspension from Warn Black Diamond is revolutionary. It's almost completely bolt-on and can be installed by anyone with common handtools and the ability to follow instructions.
Though it's still being tested and tweaked as of press time, the radical retrofit is bound to be one of the hottest new products on the market. Look for a complete installation and testing in upcoming issues.
Warn's YJ Wrangler is equipped...
Warn's YJ Wrangler is equipped with its new, multilink coil-suspension, ramped 1200 and features 6 inches of droop in back and 7 inches in front, with 4 inches of up-travel at each end. For those who aren't quick at arithmetic, that's 10 inches of total wheel travel in back and 11 inches in front. That translates to getting the front tire 40 inches off the ground before any of the other tires lift. The kit allows the fitment of 33-inch tires with no modification and is easily adaptable to 35-inch tires.
Warn Black Diamond chose Fox...
Warn Black Diamond chose Fox Racing to develop and build each coilover, high-pressure monotube shock. Fox's proprietary valve piston and optional remote reservoir allows you to adjust the compression to your needs. Note the length of the front coilover at full droop. Impressive, eh? And note the massive plates for the coil bracket, which reinforces the frame.
The front suspension features...
The front suspension features bolt-on bracketry that allows the mounting of the coilovers and control arms. The brackets afford more ground clearance than the leaf spring, U-bolt, and plate did.
The center crossmember is...
The center crossmember is the attachment point for the control arms. The long arms allow the suspension geometry to remain correct over a variety of terrains. The downside of this is that the long arms decrease ground clearance, as does the crossmember, which hangs down just a tad more than we'd like. Warn engineers say they're working to bring the crossmember up.
The long front arms clamp...
The long front arms clamp to the axle and pivot on Ford-style bushings at the crossmembers.
The rear lower arms also pivot...
The rear lower arms also pivot at the crossmember, but Warn engineers are developing a more durable system.
This shot of the A-arm also...
This shot of the A-arm also shows the optional remote reservoirs for the Fox coilovers, which allow you to adjust the compression damping to meet any extreme four-wheeling need. The reservoirs for the front are under the hood for easier adjustment.
Warn also brought a CJ with...
Warn also brought a CJ with another prototype coil suspension. It featured two coilovers at each wheel. It didn't perform as well as the production model, but it did show us that Warn Black Diamond went to a lot of trouble and expense to make sure that the consumer could purchase a suspension that really worked right out of the box.
The rear suspension features...
The rear suspension features bracketry for the control arms and coilovers, and an A-arm, which eliminates the Panhard rod (track arm) of the stock YJ. This arm, mounted to a center ball joint, provides maximum articulation and lateral stability. As you can see, these are all bolt-on components.