• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Leaf Spring "Drop Bracket"?

CLSegraves

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Phoenix, Arizona
2001 XJ, 6.5" of lift on 35s

I'm running OME 4" lift springs and BWE Comp Shackles. With my current setup, the shackle is almost vertical (rather than the ideal 45 degree angle) and the spring is pointed "up hill" towards the front. This makes the ride rougher and severely limits my rear drop.

I'm contemplating making a "drop bracket" for the front mount (which has been reinforced with plate). This would flatten out the spring and allow me to get the shackle to 45 degrees. Problem is, I've only ever seen on write up about someone doing this. Is this a bad idea?
 
Here's a shot of my leaf spring mounts and shackle.I could always remake the rear drop bracket but seem to remember somewhere reading that it's best to have the spring parallel to the ground.

img_1259_159e84b550145edf68e7290a316c055187439909.jpg


img_1258_5c16b8847efc4444dd8ad8045327ac879acb3170.jpg
 
Having the spring higher in front is good thing for the ride. I would relocate your re-location bracket more forward to get the shackle angle better.
 
I wrote this same thing on the other site.....

You haven't seen a write-up on it because there are much easier ways to soften the ride....like using the forward hole in shackle relocation bracket.

A front drop bracket will not help with droop at all....the only way to improve drop is to get the shackle angle closer to 45 deg (or even farther back if really want droop).....even longer shackle won't really help much if it is vertical.

Droop is the combination of how far forward the shackle can swing and how far the spring will flex. You can't change spring flex without changing springs, but you can change shackle swing by changing the angle it starts out at.

All a front drop bracket will do is hang you up off road.....that's why so many don't like the control arm drop brackets they make for up front, they can act like a boat anchor if you aren't careful.

I think you rough ride is mainly the shackle and the stiffer lifted springs.

Also, this 'uphill' thing you mention....actually that is helping the ride. With normal shackles and a 'level' spring, you must have a vertical force to flex it, which means the tire must hit something while moving forward, and that force then has to be converted from forward (horizontal) movement to vertical movement to flex the spring. Now, with an 'uphill' spring, that horizontal movement doesn't all have to be converted to vertical before the spring flexes, as some of the horizontal angle will flex the spring.


Kinda like this.........

 
That is correct. If you ever drove a earlier Jeep or Toyota that's one of the reasons they came out with "shackle reversal kits".
 
Back
Top