Shackles project

Well me and my buddy got them on the morning. And all went well except a few minor things but nothing majorr. The top bolts on both side came out way easy, to easy i thought, but all was good. I couldent get the bottom bolts off cuz my socket wasent deep enough so had to run to Aunto Zone and buy one. Well then it wouldent fit eather. Something about how it just wouldent line up. The shorty one i had would fit, but not the new one or a wrench. So we took a grinder and cut the bolt down to where we could get the shorty on and it came off with some muscle, lol. Droped the axle got old shackles off, put new ones on, jacked her up. Driver one went on way easy. Passenger one wouldent go on. Had to bend the exhaust a little bit and it still rubs but not like it was. We could get the bolt through the 1st hole and the shackle but we couldent get it to go into the shackle box. So that took a little while to do. We just kept playing with it and bam it went it. So bolted everything up. Dropped her down snugged everything and shes all good to go now. Total time, 1:30.

I do have one question though. when the new shackle on, the rear portion of my leaf is now start to bend down. Look at the pics. When its flexed it bends way down.

Before


After


before


After




Old VS New













Heres where im talking about it bending down a little. Not much here


But right here, look it bends down quite a bit


This was the other side flexed out


Now i just need to figure out what and where the clunk is coming from on the driver front. And figure out how to install my steering stabilizer

This is a stock spring pack correct? The main leaf is bending because the leaf under it does not run the full length of the spring. The longer shackle just gives it more leverage to bend against the leaf under it....looks like its time for some new springs.IMO I think with enough time and cycling of the rear springs that main leaf will fail.

Ya i believe it is. I bought the jeep with the lift on it, and have been slowly redoing the lift. But Im shure its a stock pack with add a leaf for 2" 2.5" and then I have a 2" block. Well then I guess this just means i get to spend money on new leafs and get rid of the blaock lol. Ive been trying to find some used 3.5" leaves, but havent had any luck yet.

Another idea to give you a little piece of mind until you source some new springs,grab a set of stock xj leaf packs,take them apart and steal the main leaf and cut the bushing eyes off of them. Stick them under the main leaf in your pack,thus giving support under your main leaf and not allowing the spring to bend back towards itself.I have two xj mains with the eyes already cut off and some new pins and u-style clamps.....and I also like to drink bud-light.....

Ive seen that jeep cruising around 88th in thornton a few times...I agree with 89jeep the main leaf will fatigue and fail eventually.

If I find a pair of stockers and cut that leaf is it going to lift me anymore? I dont really want to go any higher right now cause I would have to get a SYE soon then.

Ya Im usely around 88th quite a bit. Or it could be one of my many look alikes lol. Theres like 5 other jeeps in the Thornton area that have a jeep just like mine.

You might end up with another inch or two. I also have some 1" blocks im not going to use. If you end up with extra lift just drop the 3" block for a 1" one. Win win situation

Dude.......remove those rear sway bars man. That was the first thing to go on my heep, very limiting to your rear flex.

Looks good, now fix those rear leaf springs before you break a main leaf wheeling it.


..........................other than that looks good!

jeepfreak1020 said:

Ive been trying to find some used 3.5" leaves, but havent had any luck yet.

Click to expand...

Do a BP like Hubbazoot did.

Lose the blocks.

Blocks are the Devil!!!

Yes youll get some lift from the extra leaf. I had to experiment with mine abit to get the right hight. I wound up useing two main leafs and taking out the second one down. Works good.

Well ive found a used pair of 3.5" RE leafs. Im going to look at them sometime this weekend. He dosent have the U-bolts to go with them just the leafs. Is it ok to buy leafs used? Im wating for him to e-mail me back about how old they are and how long they were used.

I have used leafs on my xj and it works awesome... Is there something wrong with buying used stuff? make sure he isn't messing with you... find the part number for the RE3.5 inch leafs printed on it.

Hell no there nothing wrong with buying used lol. I just wanted to make sure. I think im going to go take a look at this weekend. Ill look for the part number, where should it be?

Hes going to take $150 for them, that sound like a good deal or no?

And where did you get your U-Bolts to put the new leafs on, b/c hes not selling them with the leafs? Or would I be ok using the same U-Blts on there now, would I be able to?

ask if he will take 125 im sure he would get rid of em...
And i would get new ones... a spring shop or 4wp would have em. otherwise order some new ones online...

He wanted $200 for them, I asked he would take $125. He said he would take $150 and a bottle of jack lol.

Ok ill look into them. How much will those things run?

well that works haha... i think they are 3-5 bucks a peice.

ya i guess it will have to haha. Ok cool. So what all am I going to need to do this project. Ill have the leafs, new U-bolts, what else am I going to need? center pins right or no. what else?

If you are doing BPs, you'll also need some type of clamp to keep the leaves from fanning out and trashing your tire.

If you are buying the used spring packs, all you should need is U-bolts.

Hey Crimzon where should the part number be? and is there and spefic part number I need to look for for RE? He has a pic of them post with it but I dont know if its that.

Heres the link to pics
http://s686.photobucket.com/albums/vv228/vwxyz_xj/

I would say those are Rustys offroad products 3.5 inch leaf packs...
which it has ROP XJ35 on it... But that is my guess...