Leaf spring conversion on a cherokee write up

[xj_man_646]

I did this a long time ago, but I figured I'd post it if someone is interested.
Well, I thought I'd post up a write up on my swap. Vehicle is a 1991 Jeep Cherokee, the leaf springs are stock 2.5" CJ rear springs. Front axle is a 1981 Jeep Wagoneer LP Dana 44. I bought the Jeep with an ultra jank shackle reversal, so I had to re-do the whole thing. Here we go.

This is how the suspension on the Jeep came when I bought it. Talk about jank. the angle is all wrong, then the guy just rotated the entire housing to correct the pinion angle. This put caster at about 20* forward, with the pinion at a straight line to the t-case. This caused the stock front drive shaft to not fit, along with the fact that the entire spring was set back a couple inches (if i were going to do a shackle reversal, I would use an offset centering pin, so the axle stays either further forward, or in the stock axle location.

So, I got to work. Took a very sketchy ride and pulled it into the garage at my dad's house and got to work.

Pulled shocks, ubolts, steering, and calipers. Literally 20 minutes, and I had this:

and this:

Ground the welds on, and bashed off the old spring perches, and cleaned up the tubes/housing with a flap disk:

I got a set of stock lower control arm brackets from a junkyard, which I welded some 1/8" metal to either side of the brackets. After this, I filled in the old holes from the inside with weld, and drilled new holes as far back in as I could for the leaf springs. Tacked them on back into the stock locations, and mocked up a spring.

The front shackle mount is a piece of 1/4" angle iron welded behind where the bumper mounts. I had the welds re-done when I had the brackets welded onto the unibody and axle.

After mocking in the first spring, I repeated the process for the second.

Put the axle under the springs, with the new spring perches just sitting on it. Got the perches under the springs, and then positioned the axle so it was centered.

 

[xj_man_646]

New leaf angle. I since added a set of shackles that are about 2.5" longer than the ones in the picture. They made the leaf angle even better.

Then, since I had little welding experience out of the highschool welding shop at the time, had a guy I knew come out to weld the brackets for me. For the driverside spring perch, he had to use Ni55 welding rod, because the driver side spring perch was getting welded to the cast housing. Proper welding method for welding mild steel to cast is to pre-heat the cast hot enough to melt a crayon, weld the brackets in 1-2" stitch welds, while peening the welds after they are burned on. Once all the welds are done, slow cooling should be done to keep the welds from cracking.

The passenger side spring perch burned on with your standard MIG.

Lower control arm brackets fully welded to the unibody

Axle all welded, with a fresh coat of spray paint

All done!

Since the build, I installed a set of Chevy flat top knuckles, and a passenger side high steer arm. I then got a couple chunks of 1.5x.25" DOM tubing, some TRE's from Napa (PN ES2010R and 2010L if I remember right), some 7/8" x 18 thread tubing inserts and jam nuts from Poison Spyder, and made new steering consisting of a high draglink (utilizing previously stated high steer arm) and a tie rod in the stock chevy location.

 

[HTeK]

Looks pretty good.

You should post in the "Front Leaf Spring Thread" and link to this post...

-Justin

 

[xrayjeeper83]

So you were about to use the stock DS correct?

Andrew

 

[xj9140]

Looks good. What size are those swampers?

 

[NfSALD]

I dig it! Good writeup.

 

[ttocsnekia]

They are 36's. do you run any steering stablilizers Pigeon?

 

[Tommy_Harrell]

I remember when the Travis (previous owner) PAID A SHOP to do that swap. The funniest part was the pitman arm welded to the knuckle.

Tommy

P.S. it looked good in Crawl.

 

[xj_man_646]

I remember when the Travis (previous owner) PAID A SHOP to do that swap. The funniest part was the pitman arm welded to the knuckle.

Tommy

P.S. it looked good in Crawl.

wow. I've never run into a person who knew him before. yeah...the pitman arm welded to the knuckle was bad.

thanks for the compliment

 

[xj_man_646]

They are 36's. do you run any steering stablilizers Pigeon?

no.

 

[xj_man_646]

So you were about to use the stock DS correct?

Andrew

Still am.

 

[xj_man_646]

Looks pretty good.

You should post in the "Front Leaf Spring Thread" and link to this post...

-Justin

Done

 

[XJmania030]

i like it

 

[Ludakris]

i think i would add some more to that front mount... my guess would be the "frame" horns will eventually warp.. some side plates bolted on and welded to the angle would probably do wonders... $.02

 

[xj_man_646]

i think i would add some more to that front mount... my guess would be the "frame" horns will eventually warp.. some side plates bolted on and welded to the angle would probably do wonders... $.02

not quite sure I follow

 

[Kittrell]

Agreed, that front crossmember made of for the shackle mounts could still use some substantial work. Something like HTeK did.

 

[xj_man_646]

well my bumper has those plates that tie into the steering box mount, and other holes as well on both sides. that strengthens everything, doesn't it? i've had 0 problems running it as it is as of yet.

 

[TNT]

Agreed, that front crossmember made of for the shackle mounts could still use some substantial work. Something like HTeK did.

In the picture shown above the front crossmember looks good but has some issues with the shackle set-up.

The shackle angle when drooped is wrong, it will limiting down travel and reverse(go up instead of forward and down) when compressing after full droop. It needs to be slightly longer with the upper shackle mounts moved rearward. Other than that it appears to be a nice work.

 

[rcasey]

I dig the 'Tad' perches. :greensmok

One of these days I'm going to do this to my MJ. I have the axles and springs laying around. I keep 'Tad' perches in stock, so to speak. I've used them on three SOAs now. Very good, reasonably priced parts.

Nice job!

 

[xj_man_646]

I dig the 'Tad' perches. :greensmok

One of these days I'm going to do this to my MJ. I have the axles and springs laying around. I keep 'Tad' perches in stock, so to speak. I've used them on three SOAs now. Very good, reasonably priced parts.

Nice job!

yeah, the tad perch is awesome. i love those things...that'll be all i use ever again.