Q about Leaf Springs...

[X9x A T I x7X]

It's difficult taking "a hard time" from people who know nothing about you. Friends are friends, strangers become friends.


On another note, does anybody have a complete list of leaf packs compatible with an XJ? I'd like to know what all too look out for.

 

[FlexdXJ]

I don't have acomplete list but i'm pretty sure its mainly the Dakota, Bronco 2 and S-10 leaves that work with XJ's. You are getting way too worked up over these guys picking on you dude. Lighten up a little. :cheers:

 

[X9x A T I x7X]

What I'm planning to do:

Rear:
- 2" Shackles
- Bastard Pack
- 2" Blocks

Front:
- 2" Coil Spacers
- ZJ Coils

The front already sits 2" higher than the rear on my Jeep due to sagging, so will I need to do more work to the front than this, or will it balance out? Let me know what you guys think about this setup. Good, bad, let me know.

 

[X9x A T I x7X]

I don't have acomplete list but i'm pretty sure its mainly the Dakota, Bronco 2 and S-10 leaves that work with XJ's. You are getting way too worked up over these guys picking on you dude. Lighten up a little. :cheers:

Sorry guys. I guess I picked the wrong time in my life to go on the forums. My father is in the hospital, I lost my job, lost almost everything I own (Anything that didn't fit in or on the jeep had to go) It's been a rough couple of weeks. This one being the worst

 

[FlexdXJ]

Sorry guys. I guess I picked the wrong time in my life to go on the forums. My father is in the hospital, I lost my job, lost almost everything I own (Anything that didn't fit in or on the jeep had to go) It's been a rough couple of weeks. This one being the worst

Sorry to hear that. I saw your plan for lifting it. You can get 3 inches out of a bastard pack alone. you won't need shackles or blocks. You may need a 1 inch shackle if the coil/spacer combo nets more than 3. If you throw the ZJ coils and spacers on you'll get around 3 just make sure they come from a V8 ZJ. The best part of that set up is NO BLOCKS.

 

[89cherokeexj]

Dont do blocks, I went through u-joints left and right. Actaully ended up really screwing up the rear end. the axle wrap was so bad it cut about a 1/4 groove into the axle tube and also ened up making the spring perches not flat anymore. Just dont do it, mayube for a street queen its ok, but if you wheel it at all stay away from blocks, well atleast 4" ones anyways

 

[4wdParakeet]

What I'm planning to do:

Rear:
- 2" Shackles
- Bastard Pack
- 2" Blocks

Front:
- 2" Coil Spacers
- ZJ Coils

The front already sits 2" higher than the rear on my Jeep due to sagging, so will I need to do more work to the front than this, or will it balance out? Let me know what you guys think about this setup. Good, bad, let me know.

This is part of why everybody is giving you grief. You asked our opinion and we gave it too you... Blocks are bad. Then you make the comment okay thanks guys you changed my mind. The next post you are asking about blocks again. If you want 6"s of lift in the rear then build your bastard pack taller and forget that there are liftblocks out there. If you want to level it out then get a set of V8 ZJ coild and the spacers and build a bastard pack to 3.5" or so and it will be level. It's really a lot simpler than you are making it out too be.


And as the old man I would say forget the lift get your life straightened out and then worry about lifting it.


Parakeet

 

[FlexdXJ]

This is part of why everybody is giving you grief. You asked our opinion and we gave it too you... Blocks are bad. Then you make the comment okay thanks guys you changed my mind. The next post you are asking about blocks again. If you want 6"s of lift in the rear then build your bastard pack taller and forget that there are liftblocks out there. If you want to level it out then get a set of V8 ZJ coild and the spacers and build a bastard pack to 3.5" or so and it will be level. It's really a lot simpler than you are making it out too be.


And as the old man I would say forget the lift get your life straightened out and then worry about lifting it.


Parakeet

I agree with ya parakeet. I love my Jeep but I love my family more. the Jeep can wait!

 

[4wdParakeet]

I agree with ya parakeet. I love my Jeep but I love my family more. the Jeep can wait!

Amen if I had no kids or a wife to say no to parts I would be flat broke, with my XJ on 1tons, 40's and streched about 10"s. But since I have a family I'm becoming a used parts whore.

To the OP if you really want to find parts and all the jy are shells of vehicles, then you have to start expanding your search. Check on craigslist through out the state or close states. You may have to burn some gas going to pick it up or some shipping costs but better than a trip to a JY with nothing in it. Do a Google search for 4x4 Junkyards by state and call them. Most of them will ship too you and you don't have to pull it. Find all the local jeep clubs with forums and join and start watching them. If you are good with paying a little shipping then expand your search out a couple states. Used parts are out there and the nice thing about this sport is most of the guys are good guys that are more than willing to help you out.

Most of all though most of the time you can post a question and get 10 different answers. This isn't one of those cases, everybody that has posted has had the same answer. This should lead you to believe that it's decent advice.


Parakeet

 

[FlexdXJ]

Amen if I had no kids or a wife to say no to parts I would be flat broke, with my XJ on 1tons, 40's and streched about 10"s. But since I have a family I'm becoming a used parts whore.

To the OP if you really want to find parts and all the jy are shells of vehicles, then you have to start expanding your search. Check on craigslist through out the state or close states. You may have to burn some gas going to pick it up or some shipping costs but better than a trip to a JY with nothing in it. Do a Google search for 4x4 Junkyards by state and call them. Most of them will ship too you and you don't have to pull it. Find all the local jeep clubs with forums and join and start watching them. If you are good with paying a little shipping then expand your search out a couple states. Used parts are out there and the nice thing about this sport is most of the guys are good guys that are more than willing to help you out.

Most of all though most of the time you can post a question and get 10 different answers. This isn't one of those cases, everybody that has posted has had the same answer. This should lead you to believe that it's decent advice.


Parakeet

I don't have a wife or kids but family comes first no matter what! Mine won't be on tons and 40's though!

 

[jeepfreak1020]

Dont do blocks, I went through u-joints left and right. Actaully ended up really screwing up the rear end. the axle wrap was so bad it cut about a 1/4 groove into the axle tube and also ened up making the spring perches not flat anymore. Just dont do it, mayube for a street queen its ok, but if you wheel it at all stay away from blocks, well atleast 4" ones anyways

Theres nothing wrong with a 2" block. I had a 2" block and add a leaf for 4" and ran that for almost two years and never had one problem with it. I ran some hard trails our here, flexing the shit out of the jeep, beating it up and pushing it to its limits and never had any problems. Blocks never came loose, never broke or did any harm to my leafs. On the other hard 4" blocks are something you shouldent even think about unless your a mud bogger in the southern states. Just my .02 cents.

 

[X9x A T I x7X]

This is part of why everybody is giving you grief. You asked our opinion and we gave it too you... Blocks are bad. Then you make the comment okay thanks guys you changed my mind. The next post you are asking about blocks again. If you want 6"s of lift in the rear then build your bastard pack taller and forget that there are liftblocks out there. If you want to level it out then get a set of V8 ZJ coild and the spacers and build a bastard pack to 3.5" or so and it will be level. It's really a lot simpler than you are making it out too be.


And as the old man I would say forget the lift get your life straightened out and then worry about lifting it.

I'm not planning on lifting the Jeep now. I'm just trying to get everything straight so I know what i'm doing when I can do it. I was told 2" blocks would be fine, that's why I included them in my list. Are you now saying even 2" blocks are bad?


Parakeet

 

[X9x A T I x7X]

My buddy just lifted his '08 chevy. Will his old leaf packs work?

 

[FlexdXJ]

My buddy just lifted his '08 chevy. Will his old leaf packs work?

:doh: NO! Seriously? you don't need to be lifting anything if you don't have a clue about it. I have been trying to help you out but i don't think its working. Those chevy springs are probably 6-8 inches longer eye to eye. Have you tried using the search feature to find these things out?

 

[X9x A T I x7X]

:doh: NO! Seriously? you don't need to be lifting anything if you don't have a clue about it. I have been trying to help you out but i don't think its working. Those chevy springs are probably 6-8 inches longer eye to eye. Have you tried using the search feature to find these things out?

Yes. I didn't find anything about 08 chevy leaf springs, that's why I asked.

 

[xj92]

Some basics just in case they're not already obvious. These are generalizations, but they're usually true.

• Spring over means the springs are on top of the axle.
• Spring under means the springs are under the axle.
• Spring under leaf packs are arched more than spring over packs.
• Putting leafs from spring under packs into a spring over leaf pack vehicle will lift it.
• The thicker each leaf is the more it will resist bending, and thus help lift the vehicle, while at the same time make the suspension stiffer.
• The Cherokee leaf packs are 2.5" wide and are spring over.
• You can remove leafs from any spring pack that is 2.5" wide and add them into the Cherokee's spring pack. This will lift your vehicle by the thickness of the leaf, the increase in spring rate (not allowing the springs to settle as much when the weight of the Cherokee's body is put on them), and the increased arch of the new leafs.
• Start with a leaf that is as long as the Cherokee's main leaf and cut it down so it ends halfway between the length of the Cherokee's main leaf and the Cherokee's second leaf.
• Use a $20 4.5" angle grinder from Wal-Mart with a $1 cutoff wheel to cut the leafs. Don't use heat.

I live in a small town where the junkyards overcharge for everything, so every couple months I go down to Phoenix (about a 2hr trip for me) and spend all day in the junkyards. I bring a list with me of all the things I've thought about getting over the last couple months, and get them all at once. Pick n Pulls especially give huge discounts when buying a bunch of stuff at once. They charge for the largest stuff and don't care much about the small stuff. The only way to find the best junkyards is to start visiting them.

 

[4wdParakeet]

To expand a bit on the last post.

Part of the challenge is to find a spring that has the same dimensions as the XJ's. For example you may find a leaf pack that has the same length and width of the XJ spring. The front eye to center pin may be longer or shorter. Some guys are finding the dodge B-van springs and using the main leaf since it is 3 or 4" longer from center pin to rear eye. This will better your shackle angle improving ride and flex. But roughly you will lose half the lift of your shackle.

I think General Spring or National Spring (sorry can't remember the right name) has a list of all the springs dimensions. I have seen it on somewhere but like a dumbass I didn't save it. Find that and then you can even match the spring rates to the stock leaf pack.

Measure the Chevy leaf pack and see what I mean. If it's 2.5" wide and the front eye to center pin is the same as the XJ's and the center pin to rear eye is only 2-4" longer then use them. If you want to really get involved with the project you could always redrill the center pin hole. That way you could make what you find work.

Since you aren't lifting it tomorrow you have time to search out all these parts and collect them as they became available. I have a spare set of XJ leaves that I picked up for 10 bucks at a jeep swap meet. See if you can leave a list of vehicles with the JY and they call you when one comes in. You can find the parts cheap you just have to be paitent and wait for that deal and hope you are the first one to see the ad.

My XJ has been in a very slow build. It gets rebuilt as things break or wear out. I pick one project to do in let's say 6 months from XX date. In that 6 months I'm researching how to do it, the best way to do it, best parts to do it with, etc. While I'm doing that I'm checking about 8 different 4x4 forums and craigslist looking for that rig they are parting out.

I got my stroker crank for free because it had some surface rust on it. I drove 9 hours round trip to pick up a set of 1/2 tread Toyo M/T's for 200 bucks. Then sold my old tires for 150 bucks Total for those 95 bucks after gas. Set of homemade tube bumpers, not the prettiest but for 75 bucks, the won't bend it I tag a rock with it like I would a stock bumper. I got my skids from a guy for 10 bucks. The top end of my stroker came off of a knocking 4.0 when it was pulled, that I bought the motor from for 100. And I have a spare short block to sell or rebuild if need-be. The deals are out there you just have to find them.


Parakeet

 

[X9x A T I x7X]

My fire department is getting a ford explorer donated for rescue training. As usual, we get first dibs on anything before it gets burned or destroyed by our pneumatics. Would the leaf springs be of any use from this vehicle? I haven't seen anything about them, but you never know 'till you ask.

 

[4wdParakeet]

Do some googling to find out if the exloder and the XJ leaf pack have the same dimensions. Reread the last post and specifically measuring the leaf pack and going from there. I'm sorry but I don't think anybody is going to do the research for you. I will do this for you though.

http://www.universityofjeep.ca/stretching_yj.html Read it that's the first peice of info you need.

Please do the research for yourself. There is a lot of good info in this thread and you have to take advantage of it. Like I said we can't do the research for you. It is know that the S-10, Dakota, B-van, MJ, will work and can make a very flexy nice riding pack. Anything other than that you will have to figure out. Once you do then please post back and tell us what you found and we will go from there.


Parakeet

 

[X9x A T I x7X]

I wasn't asking anybody to research this, sorry if it came off that way. I was asking if anybody has done this, knows it can be done, or knows somebody who has done it.