question on Bastard pack?

[imm/ou812]

I netted 4.5" using this setup:

Stock main
Slightly cut main (it is full length with the eyes just barely cutoff. It partially wraps up at each end by about 1/2")
Stock 2nd
Cut 2nd (exactly halfway between 2 and 3 stock lengths)
Stock 3rd
Cut 3rd (exactly halfway between 3 and 4 stock lengths)
Stock 4th

Also, a 1.25" shackle, HD shackle relocation brackets (???"), 1/2" lift u-bolt eliminator kit. Also running full length Teflon double lipped leaf liners between all leaves.

I haven't added a cut 4th in yet but I might to help I increase the load capacity a bit when I'm towing a trailer.

I will not run any other leaf pack again other the this setup. It is nice and flat so you get a lot of droop (as opposed to the limited droop you get on a very arched/stiff pack). My load capacity is a lot better then the soft stock setup and with the liners, it is not squeaky and it flexes very smoothly through the whole range of the leaf. hands down way better for an all around daily driver/expedition/camping rig then any aftermarket pack. Maybe if you are pre-running or hardcore rock crawling you'd want something different.

Where did you buy the leaf liners and U bolt eliminators?
Thanks!
Brian

 

[brianglawson]

spring shops should have anything you need, usually pretty cheap too

 

[ert01]

Leaf liners are available from Eaton spring. Email or call them.

UBE kit I made but theres a couple companies online that sell em. Can't recall names off the top of my head though.

 

[jmeti000]

I used dakota leafs for mine. Id halfta go outside to look, but not going to cuz its raining right now and I dont wanna melt. I know i used the XJ main then the dakota main (cut), and alternated them. I also used the XJ helper leaf on the bottom because the dakota was alot thicker and from what I read stiffer too. I have a 3 inch in the front and it matched up perfectly.

 

[GordoSmasho]

I used one tone dodge van leafs. They were eight leafs each and I use five. They are a little long on the rear half so you will need a boomerang shackle. I tell you though it hauls like a truck flexs great and rides great. I got about 3.5 inches of lift. They are the same width but thicker than xj leafs.

 

[GordoSmasho]

Good site for info

http://www.generalspringkc.com/index.php?p=catalog&parent=1&pg=1

They are a supplier but they have tech info on leafs from any vehicle you can think of.

 

[03GRUNT11]

AWESOME INFO GENTS!!! Ok, I've been building up my 95 XJ the last 5 months. I was going to do a bastard pack but then I found a guy selling a set of Alcan Spring packs that he bought for his XJ that supposedly netted 6" of lift. He said he had them made a little heavier duty. Well they definitely net 6"+ more like 8". The rear eye didn't line up with the rear mount because of the arch and spring rate of these springs. So I removed the bottom #5 and #6 leafs and put on new OEM shackles. I'm now sitting at 7" with 4 leafs and a degree shim LOL!!! Keep in mind, that i don't have a fuel tank installed at the moment also...The leafs might settle an inch or so over time... but these are much thicker leafs than stock and most likely higher grade steel. The leafs were able to flex a little more and bring the shackle angle to 90* but thats still not good...makes for a rough ride and It will bind up eventually... I'm thinking the actual Main leaf itself is shorter than the stock main...ill confirm that tomorrow. So anyways...now I am tossing around the idea of making a bastard pack from the stock leaf pack and these Alcans. Something like:

Stock Main
Stock #2
Alcan #3
Alcan #4
Alcan #5

Or whatever combo I guess that will give me what I want.
Then use my shackle re-locator and adj shackles... and see where I'm at... Any thoughts on this approach, think it'll work out alright?

 

[cdrake261]

I netted 4.5" using this setup:

Stock main
Slightly cut main (it is full length with the eyes just barely cutoff. It partially wraps up at each end by about 1/2")
Stock 2nd
Cut 2nd (exactly halfway between 2 and 3 stock lengths)
Stock 3rd
Cut 3rd (exactly halfway between 3 and 4 stock lengths)
Stock 4th

Also, a 1.25" shackle, HD shackle relocation brackets (???"), 1/2" lift u-bolt eliminator kit. Also running full length Teflon double lipped leaf liners between all leaves.

I haven't added a cut 4th in yet but I might to help I increase the load capacity a bit when I'm towing a trailer.

I will not run any other leaf pack again other the this setup. It is nice and flat so you get a lot of droop (as opposed to the limited droop you get on a very arched/stiff pack). My load capacity is a lot better then the soft stock setup and with the liners, it is not squeaky and it flexes very smoothly through the whole range of the leaf. hands down way better for an all around daily driver/expedition/camping rig then any aftermarket pack. Maybe if you are pre-running or hardcore rock crawling you'd want something different.

Had a question, if I did this:

Stock main
Slightly cut main (it is full length with the eyes just barely cutoff. It partially wraps up at each end by about 1/2")
Stock 2nd
Cut 2nd (exactly halfway between 2 and 3 stock lengths)
Stock 3rd
Cut 3rd (exactly halfway between 3 and 4 stock lengths)
Stock 4th

...and use a 2.5" shackle(no relocation bracket), would it work? Or would I have problems?

 

[jonesinxj]

Digging up a old thread, but here we go. I am currently running a RE 3.5 leaf setup it boomerang shackles and shackle relocation kit, netting around 4.5 inches. I just replaced my front coils with RE 5.5 and now I need to add to the rear (the new coils netted a additional 2.5 inches) I have a stock set of leafs that I can use to add to my RE springs, just not sure what to use.

 

[Johnnie Walker]

Digging up a old thread, but here we go. I am currently running a RE 3.5 leaf setup it boomerang shackles and shackle relocation kit, netting around 4.5 inches. I just replaced my front coils with RE 5.5 and now I need to add to the rear (the new coils netted a additional 2.5 inches) I have a stock set of leafs that I can use to add to my RE springs, just not sure what to use.

Do you want it level?
I would go with an XJ main, and a mid leaf.
Otherwise, maybe see where just an XJ main would put you.

 

[jonesinxj]

Yes, looking to level it out. I will start with what you suggested. Thank you

 

[warwagon98xj]

i did
1.96 s10 blazer main leaf
s10 pickup whole pack with overloads underneath for a very nice 4 inches

 

[Tim_MN]

When building a bastard pack, using XJ Cherokee leaf springs for the donor results in added load capacity and only a very slightly stiffer spring pack. Remember, the spring rate stays the same. Once you have the stock spring pack beefed up with an additional spring leaf that spans spring eye to spring under the stock XJ main leaf, you can also use extended shackles without worrying about sagging the stock main leaf.

S-10 bastard packs result in a somewhat firmer spring pack but still an acceptable pavement ride and flexible leaf spring pack.

An RE1410 2.5" Add-a-Leaf plus a stock XJ Cherokee main leaf installed into a stock XJ leaf spring pack results in 3.25" of lift. The pavement ride is smooth, and it flexes very well.

 

[anony_]

Hello,


I installed an OME lift kit some years ago and want to clean up and rebuild the rear springs possibly adding an eXtra leaf.

I'm not close to a town to find parts and was wondering where I can rear spring parts online.

My existing rear springs are 4+1 (primary + overload). Adding an extra-leaf become 5+1. These are military wrapped rear springs. I'm looking for the U-Clamps with bolts and spacers that go between the leafs.

U clamps look like the one from pic below. I've tried Ome but for some reason don't carry rear spring u-clamps for miltitary wrapped springs.

The u-clamps are riveted to a lower leaf on the primary pack. I possibly can make up some myself, but was wondering if there is a spring parts supply store somewhere online that carry spring and suspension parts.

 

[Tim_MN]

Husky Spring has parts and can make you custom parts. If there is room in the existing clamps, I would just slip in another leaf.

If necessary, drill and bend your own leaf spring clamps, and buy some solid mild steel rivets you can set with a 5 lbs sledge hammer.

 

[anony_]

Husky Spring has parts and can make you custom parts. If there is room in the existing clamps, I would just slip in another leaf.

If necessary, drill and bend your own leaf spring clamps, and buy some solid mild steel rivets you can set with a 5 lbs sledge hammer.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking of doing. Trying to use the existing clamps there isn't enough room for another leaf.

I also need those spacers. The springs are less than 10 years old and have accumulated lots of rust, parts of the existing clamps have deteriorated, mostly from running the Jeep along an ocean beach, that I would often use instead of an adjacent highway. Salt can become a real killer.

I use to work mainly on boats from small to very large ones, some of which were designed for arctic waters and ice. Boats are made for the sea, cars on the other hand aren't normally designed to be around seawater and salt.

 

[anony_]

Husky Spring has parts and can make you custom parts. If there is room in the existing clamps, I would just slip in another leaf.

If necessary, drill and bend your own leaf spring clamps, and buy some solid mild steel rivets you can set with a 5 lbs sledge hammer.

I contacted Husky and they said they could make them. Also said there are several types of spacers which includes how they are secured to the leafs.

I may have Husky make them or make them myself.

The OME spring clamps appear to use a spacer approx. the same length as the bolt that the bolt fits through. Also has uses rubber/plastic bushings that fit between the side of the spring pack and clamp.