rear coils or leafs

[xjjunkie]

anyone have a prefference and why, my skyjacker rear 6" leafs are in but im wondering if a coil would be better ? rear leafs are costing $350.00, i think a rear coil set up can be done cheaper..
if so what rear coils are being used. how are the street manners with a rear coil set up ?


scot

 

[Eagle]

Well ZJ and WJs are rear coil and their street manners are very good. However, given that the XJ chassis isn't set up with either coil spring mounts or a mount for the 3-link suspension, I don't see how you could possibly do a lifted coil suspension cheaper than just buying a set of leaf springs.

 

[juicexj24]

I must agree. The cost to have the rear of an XJ set up for coils will far out weight the cost of leaf springs. When you look that the fab work needed along with the welding that needs to be done. Isn't worth it. But that is my 2 cents. Juice

 

[Jump This]

certainly not cheaper.......but after seeing some of the design work on the front end of a few of these rigs......just turning around and looking into the back......I see potential!! For around two grand!!!

 

[vintagespeed]

It will be a little pricey unless you do all the work yourself. And if you're going through the trouble of building a 3 or 4 link rear end then you might as well use coilovers instead of coils + shocks. So tack on an extra $1k to your material list. And after all that work are you going to like the way it handles off the highway? That's the big question. I've seen alot of coil rear ends, and on the ramp their impressive, but they look a little sketchy on the trail. I'm sticking with leafs until I'm convinced otherwise.

 

[RichP]

Didn't somebody make a coil conversion kit for XJ's, seem to remember it a couple of years ago. The XJ was white and I remember seeing a couple of shots of it climbing over some BIG rocks in a dirt parking area.

 

[XJZ]

I believe it was terra-flx, they called it the grand up or something like that.

Most people would take leafs over coils for the trail anyhow. I don't think there is any advantage except possibly the cool-factor, if you in fact think that is cool. And for all the work involved with no real gain and most likely a loss in trail performance, what's the point? The rear leafs give more stability to a lifted rig, you go too high with coils on all corners and that stability is gone.

In fact I've heard stories of ZJ guys converting the rear to leafs and here's a guy who did it on a TJ...... http://www.jeepaholics.com/feature/0009/0009.htm

 

[vintagespeed]

That's pretty funny, converted a TJ to rear leafs. Isn't that how XJ's come stock? So many SWB guys love to tear us a new one and then they think they're innovators when they convert their rigs to coil/leaf XJ suspension. That's so new it's amazing how well it works............duh.

 

[chadc]

Why have all of us spent so much time tuning in the front coil suspension, because it works and works good. I'm still running leafs in the rear because I wanted to get the (more complex) front to work the way I wanted it to. Setting up a rear coil system wouldn't be near as difficult as the front we have all tuned in. I have considered doing a rear coil set up(or longer leafs) A rear coil wont be nearly as involved as the front. I have friends who have done it, not on an xj. I have seen the rear coil work in a toyota running 38's. He is using my factory xj coils. http://www.grovestreet.com/servlet/View?pid=214321&cd=720
I think rear coils can and will work
chadc

 

[vintagespeed]

Why not go 1/4 elliptical? Same efficient link system just without the coil problems. I will be doing that first of next year, although I think I'll use limiting straps so it's not quite as sick as this guy:

http://www.bluetorchfab.com/images/DD_YJ/DD25.jpg

 

[chadc]

1/4 elliptical is not only spendy but it weighs alot. Although it seems to work well it isn't for us on a budget, or for the weekday transport and weekend thrashing. I try to keep things simple and easy to replace. Hey Vintage don't get me wrong, I would love to get sick and do a 1/4 ellip, but the wheeling I do is a combination of everything, not always about suspension travel. Functionality(sp)
Chadc

 

[XJZ]

Why have all of us spent so much time tuning in the front coil suspension, because it works and works good. I'm still running leafs in the rear because I wanted to get the (more complex) front to work the way I wanted it to. Setting up a rear coil system wouldn't be near as difficult as the front we have all tuned in. I have considered doing a rear coil set up(or longer leafs) A rear coil wont be nearly as involved as the front. I have friends who have done it, not on an xj. I have seen the rear coil work in a toyota running 38's. He is using my factory xj coils. http://www.grovestreet.com/servlet/View?pid=214321&cd=720
I think rear coils can and will work
chadc

How could rear coils NOT be as difficult as the front?

On the front end ALL of the attachment points are there, your basically upgrading/tuning preexisting components on the stock suspension design.

On the rear, you've got a lot to think about as far as design/geometry, etc. There's going to have to be alot of research/developement time spent figuring this out. Unless you have some knowledge of suspension design, I wouldn't even attempt it. Doesn't sound easier than the front to me. Think of all the fabrication that will have to go into this.

Also, just because coils work so well in the front doesn't mean they're better than leafs in the rear.

You'll gain nothing over the rear leaf system. I'd leave well enough alone. Coils front/leafs rear....perfect.

 

[Jump This]

Theres always something to be said about those who push the envilope and try new set ups!!! I know from personal exp. that a tortion housing and dampner works very well. But I just hadto go with the latest and greatest myself and spent an entire season just dialing it in!! (I'm talking about my dune buggy here) I think on my Jeep this time I will just make what it has work as well as I can afford to make it work!! Good shocks and lots of leafs...

 

[CheapXJ]

the only benefit I can really see to running coils in the rear of an XJ would be for insanely huge lifts where you end up with leaf packs that look like half-circles.

balancing tall leaves to tall coils is quite a task. ever notice how some taller XJ lifts seem like the front axle does all the flexin' and the rear does almost nothin? not saying it can't be done, but it's much easier to slap in a softer/stiffer coil than it is to rebuild leaf packs and try to get different spring rates.

 

[TN William]

A lot of answers from people who have not done a rear coil conversion. Now some first hand experience.

I am running a triangulated 4-link and coils. The most expensive part of the setup were the hiems. I had most of the steel but there isn't much cost there anyhow. Springs are boneyard items and you can get a good selection to find what works best. That is one of the wonderful things about rear coils: you can change your spring rates in about 10 minutes. Try that with leaves.

My rig is trailered so I don't care about road manners. If I was building a rear coil setup for the road I would consider a swaybar with disconnects. Something modeled after the Currie antirock bar would be sweet.


PM me if you want some more info on my setup.

 

[XJZ]

I have talked about this subject w. some very knowlegdeable people, and most think there are more disadvantages than advantages with rear coils. That's their experience.

If quick interchange of springs/spring rate is important to you, and it's something you do often ( monthly, yearly?) then this sounds like a solution to that. But you could change a ton of leaf packs in the time it would take design and fab a properly functioning rear coil set-up. And you've really got to know what you're doing to do it right.

If your leaf packs are all ready set-up correctly why would you go swapping them out in the first place? Just my opinion.

 

[chadc]

I feel the rear would be easier because steering geometry isn't gonna be an issue. Yes the front has all the mounting points, if your still using em. Off course there will be fabricating issues, but isn't that what makes it fun. I haven't done coils it just something I have been considering. If anyone has done it I would love to see some pics.
chadc

 

[Beezil]

why would 1/4 elip weight a lot?????

 

[tbalcome]

It is really hard to really say that on suspension type is superior over another. The reality is that all have there place. Depending on the type of 4wheeling you do and what kind of ride you want. Between front and rear coil, front coil and rear leaf, and full leaf I would chose front and rear coil. The reason for this is on the the pavement is is the smoothest, as well I 4wheel in a lot of rock and the coils articulate a little better. But I am not sure I would use that as a reason to convert my XJ to rear coil because if you dont get all the angles right you could make your XJ ride worst then before, not to mention it is not very cost effective. Now coil in the front and rear leaf, started in trucks because it improved ride quality but also increased the playload you could put in the rear. Now a full leaf suspension is really rough in rocks, I would only use this if I was only doing trails and mud. Now if I was to build a trailered trail rig I might think about a full coil suspension for rock crawling. But the XJ is the best of both worlds in my opinion. :us:

 

[Ritter4.0]

Somebody else mentioned that grand cherokee already have rear coils, so why not just sell you xj and buy one. It might even be cheaper depending on where you buy it.:dunno: