2xtreme said:
1) There are many reasons why springs do and do not flex!! Some of the issues can have to do with weight, use, friction between leaves, bushings, shackles, torque of bolts, etc, etc.
I agree, and that is why I asked for some help.
2) I believe that Rusty's and RE's springs are manufactured by the same company.
Could very well be, I do not know that so I can't comment.
3) If you did not install the components then you will not have a good idea of what could be wrong with the instlation, bushings , lube, torque, etc
I might not have done the installation myself, but I was there at every work done, and I know what was done. I sincerely doubt it, if doing the work would provide me with more knowledge. The people who did all the work did it very professionally, lubing every part that needed to be lubed, even changing the lube nipples on the extended shackles that Rusty send me, with angled one, otherwise they would be useless.
4) If you have not flexed the springs much then they are not "worn in". If you have it as a daily driver and you need to flex them try carrying some heavy cargo for a few days or better yet take it off road to flex it.
Heavy cargo for a few days? How do 150 pounds of tools and another 100 of recovery equipment for eight or nine months sound?
5) not a single one of the photos you posted would I expect the rear to flex any more. You need to flex to the point of a rear tire off the ground to show the total flex in the rear.
I did some inventory check on my pictures, as I remember I had one where the rear tire was just off the ground. Here it is:
Indeed you are right, it looks as if the rear tire is more stuffed inside the wheel well. I'll do some more checking next weekend. Maybe they do stuff after all.
6) do not take a suppliers problems to the board unless you can prove that it is the suppliers problems. No one is perfect, we are all human, Rusty makes some very good products for a very good price and he has supported the xj community for a long time.
Pardon me, but I thought that this is the exact "raison d' etre" for the forums. To discuss problems possibly related to manufacturers, so that one's bad experience does not happen to another one, or vice versa, one's good experience is used as a guideline for others.
In any case, and since you asked for proofs, here are some evidences of what I am talking about:
This picture was taken last Christmas, or two and a half months after the installation of the lift. Check the angle of the shackles and tell me if this is OK with you.
Same period, this is a picture of the front spring bushings touching the right side of their mount. Do you consider that to be acceptable?
And this is a picture of Rusty's leaf pack minus the lower leaf and with the new .75" extended shackles.
As you can see, even with the lower leaf removed, the shackles are not vertical, but I can live with that angle.
Why on earth should I spend money changine shackles and bushings to correct a product's defect? Why on earth couldn't Rusty include the new bushings and extended shackles with his springs? And do you consider an extended shackle as a remedy for a short leaf pack?
Indeed Rusty has some goods products. I've never complained about his front springs. I've never complained about the transfer case drop down kit (nothing much to complain about anyway), but having all these problems with his rear springs is unacceptable. Having to dump his excuse for shocks less than eight months after installation is unacceptable. Having to replace his track bar's TRE 8 months after I installed it (it was dead on arrival, but I can't prove that to you. But I know how much worst the steering of my truck became as soon as his lift was installed. And that the steering only got better after I replaced the TRE with a bushing end and frame mount).
I would also rather not get into other problems I had with him (wrong air filter send when I purchased a Weber, brake pipes which arrived incomplete, etc.). I would have to attach our e-mail exchange here to prove these to you. I can do it if you so want.
Aslo, I am not sure what you mean by "Rusty has supported the XJ community for years". Support is a very special thing and I am not sure what you mean by that.
Newcomers to this community (
or the XJ world if you want) should understand that Rusty's parts are "good for their price". That does not make them good. "Good for the price" is not necessarily the same as "good". People should understand that by buying Rusty's parts they can expect to run into trouble, more so than with the same parts of other vendors. I think it is the duty of the more experienced members, to protect the newbies by just clarifying this.
I hope I gave you the proof that you asked for, if not please let me know, I can provide much more.
Rgds