Shackle question

[Alex E]

I know someone in the Sierra Chapter knows. How much lift does a 6 inch shackle give a XJ if used in the stock location?

 

[ROBZ95Xj]

1.5"

 

[Alex E]

1.5"

Sweet thanks, I couldn't figure out why my Jeep had a forward rake with Rough Country 6.5 coils, stock isolators plus .75 isolators, rear is RE 5.5 leafs and their 6 inch shackles out back. Looks like my rear is around 7 inchs of lift then. Now I have to decide which end I want to tune to level it out.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

I would imagine you would want a little rake in the rear so when you load up for a trip you are level. It sounds like 7" in the rear and about 7.25" up front. Id say remove the .75" isolators and have a 7"/6.5" with a 1/2" rake. I personally prefer an 1 or 2 or rake in the rear over the front.

 

[Alex E]

I would imagine you would want a little rake in the rear so when you load up for a trip you are level. It sounds like 7" in the rear and about 7.25" up front. Id say remove the .75" isolators and have a 7"/6.5" with a 1/2" rake. I personally prefer an 1 or 2 or rake in the rear over the front.

Sorry, it's raked to far forward like a factory rake. Problem is the front is really low but mathematically it should look level, I think the RE leafs are way beefy and the Rough Country springs are a year old and settled with a winch and wheeling under their belt. I put 300 pounds on the rear and its still really raked...

I noticed with my old 3 inch Rusty's leafs they would over arch when I flexed out, I climbed my buddies 37 and still had like 2 or 3 inches of clearance in the rear. Before I needed bump stop and now the rear doesn't make it there. I wonder if the spring can't flatten out as much now that I ditched my shackle boxes.
:dunno:

 

[blondejoncherokee]

how broken in are the leaves? i they are brand new, they will settle alot after some driving, especially with some weight. If they have been in there a while, considering shorter packs, like go from a 5.5- 4.5/3" pack maybe.

 

[Alex E]

They are bran new, I ordered 4.5s but some how my order fell through and never came so I'm just gonna hang on to these and see what happens. Honestly I don't think they'll settle to what I want but we'll see. I must say Rubicon Express makes some nice stuff though. I thought about getting the 5 inch shackles and keeping the 5.5 leafs but I think those will further hurt my compression when I flex.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

I think youd be better off with shorter leaves, like 4.5, 4, or 3.5, but I guess you could go to a 2" spacer up front. personally I say keep the rake and load the thing. I am sure after a year of wheeling and driving those leaves will settle to like 5" or so. plus you could do the shorter shackles. that with some settling will help alot. gosh thats a tall rig. Im at around 5" front/back. at 7" are you planning on running massive tires? 4.5" was great on 35s for me.

 

[Alex E]

I know, the wheel gap is insane considering I have 33s and trimmed the "S" out of my fenders. I'm putting my rear tire carrier on tomorrow so that may help, then I'll wheel it and see. I plan on putting a RTT on it next month too. I really don't think it will ever get low enough though. I don't plan on running 35s because its to much tire for all the highway driving I do to and from wheeling. The trail performance doesn't out weight the loss of power, wear and tear on my Jeep and the decrease in fuel economy.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

with 33s I would consider 2-3.5" packs and shackles. you should be fine with 3.5 -4.5 in the rear, and around 3.5-4.5" up front. I ran 33s for a long time.

 

[Alex E]

I was considering removing the lowest leaf on the 5.5 leafs but Im mot sure thats a good idea long term. I dont want the springs to really sag or break after a few years of hard wheeling. I know people do all kinds of weird bastard packs and they work but I like to just run what I bought kinda thing. I was thinking the height might be nice in rock piles and what not. I'll post up pics later when I can.