shackles or add a leaf....

[its840]

hey i have a 100% stock xj.. i just put new 235's on there.. and it sits a lil higher then the orig 225's (not much).. but the rear end is sagging (lil more noticeable now).. pretty bad...
i have a huge heavy speaker box sitting in the rear end of it..
but im a broke college student and looking to make the rear end sit lvl with the front... i haven't measured it yet.. but im guessing its prob like a 2" difference.. i can get 2" shackles or 2" add a spring for about the same price..... which one would you prefer.. and/or which one would be easier to install???

 

[Big_Al]

I ordered some shackles before I did this budget boost. http://www.rocklizardfabrications.com/home_brew_budget_boost.htm

The shackles were easier to install but adding the long leaf to my stock,flat pack brought them back to life. A little stiff but much better when I have a load in it. Also I used a 1" spacer up front along with the Grand V-8 springs and nicely gained approx 3" there. HTH....Al

 

[Mr_Random]

grab s-10, dakota, or MJ leaf packs from a JY and use the second leaf to even it out until you can afford some 3" springs for the front (look on here or JF in the classifieds, they're cheap!), then cut off the bushings on the top leaf and add them too... You can usually get leaf packs for CHEAP at junkyards (like $25), and possibly reuse the leaf clamps from the donor packs.

You'll most likely have to cut off the center pin, so either go to a 4X4 shop and try to procure them at too high of a cost, or get a correct length grade eight bolt and drill out the spring plate on the axle to fit it in!

The benefit of the bastard pack/junk yard budget boost route is that the donors should already be sagged and aren't gonna lose much more arch, and will be pretty flexy. An AAL (even a long one) will be fresh and eventually sag, so it'll start off really stiff then get bouncy as it gets old... not what I'd want in any case...

 

[its840]

ok well being that im a college student i realy dont have the time to tear apart rear springs... or the tools to do that kinda stuff.. i mean i have tools but no way of cutting them.. and, well just to much of a pita for me at this time...

but i was searching...
how about rear air shocks... can be had for like 75$..... i know socks are easy enough to install...

all im looking to do it make the rear sit level with the front.. with out making it ride like a tank....

 

[Mr_Random]

You don't have to cut anything if you only plan on leveling it out...

If you go for an AAL, it'll do the same thing as the second leaf in all of those packs, but be stiffer at first and sag out later... plus you'll have to tear apart the springs anyways...

A shackle will work for a bit maybe, then sag your leafs to no end... plus it'll be a pita to take the bolts and springs out...

Air shocks? doubt they'll do much for you...

I am a college student too, and did a bastard pack (the full thing, plus cutting bushings). Luckily I have some connections and had a metal shop cut the bushings, but it really wouldn't be too hard if you get enough cutoff wheels...

Dropping the axle and taking apart my leafs took like... thirty minutes. I cut the clamps to save time, but could have reused them with a little modification. The hardest part was getting the leaves oriented in the right position and lifting the axle back up by myself.

Get a friend in on it and you can level the jeep in a couple hours...

 

[cherokee chuck]

If you don't want to build a bastard pack a long aal is your best option. With weak springs shackles or a short aal are almost as bad as a block [There's a really crappy option].

 

[dinorl007]

when i built my bastard pack i used the leafs from an xj pack fron the jy i got for 20.00 for both sides, i sued a grinder to cut everything apart, just put a clamp on the springs befor u cut the spring bolt, then u can re assamble everything with hand tools, it is really affordable to do just buy new u bolts and centering pins and spring clamps, i would use the leafs instead of the shackle, i tried the shackle and it rode really rough and put a lot of strain on myalreaady worn out leaves good luck hth