Stock rear leaf's or Lift?

[copperhead]

the rear on my 87 (280,000km) sagging to the point where the top of my rear bumper fits under the bottom of the bumper on my wifes stock 96 Sport.

I have thought about taking this time to get a lift on there as the front end is pretty much shot as well (has quite a shimmy over bumps and braking) , but haven't done enough wheeling to know what I would want/ would need. Thus far I have looked at RE 3" lifts with full leaf packs, and OME lift's. Have to save up for them, and I have no armor on the Jeep yet. My current driving is about 80 percent street and 20 percent logging/access roads. I am starting to go off road a bit more and need to start seriously thinking about setting up for a trail (IE armor, jack, etc..)

This will all be on a budget, so I am looking at getting either a stock set-up with some armor, and going to a lift later if needed, or going straight to a lift and waiting on the armor. I'd just hate to put on another stock suspension and then have to change it out again.

any thought on which way might be best?

Thanks,

Copperhead
-1987 XJ Laredo 4.0, 2door
-1996 XJ Sport 4.0HO, 4door

 

[juicexj24]

I would lift it in the 2.5" to 3" range with a full leaf pack. It's a much better idea to lift it than replace the stock stuff with stock stuff and turn around again and lift it. at 3" its not that high and it handles very much like stock. I started at 3" with a Superlift Kit that was aal. Rancho has a nice kit with rear leaf pack and shocks which is around 3". RE 3" lift is very nice. Armor can come down the road as needed and budget allow. Juice

 

[MattBlackXJ]

I agree to go ahead and lift, but keep in mind, if you don't find the issues in the front, and don't replace everything, the shimmy is going to get worse with a lift.

 

[copperhead]

Thanks,
If I go with something like a RE Super ride 3" lift (the direction I am leaning), what else should I look into replacing in the front. I know the previous owner, who bought it with 11,000KM . He did regular maintanance, but the suspension is stock at 280,000km.

Copperhead

 

[Eagle]

I don't think you have enough information on which to base a decision. Have you measured, both your XJ and your wife's? Hers might have Up Country suspension, which makes for an unfair comparison against a stock older XJ.

Measure from the center of the wheel (hub) caps straight up to the bottom edge of the flare lips. The accepted "stock" dimensions should be 17.5" for the front, and 17.0" for the rear. Once you know how you compare against that, you can begin to formulate a plan.

 

[copperhead]

OK, this is a bit strange:
I think the sport doesn't use the up-country we ordered it new, would it be on the sticker? I added tire types, as the Sport has a taller profile. Not much, but it might make a slight difference. Here are the specs:

1996 Cherokee Sport 2wd (160,000mi):
Front 17 1/2" and Rear at 16 3/4". Running 235/75/15 Michelin X Radials with 80 percent tread.

1987 Cherokee Laredo (Canadian model 280,000km) Factory class III hitch:
Front 18" and Rear 15 3/4". Running 215/75/15 Michelin Plus 80s' with 50 percent trear. It is a 2 door model and the door seams look good, no real rust underneath, some surface rust. Why would the front be higher than stock?

Copperhead

 

[Eagle]

Because the rear is lower than stock, and the chassis pivoted around the front axle.

So you're an inch down in the rear, and you're on a budget. Hit a u-pull junkyard, get a pair of used XJ springs, take them apart, cut the eyes off the ends, and then use them as add-a-leaves to reinforce your rear springs. You'll need new 5/16" centering pins and a few new rebound clips -- those are the wraps that keep the leaves lined up and together. Those parts will run you about $10, and if you can find the donor springs free or cheap you have a real budget AAL project. Plus you have some spare leaves if you later need a bit more boost.

This will lift it about 1-1/2" from where it sits now, which will get you back to just about stock with a slightly firmer but not uncomfortable ride.

There are two threads on the tech forums right now discussing this very modification. I did it last year on an '88 Laredo for an ex-girlfriend and it worked out very nicely.

 

[copperhead]

Thanks Eagle,

I will check out this route first. A friend gave me a set of Rancho 5000 (5128 & 5129) series shocks that he had on his 87 XJ Wagoneer. He had them on for about 6 months and didn't like the ride. I figure they are probably better than the originals still on it. There is a local salvage yard with a few cherokee's, I'll see what they have as far as leafs'.

Copperhead

 

[Eagle]

How far up in NH are you? I can hook you up with a NAC chapter member in RI who knows of a yard in northeast MA that might have something, and also a u-pull yard near the MA/RI line that always has a few Cherokees in the u-pull section.

 

[copperhead]

I'm about 9 miles south of Lake Winnepasaukee. I am in Portsmouth quite a bit and am 1.5 hours out of Boston, 2.5-3 hours out of Providence, RI depending on traffic.

Copperhead