XJ leaning to the right

G

gorman

NAXJA Forum User
Location
South Africa
I finished the install of my upgrade suspension over the weekend. In the rear I upgrade my OME spring packs with a couple of custom made extra leafs, while the front got RE4.5" coils and a 1.75" spacer, but with the stock coils spring isolator removed (in retrospect I should have left them in, but I'm sure the rear would settle a bit). The lift I gained was about 5.7" on the left in front and 5" on the right and in the rear I got 6.6" on the left and 6.2" on the right hand side. Why would this be? I've read before that all XJs lean to the right because of the torque effect of the engine and in my case also because of the driver's weight on that side.

I guess the actual question is, do I do something about it, or should I just stop being fussy and leave the measuring tape at home? I could add a 10mm OME packer or the stock coil spring isolator on the right and a 10mm spacer between the leaf and spring pad in the rear to level it out - would this be adviseable? I did install the leaf pack with the highest free camber lenght on the right hand side - the RE coils were both exactly the same length.
 
RHD?

Perhaps only hauling heavier passengers?
 
I ran into the same problem myself a few years back. My right coil spring over time would bow. Messed around with adjusting pinion angle to make sure the angle of the lower coil pad wasn't contributing to the problem to no avail.

I used JKS ACOS to help keep the front level. The bow in the spring caused the right spring to have a lower spring rate and compress quicker, which was doing quite a number on my bump stops.

I am not sure what happened, because for the first 5 years of having an XJ I never had this problem. But then the following changes ocurred:

MORE motor mounts: May allow more torque to transfer to the passenger side spring than the much softer OE motor mounts.

New taller front coils: Went from OME XJ coil springs that were perfect after 4+ years to OME V8 ZJ springs that are taller.

Warn Winch. More weight up front.

Regeared to 4.56: More torque once again.

Lift goes from 3" to 4"+.

A combination of all of the above may have contributed to the bowing of the front spring. I wondered what a spring with a heavier spring rate would have faired as I believe for the weight of my XJ the OME V8 ZJ springs were out matched. Really soft for flex off-road, but not resilient on a DD XJ.
 
Get fatter... ha
 
If anyone would read - it is a RHD Jeep; the OP is in South Africa and even mentioned that fact.
rolleye.gif


That is a considerable difference between left and right sides up front though. Are both coils seated correctly? I can understand some difference in the rear since it's a bastard pack and your existing leaves will hav ehad some droop due to torque and the driver's weight but the front doesn't make sense (yet).

Jim www.yuccaman.com
 
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Get skinnier then, haha

I stand corrected
 
MGrobe said:
I ran into the same problem myself a few years back. My right coil spring over time would bow. Messed around with adjusting pinion angle to make sure the angle of the lower coil pad wasn't contributing to the problem to no avail.

I used JKS ACOS to help keep the front level. The bow in the spring caused the right spring to have a lower spring rate and compress quicker, which was doing quite a number on my bump stops.

I am not sure what happened, because for the first 5 years of having an XJ I never had this problem. But then the following changes ocurred:

MORE motor mounts: May allow more torque to transfer to the passenger side spring than the much softer OE motor mounts.

New taller front coils: Went from OME XJ coil springs that were perfect after 4+ years to OME V8 ZJ springs that are taller.

Warn Winch. More weight up front.

Regeared to 4.56: More torque once again.

Lift goes from 3" to 4"+.

A combination of all of the above may have contributed to the bowing of the front spring. I wondered what a spring with a heavier spring rate would have faired as I believe for the weight of my XJ the OME V8 ZJ springs were out matched. Really soft for flex off-road, but not resilient on a DD XJ.
Click to expand...


I've heard of bowing coil springs when using 3"+ coils with stock control arms. I'd think that'd be the same on both sides tho...
 
Yes it is RHD. I noticed on both the first OME930's and the subsequent OME934's that on both sets the right hand coils were bowed. I did still have the stock control arms, but they gave me caster that's within spec (6 degrees), so can't see why that would bow the springs. My trackbar is set to centre the axle, so that shouldn't affect the angles on the springs. I do however also have a heavy bumper and winch - could that perhaps contribute to the bowing of the coils? The new RE 4.5" springs look a lot straighter than the OME's I took out, but there is also a hint of a bow on the right hand side. Come to think about it, I wonder if the spacer I'm using might not be 100% true - I should have measured it while I had them out.

OME actually makes longer springs (front and rear) for the driver's side of the vehicle - while others like RE don't realy cater for differences in height between left and right. Two friends of mine has the RE 3.5" Superflex lifts on their XJs and both also lean to the right, but only by about 10mm or so. If my spacer turns out to be okay, should I just level it out with additional spacers on the right hand side to make it sit even heights left to right?
 
I've done a search on the forum and it seems the LHD XJs also tend to lean to the right hand side, so it seems it's got nothing to do with the steering configuration.
 
you think thats bad my rig with re 4.5" springs leans to the right by over an inch. I measured the springs while on flat ground and it looks to be the spring has just settled more over time on the right side.
 
The torque effect makes sense, but would that be the sole reason for the leaning? I'll be glad if it is, then I can stop worrying, just allow the springs to settle and then level it out with a couple of spacers.

My right hand coil bows outward slightly as did both pairs of OME coils I had before it, why would they bow and not just compress in a straight line - it's not like the mountings are skew or anything.

In solving the leaning - I have length adjustable JKS quicker disconnects, what if I make the right hand one longer and/or the left hand one shorter to get the swaybar to help keep the car upright? I might put some strain on the swaybar bushings, but they're relatively cheap. It would also make them a little more difficult to re-connect, but with an extra pair of hands it shouldn't be too much of an effort.
 
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no, i wouldn't use the sway bar to solve it... i dont even have a sway bar though. you can get 1/8" coil spacers... or do like i do and let it happen... but will be doin either the s-dime or dakota bastard leaf pack when i get a chance, so i may correct for it then... who know? the possibilities are endless
 
I would check to make sure the coils are seated... i had a tire turn my spring on me before. And rear leafs will get tweaked from engine torque which is made more apparent if you have a locker...

I can turn into a parking spot and have 4 inches of difference on 6.5" springs
 
At least it seems the leaning thing is not uncommon and nothing to worry about. I spoke the a very reputable guy that did my initial OME install for me about a year ago and he said that the bowing of coil springs is normal on some vehicles and nothing to worry about.

I've adjusted my disconnects to help keep the Jeep a bit more upright and when I measured it this morning the difference between left and right was about 5mm less. I didn't want to put too much force on the disconnects - I'm sure one can get it close to even, but that would cause too much wear on the disconnect bushes. I'll be working on my front axle soon and the rear will get replaced with a stronger one - at that time, I'll add an additional coilspring isolator on the right hand side and I'll add a 10mm spacer below my bottom leaf on the right hand spring pack in the rear. That should get it close to even - close enough so that the leaning is not prominent by just looking at the car.
 
Sounds like it's about time to do your annual coil and leaf pak rotation. I would be curious what the outcome is if you actually tried this????
 
Turfzilla said:
Sounds like it's about time to do your annual coil and leaf pak rotation. I would be curious what the outcome is if you actually tried this????
Click to expand...
gorman said:
I finished the install of my upgrade suspension over the weekend.
Click to expand...
It was just fitted...the front coils are brand new and measures equal lenghts before install and the leafs were installed with the one with the greatest free camber height on the right hand side.
 
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