So my leaf springs are pointing towards the ground on my 2001 XJ, I looked for a thread about this but didn't find anything to answer my question. I know I need to fix them, but I'm unsure how. I don't want to go the route of shackles because it jut seems like it would make them worse. I'm eventually going to do a budget lift with an S10/Dakota bastard pack and some T-bird coils, would putting just one or two of the leafs from a bastard pack fix them? I just want to ask you more experienced Jeep owners before I get myself in a pickle.

 

I hate that I can’t really answer your question… but I say go with a new set of leafs dude, the expensive part is the labour to put them on and it sounds like you are going to do that yourself. I feel the BB or AAL are just prolonging the issue of blown out springs, unless the vehicle you scavenge is in great shape. For all the time and effort, and if you are doing the job on jack stands like I did, you are only going to want to change your leafs once haha, PITA!

 

You can put one or two leaves in and it will boost them back up but long term you are probably going to want to get a new set of springs. They run $80-120 per side for OEM replacements.

 

Yeah eventually I'll replace my leafs because sometime down the road (no idea when yet) I plan on going to 4.5" and I'll just get a new set of leaves when I do that, I'm just looking to fix them for a couple years till I can afford more junk for it haha

 

If you have stock height now, my temp fix suggestion:

I installed Monroe Sensatrac Coil-Over, load bearing shocks in rear (90 xj)

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...010#fragment-1

pretty sure $116 gets a pair, about what i paid


I almost bought a set of these earlier, but they had no reviews yet .. & store said they wouldnt lift the rear end

I tried a leaf spring swap PITA ! long story on that .. I gave up.

then very happy, bought those Monroes .. lifted my rear end over 2 inches, back to stock height

the upper coils were compressed a bit, but it still handled fine on road .. over 500 lbs in the rear cargo area, made em sag a bit .. other than that .. wishin I never touched that leaf spring

if you go that route .. you will need a high lift jack to install them .. you cannot compress them by hand .. I raised the body by trailer hitch, as soon as wheels get off ground .. drop it down just a notch .. that shock fit right in .,, snug


(glad I left the wheels on too, didnt realize I had both wheels in air .. barely .. whole jeep moved sideways while I was maneuvering 2nd shock .. scared the hell out of me, being under it)

 

Take them and have them re-arched!

 

I'll definitely look into the shocks, that looks interesting, I am on a pretty tight budget though. Changing leafs can't be as hard as changing a transmission in the middle of a field with it raining and muddy though, I'll have to see what my budget allows I guess

 

considering I installed those shocks in an hour, jeep height was back to normal .. was a blessing

removing 1 leaf spring myself took 2 days .. most of it was the "never ending-bolt-backout" front uni body bolt .. PITA

shocks are nice .. I put normal sensatracs on front too

cant remember who told me "cheapy shocks will work just fine as the expensive" .. not so, cornering was the 1st thing I noticed

be careful removing shock bolts in uni-body .. pb blast em as they come out .. dont wanna break those off. Im about to replace shocks on a 93 .. gonna go slow! cant wait ! Im riding on 2x4s

 

Gotcha, yeah an hour is great time to fix the rear. I won't be doing it alone, I have a couple friends that have done bastard packs before that will be helping me, there's no way I'd do it by myself, not something like that when I drive it everyday haha