I want to put my old shackles back on and try an add a leaf. Anyone have any luck with those? They seem reasonable in price but will they help the old tired springs at all?

 

AAL help and are a valid budget lift. There are draw backs with them. 1. they are only as good as the springs you add them too. If your springs are saggy, the aal will sag sooner. 2. They tend to be very stiff, Most short style are designed for FULL SIZED trucks, Long style are softer but still stiff.

Instead of buying an AAL spring, consider doing a Bastard Pack. You could use something like a S-10 spring and get from 1.5" to 4" of lift, depending on combination used. The advantage of this is that, used spring have most of the sag worked out of them before you install them and they can be cheaper.

I have a Bastard Pack using the main from a 97 S-10 Blazer, I used the S10 main spring added to my stock saggy springs. Got 1.5" over stock, with my 2" extended shackle have total of 3 1/2" over stock lift. when I get a SYE in I'll do more mixing and matching with the rest of the S-10 pack for goal of 4.5" lift.

 

AAL sag within a year, no matter what pack you add them to.


with that in mind...do you feel like replacing them in a year?

 

not really.... guess I just need to look into a new set.

 

I have been running a Rubicon Express full length add a leaf in my stock leaf pack for almost 2 years now. I have experienced no sagging to date. So the whole " They will sag in a year." Is complete bull****. Yes if your current leafs suck, of course the add a leaf is going to suck. If your current leaf pack is in good condition then a full length add a leaf will do perfectly fine.
O yea, I will the **** out of mine, no issues. Just do a full length add a leaf and you will be good to go.

 

most leaf packs are junk already.

so AAL is NOT going to help.

don't put garbage band-aid's in your jeep and you won't have issues.

 

well here is another question for you then, i have an aftermarket bumper on my xj and because it is all 1/4" steel my back end sags like 2-3 inches and it looks like crap cuz it has a 4" lift... would an ad a leaf be a good fix or what would you guys suggest?

 

Just get the full pack for your lift. If it sags that much an AAL won't cut it anyway

 

i have had AAL's in the rear for 2.5 years and put shackles on reasontly and have no sag. So i dont see where your coming up with this. AAL's are good for their price. Obviously not as good as a full leaf kit though