Whats up guys...new to the forum. I have a 94 and I desperately need new leaf springs, extremely sagged and 2 leafs are broke on one of the packs. I'm goin to the junkyard this weekend to get a few parts. My yard has a least a dozen Cherokee's at all times. What I'm wondering was there any Cherokees that might have came with a heavier spring rate in the rear? I heard 2WD with a tow package, but would like to confirm that. I'm have ZJ V8 coils and 2" spacers and a ZJ V8 lower tie bar for the front with ZJ V8 shocks ready to go on and thinking stock springs with these adjustable chevy or ford shackles I already have. I also already have Comanche shocks for the rear. What do you all think for the rear??? The goal and object is really cheap but works well. I'm in the south so I run mostly mud. 31" tires is what I"ll be running. Any help is greatly apprieciated.

 

you could take the main leaf out of a cherokee you ave lying around and cut the eyes off and use it as an aal. but it might not work if your leaves are sagging too much. You could also use dakota or s10 leaves to make a bastard sring pack.

 

I just built my pack with rear springs from a 95 Dakota 4x4. With XJ main leaf and all leafs from Dakota I am sitting at 4.5" above stock (where before with cracked/sagging springs i was 1.5" below stock). Remove a leaf and or the 1/2" helper spring to lower that to suit your needs.

Up front I am running RC 3" lift spring (and +3" RC Shocks), although I just picked up a pair of 3/4" spacers to help level it out a bit (3.75" front and 4.5" rear).

 

what i meant was my junkyard has a bunch of Jeeps, not me. I thought about a bastard pack but i need good cherokee leafs to start and would also then have to pull and buy a set of Dakota or S10 leafs too. Too much $$$ at the bone yard just for some leafs. I also only have Saturday to do the whole lift and a tune up, building the bastard packs will kill too much time for me. thanks for the reply!

 

do you need longer u-bolts when building a bastard pack with about 3" lift. if so more money I don't want to spend.

 

I wish I had more time and $$ then I would do a bastard pack. But i'm basically starting from scratch in the rear, cause my stock ones are junk.

 

Yea dude you can use the main leaf from your pack no matter how bad it is unless it is cracked. Then buy S-10 or Dakota leafs cut the eyes of the main one and put all of them with your stock main leaf and there you go. I would buy new u-bolts they are not that expense and you will be glad you did they are like $22 for both sides and $30-$40 for the Leafs.

 

yeah, x2 new u-bolts are a must. They strecth when you tighten them down so if you reuse the old ones they will have been stretched 2x. and that makes them really weak.

 

The idea is to use your present main leaf which you already have and just get the S10 heavy duty spring pack.

 

If you already have some longer shackles you should pick up some leaf springs off a dodge van. Get them off of a 70's or 80's van. The cargo vans not minivans. The springs are a few inches longer from the center pin to the shackle. So the shackle angle will be better than the vertical angle you will get from a regular bastard pack. Plus with your longer shackles it should be around the same hieght as the front. Oh yeah it bolts right in.

 

thanks for all the help, guys. I'm thinkin bastard pack after all. I guess I'll be lookin for some S10, Dakota, or Dodge van leafs.

 

what years S10 and Dakota work best? what amount will i see with XJ main leaf and S10 pack? ...Dakota pack? whats a good combo for 3-3.5" of lift? i have lots of questions only because i have a time restraint and only want to build the bastard pack once. i have stock shackles or lots of adjustment Chevy shackles to use. thanks again for all the info!

 

These are the van leafs, notice the shackle angle. I had a s10 pack and the ride was brutal on top of hard to flex due to the angle of the shackle. This nets about 4 - 5" of lift with the shackle. But you could adjust yoour shackle to get 3" of lift.

 

awesome, those look like my shackles! i'll be lookin for Dodge vans then too.

 

I have a quick question about this project too...I will be doing it this weekend. I am curious what tools I will need to take with me to the junk yard to pull the leafs. Thanks for the help guys, I have gotten so much helpful information from this forum already!