Been trying to figure out the best way to do an approximately 3" lift all around on my 96. The PO had put some goofy half-moon helper leaf on it and I'm not sure if it did any good, so I popped one side off. Before I did that the rear leafs we pretty flat, perhaps a little negative.

I'd like to do a bastard pack to save some money but first I need to figure out if I can still use my main leaf or if I have to get a whole new leaf pack which would cost a bunch more.

The first picture is the half leaf that was on there and the second picture is after I took it off and the rear is unsprung on the drivers side with a jack under the unibody rail.

 

The next two pictures are with the axle on a jack stand and you can see how flat/inverted it is.

Do you think a bastard pack would work to give me the lift I'm after, or am I probably going to need whole new packs?

 

S10 bastard will work fine

 

S10 bastard will give you the lift you are looking for but to be honest I'd start with completely new packs given the state your leaves are in.

 

Wow that "Red" brake drum really clashes with the RUST tone you have going on there. That looks like good old Minnesota Road Salt Rust!! Man I don't miss that s-h-i-t one bit. If I were you I'd start with new or cleaner packs. The rust scale you have going on is pretty severe and that means very weak springs. Bang a hammer on those old dogs and they'll weigh half of what they do now.


Ha just ran your location and your in Wisconsin, I wasn't far of on the rust call. LOL

Black89

 

btw what paint did you use on the drum there?

 

It was some caliper paint, I think duplicolor. To be honest, I just wanted some paint on the new drums I put on there to prevent some of the rust down the road.

This XJ was given to me by a coworker and it sat for a year or two, that's why everything is rusted to all hell.

The wife is on board so far with me fixing it up, but it's turning into more of a restoration that I thought, and she won't be on board long if it's going to cost a ton, that's why I'm trying to do stuff like bastard packs to save some coin.

 

Rust is really bad here in Maine, too. I am just about done replacing a rocker panel on my 89. I miss Western Washington, Rust was nothing compared to this! It's ridiculous!