McAck

I ordered a 3" RC lift with the AAL and just got it in today. Now that I have it I am wondering if I should of got the leaf spring pack because my rears are sagging a bit. If I do want to get a pack, what are my options and could I just get shackles to help. This is my first xj and lift so dont know all that much.

sv41878

Shackles won't help sagging leafs, it may temporarily fix it, but it will just come back to bite you at the most inopportune time. I made the same mistake (not getting the new springs when I got my lift kit), although at the time my rear springs were not noticeably sagging. So I give you this advice to save you the trouble I went through, not to seem like a know it all. Just gonna give you the steps I went through.
I got a set of stock cherokee leaf springs (got mine from my parts jeep, local JY should have them for 20-30 bucks). Took the pack apart, cutting the eyes off the top spring as close to the eye as I could without including any of the bend at the eye. After that, grab the next longest leaf. The rest can be discarded or saved for later, mine went to scrap. I used these 2 leafs, added them to the existing pack in my sagging springs (stacked according to length of course) then replaced the shortest stock spring with the AAL RC sent me (since it was the short AAL). here's the thread for the local forum site on it. http://www.cnyjeep.org/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=3604
I netted about 2.75 inch lift (from stock height after settling), ride is not rough (was a big concern considering I was making the stock 4 leaf set up into a 6 leaf set up), and doesn't try to "dive" (for lack of a better term to describe it's handling with the sagging springs) when I hit bumps on the highway anymore.
If you got the same kit I did, you should still be under $300 total for the lift and after i fixed the rear springs, I have no complaints about the RC kit. Oh and the company sent me a t case drop to solve the vibes I developed for 10 bucks when I called the rep (Jason-PM me I'll give you the link to him on the NAXJA forum) to discuss it. The only thing I needed in addition to the parts I got from RC and the extra leafs were new leaf spring pack clamps which i got at Autozone for like 10 bucks.

Troth

did they give you the 2 add a leafs? or you want all new leafs springs? its a great lift! Ive had it for 2.5 years and it rides and handles great. supprisingly well in corners too

jeepride

I put a 3 inch aal on my 98xj my rear was sagging about 1 inch I am looking for a set of dakota or s10 leafs to make a bastard pack to level it out.

McAck

Yea, I got the 2 leafs with the kit but I might look into a pack. Do they sell different size aals (small and large) or is it the small only in the 3"?

sv41878

They do both, short and long, long is as little more expensive, but I don't think AAL's will help if your already sagging, everyone I know has had issues with AAL's making their springs sag because of the stress points it creates. Like I said before, it sagged mine. Use the method I did, you don't get as much lift as you would out of S-10 or Dakota springs (one gives about 3 inches, 2 pushes 4.5), but you end up with a stronger spring set up having 6 instead of 4 leaf's, less axle wrap, less chance for breakage.

Standardrider18

does anyone think it would help to put leaf spring helpers on to get rid of the sagging?

dan lawrence

i ordered the same lift with the 2 add a leafs and i couldnt be happier