recently i put on a 2" budget boost consisting of coil spacers up front and shackles in the rear...

as with most xj's, my rear leaf springs are pretty flat. it rides fine, and i'm sure that they were just as flat with the factory shackles.

the questionable structural integrity of the flat springs concerns me though...how flat are your rear leaf springs??

has anyone done a bastard pack combo that will keep the rear end at stock level....
would it be possible to use a main leaf from another xj, cut the eyes off and then use that between the axle and the existing main leaf to serve as more of a re-inforcement than a method to lift??

i would have just done a bastard pack to begin with, but time was an issue, and all the writeups i found seemed to lift 3 or so inches.

i suppose that new leafpacks may be a necessity, and next on the agenda, any recommendations on stock lift springs at a reasonable cost??

thanks

 

I changed mine out today with rc pack and my springs were totally flat with an aal

 

I just bought my '99 XJ a few months ago and changed out springs with rear leafs I bought from Morris 4x4. I bought the ones that were listed as +5/8". They actually raised the rear almost 2", which is fine with me. I also installed used coils from a '96 V8 Grand Cherokee in the front. This gave me a little over an inch lift in front.

 

I'm sure it's possible to add one leaf to your stock pack to achieve stock ride height. Just a matter of finding the right one that id the right length.

I think the reason they call it a bastard pack, really has to do with how many times you have to take it back apart to get it just right.

 

don't mean to be a negative but if you type in "bastard pack" into the search bar all your questions and wonders will be answered

 

I have done exactly as you describe, take a long leaf from a donor used Cherokee pack, and added it to my existing leaf pack. I did this mostly just to beef up the spring pack, but it also added a solid inch to my lift.
Rides better than stock, a little firmer, but certainly not harsh.
This was the single most satisfying mod I have done to my XJ, as it went very smoothly, with very few son of a ***** moments.
And I can carry more load in back without hitting the bumpstops.

I guess if your leafs are flat or slightly inverted, as shackles tend to do, this procedure is a good way to bring them back to stock height.