I am installing an add a leaf kit on a jeep and cannot get the front leaf bolt out. Was wondering if anyone has ever added the leaf in while the leaf pack was still on the jeep?

 

It has to come out, try using heat and an impact wrench if you haven't already. Huge pain in the ***

 

I just don't understand why it wouldn't work

 

You can do the add a leaf without removing the springs. Just unbolt it from the spring pads, put some clamps on the pack, remove the center pin and insert the AAL and reassemble the pack.

 

^^^

No different than doing a bastard pack typically done without removing the main leaf.

 

I just installed a lift kit with an add a leaf and I never removed the front bolt or the shackle bolts. Just take the four bolts off the top of the spring pack for the u-bolts. Then to get the pack apart, if you can't get the top but off the center pin just use a cutting wheel and get it off. New add a leaf kits come with a new center pin that you have to cut the excess off of anyways. The put everything back together in reverse.

 

Why make more work when it's not needed? The main leaf stays on.

 

Are you sure that you really want to use those AAL's for your XJ's old worn out leafs? You really should be adding new leaf packs of the proper lift height and "NEVER" the AAL's.

 

The OP already has them.

 

He's right. ^^^^^

aAL on old springs causes all the stress on the AAL. Now I know people will say, "but I've had an AAL for 2 years blah blah blah," but y'all don't know the condition of HIS leafs. Me personally, I did an AAL on new stock leafs and adds an XJ main. That's my AAL bastard pack. Rides ok but will never do it again. Doing it proper next time with full leaf lift

 

If the AAL goes completely to eye to eye under the main leaf they will work ok. The problem is most if not all dont. As other stated it puts much unwanted pressure on the main leaf that you dont want.

Here is a zone AAL under a 200k leaf. The shackle relocation box made it even worse. Ignore the hack job on the box I was in trial and error mode and have cleaned it up since.

 

I was thinking about doing AALs when i lifted mine but decided against it. Good thing too since my original leaf spring on the driver side was broke completely at the front bolt lol. I had a tough time getting that bolt out too but lots of pb blaster and a decent sized breaker bar did the trick.

 

I guess I never thought about keeping it on the Jeep, but then again I've also never thought about getting AALs... Adding a leaf isn't hard it's just a bit of work, and it's a bit of work I'd rather avoid by just spending the cash on brand new ones that will last me another 100 thousand miles.

 

there is rust inside the sleeve of the bushing of the old leaf pack and it's corroded the bolt. Mine did the same thing and you're in for some work... What's happening now is that the sleeve has probably also broken loose of the bushing. You need to chew out enough bushing to get some vise grips on the OD of that sleeve. You can then unscrew the main bolt through the corrosion while the vise grips hold the sleeve still. Have fun, both of mine did this and it made for a nightmare of a project.

 

That's how mine broke too but only on one side. Thankfully it wasn't anything too terrible to get out. (At least for me) just shoved some channel locks in it and spun the bolt out. Now if it had happened on the other side that would have been a different story...