Future

Hey guys, lookin to add some more lift to my jeep. Currently have blocks in the back and i want to do a bastard pack but i dont know what i need and how exactly to do it. Can someone please give me detailed instructions. Heres my jeep right now

VTJeep

Hopefully a one word description is sufficient: search. There's loads of threads on this...

BNJeepsta

Get a set of leaf springs that are 2.5" wide and from a spring under axle set up (s10,Dakota, ect). Th

BNJeepsta

Get a set of leaf springs that are 2.5" wide and from a spring under axle set up (s10,Dakota, ect). Then search the forum and Google as there are many detailed write ups on this

Nakedginger

It depends how high you want to go. I just did a junk yard lift this past week. I used two dodge dakota leaf springs for the back and two upcountry jeep grand cherokee coil springs sitting on 3 inch rubber spacers (came with the jeep) for the front, and then chopped and welded some grand cherokee 01 back swaybar links for my upper sway bar links. All together Im now sitting at 4.25" all around. The back leaf spring configuration I used was XJ main, dakota main, dakota second, xj second, dakota third, xj third. When I go home Ill make sure that list is correct. If you want me to go into more detail, then just ask. I can also post pics if you want as well.

Future

Please

Nakedginger

Alright, Ill take some pics tomorrow of my jeep and each component I put in. That way my explanation will be very clear. All together It cost me about
$70 for two Dakota leaf spring packs (15 each), for the grand Cherokee front coil springs (25 total), and for the links (15 total).

courtney42

how much lift can you get out of leafs before you need relocation brackets?

I have about 3" lift but want to go higher as well.

95and97XJinWI

Well I just order a Rustys 6.5 spring pack kit and it has 6.5 inch lift leafs with no relocation brackets.

Nakedginger

Alright so here’s how I lifted my jeep Cherokee to 4.25” all around. I first started with 3” in the front and 1.5” in the back as you can see in the first picture. I did some research and found a cheap way to lift my XJ using junkyard parts. As I stated in an earlier post I got two sets of 95 dodge Dakota back leaf springs, two front grand Cherokee (up country) coil springs, and two 2001 Grand Cherokee back sway bar links. Then from Napa I got 4 brand new U-bolts that were 6.75” long, inside dimension of 2.7” and a bolt diameter of 7/16”. I also bought some adjustable lower control arms from rough country to replace the stock ones.
So on with the build. I first started work on the front coil springs. To do this I lifted up the front of my XJ and took both tires off. I then put it up on stands and disconnected the shocks from both sides, this allowed me to jack up one side of the axle dropping the other side, decompressing the coil spring. Once I got to this point I had to make my own coil spring compressors, but you can buy them at any local auto store. My mentality is make it not buy it. Anyways, once you make/ buy your coil spring compressors you want to put them on the coil springs and compress them down until you can slide the coil out from under the bump stop. Once you get it out decompress the stock spring and compress the new spring until it slides into the gap between the axle and the bump stop. Once its in, jack that side of the axle up until the spring starts to decompress more, take out your clamps, put the shocks back in, put the spring clip back in, and then that side is done. Repeat this for the other side. You may* have to take the lower control arms out or at least dismantle one side so that the axle can drop a bit more. I actually replaced my lower arms in the process of putting the springs in and put the rough country adjustable arms in. It did allow my axle to drop more so that I could put the spring in.
After doing the coil springs, I then made a transfer case drop of 1” spacers, since at this point I don’t have the money for a slip yoke eliminator. All I did for this was get a chunk of metal 1” thick, cut it to the width of the transfer case support member and made it about a 1.5” long. I then copied the bolt pattern of the existing bolts and drilled two holes, painted them chevy orange, and then bolted them in. This helps the geometry of the back driveline so that it won’t slip out of the transfer case. So far its worked pretty well. No real bad vibrations on highway.
Then I started work on the leaf springs. Because I didn’t have a level surface to work on I had to do one tire at a time since the emergency brake mainly only works in the back. So I started by jacking up the driver’s side of the XJ and put it up on a stand. Once I had done this I disconnected the back sway bar (just some bolts), and then proceeded to take the U-bolts off. Once I did that I lowered the drivers side of the back axle and took the center pin (bolt) out of the leaf pack. I did this by the use of a socket and some vice grips…oh and WD 40. Once I got them apart, I also took the Dakota leaf packs apart in the same manner. Once the center pin was out of the XJ pack I took the lower springs out and kept the main one on the body. From there I took the main leaf spring of the dodge Dakota, cut the ears off, and then put it up under the XJ main spring and marked where I needed to cut it for length. I did this by using two C-Claps to compress the two springs together and then marking where the XJ main leaf just started to bend up into its eyes (the end attachment points). I used a porta-band but you can also use a grinder or a hack saw if you want to get a arm workout! Anyways, once I cut the Dakota main leaf I got a new center pin from napa and arranged the springs to be XJ main, Dakota main, Dakota 2, XJ 2, Dakota 3, XJ 3; as seen in the picture. I put the center pin in, clamped them together and then slid them under the main leaf of the XJ and put everything back together. Again doing the same for the opposite side.

Nakedginger

Finally I had to make the front sway bar links. I took the Grand Cherokee links, and took the bracket that would hold them to the frame chopped them down to having a length of about 1”-1.5”, drilled a hole in the center and then put a 7/16 bolt with a locking washer and washer on the inside of the bracket, a normal washer on the other side and then to sit on top of the sway bar I put a washer and a nut. I then installed them, put the sway bar at a horizontal plane and marked how much of the middle rod I needed to chop. It came out to be about 1.5” So, I chopped it out, welded it back together at a offset and painted them with black hammerite paint. Then Bam She was done! Took her for a test drive and she does wonderfully, both in city and on highway. I still need to go off-roading though. Anyways, I hope this helped and if you have any questions let me know. The pics should help illustrate what I’m saying. And sorry the pictures arent dispersed throughout the explination, I didnt know how to do that. Hope this helps!

moesizlak07

looks sick nakedginger!!!!! helped more than one person here. imma be looking to making a bastard pack myself. just have to find the time

RenegadeT

I had an extra stock XJ leaf pack, so my bastard pack was simply a second XJ main with the eyes cut off under the original main leaf. New spring pins and reassembled the rest of the original leafs under that, new U-bolts, reused factory clamps. I forgot to measure how much lift it gave, but I fit 33x12.5s with the fender cut fold and a tolerance for some rubbing.

Nakedginger

Ya, I heard about taking the main spring from a cherokee to do provide a lift, but I wanted to lift the back up a good 4-4.5 inches in the back, so I went with the truck springs. Its all up to how high you wanna go.

Im glad you like it! Its been pretty nice. Im sitting at a good hight, and went and tested it last weekend and it did wonderful. Ive taken it through 1.5' of snow, rocks, mud, and normal trail and its still sitting at 4" The only thing I have to say, and its not horrible, but hopefully your ok with a little harder ride. I personally like it. and as far as how much time it took me, the back springs took me a day..day and a half.

caged

just to add, long leafs provide flex, while short leafs provide the lift.
you don't want much more than 5 leafs to keep it flexy, 6 tops.

most aftermarket packs are 4, but some go 5.