You may not get quite this much flex out of leaf springs. The front is a Dana 60 with a long arm setup and the rear is a GM 14 bolt with a 4 link. That rear tire is 48" off of the ground.
Attachment 89670

Attachment 89671

 

If you can't open the pictures go to the "Test" section and look for the pic test post under my name. Don't know why I am having so much trouble with these pictures.

 

i think you're missing a few parts...

 

Finished product. CJ5 with SBC pushing over 500HP.

 

I love this question and how much people bash on xjs with front leafs when they have no experience with them. I did this swap on my 98 xj and would do it again! People who say ride quality is better with coils have never riddin in a leaf sprung xj. Mine rode smoother than any coiled rig even at high speeds.

Check out my build thread in the Northwest Chapter under Project Full Width

 

You're right I haven't ridden in an XJ with front leaves but I have owned my vehicles with front leaves and when I built my last yota I linked it front and rear and it was night and day on the road and especially on the trail. I have nothing against leaves, still run them in the rear and they help a good bit with stability, but in the terrain I run a link suspension will walk off and leave a leave suspension. I ride with folks who compete in WERock, ECORS, and XRRA and not a single one, except the ones running in stock classes run leaves.

 

Im sure they run coils for the better ride. Sense apparently that is all they are good for.

 

Those guys run coils so they can run link suspension for better aproach and departure angle.

 

And better articulation and not all run coils some run air shocks.

 

Mostly Coil-Overs....

 

Lol

My coiled xj rides smoother at 90mph than any leaf sprung vehicle I've ever driven

 

coil overs and such also costs some serious coin compared to a leaf swap, i know guys who travel all over running comps everything from stocker class to full on buggies and it aint cheap.

and for those saying leafs are always rougher, obviously you dont have too much experience on the matter and your just talking out of you *** cause just like coils, it depends on what type of spring you run and how big the spring pack is and if your shackle is front or rear mounted. Many of the guys i wheel with run toyotas and all those that have gone SAS with leafs ride quality varies between each rig, some are rougher some are smoother, some are so smooth you dont even know your riding in a leaf sprung vehicle.....tires also play a role in your ride quality my brother has a leaf sprung yota and he went from one brand[cant remember what the were] 35s that rode like a Cadillac to procomp 35s that rode like absolute ****.

 

back to the topic at hand

here is what mine looked like right when i finished my front leaf swap and Dana 44/Dana 60 swap

 

Oh so thats why they use coils. But I am sure youre not biased.

 

im not biased. i have run coils on my xj, leafs on it, and now coilovers.