JWB37

Ive had my Jeep lifted for a few months now and the rear end is still really harsh, especially on speed bumps. If I don't take a speed bump at crawling speed, the rear end bounces and slams hard like my shocks might be to short and run out of up travel. I have RE full 3.5in leaf packs. and pro comp ES 3000 shocks. Would longer rear shocks fix this? Or different shocks? Does anyone know the stock lift measurements from the center of the hub to the bottom of the fender flair? I want to check because my lift looks more like 4-4.5in than the 3.5in advertised.

I'm pretty sure my shocks are too short but I want to hear what you guys have to say.

KCjeeper

What leaf set up bastard kit, or actal leaf pack from a kit? And how olds ur lift

JWB37

They are rubicon express 3.5in leaf packs. I put them on brand new about 2-3 months ago.

dbcox

Did u get extended shocks? or just a stock lenght replacement

Skunkape

Stock lift mesurement from wheel center to bottom of flare is about 17"

JWB37

They should be extended but the guys at 4wheel parts aren't the smartest bunch(long story...) and could have given me shorter ones. I'll measure my lift in a little bit and get back to you guys. Could the difference between a 3in lift shock and 4in lift shock make that big of a difference? Assuming my lift is a bit taller than 3.5in?


Is there any chance that a poor shackle angle could cause any harshness?

Gee oh Dee

Yes. If your shakles are not at a 45* angle it'll ride like crap.

WantACherokee

Fyi those RE leaf packs are known to give at least 4.5" acutal lift. RE lifts give more than advertised and a lot of people end up with a raked stance with the full packs.

I'd check out your shackle angle. I did a bastard pack rear to match my RE 3.5 coils, the shackle angle is poor and I have the same harsh ride over speed bumps. Surprisingly, it rides pretty decent everywhere else on the steet though.

gvns8

If the shocks are bad or way too short then it would do that. Another thing I have noticed with my RE leafs is that they ride a lot better when the back is weighted down with tools and full size spare and full tank of gas. They are designed to carry a heavier load such as a bumper/tire carrier. Also your leafs probably have not settled yet. It took me beating on mine in Moab for a week before they finally settled from 4.5 inches down to about the advertised 3.5 inches.

JWB37

Wow... just measured front and rear on both sides. I'm at about 4.5in of lift both front and back. Not to mention about a perfectly vertical shackle angle although I don't really have a problem driving around town unless I hit a huge bump.

So it looks like I probably just need longer shocks. Ill call up 4wheel parts and see if there's anything they can do. I don't seem to have any problems in the front, would it be a good idea to try and swap those out too or just the back?

Last question, is there any way to fix my shackle angle without adding lift or buying new leaf packs? How much lift would a shacle relocation bracket add?

stowe

I'm kinda in the same boat as you. I don't think it's your shocks that are the problem. Your shackles (much like mine) are way off. They shouldn't be straight up and down like that. It prevents your leafs from being able to properly flex. A shackle relocation will add roughly an inch (according to RC). That's my problem. I don't want another inch in the back. I think it would be worth a try since your lift is still so new to take it out in the woods and have some fun. Flex the leafs out a lot and see if it doesn't help it settle some. It sure can't hurt and it's a great way to kill and afternoon anyway. If you can get it to settle down some it may help out your angles.

alpine.adrenaline

My understanding is that it can add 1-1.5" of lift, not that it absolutely will. In either case, it will remedy the vertical shackles and vastly improve your ride. Should you end up with a little more height in the back, some new coil dampeners would probably even out the front. Then again, that rear height may compensate for some heavy junk in the trunk.

BTW, I ran those ES3000's for a day and swapped them out. Hated them. They seemed better fit for a vehicle twice the weight of mine.

JWB37

I may just save up and get the shackle relocation bracket, inch coil spacers and some bilsteins. The shocks do feel kinda harsh anyway. Ill probably have to get a SYE and CV drive shaft if I do that no vibes now luckily unless I'm on the freeway at about 55-60mph.

I really want to stay under 5in of lift though. Hopefully it will settle a bit by the time I start the changes.

For now ill try and flex it for fun and see if it settles at all

buckshot500

If I remember correctly, the stock ride height of an XJ is Supposed to be 17" from the center of the wheel hub to the stock flare in the rear, and 17-1/2" in the front of the vehicle.

JWB37

That makes more sense since I'm measuring 22in in the front and 21.5 in the rear.