Slackdaddy

Building the 2001 XJ,, we have settled on a 3 - 3.5" total lift.
Looking to maintain a good street ride, so going with the much recommended OME springs.
Going with a longer after market shackle to ensure the leafs can stretch out, most likely a rubicon Express shackle that is ~2" longer than stock shackle, this would add ~1" of lift.
We have already cut out the stock shackle bracket, and are about to fab up some "weld-in" adjustable shackle mounts, I will put a row of holes at the some height that the stock shackle was at, or maybe a 1/2 below.
We will be fabbing a rear bumper, but not a massive, heavy bumper, just some meat between the mounting brackets for shackle mounts, but the rest out of lighter gauge material.

95% percent of the driving will be DD,, but the other 5% will be loaded with 400# of kayaks and camping gear.
So all that to ask, What spring would best suit us? guess I would be looking for a 2.5" lift leaf as the rubicon shackle would add another 1" ?
The only thing I see online as far as OME XJ leafs are 3.5 with a note to remove a leaf to drop it down to 2.5",, my fear is that removing a spring would make the spring to weak when we load the XJ for the weekend?

Any thoughts or experience?

Thanks,
Slack

CRLAMBERTJR

Which spring are you going to use ? The RB model is more a DD, while the RA model is HD. If you can fab the shackle box, I'd go ahead an fab one of those small utility trailers for your yaks. I saw one the other day that was homemade and it looked awesome ! Plus you could leave them on there with a tarp. Otherwise if you go with stiffer springs, it may ride like a goat wagon !

EvanM

Heres my factory pack factory shackles. Pack is conglomeration of xj springs and chevy truck springs cut to length. I spent a day doing trial and error to get them to support my load of tools. And camping gear. One of these days i plan to cut off the spring pads and fab taller spring pads to do away with the 3\" blocks


Overal all lift is 1.5-2\" with the 3" blocks

tinytrax78

I run a home brew leaf pack with a couple full size chevy truck leafs too I got my lift and flex from shackle relocation boxes and longer shackles

mikesignal

The CS033RB is the leaf springs you will want. With the removal of one leaf and the longer shackle should put you around 3.5".

Slackdaddy

I did order the CS033RB, I'll pull the one leaf out to give me a reported 2.5 - 3". I don't want to go over 3"
Have not decided on what 3" front coils to use yet.
Once the front and rear is done I'll see if I need to add a 1/4 - 1/2 in the rear via block or shackle.

Slack

mikesignal

Don't use a block.

Slackdaddy

It would literally be 1/4 or 3/8",, I don't think it will promote any axle wrap, but would more than likely be some 1/2" longer s
This would only be to "adjust" the rear after installing the OME