Hello, I’ve tried searching post and cannot find any real info on this, if someone can send me In the proper direction or help answer my problem I would be very grateful.

Problem: I bought a used 4.5” lift for my son’s Cherokee( In hindsight after buying the lift and nstalling new LCA bushings, track bar bushings, Sway bar end links and shocks. I could’ve probably bought a new kit by now.) my rear axle is not sitting centered in the wheel well after doing some searching on the Internet it seems that my measurements of 52.5 “Eye to Eye, 23.5 “front eye to two center pin and 29” rear eye to center pin seem to be accurate. My centering pin is also in tact. It looks like the springs have the factory rear shackle on them. The rear tire to fender gap is so tight I can barely fit my hand between them. If you compress the springs at all they rub against the back wheel well trim. Also if you hit any bumps going down the road it feels like the shackle is bottoming out against the spring hanger pocket as the leafs flatten out. Again if anybody can help me out I’m at my wits end on this it would be much appreciated. Thank you

 

I would check those measurements again. It looks like the forward side of the main leaf is too long

 

I just crawled under and measured again 23.5” centering pin to center of front spring bolt. I saw the Jeep that this lift came off out before it was removed. I wish I would have paid attention to this. Hard to believe who ever had it before me drove it like this, but they had the fenders trimmed and maybe never even noticed.

 

That is probably the case. A new main leaf will fix that

 

I'm curious as to what brand those are?

 

Not sure the brand name it didn’t have any numbers or stickers on them. I’m thinking it may be a piece together kit. The lower control arms after much comparison to brands are rusty’s. The track bar wasn’t rusty’s because their bushings replacements have part numbers and mine didn’t. Had to take measurements and get one that was close

 

Is it possible one of the spring packs is installed backwards? Clearly something is not right. It may be time to start taking things back apart and do some measuring as you go.

 

mine is same, I look forward to hearing or sharing the answer. thanks for posting.

 

If the spring was backwards, it would move the axle in the wheel well, but it would not give you the shackle angle, as the spring would still be the same length eye to eye.

That looks like the wrong springs are on it....slightly too long......or someone had custom length springs made to get the shackle angle.....

unless there is something really weird at the spring perch/u-bolt area.....

Never seen one with the wheel too far back in the wheel well....seen plenty with it too far forward, but that's normal with a lift.

 

https://www.offroaddesign.com/axle-o...hick-pair.html

I like that shackle angle. No clue how youl get it yo stop tapping maybe a shackle bump stop

 

The problem is, as that axle moves up, the wheel will move back....not good for keeping the body intact....

 

x2

 

Wheel will always move back. Under compression when the spring goes from its arched length to its flatter compressed length. The shackle allows this to happen and is unavoidable

I'd be looking at off road design plates to move axle forward and possibly clearance whatever the shackle is coming in contact with.

A shorter spring will make shackle steeper cost more and ride quality suffer. The offroad design spring plates move axes .5 1" and 1.5" forward

You may need to drill spring plates for 5/8"locator spring center pin. The hole in the leave spring pad.
Dont know if each individual spring will need drilled.
also not positive. i ran stuff from offroad design when I had a k5blazer .

You have a good base there may take some work but you've got positives you can grow on instead of negatives
I feel you could buy new springs and be in the same boat.

kinda up to you spend more money maybe make it better or maybe worse, spend just alitte and get off your but and tune what you got.

Everyone in the xj world just wants to bolt it on and go and seems unwingly to actually turn some wrenches and tune.