SoDelxj99

I just installed a 3" Zone lift with full rear springs, t case drop, discos, and 31x10.5/15 Mickey MTZ 's....I am installing an adjustable (JKS) track bar this weekend...need front end aligned...and thinking about installing adjustable lower control arms????
I see some guys running boomerang rear shackles and relocation kits and not sure if I need them??....any feedback? I am mainly a daily driver but when push comes to shove (aka....Flex) I want to play as much as the next guy.
Also bumps stops...??? Any need to swap out the stock ones? I don't want to wrinkle fenders or rip off fender flares!!!!!

unidentifiedbomb

What angle is your shackles at? You want them to be around 45 degrees pointing towards the rear, the closer to that the better the flex and ride quality

SoDelxj99

Is this just an eye check or is there a better way? Sorry for my inexperience with suspension.

Donnie_K

just a visual eyeball check. You want the bottom of the shackle (leaf spring end) towards the rear, and the top (frame/unibody end) towards the front. should be at roughly a 45 degree angle. Your jeep may drive fine with a shackle at a horrible angle, but will ride like crap. Granted it's a jeep, not a caddy, bad shackle angles make it alot worse. Get that right and you'll have a much better ride AND alot more flex!

SoDelxj99

Can I correct the angle with extended shackles or do I need the relocation brackets? Also will this increase the rear height enough to look like I need to raise the front again??? Nothing against a camaro but I don't want my cherokee to look like a jacked up 70's hot rod...lol!

Donnie_K

well it depends on how far off it is. extended shackles help with angle in some situations, but not that much. Relocation brackets give you a lot more options for the position of the top of the shackle. Yes, it's going to lift the rear slightly. You can either lift the front to match or get a lower lift leaf spring. For example, my shackles are 45 degrees the OPPOSITE direction. HORRIBLE. That is because I am using rough country's 4.5" lift springs and they are too short. I don't want to go any taller though so I am looking at relocation brackets with Iron Rock Offroad's 3.5" leafsprings, and then I will add an extended shackle to bring it back up to where I want it IF needed.

caronaxtr

You can also pick up relocation brackets that give you 0" lift. I haven't used them but I've been seeing them more & more around. Some guys have them on here.

SoDelxj99

Thanks I saw some post about the no lift relocation brackets...looking into them now. If I get replacement shackles should I get boomerang style or straight do the same thing????

caronaxtr

I've only seen a few guys running them. From what I've heard, you'll probably want to stay away from them. They unload when you don't want them to & really loud. I get plenty of flex out of a HD shackle & my leafs. Maybe someone else can chime in on them that runs them.

SoDelxj99

Thanks. Might have to spring for the brackets...no pun intended!

RRXJeeper71

what are the BEST budget shackles to replace stock ones, if they need to be replaced due to age and wear? I went to OReillys, they want $75.00 each for rear shackles
I would prefer to buy new aftermarket ones that are of a better design!
I have just recently bought a 2001 XJ Sport, 3" RC lift kit

holycaveman

On bump stops you can install a flat plate(make sure its strong) on top of your leaf spring pack. Then you can bolt a bump stop to it. Or you can buy an extended bump stop.

On the front I shoo goo"ed 4 hockey pucks to the lower spring mount. It works very well and have not had a problem with it.

You definitely want to bump if you are off roading without sway bars, which you can't even spell off road with the sway bars connected.

To set up your suspension for more flex it takes time. You may have to go with longer shocks. Rarely have I seen kits come with long enough shocks.

Unstrapping the rear leafs will gain you quite a bit of droop and flex. No negatives yet I have ran into. Every now and then one leaf will come an inch out of line. But other than that no problems.

I would remove the t-case lowering kit and see how it works for you. GC is precious off road.

The rear of my jeep flexes as much as the front. Both max out 10" travel shocks.

Mine also is a Daily driver. Fex, tires, and rock sliders for me is the first steps too decent off roading. Just those three will allow your jeep to traverse places you never thought possible.

Here is the rear no special shackles, just autozone ones. Its important that when compressed you are resting on your bumps rather than your fenders, or bottoming the shocks.



Front is the same. All resting on the bumps. This is very important when running open, open diffs. Because if the compressed side is binding the tire then you went from 4wd to 2wd as soon as it bound. Keeping the tires free from any binding at all times helps you a lot off road.

SoDelxj99

Thanks all! Really great info just means I need to come up with more money and start flexing to see what happens and then go from there. But you all have gave a lot of great solutions to what I might encounter. I will start a build thread soon!