I think I'll look into adding some MJ leafs to my XJ main and go from there.

I know the MJ leafs are longer, and stretch the rear a bit. I'm not ready for that...yet.

If I'm not using the main MJ leaf it'll be fine, right? No stretch.

Just double checking myself on that...

 

I'm not looking to cough up the cash for high dollar shocks just yet. I'm gonna work out suspension travel front and rear, then buy.

I'm not wanting to keep my short arms long, and would ideally be coil sprung rear when finished. But I'll bite that off when I'm ready.

 

if I remember right I used a 2wd mj pack mated to my xj main. even used the mj main leaf with the eyes cut off. looking back at pics it looks like I had a 1.5" shackle too.

Not sure what you are looking for in the flex department, but looking back at pics its not very impressive as I remembered, or compared to the popular setups today lol. I was just happy to have a rig to wheel in, it worked fine offroad. Everyone today seems to be obsessed over flex.





still better than none!

 

I understand. But you probably have 4x the amount of travel in the rear than Ive ever seen from mine.

So in all reality anything will probably be an improvement.

I'm not looking to have 2ft of travel, but like you said about having a rig....lol....some is better than none.

 

Here, I may have a better worded way of conveying my aim...

For those folks with thicker packs, or have stacked leaves...

Mine is thick, has crap flex, and offers a kidney pounding ride.

Is is my stock shakles and no relocation thats killing me? Angle is ok, round 45*.

Or is it my old **** shocks? I'd think they'd loosen up if toasted, and wouldn't keep giving a stiff ride...

 

it's scary for me not having rear flex. going sideways through some trench situations (I'll try to take a pic of the spot today) instead of the rear forming to the trench and carrying me through, it flexes as far as it can then unloads and tosses me into the trench. it would be nice having something more predictable

 

if your shocks are too short and are constantly cottoning like mine were then yes could be your shocks. take your shocks off and droop out the axle with a jack. I was in same boat as you 2 months ago

 

I did the low pro relocation brackets, 1.5" shackle paired with rc full 3" packs.
Paired with poly bumps, my rear flexes amazing, i max the 10" travel shocks i have. Nice and smooth.

 

I just discovered I had a seized shock the other day. I had just adjusted my shackle angle and couldn't figure out what made my 15 min commute unbearable. It was a kidney jarring stomach turning ride when above 10 mph over the slightest bump. Once I took the shock off I found I was able to lift the driver side rear about 6" with a floor jack under the shock. No compression, stuck half travel. That's what I'd check for if its that rough of a ride.

 

I'll pop the shocks off, see what happens.

It can't hurt.

 

just did my XJ/XJ bastard pack, rides wayyyy better and flexes great, I'll post a photo tomo

 

This is what I did. The ride is real soft and flex is great IMO. Longer shocks would prol make it better but here's a pic.

 

ya the ride is much better than AAL and doesn't bottom on the whoops as much. pop the shocks off then go flex, see if they're holding you back.

 

Xj/xj? Xj/mj?

Which ones did you use?

I may do a write up if there isn't one already...

And, of course, I forgot to take a pic last night.

 

I tried just adding a cut down main leaf from XJ pack to my XJ pack, I removed the smallest leaf and overload also. so I have 5 leafs. have me 1.5" then I cut down a second leaf and added it, gave me around 2-2.5" (cut leafs were worn out also) now the spring rate feels much better and flexes well.

so I did

main leaf
cut main
2nd leaf
cut second
3rd
4th

6 leaf pack if you added a cut 3rd or a shorter 2nd you'll get more lift. it's easy to play around with them in the driveway and see how it sits an rides. took me 1.5 hours to play with them last night.