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Fixing a ghettofab leafed XJ...

X

xjTrent

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Tampa Fl.
Hey guys I'm new to the jeep world, this is my first and I'm learning as I go starting now. If I ask stupid questions feel free to blast me I can take it.

I'll try to make this short and sweet. I bought a jeep that's leaf sprung and now I want to re-do it in a much cleaner less redneck... way.

Some pics of the madness:
morejeepshit007.jpg

morejeepshit007.jpg
In this pic it appears that the LCA mounts have been butchered/cut off the axle
morejeepshit003.jpg

I can't tell if these shock absorber mounts are OEM or ghetto fabbed? Input?

morejeepshit006.jpg

This is the "lift kit" im gonna have to carefully grind off of the frame or cut and plate around it.
morejeepshit005.jpg


I'm new to this but I'd say the control arm mounts interfere with the ghetto fab leafs and their location.

morejeepshit008.jpg


Front view..

So yall have seen it now. Would it be a better option to get a JY D30 and go coils and take out the rediculous parts or keep my 33's and redesign the leaf setup?

Trent
 
Well I'm hoping to get this done on the cheap. I need help deciding on whether to do a new leaf setup or go coils. I'm doing the homework and comparing cost as we speak.

Edit: Just saw the last post. It's not. I parked it due to being concerned I would drive it short distances but no way would I haul my gf or family members in it. I am going to start calculating costs to go back to coils
 
I guess cheap is going to depend on how hacked up the underside of the jeep is. The axle, coils, and arms could be had for $150-200 I'm sure. I lifted mine out of junkyard parts for less than $100, so cheap is doable if you're willing to scavenge.
 
That isn't too bad. Is there anything specific I should look for as far as the jeep being hacked up other than the obvious wack job work?
 
I must say that this is extremely ghetto fabulous and very dangerous! As long as the original brackets etc. for the coil setup is still on the body then you absolutely should go back to coils and do this properly. And torch those awful leaf brackets off too! I figured that went without saying but since you are new I would be safe about it and still mention it haha good luck!
 
So, Im just looking at a few things and cant tell from the angles of the pics... Are the factory coil seats still on the axle? In one pic it looks like its just chopped in half (the picture of the shock mount), and the control arms were unbolted then just cut in half as well?

The shock mounts are not factory, it looks like they used that piece of channel to run a stock length shock on the lift.
 
Wow, whoever built that should have their hands chopped off so they can never do that agin.

Go to a junkyard and pull a front axle look for a high pinion non vacuum disconnect out of an XJ pre 2000, if your on a budget take the control arms too, if not buy some adjustables or long arms. Take all the hardware as well, youll need a new trackbar as well. I reccomend a rock krawler bomb proof track bar and bracket. Thats what i run and i love it

EDIT: lets see some pics of the entire jeep
 
I love the folks that pull the coil front and replace it with leafs ...I think next week i'll pull the fuel injected 4.0 and replace it with an old tired carbed 180hp 350 that stalls on every steep ledge I climb...better yet a coal burning steam engine ...LOL
 
Um dude if I were you, I would take it back to whoever you got it from and demand my money back. If he won't give it back then just park that Heep in his front yard. Dont get me wrong I'm glad that you found an XJ and that you found this forum and want to fixer up. But putting lifts on stock Jeeps with all the right parts and the right tools is not easy. From the looks of what you have got there that thing may never be safe. Maybe whoever didnt cut into the nuibody or the mounts and you can save her but with this being your first XJ I would cut my loss and find another one.
Take some pics of the whole thing too. I hope noone from here did that hack job!!!!
OMG look at that weld!!!
 
there's a reason you still see rigs with leafs on all four corners, they work. a properly set up leaf front end will work just as well as a 3 link or radius arm. you won't get a very high score on the rti ramp, but you'll still make it through the trail.

to the OP, if you are familiar with fab work i'd say cut it all off and rebuild the front with another hp 30. or if this one has gears in it that aren't stock just cut everything off truss it and buy or make new mounts and 3 link it. the rig definitely doesn't look safe right now, but with some work and thought you can make it safe and wheelable
 
aintright said:
there's a reason you still see rigs with leafs on all four corners, they work. a properly set up leaf front end will work just as well as a 3 link or radius arm. you won't get a very high score on the rti ramp, but you'll still make it through the trail.

to the OP, if you are familiar with fab work i'd say cut it all off and rebuild the front with another hp 30. or if this one has gears in it that aren't stock just cut everything off truss it and buy or make new mounts and 3 link it. the rig definitely doesn't look safe right now, but with some work and thought you can make it safe and wheelable
Click to expand...


But coils work better........and coilovers work even better. Why scrap a better setup for something less?
 
Got any pics of the whole Jeep? This thing is full of fail man. NOT a good first project. It can be fixed, not "on the cheap" though. What kind of Fab/Mechanical experience do you have? If you actually purchased this, I have to assume you dont have much of either. Thats ok, you gotta learn somewhere, but perhaps you should start with something a little less (ok, a LOT less) ghetto.

If I were in your shoes (and im not, but....) I would look for another vehicle ASAP. Those front hanger/shackle things are horrific, and it just gets worse from there.
 
stumpXJ said:
Got any pics of the whole Jeep? This thing is full of fail man. NOT a good first project. It can be fixed, not "on the cheap" though. What kind of Fab/Mechanical experience do you have? If you actually purchased this, I have to assume you dont have much of either. Thats ok, you gotta learn somewhere, but perhaps you should start with something a little less (ok, a LOT less) ghetto.

If I were in your shoes (and im not, but....) I would look for another vehicle ASAP. Those front hanger/shackle things are horrific, and it just gets worse from there.
Click to expand...

Being a senior in highschool my fab skills are laughable. I can do body work and I've done floorpan work. My mechanical knowledge is general I know my way around engines and most suspension yet this jeep has no real suspension to learn from.. I got this thing for 1300 bucks and put maybe 500 into it. It was an inpulse buy and i got action with 3 girls in it :cheers::cheers: i guess thats money well spent eh? Yall think I should part it out? I bet I could come out on top that way.
 
aintright said:
there's a reason you still see rigs with leafs on all four corners, they work. a properly set up leaf front end will work just as well as a 3 link or radius arm. you won't get a very high score on the rti ramp, but you'll still make it through the trail.

to the OP, if you are familiar with fab work i'd say cut it all off and rebuild the front with another hp 30. or if this one has gears in it that aren't stock just cut everything off truss it and buy or make new mounts and 3 link it. the rig definitely doesn't look safe right now, but with some work and thought you can make it safe and wheelable
Click to expand...


Coils out perform leafs on trail not just a ramp .
 
xjTrent said:
Being a senior in highschool my fab skills are laughable. I can do body work and I've done floorpan work. My mechanical knowledge is general I know my way around engines and most suspension yet this jeep has no real suspension to learn from.. I got this thing for 1300 bucks and put maybe 500 into it. It was an inpulse buy and i got action with 3 girls in it :cheers::cheers: i guess thats money well spent eh? Yall think I should part it out? I bet I could come out on top that way.
Click to expand...


Part it our or go get a bunch of lube... for yourself.... $1300? Did you buy it from one of the girls cuz she said she'd give you some?

:puke:
 
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