OEM Leaf Springs???

JCWhitney sells a replacement OEM leaf pack for '84 - '96 XJ's and I was wondering if they will fit my '98? Did they change anything about the leaf pack? It's ~1/2 the cost of the dealer.

’84 – ’96 XJs use rear leaf springs and ’97 and above use coil springs (very similar to TJs). Your ’98 should have coils in the rear. Easy enough to check, just go outside and take a look at your rear end. I have those exact springs on my ’91 and they have worked very well. Be very careful removing the front eyebolt. Go slowly and WD40 is your friend. God help you if you snap the tack welds on the nuts.

Wiley Coyote said:

’84 – ’96 XJs use rear leaf springs and ’97 and above use coil springs (very similar to TJs). Your ’98 should have coils in the rear.

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Uh, no XJ's to my understanding had coils in the rear. You have the JC Whitney rear leafs? They work well? Thanks

Wiley Coyote said:

’84 – ’96 XJs use rear leaf springs and ’97 and above use coil springs (very similar to TJs). Your ’98 should have coils in the rear. Easy enough to check, just go outside and take a look at your rear end. I have those exact springs on my ’91 and they have worked very well. Be very careful removing the front eyebolt. Go slowly and WD40 is your friend. God help you if you snap the tack welds on the nuts.

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ummm I think someone must have spiced your Christmas punch as I have not heard of a single XJ come out of the factory with coils in the rear: they are all leaf springs in the rear...

pancake said:

JCWhitney sells a replacement OEM leaf pack for '84 - '96 XJ's and I was wondering if they will fit my '98? Did they change anything about the leaf pack? It's ~1/2 the cost of the dealer.

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Why do you need to replace the rear leaf pack? Is the stock one sagging? If you're replacing why not upgrade? and which stock pack do you have: standard or up country?

Even though I have no experience with JC leaf packs, I hear a lot of good things about OME stuff (old man emu). You'd end up with a lift, so it just all depends what you want to do...

uuuuhhh......... definatley no coils under my 99... i think Eagle may have used theJCW leafs at some point. but i have no experience with them.. no worries about the "ratcheting" you will genrally only feel it when you are in a high-traction area.. on loose dirt wont feel it so much.
mike

I was looking through my parts list, a whole bunch of different leaf packs for the XJ (different numbers anyway, the price is pretty much the same), many of the listings overlap the years, of other listings. Don´t know what that´s all about. Could be the difference in the trailer package, the up country, different spring rates for different models (Sport/limited). Many more choices than I ever thought.

Sorry about the coil comment, I must have had a little too much eggnog :speepin: The JCW springs have worked like a champ. As far as I can tell they are exact duplicates of OEM springs. The only complain I have is that they are a little soft (exactly like the factory ones). I added an adjustable “helper” spring to stiffen it up and add a ½” or so of lift. I imagine that an add-a-leaf would do the same thing. I don’t think that you can beat these springs for the price. Just make sure that JCW doesn’t try to stiff you on the shipping charges. If you wanted to replace the springs and add a lift at the same time a couple of companies make lifted springs.

Well, the problem is that my leafs have ~140k miles, and they sag a little. I get just under 17" measured in the rear, and from my searching that is acceptable (~3/8" play tolerable). However, when I drive around with people in the back, it really sags and does the same if I try to load anything except a shipment from the local NERF factory. j/k

I would prefer and AAL in the rear, but I don't want to lift it much. Rancho makes one now that lifts the XJ rear only 1 - 1.5" so that might work also. I just figured new leafs would help the situation. I've also considered Supersprings, but I don't know how they would change the off road abilities of the Jeep.

Any thoughts???

Rancho RS60913 AAL's

I wonder if the parts guy at Jeep has any onfo on what Up Country springs are required. Mine are 100% stock (not Up Country), but they seem to be bending a little where the 2nd leaf (second largest) ends. It looks a little deformed, and the rear is ~16.25" from the center of the wheel to the fender flare.

I was looking at the JC Whitney springs, not sure about them though. I heard Eagle has some, so I'll ask him. I saw that Rancho makes an AAL for the rear, but I am getting confused on the #'s. According to their website, they now make a AAL for load capacity that raises the rear ~1 - 1.5" and the part number is RS60913. According to what I've found out online, that AAL raises the rear 2" so I'm not sure if it will cure my problem, or raise the rear too much. I don't even know if I should try with the leaf slightly deformed the way it is.

I don't want to lift...I'm not hardcore. I just want the rear to sit ~17.5 - 18" from center of the wheel to the fender flare, and I think the Rancho spring would do it, and for $60

However, I have no idea how hard the install would be or if there are any issues with AAL's that I will have to deal with. I just like plug and play. A couple days ago I just installed my Bilstein shocks...I love them. Easy install, maybe 1.5 hours and the ride is so much better. I just need to fix the rear springs and get those 235/75/15 BF Goodrich KO's!