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Combining stock Cherokee leaf packs?

sweetjeep

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Massachusetts
Hey folks. My (patheticly stock) 99 Cherokee is sagging in the back. I have a second set of stock leafs I am going to swap in. Anyone know what would happen if I added a couple of OTHER stock leafs to the existing pack? Would it harshen the ride considerably? Any good? Bad?

Thanks.
 
Good idea.

Last year I refurbished an '88 Laredo for an ex-girlfriend. The back was sagged maybe 1/2", and I knew she wanted to use it to access remote trail heads in Montana for hiking, plus be able to carry her dog in the back. So I figured a bit of reinforcement was in order.

I was given the main leaves from an XJ that another NAC member stripped. Cut them off just short of the eyes and added them into the stock packs just beneath the original main leaves, as full-length add-a-leaves. Came out sitting about 3/4" to 1" higher than "stock," which figurews out to a gross gain of about 1-1/4" from where it was -- with some extra load-carrying capacity as well. Ride was very comfortable, not at all harsh. (I drove it from Connecticut to Montana.)

One of the NAC members who comes to NAC Fest did the same thing with a 2000 XJ and I believe he gained about 1-1/2" gross.

You will need a pair of new center pins for the spring packs. The XJ uses 5/16" center pins. The stock u-bolts are long enough to handle one extra leaf. If you want more than that, you need new u-bolts. Actually, you should use new u-bolts anyway, but if you won't be abusing it too harshly one rer-use probably won't be the end of the world. Even engine head bolts get one re-use. After that, get new ones.
 
www.rocklizardfabrications.com/home_brew_budget_boost.htm

This is a page where someone used the long stock leaf as an add-a-leaf boost. 'seemed top work well. It is my understanding that the long AAL will give a decent ride compared to a short one. My '95 was sagging, so I picked up $30 AALs from autozone (Both sides, long leafs). They were easy to install, they boosted the rear, and they'll hold me until I get a RE lift next year.
 
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I've done the "rock lizard" lift on my brother's and it netted just under 2" and the ride kicks OME's butt!! (Dirk at DPG told me this and I didn't fully believe him until we took it for a ride) The rock liz guy used the main leaf and the next one (cut the pads off the 2nd so it fits in the pack properly) and got 3" on a non-sagged pack. He told me that the ride of the 2 leaf set up is excellent too. I'm going to do that on mine later this year-I have a RE short aal and my Bro's rides WAAAAY better.
My "been ther, done that" .02
 
Cool. Thanks. This is all basically what I was thinking. Adding the longest leaf and see what happens. Plus I tow a small trailer quite a bit and I could use a little extra assist in the rear. Of course by the time I actually swap in the leaves.. I'll have the truck finished. :)
 
Jaysheep said:
Never ever ever ever reuse torque to yield bolts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Head bolts are not torqued to yield. If they've yielded -- they've failed.

The factory service manual specifically states that head bolts can be re-used one time. When re-used in service, they are marked with a dab of paint to indicate that this is the second time around. If you remove a head and find the bolts marked with a paint spot, you know that (a) the head has been off before, and (b) you need new head bolts.
 
Terminology again.

In general, all bolts that are assigned a torque spec are "stretching" bolts. That's the purpose of the torque spec -- the engineers want the bolts to stretch, but they want them to stretch within the elastic range of the steel, which means NOT to the yield point. Such a bolt will return to its original length when the stress is removed.

Once a bolt (or any piece of metal) is stressed enough that it stretches ("strain" in engineer speak) beyond the point from which it can fully recover, it is said to have entered the plastic range, and "yielded."
 
The back end of mine was low too, plus I tow a small trailer. Shoved a long leaf in on both sides. Brought me up level and the trailer doesn't bring it down either. I did get new U-Bolts etc because I had to cut the others off. The whole deal was under $50 and about an hour or so of time. I love cheap upgrades!
 
sweetjeep said:
One more question.. how does one get the locating pin out of the leaf pack? Brute force?
The locating pins are 5/16" and can be found at a commercial spring shop for about a buck each, or at NAPA for about a buck and a half. Just grind the nuts off the old ones and toss 'em.

Be sure to put big C clamps on the spring to hold it together while you grind. Otherwise things will starty flying.
 
I used 5/16's grade 8 socket head cap screws. They worked like a charm, plus I "borrowed" them from work, so they were free. I believe work gets them from Fastenal, though.
 
MountainGoat said:
what about using the rock liz's econo lift with OME comfort shocks?
Save the money on shocks! I used the $16 monores from AZ on my brother's jeep and the ride is great.
 
asatxj said:
Save the money on shocks! I used the $16 monores from AZ on my brother's jeep and the ride is great.

When I put in the rear 9" and moved the shock mounts up I had to go back to shorter shocks. My old shocks were beatup old monroes that I threw on to get me by. I won't change them until they die and then I'll probably get some more :D
 
asatxj said:
Save the money on shocks! I used the $16 monores from AZ on my brother's jeep and the ride is great.
Are you certain? Around here, Auto Zone and Pep Boys carry Gabriel shocks. If I want Monroe (which I do), I have to go to Advance Auto or Sears.
 
I have a question on the front coils.... Autozone has Heavy Duty front coils for the XJ... they are like 70 bucks for the pair... and they also have the front coils for the GC V8 at about the same cost.... Which should I go with? I mean if in another thread wyrdvans stated that he used Heavy Duty XJ coils from Carquest and gained almost 2"'s.... maybe the AZ HD XJ coils will do the same? Or should I just go with the GC V8 coils? They dont sale HD Coils for the V8 GC.
I cant find GC coils for less then 50 bucks a pair used... who knows how mayne miles are on them... I know my XJ has almost 170,000 miles on it... those rear leaf packs have got to be tired. Not sure what to do with them.
 
Eagle said:
Are you certain? Around here, Auto Zone and Pep Boys carry Gabriel shocks. If I want Monroe (which I do), I have to go to Advance Auto or Sears.
Might have been gabes-- dunno- doesn't matter,they work very well for his application!! I've had many and not noticed a vast difference between them. I drive vehicles long enough to change them at least once!
 
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