In a Jam

Ok, My XJ has a tow hitch and I am pretty sure that it was used alot becasue whenever I load the rear with equipment or people, it sits very low! For a visual, it is as if I am stuffing the rear due to flex(exagerating a little) When filling up the tank one day I was leaning against the car and could even feel it lowering slightly. So, what are my options? I really don't off-road a-ton, but like to always be prepared just like any other jeeper! I was thinking a BB(Rocklizard Home made BB, RE, Rusty's, etc), but don't know if its really neccessary. Can I just purchase new leafs and shocks to get the stock height back? If I did that, would I have to make adjustments in the front also? Thanks and I love these forums!!
Sorry for length.

You picked a bad name...

BlackXJ4x4 said:

You picked a bad name...

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Why, I don't get it?

BigRed said:

Why, I don't get it?

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Another member, bad things, it's okay.

BigRed said:

Ok, My XJ has a tow hitch and I am pretty sure that it was used alot becasue whenever I load the rear with equipment or people, it sits very low! For a visual, it is as if I am stuffing the rear due to flex(exagerating a little) When filling up the tank one day I was leaning against the car and could even feel it lowering slightly. So, what are my options? I really don't off-road a-ton, but like to always be prepared just like any other jeeper! I was thinking a BB(Rocklizard Home made BB, RE, Rusty's, etc), but don't know if its really neccessary. Can I just purchase new leafs and shocks to get the stock height back? If I did that, would I have to make adjustments in the front also? Thanks and I love these forums!!
Sorry for length.

Click to expand...

Hey BigRed, my '98 XJ w/3.5" RubiconExpress lift did the same thing. The cheapest/best way I could find to correct the sag was to install rear add-a-leafs. You can find aal's for under $100. If the jeep doesn't keep bouncing around when you hit a bump your shocks are probably okay so I wouldn't worry about them. Also, your front end should be okay, unless you just feel like it's riding too low. HTH.
:repair:

http://www.mike-g.net/jeep/yinyang/techdex.html

First determine if you have a problem. Most likely your front is fine. Otherwise like mentioned an Add-a-leaf will work. Just make sure it is a long AAL and not the short one. Both will give you lift, but the short one will be stiffer and do more harm than good.

Thanks for the replies!!!

BigRed said:

So, what are my options? I really don't off-road a-ton, but like to always be prepared just like any other jeeper! I was thinking a BB(Rocklizard Home made BB, RE, Rusty's, etc), but don't know if its really neccessary. Can I just purchase new leafs and shocks to get the stock height back? If I did that, would I have to make adjustments in the front also?

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Of course you can purchase new leaf springs and new shocks, and of course that will put you back to stock height. However, I wouldn't characterize that as "just" anything. It's probably the most expensive route you can go. New leaf packs will cost you about $100 (or more) per side. New shocks? Monroe Gas-Matics run about $25 per shock. Sensatracs run about $35 per, and Reflex run about $45 per. Then there are the potential problems getting the original springs out of an older XJ without breaking something. And when you're finished, you still have a stock spring with no more load capacity than where you started. Less sag, but no more capacity.

The Rock Lizard BB is a heckuva lot cheaper than new leaf packs, and it DOES increase the load capacity. Springs and shocks work together, but you can replace either without replacing the other. I did a home-brew AAL similar to what Rock Liz described a couple of years ago. Even with the old shocks, it rode very comfortably.

I think that's the way you should go.