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shackles and 30's

L

leftyatm

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Maryland
Alright guys, I took your advice on going with a budget lift. I have decided to only go with like an inch or two of lift with shackles and I guess what you would call a spacer for the front strut, and 30'' bfg a/t's. Does this sound practical? I decided not to go with a 3.5'' lift because it is my daily driver. I also dont want to sacrifice gas mileage and so on. My question is what size shackles should i get for the rear( my rear sags a little) it sits lower than the front. so i want to get more lift for the rear to balance it out, how much lift im not too worried. but what do i do to lift the front. is there a spacer you put ontop of your spring? or what lifts the front. and will i be able to fit 30x 9.50 with no problems? also will this throw my speedo off. I looked around for similar advice but coudlnt find anything that i clearly understand. i found its easier just to ask the specific question to my needs. I'm up for any thoughts or ideas as well as concerns.
Thanks again guys
 
Buy the Daystar BB, 1 3/4 coil spacers and rear shackles. I got mine new off ebay for under $100. Thats the lift I have, with the BFG AT 30's and it looks good. But I will warn you my gas mileage went from 350 miles per tank to about 260. Not a huge drop but enough to notice. And you will have to cut the bend off the the end of your exhaust or it will hit the shackle.

Theres yout spacer
spacer.jpg

And theres your shackle
shackle.jpg
 
Last edited:
It will throw your speedo off a little bit. You can either go with the flow of traffic (what I did after an increase in tire size), and risk getting speeding tickets on the highway at 2am, or get a new gear for the speedo for a minimal cost.
 
esrasmu2001 said:
It will throw your speedo off a little bit. You can either go with the flow of traffic (what I did after an increase in tire size), and risk getting speeding tickets on the highway at 2am, or get a new gear for the speedo for a minimal cost.
Click to expand...
Or figure out how much your off by and remember your not doing 65, your doing 72! I have 30 inch BFG Muds on mine, thats about how much I am off. It will varry a little though.
 
leftyatm said:
. and will i be able to fit 30x 9.50 with no problems?
Click to expand...

I was clearing 30x9.50 wildcat EXTs at stock height without a problem. I now have 2" lift front and SOA in the rear and like the way my truck sits on "30 inch" Perelli Scorpions.

The only thing I don't like about this setup is the lack of axle-to-ground clearence.
 
I would go with RockyRoad Outfitter BB and instead of using their rear 1/2 inch block, have them send you a 1" steel block. That should bring that rear up about half an inch. With a 1" block you shouldn't get to much axle rap either. For the exhaust, you don't have to cut the bend, just take your old tail pipe strap off and go to auto zone ang get the adjustable rubber one that uses an exhaust clamp. Theres a hold in the unibody back there so you won't even need to drill.
 
andrew2516 said:
For the exhaust, you don't have to cut the bend, just take your old tail pipe strap off and go to auto zone ang get the adjustable rubber one that uses an exhaust clamp. Theres a hold in the unibody back there so you won't even need to drill.
Click to expand...

Or take a sawzall and chop it off, and add a nice chrome straight or turndown tip that dosent hit the shackle or hitch (if u have one)
 
Cool thanks guys especially zfinger for posting pics. It gave me an idea of what im goin for and what she'll look like. I dont want anything too extreme but something that sets her apart from the rest of the xj's running around this part of town. so I'll need a BB spacer for the front and a 1 3/4 inch shackle for the rear? anyone know the steps on doing this?
 
Alright, so I think I've found what I'm going to do. Here it is: Taking from what zfinger said about the daystar bb I spoke with 4wheelerssupply and decided to go with a 2 inch coil spacer in the front, and a 2 inch add a leaf in the rear. this is what they recommended anyway. And it sounds good but as of now, my jeep sags in the rear and if i add an even 2 inches to the front and rear, it will still sag, so im thinking about doing the above and then adding an 1.25 or the smallest size shackle i can get to make up for the height difference. Does this sound good. They also have a kit where its an 1 3/4 inch coil spacer for the front and only an inch shackle in the rear, that sounds more reasonable but again, the rear will sit lower than the front. So should i go with my first option or the second option do the smaller kit being the 1 3/4 spacer and 1''shackle and maybe get the 2 inch add a leafs as well? Does this sound like a good idea or will it make too much of a height difference in the rear. I want to lift it a little bit to fit 30's nicely and give it a little height but dont want to go too high. Am i on the right track?
again sorry for the long post
 
esrasmu2001 said:
It will throw your speedo off a little bit. You can either go with the flow of traffic (what I did after an increase in tire size), and risk getting speeding tickets on the highway at 2am, or get a new gear for the speedo for a minimal cost.
Click to expand...
Actually, 30s won't throw you off all that much - stock tires on most vehicles put you underspeed...slightly larger tires correct that. IIRC, with 30s on my XJ it was just a hair over indicated speed.
 
I've been resisting getting a lift (I don't like the looks and I'd rather go up in tires and trimming), and after smacking my OEM t-case skid and gastank too many times, I'm getting a bit fed up. I might go for a B.B., but TeraFlex's BB1X aside, why do almost all shackle lifts have more height in front? Daystar's is listed as 1-3/4" in front and 1" in the rear. Why? Even eliminating the factory rubber isolator doesn't make up the difference.
 
I've always noticed most manufacturers advertised lift is taller in front...never really been sure why.

I wouldn't recommend much taller than the 1" shackle anyway since that means the shackle itself is some 2" longer than the stock shackle. Longer than that really starts to put a lot of stress on the shackle and it can fold.
 
OK...........
Here is the Daystar kit (84 to 93 xj/commanche pn# KJO81O6BK = spacers/front & greaseable 1" shackels/rear. lift is 1 3/4 inch)
with 30X9.5's
I have some weak springs on the back, so it sits "about" 1/4 inch lower in the back with a full tank of gas. Its not really that noticeable.(sp?)
Picturea64.jpg

full tank of gas and lots of camping gear in the back
Picture063.jpg


with 31X10.5's
(where the front tire is, is about 3/4 to 1 inch lower than the other side)
100_2001.jpg


100_2000.jpg


The 31's work just fine on the street but they do rub a little on the lower c-arms. When it gets lightly wheeled with them they grab the lower part of the flairs on the rear.
 
Yucca-Man said:
I've always noticed most manufacturers advertised lift is taller in front...never really been sure why.

I wouldn't recommend much taller than the 1" shackle anyway since that means the shackle itself is some 2" longer than the stock shackle. Longer than that really starts to put a lot of stress on the shackle and it can fold.
Click to expand...
Thanks for at least confirming that for me. I may just end up using the Up Country leaf packs and add a stock isolator on each side--not sure yet. I may not even lift. I had my 235s stuffed this weekend with enough room to spare for 30s (depending on the brand's true ride height, of course).
 
I've heard the stock xj sits 1/2-1" higher in the back. I think the lift companies try to correct this with their lift, not realizing most of our rear springs are wore and sagging about 1/2"
 
Ok yea thanks guys I appreciate it and thanks for posting the pictures. It looks really good man. Thats the kind of stance im going for. something aggressive looking but not overly aggressive and impractical. I decided just to go with the daystar b.b. I actually found a set on ebay for 79.99. which is pretty reasonable. Im not sure whether or not the shackles are greaseable. I hope so but either way the stockers aren't so shouldnt be too much of a difference. As to why the rear always sags in the back and yet they continue to still make suspension components bigger for the front than rear baffles me too. Depending upon how much of a difference mine has I may also replace the spring pack or just throw in a new add a leaf to hopefully make it sit level. but yea i can see that in the pic it doenst throw it that much off. thats about what mine looks like now.
I'll post a picture if someone shows me how!! lol
 
I run the JKS 1" shackle (good for .9" lift) and a 3/4" spacer up front with some small 31X10.5's (measure out to 30" tall exactly) on my DD with no rubbing issues whatsoever on the street.

And my gas mileage is actually better since I drive 90% highway.

My measurements stock were closer to 18"+ though, making me think that either a) my springs are in really good shape or b) mine has UC springs even though it did not have that option.

Here it was with the shackle/spacer and the old tires (235 BFG's):

25998.jpg
 
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