Honestly, I think your approaching unroad worthy here.
The shocks are a critical item to maintaining the proper response and reaction of your suspension. Totally shot shocks is far worse than a poor ride, it greatly increases the chances of loosing control of the vehicle. Not only from going over big bumps, but from body roll during turning and lane changing, you can get yourself into a divergent roll back and forth taking you all over the road, especially with a little induced oscillation from the steering wheel, trying to keep up with induced steering of excessive body roll.
Increasing the already high CG, and increasing the spring at the same time, but leaving the damping force at near nil, and most likely with zero damping dead spots, because of shot shocks, your just asking for trouble.
Have you you've given it the steering wheel yank test, without any other cars on the road, because you're likely to lose control?
Shocks aren't a comfort item, they are a critical suspension control and safety item on the car.
BTW, I'm not driving my XJ while I fix it up, until I get the holes in the floor fixed and new shocks.
BTW, Swaybar bushings and endlinks, which usually wear out at 100k+ miles, replacing them usually does wonders for the ride and handling as well. If you keep breaking the end-links going off-road, then get the quick disconnect kits or don't drive on the hi-way without swaybars, they are really needed to keep good control on the vehicle at hi-way speeds.
