shackles or aal lift ????

I have a 1994 cherokee 2 dr 4wd 4.0l ax-15. It has 120k on the clock....
The front height is 17.5" from center to top of wheel well, and 16" in the rear. So the rear is sagging about 1 inch.
Here is what I want.... I want to get the back up to 17.5-18" I dont want a 3 inch lift but rather basically a inch higher than stock. I want a comfortable ride and great trail flex....I know OME but I am on a serious budget. so it is out of the question. I am looking between an add a leaf or the shackle lift. So which set up will yield the best results. I dont want it to sag, yet at the same time I dont want a rough riding add a leaf
Hasta

Add a leaf or two from a Dakota or S10. That would be your best bet. Almost the same amount of work involved as doing an AAL. You may have to experiment around with it to get the desired height, but then you will know how to do a leaf pack.

AAL's ride rough. I have experienced spring sag with shackles.

i have read the article on using an extra main leaf of an xj pack. It seems to work well. Problem is I live in a small town 1 wrecking yard nearby. They have almost nothing and anything they do have is gold (just ask them), so I know it would cost me more to get a leaf pack or even the one leaf from them. So does the rancho leaf ride ok ??? I know OME makes an add a leaf how does that ride? I guess the big mystery to me is how can the factory main leaf added in ride so go yet aal ride like a turd..... Is there a good add a leaf out there ? I would assume the longest one possible would ride the best...

For about $150 you can do both. The AAL will probably but you back to stock. Then the shackle will give you about a inch depending on which one you get.

Maybe you can find some stock springs on the Naxja classifieds from someone who has upgraded. Another possibility if there's one in your area is to find an actual spring shop. They might be able to supply you with one leaf at a time, or perhaps a discarded set that has leaves you can cut to size.

I did a home AAL on my 95, and will probably repeat it on my new 99 which has a tiny bit of sag developing. Instead of taking the top leaf from another set of springs, I took the second leaf down, and shortened that. This was then placed between the original second and third leaves. If you look at the springs on an XJ you'll notice that the step between leaves 2 and 3 is very long, and the springs I cut fall halfway between the ends of the original 2 and 3. The result was a good restoration of height and no discernible effect on the ride. I can't now remember how many miles ago I did the job but it has held for a good 80K or more, I think. It looks sanitary too.

I've got two cherokees, one with a Skyjacker AAL in a stock pack that netted 3" and rides a little rough. I just put the other one back to stock tonight (it's my street machine). Over the last week however, I had added an extra stock main from another XJ that I had cut down. It was stiffer than stock, but it felt good, and not as harsh as my Skyjacker AAL. It netted me 1.5" at first and settled within a few days to 1.25" where I suspect it would have stayed. That is the route I would take. You can get an extra set of stock leaves from a junkyard, or you can often get them cheap or free by searching the forums. I got mine for free using an Arizona forum (where I live), since free doesn't matter if you have to pay for shipping.

I have a full length 2" AAL from rustys off road on my 94 xj and even tho it rides a bit more rough, its not that much more. I beleive they cost me 100$ for the pair, plus some used front spacers and your set to go.

good luck
pete