Rear suspention

Rando89 · Mar 18, 2009

I have a 90 cherokee with a 3 inch lift block in the rear. I want to get rid of it and put new leafs in the back and they got the idea of putting a grand cherokee rear suspention in it. Just wondering if any one has tried it and how much it would take to put it in. I am also looking into puting a ford 8.8 in the rear. Let me know what you think.

tbburg · Mar 18, 2009

Seems like a lot of work for only a little gain. 'Easiest thing would be just get some 3" springs and swap 'em in one afternoon. The 8.8 is almost a drop in to leaves. You'd have to fab all the brackets to link the 8.8 Lot of down time to link the back. 'You want to wheel this summer or wrench?

Rando89 · Mar 18, 2009

Well I would eventually like to get a 4 link in the rear, I was just wondering how simular the suspentions were between a ZJ and an XJ. O well I guess I will just leave it for now.

muddyrocks · Mar 18, 2009

The guys that have done this work love the setup... do a bunch of studying on the topic before you start...it's all here somewhere. Good luck!

tbburg · Mar 18, 2009

Rando89 said:
Well I would eventually like to get a 4 link in the rear, I was just wondering how simular the suspentions were between a ZJ and an XJ. O well I guess I will just leave it for now.

I might have mis-understood. I thought you were talking about stock/mostly stock ZJ parts. The suspensions are nothing alike, and neither are the frames.

A true long arm 4 link is actually a huge gain(at least articulation wise) over leaves. It would still be a lot of work(pretty much the same as fitting ZJ suspension) but would work a lot better.

Still boils down to a weekend for leaf springs and axle swap -vs- 2 or 3 months of fab work.

Don't let me bring you down, all my friends tell me I'm a pessimist. (but they just hate to admit I'm right all the time

)

Rando89 · Mar 18, 2009

This would be for down the road, as of right now I am just going to fix what I can and wheel it. A good shop and money are a problem right now since I am trying to get my degree.

dave92cherokee · Mar 20, 2009

If money's an issue do the good ole bastard pack using dakota leafs to get the lift you want and get rid of those blocks as soon as possible. There's plenty of writeups about it and a quick google search will yield alot of results.

jeeperjohn · Mar 21, 2009

I'm not sure converting to a 4 link setup is worth the trouble unless you have very specific goals for how your rig works. A simple set of quality leaf packs will get you a good ride, plenty of articulation, and can be done in a couple of hours. If you want to do it because you want to learn and have something that you built and put alot of yourself into, go for it! Just do alot of research and learn from others' mistakes before you make the same ones.

Rando89 · Mar 23, 2009

For the Dakota leafs Does it matter what year they come out of and would Darango Leafs be the same?

Jess · Mar 23, 2009

Rando89 said:
For the Dakota leafs Does it matter what year they come out of and would Darango Leafs be the same?

Any spring that is spring under the axle and 2.5" wide will work. You just have to experiment with the leaves to get the outcome you want.

Rear suspention

Rando89

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tbburg

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Rando89

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muddyrocks

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tbburg

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Rando89

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