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New leaf springs

TDoggs

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Indianapolis
I'm going to replace the leaf springs on my daughter's 2000 Cherokee Sport.

I don't want to lift it, just get the springs replaced.

I'm looking for recommendations on where to get them.

Should I get the O'Reilly ones and call it good?

This Cherokee is just a daily driver.
 
Do you know the history of the vehicle? Heavy loads carried by either your family since new, or possibly by the previous owners? Besides that, or during the course of many years something has caused the leafs to lose their spring specs.

OEM springs are one thing, but some leaf manufactures have some different metallurgy formulas, and temperature tempers that have received their share of complaints. That has been spotty, sure.., but here at NAXJA you might find that some will report better, or worse leaf replacements from here, or there, from time to time.

Some might go for OEM replacements from the dealership, (if available, blah, blah), but shrill about the high cost, and call them 'stealerships'. Some obtain fresh looking OEM replacements from another similar vehicle, (with low mileage), from a junk yard. You might find that OEM parts, (no matter where you get them), might serve your needs better now, and in the possible future sale/trade-in value(s).

I have found O'Reillys carrying a lot of Godless communist chinese red-army controlled slave labor divisions making Jeep/Cherokee replacement parts that have flooded the U.S.A. automotive parts departments, blah, blah. Damned near a crap shoot as per quality control. By bad experiences with chinese cloned crap, I find that O'Reillys, (and others), tarnish their reputations. I've gotten a bad belt, bad alternator, bad ignition switch from them within the past two years. Bottom line on that is that the different stores have different sources.., usually.., but I am seeing that pipe from china spewing forth more crap into all.., and over their counters.

You could have the leaf springs re-tempered at some shop in your big city perhaps, and then re-installed with new bushings, or you could just buy low, or high quality leaf springs. However, said replacement leaf springs will have what future? Stay in the family, or sold in it's near future? She could just ride it out until sold, as is, or go and give her a better ride, and..; of course looking good upon that some future sales date. If wanting to keep the vehicle around for some future classical car show, go OEM. Me.., I want a balanced suspension ride especially on black, or clear icy roads so as not to interfere with my steering functions in said. Balanced brake components es muy importante. (Pingon neoma, mabuhey, blah, blah)

Me.., I looked at those above options, and instead figured I'd try leaf springs, (and coils, shocks), that seem to perhaps have better quality control, by spending my hard earned money on tested/manufactured XJ leaf springs that can handle a historical proving ground, i.e., Australia. Like I wanted to purchase leafs with 'military eyes', i.e., the type where there is a length of leaf that rests just below the eyes, blah, blah, but after calling to place that order I was advised by ARBUSA.com counter clerk that they were being recalled, or dumped, whatever, but they would not be available for any price due to the fact that they left the plant sub-standard. I did not want to spend any further time waiting for the plant to make proper ones, and then waiting for a cargo ship, and the rest of the time consuming logistics to get them through the pipe to me in Alaska. However, I could instead get their regular 'oem' looking aftermarket types; Cadillac ride, medium ride, or heavy duty ride. Went with the latter, as I wanted leaf springs to allow me to carry occasional extra weight inside, as well as occasional trailering whenever the need arose. As far as a DD, my XJ does well insofar as it has a not-too-severe old California 'rake' now, i.e., the nose is lower than the rear which really helps to avoid getting high centered on snow drifts across the road, etc. To each his/her own. Me.., I hate shoveling snow in a blizzard around any of my vehicles, lol. Snows in Indianapolis right? Anyway, I am happy knowing I've got good springs, and not having to do that job again.., lol, like ever!!!!! By the way, with the use of Old Man Emu, (OME, not to be confused with OEM), the rake from their coils to leafs is about an inch, and a half higher in the rear, and increased overall height of almost two inches. Perfect. Do you know the history of the vehicle? Heavy loads carried by either your family since new, or possibly by the previous owners? Besides that, or during the course of many years something has caused the leafs to lose their spring specs.

OEM springs are one thing, but some leaf manufactures have some different metallurgy formulas, and temperature tempers that have received their share of complaints. That has been spotty, sure.., but here at NAXJA you might find that some will report better, or worse leaf replacements from here, or there, from time to time.

Some might go for OEM replacements from the dealership, (if available, blah, blah), but shrill about the high cost, and call them 'stealerships'. Some obtain fresh looking OEM replacements from another similar vehicle, (with low mileage), from a junk yard. You might find that OEM parts, (no matter where you get them), might serve your needs better now, and in the possible future sale/trade-in value(s).

I have found O'Reillys carrying a lot of Godless communist chinese red-army controlled slave labor divisions making Jeep/Cherokee replacement parts that have flooded the U.S.A. automotive parts departments, blah, blah. Damned near a crap shoot as per quality control. By bad experiences with chinese cloned crap, I find that O'Reillys, (and others), tarnish their reputations. I've gotten a bad belt, bad alternator, bad ignition switch from them within the past two years. Bottom line on that is that the different stores have different sources.., usually.., but I am seeing that pipe from china spewing forth more crap into all...

You could have the leaf springs re-tempered at some shop in your big city perhaps, and then re-installed with new bushings, or you could buy low, or high quality leaf springs. However, said replacement leaf springs will have what future? Stay in the family, or sold in it's near future? She could just ride it out until sold, as is, or go and give her a better ride, and..; of course looking good upon that some future sales date. If wanting to keep the vehicle around for some future classical car show, go OEM.

Me.., I looked at those above options, and instead figured I'd try leaf springs, (and coils, shocks), that seem to perhaps have better quality control, by spending my hard earned money on tested/manufactured XJ leaf springs that can handle a historical proving ground, i.e., Australia. Like I wanted to purchase leafs with 'military eyes', i.e., the type where there is a length of leaf that rests just below the eyes, blah, blah, but after calling to place that order I was advised by ARBUSA.com counter clerk, (Talk to them, they will get you what you need), that they were being recalled, or dumped, whatever, but they would not be available for any price due to the fact that they left the plant sub-standard. I did not want to spend any further time waiting for the plant to make proper ones, and then waiting for a cargo ship, and the rest of the time consuming logistics to get them through the pipe to me in Alaska. However, I could instead get their regular 'oem' looking aftermarket types; Cadillac ride, medium ride, or heavy duty ride. Went with the latter, as I wanted leaf springs to allow me to carry extra weight inside, as well as trailering whenever the need arose. (August 2011--Coils $160, Leafs $110). As far as a DD, my XJ does well insofar as it has a not-too-severe old California 'rake', i.e., the nose is lower, than the rear which really helps to avoid getting high centered on snow drifts across the road, etc. To each his/her own. Me.., I hate shoveling snow in a blizzard around any of my vehicles, lol. Snows in Indianapolis right? Anyway, I am happy knowing I got good springs, and not having to do that job again.., lol, like ever!!!!! By the way, with Old Man Emu, (OME, not to be confused with OEM), the rake from their coils to leafs is such as to give an overall lift of almost two inches, but also giving that slight rake, making the rear just a bit higher than the front. Perfect.

BTW: Adding a Kangaroo Bull bar bumper, and Winch made the stance even 'mo-betta.
*HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL*
 
Crown Automotive leaf springs are the ones most often said to have reasonable quality and reasonable price. It is wise to avoid Chinese parts of any kind.
 
Thanks for the replies.

That's one vote for OME and one for Crown Automotive.

I'm going to choose from one of these.
 
There sure are a lot of bushing choices......

Anyone care to recommend one?
 
Because of Alaskan winters I opted for regular black rubber, not the various colored specialty 'squeeky' polys. I do not know if that was a mistake, but that's what the little research I did indicated. Got 'em same place as the OME parts purchase, i.e., https://www.4wheelparts.com/ Cost then; Ten bucks each. Now??

Btw; The old price I shared on a leaf assembly was for a single unit, not both sides.

The way things are today, at some counter..; Check out the Crown leaf(s)--box, packaging etc.., for that "Made in china" labeling, or call Crown https://www.crownautomotive.net/ and see what they say, and let us all know where they are made these days. (since china has been making Jeep parts for years, they; Not Me, might have fooled American Parts Houses into thinking, faking that the are OEM. Well, one countries OEM, might not be up to par with another countries OEM, i.e. china versus the U.S.A. MOPAR made OEM in this latter case.
 
Crown Automotive leaf springs are the ones most often said to have reasonable quality and reasonable price. It is wise to avoid Chinese parts of any kind.

Funny you'd say that, after recommending Chinese parts....
 
The fact of the matter is, without paying a premium price, you're NOT going to find US made parts. Save the page-long screed against "Godless Chinese communists" for a place where it's actually relevant. This is a Jeep site, we don't care about your audition monologue for "The Ranch".

OME leafs are known to sag.

ALL leafs will settle in and sag out a little bit after some use. It's simply how physics works.

I'd just go with the parts from Oreilly if I wanted to do an OEM ride-height restoration, and didn't have leafs on hand to bring the pack you have back up to snuff. I ran an S10 main leaf as an AAL for years in my 90 to get it back to the proper height, although it was a bear to cut the ears off.
 
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Last time I read something, somebody posted that Crown XJ Leaf springs were marked Made in India. http://www.naxja.org/forum/showpost.php?p=246198016&postcount=3

Crown Automotive leaf springs are the ones most often said to have reasonable quality and reasonable price.

Mine were marked as made in India, so unless they started making them elsewhere in the last year...

Operative phrases here are "reasonable quality" and "reasonable price." They were cheaper than the dealership, but showed up at my door with big chunks of paint already missing.
 
Just remember, with any spring you install, do not tighten the bushing bolts until the full weight is on the spring. front and both shackle bolts
 
I use Dorman 929-301 from Amazon for rear leafs. First time they leveled the vehicle out second time they have it a slight rake and I had to spray them with Fluid Film to keep the squeaks down. Both sets of Dorman springs were Made in Columbia.
 
The one bit of advice I will add is to order them one at a time, several days apart.

My OME's beat the daylights out of each other getting to me. I think SOP with shipping springs is to just slap a label on each spring and send it out. No box is going to hold up to the springs. But the two of them against each other, from one truck to the next, is anything but gentle.
 
something to keep in mind while choosing your new leafs, chances are, your current leafs are sagging a bit. probably flat or near inverted. new leafs will more than likely give you a bit of lift over the current stance
 
Another vote for Crown here, I have used them 2 times (on separates vehicles) and the held up very well.

Amazon was my source choice.
 
Concur on Amazon. They are rapidly becoming an excellent source for parts. I just bought a brand new set of 4.5" RE lift coils for $60.
 
Years ago I bought a set of Crown “Up Country” leaves for my ‘96. I never had any issues. I later did an add-a-leaf lift on those springs. They held up well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Just buy them with bushings installed.

That is the easy part!!!

The hard part, almost impossible part is getting the old bolts out!!! :shiver:

All the old bolts, not just the leaf spring ends.

Hand grenades do not work. :dunno:

I've been working on one leaf spring removal since Before Hurricane Harvey.

The trick is shopping for the meanest impact wrench you can find, and grinder-cutting blade tool(s), cold chisel, safety glasses, and a case of PB Blaster LOL

Oh, a 5 foot 1-1/4" ID cheater pipe, hydraulic lift, and a 3/4" breaker bar with 3/4" impact sockets.

And a TORCH!!!!!

I spent more on Tools than I did the leaf spring, LOL.
 
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