are these safe and usable on an xj?

[waxer]

I'm not 100%, but I'm fairly sure at least in Kalifornia shims in the front are against the law now too. I know blocks of all types are.

Ya know? I wouldn't doubt that one bit. It seems everything else is getting banned here these days. Which is why I spelled our state the same in my profiles location.

uke:
Commie Kalifornia

 

[jakec]

it isnt really necessary though. When the axle droops they go forward, but down, so they usually clear fine. When you compress the axle, they move backwards, where there is plenty of room.

Very true. Just sitting, with 6" of lift, my rear axle looks a little too far forward, but I can fully stuff my 36's, and they are perfectly centered. I have trimmed quite a bit in the rear, though.

 

[cloudswimmer]

Not as much as you think - no flares makes it look worse than it is. I've trimmed maybe an inch? Maybe a little less.

The flares are sitting in the garage waiting for me to get unlazy and reinstall them.

Here is mine with my new 35" MTR.Lift is 7" As you can see the wheel is not centered.Should I move the wheel base back, or just trim.Its stock right now and I would like to keep the factory flare if possible.Not sure which route to go and am looking for suggestions.

 

[j33pownr]

I believe that when you flex the rear of the jeep the axle will move an inch or so back as the shackle swings. So it may look off but is centered when it really counts.

With 35s your going to have to cut and/or fold something.

 

[cal]

Here is mine with my new 35" MTR.Lift is 7" As you can see the wheel is not centered.Should I move the wheel base back, or just trim.Its stock right now and I would like to keep the factory flare if possible.Not sure which route to go and am looking for suggestions.

Yours is perfect as it sits. When it compresses it moves 'back', and when you droop it moves 'forward' but 'down' clearing the front.

With 33's you will have to trim a bit to keep any real uptravel - moving the axle back will make that worse and not better. You can trim about 3/4" and keep your stock flares and look though.

Search here for a good writeup or PM me if you can't find one and I'll look for one.

 

[cloudswimmer]

Yours is perfect as it sits. When it compresses it moves 'back', and when you droop it moves 'forward' but 'down' clearing the front.

With 33's you will have to trim a bit to keep any real uptravel - moving the axle back will make that worse and not better. You can trim about 3/4" and keep your stock flares and look though.

Search here for a good writeup or PM me if you can't find one and I'll look for one.

Those are 35's

 

[cal]

That should have said 33's or bigger, I just skipped typing that part.

 

[jmop]

What size tires? I'm running 35's with RE leafs and I can stuff the rear until the leafs are flat, and the tires tuck perfectly..

Before I cut the body completly up I was running 39.5's with TJ flares and had cut the fenders past the pinch seam to the door and actually cut the door in a spot.

I had to move the axle back to keep the front of the tire out of the fender at rest. That was with 6" lift leaf springs. At that point I believe I had a 104-105" WB with some in the front and some in the back.

 

[cal]

39.5's isn't really within the scope of what we are talking about though.

 

[jmop]

39.5's isn't really within the scope of what we are talking about though.

How is that?

The title of the thread is "Are these safe and usable on an XJ". When my jeep was on 39.5's it was my daily driver so I thought it would apply. My jeep may not fall under the "Is it a Cherokee" bylaws but whatever.

I do see lots of posts about the evils of blocks. I think most just say that because that’s what everyone else says. Those are machined steel not some crappy aluminum AutoZone special. A one inch block is not going to substantially increase spring wrap and if axle wrap is a problem install a wrap bar.

For the purpose of locating the axle forward or rearward those blocks are a valid and practical solution. A better alternative would be to drill the spring perch for a different pin offset but that may not be an option with cast perches.

EDIT: I should qualify my statements by saing "Rear axle only". While I don't feel that they would be a problem in the front I'm not sure about the legality. They wouldn't be any different in the front then running tall perches but Johnny Law may dissagree.

 

[cal]

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How is that?

The title of the thread is "Are these safe and usable on an XJ". When my jeep was on 39.5's it was my daily driver so I thought it would apply. My jeep may not fall under the "Is it a Cherokee" bylaws but whatever.

Well, I did mean out of the scope of the immediate topic and not the thread in general.. we've been discussing fitment at the wheel wells.

I do see lots of posts about the evils of blocks. I think most just say that because that’s what everyone else says. Those are machined steel not some crappy aluminum AutoZone special. A one inch block is not going to substantially increase spring wrap and if axle wrap is a problem install a wrap bar.

I'm a bit advocate of 1-2" blocks as long as they are made of a good material and you have good u-bolts. I ran a 1" block with a 5/8" u-bolt for years.

For the purpose of locating the axle forward or rearward those blocks are a valid and practical solution. A better alternative would be to drill the spring perch for a different pin offset but that may not be an option with cast perches.

I agree on re-drilling the spring perch, I feel these offset blocks are a really bad idea though and not a safe alternative at all. But I guess thats why we build our own jeep and not each others.

 

[jmop]

Ah, I see. I just wasn't sure where you were going there.

Actually after looking at them I'd like to retract my statement about them being OK. They don't appear to be long enough to extend past the u-bolts if used in an offset manner. It looks like the 1.5" offset would not extend past the ubolt and might allow the axle to roll.

EDIT: nevermind I was installing them incorrectly in my head.

 

[cal]

Thats kind of what i was thinking, that and the idea of 2 seperate center pin setups turns me off to them. I'd rather see a re-drilled spring perch, and like a 7" long lift block - even if you had to make it yourself.

 

[jmop]

Thats kind of what i was thinking, that and the idea of 2 seperate center pin setups turns me off to them. I'd rather see a re-drilled spring perch, and like a 7" long lift block - even if you had to make it yourself.

At first I would agree with you but I think those blocks get bolted to the spring perch and not the springs. That way they act like a re drilled spring perch. I could be wrong. If they are attached to the spring then I can see there may be a problem.

 

[jmop]

Well nevermind. I re-read the install instructions and it looks like you do have two center pins. And in which case if you use the 1.5" offset you only have a little bit of the block past the offset to support the axle on that side. If that u-bolt loosens it could probably roll.

 

[jrowell]

mathmatically about 6.75", but after the weight of bumpers and winches and such, it measures between 5.5 and 6.

Where is that at... it looks fun!

 

[waxer]

mathmatically about 6.75", but after the weight of bumpers and winches and such, it measures between 5.5 and 6.

Where is that at... it looks fun!

looks like backdoor to me

 

[cal]

No, backdoor is MUCH taller than that with bigger steps.

That was out at Truckhaven, when we had the great flu outbreak of 2007.

You can see me get careless and nearly roll at the end of this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vDEhUVXFQc

Warning, for some reason there is a lot of ass crack in this video..

 

[mikedashg]

There is a crack-lite version

http://youtube.com/watch?v=-73KMTBC0Xw

 

[jrowell]

No, backdoor is MUCH taller than that with bigger steps.

That was out at Truckhaven, when we had the great flu outbreak of 2007.

You can see me get careless and nearly roll at the end of this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vDEhUVXFQc

Warning, for some reason there is a lot of ass crack in this video..

I've been out there twice, and never came across that. It looks like a good time. Usually in pics, you do not get across the feeling of how steep & hairy stuff is. In that pic it comes through!

Good times!

Jeremy