shackle inversion 6.5" rustys????

Background....Bought a used 92 xj w/ a rustys 6.5" lift kit on it (full spring packs) and the rear felt really stiff on the test drive. turns out the kid had been offroading it (mud) with the shackles inverted...one shackle had sheared apart...springs looked good though...maybe a little too much arch...it was caught in front of the spring shackle pocket...the other spring was still attached to its shackle just firmly jammed forward. Bottom line, no kinked springs. Figured $1500 was still a good deal for a 92 w/ 6.5" lift kit.

Found a xj in the u-pull-it with a new RC 4.5" kit on it...pulled off the RC shackles and put them on mine so there doesnt look there is a danger of the shackles inverting again. BUT now the rear is a lot higher than the front...more than the 2" the RC shackles should have given...

I'm hoping that the rustys spring packs were "re-arched" a little by being bound up on the xj and that they'll settle down . Anyone else have issues with rustys 6.5" springs? Still really stiff. Put a 2400lb tandem axle car trailer on the xj and its settled down only about 2"...usually puts stock xj springs on the bumpstops

Sounds like you called it. I'd say drive it around for a while and see if they settle down.

You can always remove a leaf from the packs.

before I put the trailer on it I put 2 thirty gallon containers in the cargo area and filled them with water....had to be around 400lbs in the back and it didnt move the springs at all...that I could tell. Then I put the trailer on and it settled a couple inches...Got the trailer cleaned off and put a 3/4 ton chevy truck on the trailer...so now the rear of the xj sits lower than the front but I wouldnt say the springs look overloaded. ...atleast the springs flexxed...I was begining to think that the shocks were jammed or something..going to let it sit over night and check it in the morning...

How do the shackles look with a load on? Did the springs push them back against the frame?

checked it today and the shackles are about 3/8" from the frame, springs are not flat, going to let it sit one more day then see what it looks like from there...spacer the springs up front to make it match? I just put 34" tires on it....dang