Running longer leafs in the rear

im currently have the chevy 52" leafs in the rear of my heep and i want to put in my waggys in but there 57" long, any ideas of how i can make the new spring hanger for the shackles or making a new spring hanger up front.

any help counts and pics of how you can do it.

Thanx

Toyota guys do it all the time with 63" Chevy leaves.

You can build your own spring hanger out of some box tubing with the bottom cut off and a hole drilled for the bolt.

For a new shackle hanger, Sky MFG makes a nice one for Toyota's that you might be able to make work

is there anyway to make something cap over the old shackle box and built i off that

I wouldnt suggest that... that shackle box isnt what I'd consider the stongest mount. but the forward mount would be pretty easy Bassball said.

I imagine you'd be able to make a new rear hanger and mount similar to the current just an inch back or so... then have some boomarang shaped shackle to take car of the rest. hmm

I installed some late model Dodge 1500 rear leaves in my XJ. I sleeved the frame rails with 4x6x0.25 box steel cut in half to create two U shaped rails that were cut and welded to follow the frame rails closely. I then took a short piece of the U and welded it to the frame rail reinforcement to make a pocket to mount the forward part of the spring in. I ran a bolt through this pocket (including the spring) and all the way through the frame (through a welded in sleeve.) The rear of the spring mounts in a slightly wider shackle that slips into the stock shackle box. I mounted the spring backward to the way it was mounted in the Dodge and then shifted the xj axle toward the rear of the xj 1 inch by making a shifted 2" lift block between the spring center bolt and the axle pad. I was getting about 4-5" of lift without the block. I don't remember the total length of the springs, but they are a good 6" longer than a stock xj spring. Jeff

I run 57" long MJ leaves (main leaf, at least, the rest are 1/2 ton Chevy). I used an adjustable leaf spring mount for circle track cars (stock cars) from a race car shop (Victory Circle ) and mounted it next to the frame forward of the stock spring hanger, then used a boomerang shackle in the rear. The front mount is simply a U shaped section of channel with about six sets of holes to allow for some adjustment. It could be easily made, but it was easier to buy since they're pretty cheap. I welded the rear of the new mount to the retained nut of the stock mount (after cutting off the actual old mount) which spaced the new mount out enough from the frame to allow for the nut between the mount and the frame.

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=27026&highlight=full-traction+problem

This is how I addressed the issue. The pics are HUGE because I forgot to resize them, but it should give you an idea. I've since added a brace that goes on the outside of the mount from the original shackle bolt position, to the modified shackle bolt position (on a diagonal).

Goatman, do you have any pics of your front mount setup?

Another option would be to inboard the springs under the "framerail", but it has been discussed many times before and the general consensus is that it makes for an unstable ride.

baseballneal86 said:

Goatman, do you have any pics of your front mount setup?

Another option would be to inboard the springs under the "framerail", but it has been discussed many times before and the general consensus is that it makes for an unstable ride.

Click to expand...

Then it's not really an option.....

I don't have any pics, but I was thinking I should take a few. I'll try to do it in the morning.

Haha, thanks

Here's a few pics of what I did.

Goatman said:

Here's a few pics of what I did.

Click to expand...

Richard,

What about taking some picture of your rear end :wierd: I mean your XJ rear end were the leaf and shackle attach.

:wierd:

Joe said:

Richard,

What about taking some picture of your rear end :wierd: I mean your XJ rear end were the leaf and shackle attach.

:wierd:

Click to expand...

Not much to show, Joe. I use the stock location with a boomerang shackle. Only thing is that the shackle boxes have been plated all the way around since they had big cracks in them.