Full leaf packs or add-a-leafs?

Renegade Jpr · Jun 22, 2003

Im in the middle of ordering a RE 4.5" lift for my XJ, Im on a tight budget and debating on going with the full leaf packs or a full leangth AAL. My buddy has a XJ with that lift and the AAL's and it seems to work well, but what do you guys think I should do?

Maybe I should go with the AAL's for now and then once they start to sag replace them with a set of full 4.5" lift leaf packs?..I dont know, help me out!

xjdaddy · Jun 22, 2003

I have the 4.5" full leaf packs in the rear of mine and they work great. I would go with the full pack IMHO.

4ward · Jun 22, 2003

How much gear do you carry and how hard do you wheel. If you are like some and think you need to carry everything plus the kitchen sink- go for the full pack. Same with how hard you wheel, the more aggresive you are the more you should go with the full pack. I ran the 4.5" with AAL for quite some time before I finally destroyed my rear spring pack. If money is really tight, you can get by for a while.

Sean

Renegade Jpr · Jun 22, 2003

I just carry a full size spare (33"), Hi-lift jack, a small shovel and a not too heavy tool box. I think I will go with the AAL wait untill thier shot, or untill I have the money for the full pack and replace it all then.

mgt · Jun 22, 2003

full leaf pac. it will ride better and flex better

sidriptide · Jun 22, 2003

heres another option that i will be choosing for my next lift....
have you thought about the 3.5" kit with new spring packs... and later upgrade to 4.5" with a spacer and shackle boost? spreads it out if $$ is the issue.. it will cost a lil more to do 2 steps but it will help in the budget.... but the 33's will be a problem.
just a thought...
mike

4ward · Jun 22, 2003

full leaf pac. it will ride better and flex better

I'm callin' spobi, show me some proof. He said full length AAL, not a shorty. I know that my rig flexed and performed way better than some of the guys that thought they had to buy all the bells and whistles.

Sean

Steelerfan · Jun 22, 2003

Renegade Jpr said:
Im in the middle of ordering a RE 4.5" lift for my XJ, Im on a tight budget and debating on going with the full leaf packs or a full leangth AAL. My buddy has a XJ with that lift and the AAL's and it seems to work well, but what do you guys think I should do? Maybe I should go with the AAL's for now and then once they start to sag replace them with a set of full 4.5" lift leaf packs?..I dont know, help me out!

Well it of coarse depends on you're budget but I have the 3 1/2 inch RE lift with new spring packs and I am very glad happy with it.It ride well on road and flexs pretty well off road. I sometime carry some kinda heavy loads in my XJ and it carries them well. I put 600 pounds right at the back with no problem at all. Hope this helps ya out some.

Willis · Jun 22, 2003

I'm callin' spobi, show me some proof. He said full length AAL, not a shorty. I know that my rig flexed and performed way better than some of the guys that thought they had to buy all the bells and whistles.

He is right Sean, from what I've seen. I run a full length AAL from RE, very stiff ride (and no, it's not the shocks), and flexes like crap, bout the only way I can get it to flex, is flex out the front first, then the rear starts doing something, even then, it does not flex up far, it'll pull a tire before flattening the springs.

I helped a friend build his XJ with RE full leaf packs. Rode great, flexed awsome. Go with the full packs, you won't be sorry. I have seen RE 4.5" springs give close to 6 or more inches, so if you absolutely do not want more than 4.5", get the 3.5" spring, and trim with a .5 to 1" block, or shackle, however, do not go more than a 1" block, the spring wrap will fatigue your springs even faster.

Steve

4ward · Jun 23, 2003

They've changed their aal since I ran it then. I was blowin' away folks that were spending untold thousands of $$$$ on their suspensions and I was smokin' 'em. Oh well, that's what you get for relying on personal experience from 4 years ago.

Sean

TOZOVR · Jun 23, 2003

OneTonXJ said:
I'm callin' spobi, show me some proof. He said full length AAL, not a shorty. I know that my rig flexed and performed way better than some of the guys that thought they had to buy all the bells and whistles.

Sean

In theory he's 100% correct. In a perfect world you want more, thinner and evenly tempered springs for a nice ride and killer flex. One High rate Spring mixed in with stockers doesn't conform to that equation.

But.

It will work, and it will flex and it will ride fairly well as long as you buy decent shocks.

I have the luxury of being able to have tried quite a few different setups. Stock With a 3" full length AAL with and with out a shackle...OME JC1A's with and without the JCXL and with and without a lift shackle...

I also have the option of complete Rubicon Packs at my disposal, but I'm having fun seeing what works and how well different setups ride, perform and hold up. I get to beta test everything

Hawaiian Style · Jun 23, 2003

I'd go full. AAL didn't work very well for me. You'll get a better ride on and off road with the full pack. IMHO

mbryson · Jul 8, 2003

OneTonXJ said:
They've changed their aal since I ran it then. I was blowin' away folks that were spending untold thousands of $$$$ on their suspensions and I was smokin' 'em. Oh well, that's what you get for relying on personal experience from 4 years ago.

Sean

Doing a search and just dug this fossil up.....

I'm with Sean, I'm running a full length RE AAL with a 3" shackle and small block for a total of 6". My spring rate is a little heavy, but I've slightly offset that with tools and full size spare. Mine flexes to where the tires limit travel.

Bang for the buck, I'd have to say the AAL outperforms everything. It'd be nice to have a new set of 4.5" lift springs, to get rid of the block and my main leaf has seen better days.

ChuckD · Jul 8, 2003

I agree, do the AAL, but look into doiing a traction bar (ladder bar). Definitely if you want to add blocks or shacles later.

You'll get better flex and ride at first. New packs seem to take in a breakin period. Except for those $600 11 Leaf Nationals.

mbryson · Jul 8, 2003

XJCHUCK72 said:
I agree, do the AAL, but look into doiing a traction bar (ladder bar). Definitely if you want to add blocks or shacles later.

You'll get better flex and ride at first. New packs seem to take in a breakin period. Except for those $600 11 Leaf Nationals.

I think long-term and ride quality, the full pack is the way to go, but for a short term solution (mine's been there about 2 years now

) it's tough to beat a full AAL. Mine flexes fine at extreme angles where I expect it to......it might flex earlier or more often with a softer spring setup, but it still reaches maximum articulation. I've actually gotten quite used to it's flex characteristics and don't know if I want to change that. I'd almost like to change the spring rate in the front to be honest.

Full leaf packs or add-a-leafs?

Renegade Jpr

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xjdaddy

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4ward

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Renegade Jpr

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mgt

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sidriptide

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4ward

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Willis

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4ward

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TOZOVR

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Hawaiian Style

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mbryson

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