rear suspension rebuild/maintenance

I've got a '91 cherokee sport. When I purchase it, it had the rancho lift installed by the previous owner. I added rusty's 1.75" spacers to the front coils, and rusty's 1.5" greasable shackles to the rear. It's a great truck, and I run 31's in the summer, 30's in the winter. The front end is still at a height I find satisfactory. The back has really squatted down. The rancho kit was just add-a-leafs, and the springs are almost bending upside down now. My question is as follows. My truck is often loaded with people and gear. (bikes, packs, whatever it may be, occasionally a snowmobile trailer too)

I plan on keeping the rusty's shackles as the originals are gone.....
Should I order rusty's 3" rear springs or 4.5" rear springs? Will the 3" springs even the truck out? Would 4.5" be too much? I'm thinking that I still need decent flex with a full load, but I don't want to sacrifice too much ride quality, as this rig goes down the highway A LOT! As for off road use, traction is really the most important variable. Getting to trailheads etc, not really a rig I wheel for recreation.

As for new shocks, with all this modification, what legnth do I order? What shocks do I want? Ride quality on road is the most important factor, right in there with economy as the truck can't eat up too much $.

Did rancho make a 3" kit? That's just my guess as to what it is. always has great feedback, I'm excited to see what everyone has to say!

Were it my XJ, and especially since I do a lot of hauling as well, I'd go with a set of rear airbags.

You can replace the rear springs, and then give, I think, AirLift a call and see what they can do for you. I'm sure they're the ones that I saw making front AND rear airbags for XJ, but they didn't say anything about lift. I'd like to have airbags for when I'm loaded (which works like a helper spring - but only when you need it, and it doesn't change the spring rate like an overload leaf will) and can be easily inflated or deflated. If you go whole hawg and get the electric compressor, you won't even have to use an alternate source. If you have OBA, I see no reason why an airbag fill can't be adapted readily.

I plan on giving them a call anyhow - when I finally get to work on my 88 - to see if we can't come up with something that can work with about 4-5" of lift. That, however, will be a while - so if you give them a call, please let us know what you find out.

5-90

Haven't tried them myself, but I've been told that Rusty's springs tend to ride on the soft side -- which means they are less than ideal for carrying a lot of gear.

I'm going to suggest that you not get new springs, but build up the ones you have. Hit a salvage yard for a set of stock XJ springs. Take them apart, cut the bushing eyes off the ends, and build them into your springs as additional AALs. Keep the Rancho leaves in there, too. You'll gain back height, plus increase the carrying capacity.

I've heard the Big Offroad springs are designed to carry extra weight. athought ive heard the run very tall. Im not sure if they make them that small either. Do a search and se what comes up.

Dingo