Leaf springs & Johnny Joint Shackles.

Here's a bit of a silly question. Leaf springs are measured Eye to Eye for length correct? Now is that with the vehicles weight on them or without.
I have to build a new leaf pack and I want something just a little bit longer than the XJ pack.

Is it save to run a JJ shackle on an XJ? I've had problems with my leafs warping sideways and its bending my shackles and so I was thinking I could relieve that load a good bit by going to a JJ shackle. Would a standard Heim work as well?

Thanks

-Kevin

where are you planning on running the JJ? in the top of the shackle? doesn't work you end up twisting the main leaf and the rear will slop side to side.

I have thought about that too. A lot of the yota guys run JJs on their leaf spring suspension. You could replace the stock bushing with a JJ or a SF Joint but the leaf spring eye has to have the right ID. Alcan springs have designed their leafs to run JJs. And you can run a JJ on top of the shackle as well.
There are many rigs with a similar setup. Use the search and google, try "orbit eyes".