HELP

Hey i recently bought my first xj. It is a 90' 4-door with a 4.0. I am going to make it a trail rig and would like to do the suspension myself. My question is should i go coils all the way, or keep it with leaf springs in the rear? If i do go with coils what are the best(and cheapest) options for someone who wants to do it their self? I would like to run at least 33" inch tires and would rather go with 35" or bigger. this will be a trail rig only so i'm not worried about highway performance. keep in mind that i am mechanicly retarded.:wierd:

Keep it simple. Unless you have access to a welder and know how to use it, I would buy a nice 4 inch lift with leaf packs and short arm kit, upgrade your rear axel and gears and go with 35s and do a little fender cutting.

You need to learn to crawl before you can run.

Just my $.02.

You can fit 35's with a 4" lift? Fender trim for 35's on a 4" lift? Wouldn't that be a bald guy asking for a little off the top at the barber? I don't know that you would have a fender left if you require any suspension travel.

I am going to make it a trail rig and would like to do the suspension myself.
keep in mind that i am mechanicly retarded.:wierd:

Those are two sentences I don't much care to see together. Do you mean you want to buy bits and pieces of a kit and do it yourself? Or do you mean you are going to completely fabricate your own suspension- perches and all for the rear.
I would see what you could get for used or bastard packs for the rear. Get some Scratch-n-dent shocks and start shopping around for the products you feel you cannot make yourself. Perhaps others have successful designs they are willing to share.

My biggest problem is that I don't know to do. I have talked to one guy who told me to put leaf spring on the front, then I talked to another guy who told me to put coil springs in the rear. I was thinking about piecing together a setup using parts from different kits, but some fabrication is not out of the question ( i have really smart friends). I have some wheelin experience with wranglers, but none with xj's. I know putting leaf springs in the front sounds kinda stupid, but wouldn't it have just as much flex as a yj? Spring-over? So many options, i'm just trying to get a feel of what is possible and practicle.

reloader said:

My biggest problem is that I don't know to do. I have talked to one guy who told me to put leaf spring on the front, then I talked to another guy who told me to put coil springs in the rear. I was thinking about piecing together a setup using parts from different kits, but some fabrication is not out of the question ( i have really smart friends). I have some wheelin experience with wranglers, but none with xj's. I know putting leaf springs in the front sounds kinda stupid, but wouldn't it have just as much flex as a yj? Spring-over? So many options, i'm just trying to get a feel of what is possible and practicle.

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K.I.S.S.

Do what works first... One Step At a TIME... Like KAKIRUBI advised.. you have to learn to crawl before you can run.

I have had 2 XJs lifted, and a ZJ lifted (coil springs in the rear). And to be honest I wish the ZJ had leaf packs in the rear. For one leafs are simple and very stable. My ZJ has too much body roll, even just driving on the HWY..

ScottyDog

First nominee of 08'

reloader said:

I have talked to one guy who told me to put leaf spring on the front, then I talked to another guy who told me to put coil springs in the rear.

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that sounds like a GREAT idea! just take the rear end and put it up front, and put the front end on the back. then you get rear steer too! BONUS!

Coil conversion is a big step and not worth it IMO. Unless your gonna be doing some serious crawling, then i wouldn't even consider it. As far as fitment for tires. You can almost run any tire size on any suspension. KTmracer runs 37's on 4" of lift. Heavy metal runs 33's on 0" of lift. its all about trimming and bumpstopping accordingly, with that you can come up will all kinds of ideas.