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Rear Leaf Replacement (3.5" OME Lift)

NOTNSUV

You Guys ROCK!
Location
Spring Creek, NV
Looking for replacement rear springs and bump stops (one missing) for my '99 XJ.
Have complete 3.5" OME lift but rears seem to be flat, and feels/sounds like bottoming out on nearly any dirt road rut, bump or rock, even at very low speed. I did have probably 100# of gear in the back + spare tire rack on rear bumper, jack, rotopax (JRC). I've since unloaded but haven't test driven.
So, keeping it at 3.5" (33 x 10.50 w/4.56) can I get a recommendation on good spring packs and bump stops please? Just want to keep the height as is. The extra gear and tire rack need to be part of the equation I suppose.
Rubicon Express comes to mind but I haven't done any research for a few years so don't know what the favorites are these days.

Now that I have an elk tag it's come to me that I need to get this done.

Thanks for your time!

Edit: I might be looking to replace shocks as well. Guess I'd better get a buddy out to visualize what's happening.
 
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Springs support the load, shocks control the compression and suspension cycling. If your suspension is bottoming out just from the load, I would suspect spring issues. If the springs support the load and the suspension compression is bottoming out, I would suspect worn out shocks first.
 
My question is weather the springs collapsed or to much weight for the springs? Is this the newer style of OME springs with the dual rates? My thought is that OME springs are modular. So, if the springs did not take a set, then add another leaf.
I have not installed my 3.5" OME springs. They are the dual rate ones. I did consider the 3.5" set from IRO. It does have the option of an additional leaf.
 
Over compressing a leaf spring due to incorrect/missing bumpstops, or overloading leaf springs can damage them.

OME has light duty and severe duty springs, are your saggy ones the light duty part number ?

A leaf spring can be up graded by installing an additional leaf, I have done that to several XJ's to firm up a saggy stock leaf pack, or to build a custom suspension lift leaf spring. If the spring leaves are not damaged, a spring shop can re-arch them.

I installed the IRO KJ09122BK poly bumpstops and they work well.
 
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Over compressing a leaf spring due to incorrect/missing bumpstops, or overloading leaf springs can damage them.

OME has light duty and severe duty springs, are your saggy ones the light duty part number ?

A leaf spring can be up graded by installing an additional leaf, I have done that to several XJ's to firm up a saggy stock leaf pack, or build a custom suspension lift leaf spring. If the spring leaves are not damaged, a spring shop can re-arch them.

I installed the IRO KJ09122BK poly bumpstops and they work well.

Thanks Tim. Just found this post doing a search. I'd forgotten it was here. Gonna get it off the ground today and check things out closer.
 
New pics.
bd4481ee6e55b7c09b0651042a4fbd10.jpg
c312e6caf199ef198e87c3bec1a8a1f3.jpg


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Wonder if either of these are worthwhile?
d97e02f81b3faf92ec01de3faccd4ab3.jpg
d52601563f0ad856977e5899eea32bfd.jpg


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Looks like Deaver offers only 4" leafs for XJ. What'll that do with 3.5" OME front? It certainly isn't high in the rear as is.

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:eek: Ya man those look smoked to me...

I'm pretty happy with the IRO 3.5 leafs with add a leaf option. Be warned, the extra leaf is separate on delivery. Not overly hard to take the pack apart and put it in just, overly annoying.

Those new shackles will provide some more lift, but they are definitely beefier than the stockers and I'd throw em in when you install the new springs.

The shackle relocation brackets you got there will add some more lift too, and allow you to get the proper angle on your shackles. If I'm seeing them correctly they bolt in to the stock shackle location and in turn drop the new shackle mojnting location a few inches, thus creating more lift? Unless I'm seeing them wrong

For some reason they do look off to me, and I can't place it, maybe I just need sleep lmao! I'm a big fan of the SFR srb. While they are more work to install they are of the "no lift SRB" variety. Something it sounds like you could use instead of the ones ya got. It took some work to get the old crap out... being OCD I ended up dropping the gas tank and all that fun stuff. I don't think ida blown my self up grinding near the filler neck and vent tube.. but it was in the way too. :fuse:

At 3.5 up front, the ass will definitely be up a bit with any new 3.5" leaf spring kit you throw at it (not to mention the shackles and SRBs ya got). Takes a few for it to settle down a bit, some added weight of a steal bumper and tire carrier speeds that up. Or just drive around with sand bags in the hatch! :looney:

You could always throw a spacer up front as well. Not sure how the rest of your suspension is set up or if thats doable or not, but a cheap way to level her out
 
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Your shackle box looks to be collapsed, but perhaps it just appears to be the case due to the close-up wide angle photo.

Oh, good call out... I'm on my phone and the pics are monstrous, I totally missed that. Ya man, that thing is fubared fosho.

I don't know that the Shackel Relocation Bracket you have will still be able to mate to that... as my long-winded post hinted to, the nonlift SRB might serve you better- now with the damage here makes even more sense, as you have to cut that box out to install them. StinkyFab makes a dope one, but there are also others... as I already said I'm happy with my purchase, its a stout design, perfect bends, and had great customer service through and through. Not trying to sound like I'm tryna sell ya something tho, so ya: no lift Shackle relocation brackets


Should be in your near future
 
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Can someone post a picture of an OEM unmolested/damaged spring shackle for me to compare please? I'm just not seeing it.
Got a line on a '99 to pick some parts from so will check that one out when it warms up.
 
Its not a removable part... I mean, I removed mine but it took a Sawzall and grinder. Installed the no lift SRBs in its place. You can't replace with stock is what I meant

I will try to edit the pic
 
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picture.php


Pretty sure if you look at the box you can tell if it ain't right...

picture.php
 
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K... so it looks like the shackle box should have a little clearance bend for the bolt connecting to the eye of the spring to be have some range of motion..
As long as it ain't accordioned
picture.php



Seeing what stock looks like now, its hard to tell if its just the angle of the pic, if your pic just shows the clearance, or if it's been bent
 
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Can someone post a picture of an OEM unmolested/damaged spring shackle for me to compare please? I'm just not seeing it.
Got a line on a '99 to pick some parts from so will check that one out when it warms up.

This is a good pic of back when I was running scissor shackles!
027_24_zpsz8t29v3h.jpg
 
Its not a removable part... I mean, I removed mine but it took a Sawzall and grinder. Installed the no lift SRBs in its place. You can't replace with stock is what I meant

I will try to edit the pic

Thanks. I found the HD so will read installation online. Will the OEM stuff need repair before using the no lift shackles? I'm guessing both sides will look the same but it's 5* and I ain't going out there.

Was just going to check the junk XJ to see the shackles, not pull the parts. Getting a rear seatback to build a cargo platform since my rear seat is rarely used - a topic for another day.
 
K... so it looks like the shackle box should have a little clearance bend for the bolt connecting to the eye of the spring to be have some range of motion..
As long as it ain't accordioned
picture.php



Seeing what stock looks like now, its hard to tell if its just the angle of the pic, if your pic just shows the clearance, or if it's been bent

Is this picture OEM/stock setup?
 
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