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Rusty's 6 1/2" Rear Leaf Springs

D

DaveHillier

NAXJA Forum User
Location
New Brunswick, Canada
I have a 89 Cherokee 2 Door and the rear end sit about 1/2" higher then the front and it is very stiff. There are 6 leaves including the main leaf. I was thinking about removing one leave to level it out and soften up the ride a bit. Maybe I'll have to add a shakle to level it back out bu the springs don't flex much now so I wanna fix that to. I've have the lift in for about 8 months now. What lift shakle lift height will I need to keep things level?

Thanks,
Dave
 
I run the same leafs, it take them bit to break in. but they will flex great when they get there.
 
I'm really just want to level it out. It's got the Johny Rocket look going on. Just about 1/2" to 3/4" higher in the back. And it doesn't flex worth a damn. How long did it take to break you springs in? I though about adding spacers in the front but I kinda want more flex because the body follows the rear end and I've almost rolled in on trails a bunch of time.

Thanks
 
I Have The Same Springs, Remove The Bottom 6th Leaf, Or 5 Th Too, I Removed The 6th And 5 Th , I Love Them On Will Drop The Ride Height And Ride- Oakesters
 
Hey Dave, you can remove a leaf, but it will probably drop the pack by more than 3/4". You might end up losing about 1-1.5". Adding a longer shackle might also throw your pinion angle out of whack. You can fix it with shims, but I guess my point is that this is one of those things that just takes time to play with in order to dial it in right. If your biggest concern is flex, you could pull a leaf from each side and insert poly spring sliders between the all leaves (here's an example) as they greatly reduce friction and allow the pack to flex more easily. Poly sliders between the leaves will add up to the height of one more leaf in the pack, which is why I suggest pulling one leaf per side. Graphite paint helps flex as well.
B.
 
Ok. So say I remove 2 leaves and then got 2" shakles would I be right around, or a bit lower than I am right now? This is my daily driver so I can't tie it up for long. I'd like to have all the parts before I try to do the job.

Thanks for the help
 
DaveHillier said:
Ok. So say I remove 2 leaves and then got 2" shakles would I be right around, or a bit lower than I am right now? This is my daily driver so I can't tie it up for long. I'd like to have all the parts before I try to do the job.

Thanks for the help
Click to expand...

you will just have to experiment.......took about 8 months or so, in there I had some extensive wheeling. and hit the loading ramp every chance i got.....
 
jrsxj98 said:
you will just have to experiment.......took about 8 months or so, in there I had some extensive wheeling. and hit the loading ramp every chance i got.....
Click to expand...

So you changed you Rustys's springs somehow too? What did you do with them to make them flex better? Or did you leave them stock?
 
DaveHillier said:
Ok. So say I remove 2 leaves and then got 2" shakles would I be right around, or a bit lower than I am right now? This is my daily driver so I can't tie it up for long. I'd like to have all the parts before I try to do the job.Thanks for the help
Click to expand...
As jrs posted, its a trial and error thing, period. It would be really difficult to tell how much removing two leaves and adding 2" lift shackles (which will be 4" longer than stock and totally unnecessary). It should not be more than a couple of hours per side to remove a leaf and see where it sits, and that's with several beer-breaks. Mine's a daily driver too, and I only had it off the road for half a day while I played with packs. Insofar as the flex goes, give my ideas a try, they have worked well for me and many others. As jrs said as well, he has broken in his packs with copious trail usage and flexing. Which makes me think, when you say flex, do you mean they don't droop when you are articulating your axles, or do you mean they are a stiff ride on road? These are very different things. I'm assuming you don't still have the stock rear anti-sway bar? If you do, toss it. Unfortunately, trial and error is the only way to go with leaf packs.
Good luck,
B.
 
DaveHillier said:
So you changed you Rustys's springs somehow too? What did you do with them to make them flex better? Or did you leave them stock?
Click to expand...
left them stock just flexed them every chance I got. carried a little weight around in the back as well......
 
The droop is my main problem. If I have my front tire on a rock thats only a foot of the ground my rear tire comes off the ground. Thats with my front and rear sway bars disconnected. I guess I'll have to experiment a bit. The reason I'm asking about the shakles is because I was told that the back won't droop correctly with the stock ones.

Thanks
 
I also have Rusty 6.5" pack (with mill wrap) and a 1.5" Teraflex greasable shackles. Mine are very stiff and the shackle did improve it. The tight arch on the springs leans the shackle inward towards the jeep slightly, it should be leaning the other way. Im hopeing they settle over time and some heavy rock in the back might help.
 
DaveHillier said:
The droop is my main problem. If I have my front tire on a rock thats only a foot of the ground my rear tire comes off the ground. Thats with my front and rear sway bars disconnected. I guess I'll have to experiment a bit. The reason I'm asking about the shakles is because I was told that the back won't droop correctly with the stock ones.

Thanks
Click to expand...


Have you checked your rear shocks. They may be limiting droop.
 
The shocks are the ones that came with my kit so I don't know about them? I just had it on some rock a few minutes ago and it is starting to flex better. I haven't flexxed it for a while cause of all the snow here. I'd like to order some softer shocks because these are Hydro very stiff. Do you know some less expensive long shocks that will ride better for the rear?
 
I run Rusty's 6.5 lift also. It took a good 8-9 wheeling trips. (full weekends on the rocks) and as many months to get them to loosen up. I even called Rusty about it. They just have to loosen up.
you might want to make sure that the shackles aren't so tight they aren't moving, also.
As for leveling it, toss a half inch spring spacer up front. That would be 1.25" spacers actually. (stock isoulators are 3/4")

the springs have been on just short of 2 yrs now. Flex's out great. one tire can sit over 36" and the other 3 still on the ground.
I'm planning to install Rusty's 8 inch rears and stuff some 37's under it when he comes out with his 11 spring pack this summer.
 
You said stock isolators? Mine didn't have any when I installed the kit. Should it have? Also to you know what the tourque spec are on the control arms and the leaf spring an shakle bolts are?

Thanks
 
The 3/4 inch rubber isolators on top of the front springs.

Leaf spring U-bolt nuts: 55ftlbs
Upper spring shackle bolt: 115ftlbs
lower spring shackle bolt: 80 ftlbs
Spring front piviot Bolt: 115ftlbs
Upper control arm: front 55ftlbs
rear 65ftlbs
Lower control arm: Front & rear 85ftlbs

Source: 01Xj FSM
 
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