XJLI
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Long Island, NY
chris (vetteboy) does. and the rear antirock did a lot to keep the rear end under control.
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Anyone running the Clayton four link rear.
- Thread starter Nuke Proof
- Start date
chris (vetteboy) does. and the rear antirock did a lot to keep the rear end under control.
jasnmoore
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Broomfield, CO
Does it ever feel like we're trying to turn an XJ into a Wrangler?!? I'm just saying.
MoparManiac
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Amherst, NH
I stand corrected.
MONSTERxbla
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Fresno
I have the Clayton kit and had to put an anti-rock kit in the rear. For the money I have in it I should have built a Tube buggy.
ipkyss
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Hampden, MA
You guys make this sound impossible. I drove a linked XJ for 3 years. Put around 15-20k on it. Many highway trips that were 6-7 hours round trip. The thing drove great. It rides beautiful. It had some excessive body roll on quick corners, but nothing bad enough that I ever put a sway bar on it. I have done 2 other XJ's with the same results. One finger on the wheel driving straight down the highway.
A leaf sprung XJ will never climb as good as a well linked XJ. Its just not going to happen. I have never had a set of leafs that were stiff enough to last, yet soft enough to flex worth a crap. After you wheel an xj with a balanced suspension. You would never want to go back to leafs again. At best with leafs the back end is doing maybe 30% of the work.
I am driving a XJ right now mainly just to run around town, get parts, ect. When I don't want to drive my truck. I want to link the rear of it for one, because I can, two for ride quality, and three its just smoother. The only reason I can think of that leafs are better is just simplicity...
More flex is "almost" always better. Even if a tire is hanging with no spring weight on it, The weight of the axle, tire, wheel, brakes, ect are not trying to pull the jeep into a hole. It is more stable then having a tire a foot in the air teetering back and forth. You might not think its a huge deal, but it makes a big difference. Its a huge difference in comp rigs when you are talking tires that weight 400lbs a piece. That tire with no spring weight on it, is still a lot of traction.
As far as the clayton kit goes. I have seen it in person. It looks good and is built well. I have not driven a rig with it, but I would guess the road manners should not be an issue. Just some added body roll. Now if you were to run stiffer rear springs, that would help the issue, but a sway bar would be the better way to go.
A leaf sprung XJ will never climb as good as a well linked XJ. Its just not going to happen. I have never had a set of leafs that were stiff enough to last, yet soft enough to flex worth a crap. After you wheel an xj with a balanced suspension. You would never want to go back to leafs again. At best with leafs the back end is doing maybe 30% of the work.
I am driving a XJ right now mainly just to run around town, get parts, ect. When I don't want to drive my truck. I want to link the rear of it for one, because I can, two for ride quality, and three its just smoother. The only reason I can think of that leafs are better is just simplicity...
More flex is "almost" always better. Even if a tire is hanging with no spring weight on it, The weight of the axle, tire, wheel, brakes, ect are not trying to pull the jeep into a hole. It is more stable then having a tire a foot in the air teetering back and forth. You might not think its a huge deal, but it makes a big difference. Its a huge difference in comp rigs when you are talking tires that weight 400lbs a piece. That tire with no spring weight on it, is still a lot of traction.
As far as the clayton kit goes. I have seen it in person. It looks good and is built well. I have not driven a rig with it, but I would guess the road manners should not be an issue. Just some added body roll. Now if you were to run stiffer rear springs, that would help the issue, but a sway bar would be the better way to go.
MoparManiac
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Amherst, NH
Pretty sure no one here is comparing leaf springs to a 4 link in a competition. We're talking a full bodied rig for trail riding.
Most people have stock axles and <100 lb tire/wheel combos. I doubt that's going to add much of anything if it's sitting on the ground with no weight on it (I know it didn't help me at all in my old XJ). That's also dependent on terrain. If there was anything remotely loose, that tire didn't do jack.
That being said, sure I would love to link the back of my MJ. With no cage on it though, I have yet to try any trails where it would be useful. Maybe I'm wrong and I'll love/praise it when I do it. For now, my leaf springs haven't held me back.
Most people have stock axles and <100 lb tire/wheel combos. I doubt that's going to add much of anything if it's sitting on the ground with no weight on it (I know it didn't help me at all in my old XJ). That's also dependent on terrain. If there was anything remotely loose, that tire didn't do jack.
That being said, sure I would love to link the back of my MJ. With no cage on it though, I have yet to try any trails where it would be useful. Maybe I'm wrong and I'll love/praise it when I do it. For now, my leaf springs haven't held me back.
