dick.breakey
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Bellevue/Seattle
-
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Who owns the Rusty's XJ Cherokee 3" Spring Pack Kit?
- Thread starter musikman43155
- Start date
austinaubinoe
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Montgomery County, MD
I have rusty's 6.5" packs and 8" coils and they seam pretty standard to me, not really to much sag.
NH_Jeep_XJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- New Hampshire
I am new here, I've owned my Jeep since new in 98, ordering it from the Factory. With 5 Speed, (all of my vehicles and bikes are standards), Trak Loc Limited Slip, (which does work if you install the additive) and The Skids package.
Great vehicle and she has never let me down.
I'd like to put a 3" lift on my 98 Cherokee, mainly for 31's as well as a bit more trail ability for when I go light off roading when seeking mountain biking trails.
I currently have Rusty's Air Tube, Cat Back w/Flowmaster and Tow Hooks.
No complaints with any of his products or service.
They all have been a very Good value for the Buck.
I am not really interested in the higher lift suspensions, at the moment at least. Mainly to keep the costs down.
I am considering Rusty's 3" Spring Pack due to the price. Opting out of the basic shocks, and going instead with the Bilstein 5150's, a nice option plus (+) for Rusty's package BTW, coming to $865 with steering damper and around $900. or so once delivered.
After reading some of the experiences with some here concerning the bushings, I am slightly hesitant though.
Are these problems with Rusty's bushing suppliers OR with the end user ?
A bushing really shouldn't fail. I have never had a problem with the OEM bushings on my Jeeps springs. And we KNOW Chrysler/JEEP doesn't spend much on them.
But on the other hand, if they were over tightened, perhaps that is what lead to their premature failure ?
I have worked in engineering for 25 years and part of our job is to solve customer problems in the field.
I can't tell you how many times we would learn that someone simply didn't follow the directions, which screwed things up and not our design or instructions.
Our classification for these were RTFM or Read The Friggin Manual !
Since not everyone here has experienced the same thing with Rusty's Spring packs it's making me wonder if it isn't the over tightening of the shackle bolts which if not using a torque wrench would be pretty easy to do in someone's do it yourself installation.
Great vehicle and she has never let me down.
I'd like to put a 3" lift on my 98 Cherokee, mainly for 31's as well as a bit more trail ability for when I go light off roading when seeking mountain biking trails.
I currently have Rusty's Air Tube, Cat Back w/Flowmaster and Tow Hooks.
No complaints with any of his products or service.
They all have been a very Good value for the Buck.
I am not really interested in the higher lift suspensions, at the moment at least. Mainly to keep the costs down.
I am considering Rusty's 3" Spring Pack due to the price. Opting out of the basic shocks, and going instead with the Bilstein 5150's, a nice option plus (+) for Rusty's package BTW, coming to $865 with steering damper and around $900. or so once delivered.
After reading some of the experiences with some here concerning the bushings, I am slightly hesitant though.
Are these problems with Rusty's bushing suppliers OR with the end user ?
A bushing really shouldn't fail. I have never had a problem with the OEM bushings on my Jeeps springs. And we KNOW Chrysler/JEEP doesn't spend much on them.
But on the other hand, if they were over tightened, perhaps that is what lead to their premature failure ?
I have worked in engineering for 25 years and part of our job is to solve customer problems in the field.
I can't tell you how many times we would learn that someone simply didn't follow the directions, which screwed things up and not our design or instructions.
Our classification for these were RTFM or Read The Friggin Manual !
Since not everyone here has experienced the same thing with Rusty's Spring packs it's making me wonder if it isn't the over tightening of the shackle bolts which if not using a torque wrench would be pretty easy to do in someone's do it yourself installation.
- Location
- Golden, CO
My reading from at least a year ago indicates that bushing manufacturer(s) made an un-authorized change in the formulation of the bushing material. Rusty's was not the only company that had problems. I seem to remember comments about refused shipments, class action legal wrangling, and industry wide shortages.Are these problems with Rusty's bushing suppliers OR with the end user ?
I have a set of the 3.5" springs. They were given to me because of the bushing failures. I have yet to pony up the $$$ for poly bushings and install these leaf packs. The PO complained about losing 3/4" in the first year, I'm guessing it's in the bushing.
I have watched him wheel this set, they flex nicely.
scottmcneal
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- not here
X2
I have had good luck with the RC lifts...I did screw up the leafs by hauling my 26' toy trailer..I called them up and told them how smart i was(LOL), and they still backed there stuff...
..So i would go with a company that backs there stuff..On my other jeep, also a xj i have RC lift with leafs from rustys, this jeep get beat up every weekend, they still sit nice after a year..
jeepfreak1020
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Thornton
I have 3.5" rustys with a 1.5" tera flex shackle. I have saged to a little over a 4" lift in the rear. The rustys flattened out pretty well, but they flex amazing. I never have a problem keeping the rear on the ground. I really enjoy the leafs and havent had any problems with them
Rubican!
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Roanoke, VA
I have rustys stuff on my JK the coild are great ive had them for 2 years no sagging and they flex nice and i like the ride. As for those 33 dollar shocks......... man cool for a short while i guess. I also have rustys adj control arms. I like the beef but the flex joints are crap. i dont regret going with rustys because i was pressed for a budget and wanted to hit the trails. But im saving up and will be moving to a 3.5 rock krawler kit. If youw ant to hit the trails and do it on the cheap then no problem with rustys. As for long term stuff lasting forever i dunno. Once again iw ill say though ive gotten compliments on the ride from AEV lift owners as well as full traction. The coil springs are good.
I have a '91 Cherokee Laredo and only do occasional offroading. I have had the Rusty's 3.5" HD full leaf kit (higher spring rates than the regular kit) for 2 years now. I got the HD kit because I too have read about the sagging Rusty's leaf problem and figured the higher spring rate would offset that. I was wrong. Within the first year they started sagging. I then bought the 1.75" extended shackles and installed them. The leafs have sagged so bad that even with the 1.75" shackles, the rear of the Jeep is lower than the front. In a couple of weeks I will be installing the Iron Rock Offroad springs that I picked up.
As for the bushings, the only problem that I had was my fault. The shackle end bushings I tightened too much and I crushed the inner sleeve. I got another set from Rusty's and installed them and tightened them correctly and have not had a problem since.
With that said, I love the front coils. Nice ride, lots of flex. I also have their 1" drop tranny crossmember, all four shocks, bar pin eliminators(except the lower fronts, they were 90 degrees out so i modded them), front lower high clearance non adjustable control arms, sway bar quick disconnects, and 1.75" shackles. I have had no problems with these
As for the bushings, the only problem that I had was my fault. The shackle end bushings I tightened too much and I crushed the inner sleeve. I got another set from Rusty's and installed them and tightened them correctly and have not had a problem since.
With that said, I love the front coils. Nice ride, lots of flex. I also have their 1" drop tranny crossmember, all four shocks, bar pin eliminators(except the lower fronts, they were 90 degrees out so i modded them), front lower high clearance non adjustable control arms, sway bar quick disconnects, and 1.75" shackles. I have had no problems with these
Ben824
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Woodstock, GA
I have the RE 3.5" kit on my Jeep and have been running it since highschool (almost done with my 6th year of college) and I have almost no sagging since it settled after breaking in. My jeep rides great and handles amazing and off-road it flexes like no other. I had a friend in high school who had the same year XJ and he put the rusty's kit on and it rode like crap compared to mine. When friends would be riding with us places they would always try to ride with me instead because the ride in his was so harsh. If you have only had one brand then you don't know what is better until you get it. I had a BDS 3" kit on at first but the AAL sagged out really fast and the 3" coils just were not tall enough for me so I went up a little more. I also bought the RE monotube shocks made SPECIFICALLY for lifted jeeps not like the other guys that take a generic shock and offer it in different sizes. The valving in the generic shocks is the same for the ones that fit an XJ and the ones that fit a 6,000+ lb F-350. If it is your DD then spend you money wisely on quality parts that will last and outperform. I will note that I use JKS LCAs and trac bar because of their flexible designs and use of stock style rubber bushings instead of polyurethane which harder than rubber and can cause more road vibrations into the chassis which leads to a harsher ride.
- Location
- WA state
I beleive the OME 2" HD leafs net about 3-3.5? as some say. And are some of the best leafs made. Not sure about shipping but the leafs themselves are only 110$-ish ea at quadratec.com
