It Was Too Easy (Xj Suspension Install)

[87Warrior]

Ever have one of those projects that was just too easy?

 

One of my long time friends had been pestering me to help him with his XJ for quite some time. He also had a couple of new kids I hadn't seen so I decided to trek across the state to do what any good friend would do. Knowing his garage would be far from complete, my wife and I loaded up the car for the weekend.

 

 

We got started the following morning, then 6 hours later:

- New leaf packs

- New 10.9 leaf bolts

- New shackles

- New shocks

- New Ubolts

- New Progressive rate coils

- New lower control arms

- Used disconnects

- Welded holes sliced into rear leaf brackets (not my doing....)

 

 

All but two of the leaf bolts were rusted to their respective bushing. Typical and annoying. After hacking at a leaf eye for awhile, we decided to remove the rubber from one of the bushings then heat the sleeve until it glowed red and split. On the others I heated the bolt head until the bushing started to smoke then attacked with a big ol' breaker bar. This was surprisingly successful. This Jeep has lived its life in salt loving KS for 130k miles. I loathe rust.

 

Coated everything in excessive amounts of anti seize before installation.

 

I was shocked we got everything done in such a short amount of time. It was almost too easy  :dunno:

 

On a side note, what genius at AMC thought it was a good idea to weld the leaf spring nuts to the INSIDE of the uniframe?  :doh:

[Comanche County]

 

On a side note, what genius at AMC thought it was a good idea to weld the leaf spring nuts to the INSIDE of the uniframe?  :doh:

 

Yup!

 

...and your friend is lucky to have a friend like you.

[NHMJXJ]

Friends :agree:

 

Leaf nuts!   I've run into this on my last two XJ's.  Clearly they were NOT thinking. 

 

[87Warrior]

Shoot, I got the better end of the deal with 3 square meals, plenty to drink and even some fantastic frozen custard!

 

This was my first time doing suspension work on an XJ. I ASSumed the whole thing would be designed like an CJ/MJ/YJ/TJ. I saw those rear leaf brackets and had a major WTF moment.

[JeepcoMJ]

Just went through some similar issues on a 92 briarwood. It was an up-country package and was sagged 2" below stock 2x4 height. broken front springs, sagged leafs, original front and rear shocks. Rust Rust Rust....not a spot underneath that was not covered in it. It's a pile.

 

Only broke one bolt...the driver front leaf bolt. By "broke" I mean "had to cut with cutting wheel after getting it loose and running it out as far as I could before it seized in the sleeve".

 

Rear upper shock bolts came off perfectly...being original, I was very surprised.