Leaf springs for SOA

[ghetdjc320]

Hey all, wanted to get your feedback on my options. Running 33’s and trimmed fenders with Napier flares. Have a rubicon express coil setup up front that is giving me about 3.5” of lift. The front sits just right but the back is SOA with stock springs and is at least 2” too high. Because of my location and logistics, my only feasible options are:

1. Run explorer leafs (let me know the year and model to get)

2. Run an MJ main and explorer bastard back

3. Run an MJ main and XJ springs. 
 

Don’t have any parts yards here I can get parts from so anything I get will come from rock auto and ship straight to me. I don’t mind a slight rake but would prefer to keep things level. About 500lbs is the most I ever have in the bed and it’s not that often. Let me know which option you’d recommend. Would like to net maybe 4” total lift out back. Pic for reference

[Pete M]

It's all going to be hit or miss because we're dealing with old used springs, but I would try XJ packs with the eyes cut off and then placed under the MJ main. 

[ghetdjc320]

1 minute ago, Pete M said:

It's all going to be hit or miss because we're dealing with old used springs, but I would try XJ packs with the eyes cut off and then placed under the MJ main. 

Thanks Pete! Just to clarify, I will be buying a new set of springs for either an xj or exploder depending on your recommendations. 

[Dzimm]

On my 92 I got 2"-2.5" of drop in the rear by swapping the middle two springs with the middle two of a used XJ pack.

 

So it's MJ main, XJ second, XJ third, MJ overload. With a new XJ pack I'd guess you'd be right around 2" of drop to start with.

 

Just know that you will severely limit your carrying capacity as the XJ springs are not nearly as strong as the MJs.  You could still haul more than 500lbs but it will squat a lot more than it does with stock MJ springs.

[Pete M]

13 minutes ago, Dzimm said:

On my 92 I got 2"-2.5" of drop in the rear by swapping the middle two springs with the middle two of a used XJ pack.

 

So it's MJ main, XJ second, XJ third, MJ overload. With a new XJ pack I'd guess you'd be right around 2" of drop to start with.

 

Just know that you will severely limit your carrying capacity as the XJ springs are not nearly as strong as the MJs.  You could still haul more than 500lbs but it will squat a lot more than it does with stock MJ springs.

 

how far is it from the tip of the #2 XJ leaf and the MJ main's rear bushing?  i.e. how much unsupported length is there?  I've been using a main leaf with the ends removed after noticing how much the main leaf arches at the tip of the #2 leaf.  

[mbwarhorse]

I've kinda got the same thing going on....  ya do all the ciphering in the world.... I even took off my shoes cause some of those numbers got kinda big ....I started with 4.5" & a SOA with new "stock" springs.....  jumped up to 6" lift in front to try & level it out. I think the spring manufacturer goobered sumthin up in my case.  Think I'm gonna end up at a spring shop cause I'm still to high in the rear.

[Dzimm]

1 hour ago, Pete M said:

 

how far is it from the tip of the #2 XJ leaf and the MJ main's rear bushing?  i.e. how much unsupported length is there?  I've been using a main leaf with the ends removed after noticing how much the main leaf arches at the tip of the #2 leaf.  

I'll have to look.  I don't think it's very far.

[ghetdjc320]

Thanks for the feedback. What about swapping in the whole explorer pack. I could redrill the centering hole back 1/2” if needed. They are specd at 6.5” free arch and 1100lb capacity with is pretty similar load to the MJ 4 leaf pack. The XJ is specd at 745lb load with 6.375 free arch. As I mentioned before, I can grab either set from rock auto.

[Pete M]

I swapped an Explorer pack into my 90 once.  I lost maybe an inch of height. 

[ghetdjc320]

7 hours ago, Dzimm said:

On my 92 I got 2"-2.5" of drop in the rear by swapping the middle two springs with the middle two of a used XJ pack.

 

So it's MJ main, XJ second, XJ third, MJ overload. With a new XJ pack I'd guess you'd be right around 2" of drop to start with.

 

Just know that you will severely limit your carrying capacity as the XJ springs are not nearly as strong as the MJs.  You could still haul more than 500lbs but it will squat a lot more than it does with stock MJ springs.

Were you soa when you did that swap? If so, what’s your rocker heigh just in front of the rear whee to the ground? Or whatever other non-flare reference point you want to use. I’ll check mine for comparison 

[Dzimm]

1 minute ago, ghetdjc320 said:

Were you soa when you did that swap? If so, what’s your rocker heigh just in front of the rear whee to the ground? Or whatever other non-flare reference point you want to use. I’ll check mine for comparison 

Sorry referencing mine won't help you . I am building a street truck so I lowered it with small tire.  It's SUA but the spring change will net the same amount of change weather it's over or under.

[ghetdjc320]

18 minutes ago, Dzimm said:

Sorry referencing mine won't help you . I am building a street truck so I lowered it with small tire.  It's SUA but the spring change will net the same amount of change weather it's over or under.

No worries. Just trying to see if 2” would be enough. Granted, I could just run the whole XJ pack under the MJ main but would like the MJ overload

[JustEmptyEveryPocket]

I remember an old post (by Jeep Driver maybe?) referencing a 2014 (<-- guessing) Nissan Frontier. When I went and looked up some specs the Nissan leaf packs give less lift. Don't quote me, but it might be worth looking into.

[Pete M]

1 hour ago, ghetdjc320 said:

No worries. Just trying to see if 2” would be enough. Granted, I could just run the whole XJ pack under the MJ main but would like the MJ overload

 

The XJ pack will have an overload too.  but if the MJ one is beefier, just swap it out with the MJ one.  

[saveevryjp1998]

I would try removing a leaf of the current setup. You said original leaf pack but which load leafs do you have? There is a wide range. 5 leaf pack vs. 4 make a difference on what to play with. Only hauling a max of 500 lbs opens up a bunch of trial and error with your current setup and not spending a dime. Talk with any spring maker. Mixing arches is always counterproductive for both ride and flex causing early wear on both. When building your own "bastard" pack, you want to try to always match arches and swap in weaker springs in your case. It will increase flex. I've often wondered how a lifted s.o.a. mj road at 70 mph with 33's or larger and no stabilizers. If it's like any of my xjs, I'd want no part. I found that mixing early 2000s iirc Durango and mj gave me the closest arch to my worn factory. This was years back but I gathered all info from Pirate. It took a lot of digging and 2 days of playing at a junkyard. I want to say I used 03 Durango but can't remember which load capacity since they had different ones. I know it took awhile to find the right combo of leafs that were all within a half inch of arch of each other. I had a very smooth ride on the highway with 31s and chevy extended shackles but I was s.u.a. and know my load capacity was much closer to 1000 lbs I guess. I wish I had paid better attention. I'd like to mimic the combo for my first s.o.a. trail purpose swb mj. I'm pretty sure I used the Durango main and then the Mj secondary. I know I ditched the Mj overload spring. I think I may have cut mj main eyes as a secondary before using the Mj secondary. From there I think I mixed an xj overload. Sorry it's been awhile but I remember looking for arches in the 6.5" mark which are much less than mj. From what I remembered, full size and some cj had new leaf packs in that arch range as well. The Durango however have a certain year/load that is near identical length to mj if iirc. The arch is far less but with a very similar load rating to mj low rate springs. Again iirc 900-1200lbs. I hope that gives you another avenue.

[ghetdjc320]

Good info! Was going to grab a set of used xj leafs but the guy wanted minimum $200 for rusty old springs from a 96. I have the 4 leaf pack. I don’t have a spare and rarely carry any significant weight.