Long time first time. just got account set up so i can post now.

ive got an '01 XJ, stock jeep. no real upgrades other than class iii hitch & hayden tranny cooler i installed. i've had it for 6+ years, i do regular maintenance; change plugs, drain and fill transmission fluid, change tranny filter. flush coolant system, couple new thermostats in my time, new water pump, etc etc you get the idea.

Anyway its my daily driver but i do use it to pull my boat & small trailers occasionally. i've noticed that my rear leafs are flat & when towing, the back end is SAGGING BAD.

Id like to replace rear leafs with either the dorman or crown HD leaf springs, havent decided which yet. i want the factory 'up country' look. my question is should I replace the rear shocks as well? im assuming all hardware should be replacedd, what about the shackles? What would I need to do to the front end to make sure it stays level & doesnt end up nose down? Is this kind of a 'set up the rear & see what it looks like' thing? Part of me wants to just go ahead & replace the front shocks & coils as well. Im sure everything is OEM, i bought this jeep from original owner & i know she didnt do much to it. SO if i do replace front shocks/coils, what should I go with? would a kit be better? I dont really want to spend the money for a kit & i'm not looking for a 3" lift.

i took measurements from center of wheel to bottom of fender flair & have about just under 18" in front & just under 17" in back. based on these measurements, it seems like its near stock height but those rear leafs are straight. I can even make a fist & stick it between the tire & the fender flare.

 

Do a search for "Upcountry".

Have a look at these threads:

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f67/oe...uality-241511/

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/sta...-stock-239377/

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f67/li...prings-239421/

 

I used the Dormans. They lifted about 1.75" at first and settled over a year to about 1.25" over stock. Been very happy with them. I needed to add 1" of spacer to the front to level out (leaving the stock rubber isolators in place as well). I also replaced the shackles with the Dorman HD shackles, mostly because mine were in bad shape. But it helped a lot that the Dorman HD shackles came with 2 additional full sized bolts each. Because I had to cut 2 bolts getting my springs out.

New rear shocks are not absolutely necessary. Definitely not due to the height change at least. Like you, I tow (popup mostly). In the end I added some manual air shocks to the rear to help adjust the ride height when I had the trailer on. They work great and were affordable.

Here is my parts list:

Gabriel 49226 Hijackers Air Shocks - 2 Pack
by Gabriel
Link: http://a.co/1tn5zjH

Dorman 929-301 Leaf Spring for Jeep Cherokee, Pack of 1
by Dorman
Link: http://a.co/7FBrh8O

Dorman 722-024 Leaf Spring Shackle
by Dorman
Link: http://a.co/4uFULBp

Jeep Cherokee XJ Grand ZJ Wrangler TJ 1 Inch Polyurethane Lift Spacer Kit Pair
by Rukse
Link: http://a.co/16CvseH

Rubicon Express RE2055 Spring Plate for HD Jeep CJ/MJ/XJ/YJ
by Rubicon Express
Link: http://a.co/3GmLw5h

Video I took while doing the springs:

 

Thanks for the links. I scoured the site last night but managed to miss all three of those threads.

 

i like your setup and am considering the same. post #9 of the third link,

Why would poly bushing improve body roll? why not go with rubber? i was thinking rubber in my setup.

I dont see any info on what travel the bilstein 5100's have or what travel the stock shocks have. you know of the top? also, 99% sure i'll take this to a local mechanic to install. he's knows cars, not necessarily XJs. Can you elaborate on the set up with longer travel shocks, particularly how to adjust to avoid damage? im guessing HD shocks on rockauto does not mean longer travel? i like what your saying about longer travel shocks but i like the price point of the <$50.

what are the OEM JK shocks? is that just a stock shock?

 

Crown HD leafs (bushings sold seperately), Iron Rock Offroad adjustable boomerang shackles, Rusty’s 2” lift coils up front. Even at the lowest setting on the shackles, it will be a little higher in the rear unladen, but if you haul a trailer a lot the leafs will settle and they won’t tend to bottom out under load.

Also lots of posts lately about takeoff shocks from a JK Rubicon. Widely available with very low miles as new Rubicon owners replace suspension components soon after purchasing. I read they work very well and are suitable for XJs with lifts from 0”-3”. Can be had for around $100 for four shocks.

 

 

I did the Crown standard, and got an inch or two of lift (by eyeball, not tape measure). But then, my original springs were pretty shot.

Whether you go with the Dorman or Crown, get them with the new bushing pre-installed. I got them without, wound up paying a shop to press one of them in. Even with my 20 ton Harbor Freight press, I could not get that one in.

You'd be crazy not to.

I would, but I would NOT use the Dorman here. I have compared the Dorman, Crown, and OEM side by side, and there is a huge difference. The Crown is a clone of the OEM. The Dorman is a lot lighter, with less welding. Cheap junk, really.



Probably.

 

i dont think crown sells the leafs with bushing already insalled.

i also had the dorman shackles for a few years before i replaced everyrhing for my upcountry lift and went with adjustable shackles. The dormans seemed on par with the oem ones i took out? I may have them laying around somewhere to reevaluate but they held up and looked like new when i took them off. Maybe they changed?

 

Bummer. But then, I don't know of any problem with the Dorman springs, so maybe it's fine.

Could be. Most things are getting cheaper and cheaper. But I think if you look at them side by side, you see that it is thinner metal, and there is less welding holding them together.

 

Surprised to hear that. When I did my ‘96 I sucessfully used a HF press. Recently for my ‘91 I paid a buddy $20 to put the bushings in.

 

Slap me upside the head and call me an idiot.

I just checked the memory bank (my son) and I didn't have the press yet when I did the springs two years ago. It was hammer time. No wonder!

 

great info. I appreciate the responses.

Any thoughts on a stock rear shock? or something a little less $$ than the bilstein 5100's? i like the idea of longer travel, so a shock rated for a 2" lift makes sense.

 

Thanks, and I'm glad that link helped. I just re-read that third thread and I'm going to have to keep that one bookmarked for future questions on the subject. We really discussed the whole gamut of this mock Upcountry setup except for the JK shocks, which I will add below.


It just allows for a little less flex between the swaybar and the body, and the swaybar and the axle. Poly is stiffer and more durable, but the drawback is that they can be noisier, so what you choose depends on your approach.

After some thought, here's what I suggest:

• If you're going to install a front swaybar disconnect, use poly bushings. This will allow for great road manners and, since you'll be disconnecting off-road, the stiff bushings won't affect you.
• If you're using the swaybar on & off-road, use rubber bushings for good road manners, and the rubber bushings won't limit flex so much when articulating the suspension off-road

Front shocks below

XJ Stock shocks - 13.2 compressed, 21.2 extended

XJ Bilstein 5100 - 13.6 compressed, 22 extended

HOWEVER, PLEASE NOTE:

I want to emphasize here that I highly recommend the OEM Rubicon JK shocks for this application, they really are a great choice and can't be beat, or even matched, at their price point.

I love the Bilstein 5100s. But the stock JK Rubicon shocks have virtually the same specs (lengths) as the 2-3" lift 5100s and are absolutely perfect for these "Upcountry" setups at 1/4 the price of the Bilsteins. If I were to do it again, I wouldn't hesitate to go this route.

It's a stock shock from a "JK" jeep. This will help explain what a JK is:

https://www.google.com/search?q=jeep...nt=firefox-b-1

JK owners very frequently put upgraded suspension on their new Jeeps, then sell their low-mile OEM shocks on eBay. They are very easy to find, and a great value. JK shocks are black and JK Rubicon (slightly longer and stiffer) are red. Have a look here:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw...Condition=3000

When you mount a non-standard shock, you need to be sure to measure your bumptops and possibly extend them to protect your shocks. There is an active member here on the forums currently fitting JK Rubicon shocks to his XJ with the same Upcountry suspension setup we've discussed here. See the link below. He's a knowledgeable guy, so feel free to ask questions:

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f67/jk...shocks-244109/


That makes sense. I tried to press mine in with a BFH and got nowhere, and wondered how anyone was ever able to accomplish it.

JK Rubicon!

 

Thanks for the help Tbone! its making more sense to me now as i read through these threads. (also that haynes manual i bought years ago with pics & part labels is actually coming in handy)