Best automotive replacement leaf springs according to redditors
We found 31 Reddit comments discussing the best automotive replacement leaf springs. We ranked the 8 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 31 Reddit comments discussing the best automotive replacement leaf springs. We ranked the 8 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
No, but neither do the other kits.
If you want a full on lift kit, they cost a considerable amount more.
Front springs: http://www.amazon.com/Rubicon-Express-RE1310-Coil-Spring/dp/B006GJKBGC
Shocks: http://www.amazon.com/Rubicon-Express-SK010645RXT-Twintube-Shock/dp/B006GJJUYG
Rear springs: http://www.amazon.com/Rubicon-Express-RE1462-Leaf-Spring/dp/B006GJKG1W
OR rear shackles: http://www.amazon.com/Jeep-Cherokee-Suspension-Leveling-Shackles/dp/B00X8JPJCE
Rear SYE Driveshaft: http://www.amazon.com/Rough-Country-5076-1-Drive-4-6-inch/dp/B00B2AEV4S
SYE: http://www.amazon.com/Jeep-Heavy-Duty-Slip-Eliminator/dp/B007I5B6PS
Extended front brake lines: http://www.amazon.com/Rough-Country-Extended-Stainless-4-6-inch/dp/B00B2AF5LQ
Extended rear line: http://www.amazon.com/Rough-Country-Extended-Stainless-4-6-inch/dp/B00B2AF61ArefRID
Front Trackbar: http://www.amazon.com/Rough-Country-Front-Adjustable-1-5-4-5-inch/dp/B00B2AF0MU
Leafspring shims: http://www.amazon.com/Warrior-Products-800062-2-5-Degree/dp/B004NOTHSK
And of course, the long arm kit you pick.
That list comes to 2k, and has everything you need.
a full pre-assembled long arm kit will cost you about 2k(see here: https://www.claytonoffroad.com/search-shop?field_product_vehicle_tid[]=12&field_product_categories_tid[]=66). Kits usually dont include everything you need, either... Buying parts you need separately will save you cash, and you can opt for a more expensive, or less expensive part. Be prepared to turn a wrench... the more turns you put in, the more cash you save(in most situations).
What you're asking is "I want a lift, but don't know what to ask about". The above is ALL the shit you need to get 4.5" out of your jeep without being a huge cheapass and doing it wrong. It's expensive to lift a jeep, and people seem to think that doing things like using blocks, pucks and a transfercase drop is the right way. Sure, you may only spend $100 to get 2.5 inches, but you'll see extreme vibration, issues with steering and tracking, pinion oiling, etc.
Save your cash and do it right the first time.
https://smile.amazon.com/Dorman-929-301-Leaf-Spring-Cherokee/dp/B005VPS358/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492782578&sr=8-1&keywords=jeep+cherokee+rear+leaf+springs
If you want to do a full suspension redo, not just add a leaf this is what I did. I didn't do sway bar disconnects.
Skyjacker 0-3inch shock absorbers
Dorman leaf springs ~2" http://www.amazon.com/Dorman-929-301-Leaf-Spring-Cherokee/dp/B005VPS358
Moog coil springs:http://www.amazon.com/Moog-CC782-Variable-Rate-Spring/dp/B000C53ZSC/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
lets take the lift out of the equation here...
http://www.amazon.com/Dorman-929-301-Leaf-Spring-Cherokee/dp/B005VPS358/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395953396&sr=8-1&keywords=jeep+cherokee+rear+leaf+spring
still 100 bucks a spring for a OE style replacement. I'm not trying to bust your balls here man, just saying leaf springs are more expensive then coils any day.
coils:
http://www.amazon.com/Moog-CC782-Variable-Rate-Spring/dp/B000C53ZSC/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1395953494&sr=8-13&keywords=jeep+cherokee+front+coil+spring
61 for a pair of stock height, with free shipping!
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005VPS358/
Not "HD" springs but they include bushings and are under $100
So here she is... I'm planning to give some attention to the suspension because as you can see she is a bit slouched. I don't want to get to high so I'm looking at just replacing the leaf springs with these; https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B005VPS358/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?smid=A1VMTU9W4873PK&psc=1
and the coils with these;
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B000C53ZSC/ref=ox_sc_act_image_3?smid=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&psc=1.
However these are spec'd to provide some over stock height by 1.5" - 2"
Therefore I am wondering if the shocks that come with this rough country 1.5" lift will work. http://www.roughcountry.com/jeep-suspension-lift-kit-680-20.html
Really happy to be a part of this group and appreciate all advice and critique!
Forget the AAL, do it right from the beginning. $250 shipped from amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Rubicon-Express-RE1463-Leaf-Spring/dp/B006GJKFHW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1510251782&sr=8-3&keywords=rubicon+express+leaf+springs
edit: $250 is for two leaf packs. Shipped. When you buy cheap, you buy twice.
I used to have lift blocks in the rear of my Cherokee. Even 1 inch lift blocks required the replacement of the factory U bolts. Some lift blocks you'll see for sale don't come with new U bolts. Either get them made locally at a spring shop (if your area has one) or order them online. The downside to using lift blocks is axle wrap. The factory leaf springs are very soft. When you space the axle away from the leaf springs, the axle is more likely to rotate under acceleration. This rotation causes the springs to wear out more quickly. The rotation also creates an unfavorable pinion angle which will eat a pinion seal, driveshaft u joint, or even worse a pinion bearing.
I always advise against the use of lift blocks on factory leaf springs just because the springs are so soft. At this point even the newest Cherokees on the road are coming up on 14 years old. That means the springs have been not only driving all those miles, but also suspending the weight of the vehicle for over a decade every minute every hour. The springs weren't great from the factory. Fast forward a decade and a half and they haven't gotten any stronger.
I've also had shackles in my XJ. The Teraflex shackles provided more lift than the ones you're looking at, but my personal experience proved to create an unfavorable pinion angle. With most shackles on the market, you'll have to cut your factory exhaust, flip the rear hanger, and put on a different exhaust tip that angles downward. The exhaust tip is used so the hot exhaust gasses go downward, not into the leaf spring bushing.
I eventually ditched the shackles as well and bought 2 inch lift spring packs from Superlift. They are advertised at 2.5 inches of lift, but mine settled at just over 2 inches of actual lift. They are stiffer than factory springs which is great considering I occasionally tow a boat. Axle wrap is non-existent, even 7 or 8 years after installing them. At the time they were like $125 each and I got them from either Summit Racing or Jeg's. It was one of those speed parts hot rod companies. They were the cheapest, cheaper than any of the offroading websites at the time.
The springs I got came with a flat "overload leaf" as well as shims bolted into the spring packs. The very slight shims were made of aluminum and I broke one while hauling a bunch of firewood to the dump. I removed the shims as well as the overload leaf and that left me at almost 2 inches of lift, which is where it still sits today. The overload leaf in itself was about a quarter of an inch thick and did nothing for my usual towing/hauling except for make the vehicle a bit taller than I'd intended. The overload leaf will do its job when you've got a bunch of stuff in the back of your vehicle and the springs compress from an arch down to flat. When they start to lay flat, the overload leaf will prevent the leaves from bending in the other direction. Aside from that one time I hauled a shit ton of firewood, I haven't seen my leaves go flat and didn't see a need to retain the helper leaves in my spring packs. If you have an aftermarket rear bumper, gas tank skid, or a bunch of tools/parts in the back of your vehicle, your rear suspension will probably be down a little bit.
With the helper leaf out of the way, my packs were down to 3 leaves each. On paper that sounds pretty weak, but these springs have held up quite well for me.
Some will say "well why didn't you just do a long add a leaf instead of replacing the whole spring packs?" and the reasoning is that I already had master leaves that were shot. I didn't want to risk breaking a master leaf out on the trail. Completely new leaf packs were in my future and I paid the extra money for entirely new spring packs just to be sure I wouldn't break a leaf out there.
Here is a picture of what I got. It shows the slight shim and the flat overload spring. http://www.amazon.com/Superlift-01-522-Leaf-Spring-84-98/dp/B002S1ZU0Y I think mine came with leaf spring bushings, but that was many years ago now. They showed up via UPS with bubble wrap around the ends of the leaf packs and a label on each leaf spring. That's it, no box or anything.
If you don't want to replace your whole spring packs, I understand. Getting the bolts out can be a pain if you've got rust. Some people have to cut the unibody framerails on the forward bolt locations. If you want to go with an add-a-leaf instead, just make sure you order a long add a leaf. The short add-a-leafs seem like arched pieces of cast iron or something. The short add-a-leafs have no give to them and will make the vehicle ride pretty rough. A longer add-a-leaf will disperse the weight of the vehicle over more of the spring pack and provide arch over more of the spring pack. Long add-a-leafs usually ride a bit softer because they distribute the arch over more of the spring. The huge benefit to doing an add-a-leaf is that you don't have to pull the entire leaf pack out of the vehicle which means you're not contending with breaking bolts or cutting the unibody framerails.
If your master leaves are shot, go ahead and get new leaf packs. If they're salvageable, do a long add-a-leaf. Just know that a long add-a-leaf isn't going to net you a full 2 inches of lift because your factory leaf packs are probably pretty much flat when your vehicle is sitting there.
I've tried to find all the piece for my 2" lift and have a little list in my head of what I think I want to do. So far I've compiled this:
For the front: a set of 2" lift coils from rusty's offroad
http://www.rustysoffroad.com/rustys-coils-xj-2-front.html
For the rear: a set of crown medium duty leaf springs, will get you about 1.5" lift, plus a rusty's .75" shackle
http://www.rustysoffroad.com/jeep-suspension/jeep-leaf-spring-accessories/jeep-leaf-spring-shackles-lift-shackles/rustys-shackles-xj-75-extended-greasable-pair.html
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009X1YAZS/ref=aw_wl_ov_dp_1_9?colid=W63HLMFZQRLM&coliid=I9CA8BL9ZABZD
And for shocks, I haven't really decided yet. I might just go for a set of rancho shocks since I can get those for decently cheap through my work. All of the little things I figure I'll wait until the time comes to deal with those since I can't foresee what will happen when I go to put the lift on.
Couple of ideas for you.
This is a stock spring package that directly replaces your worn out springs and gives you around 1.5 inches of lift for less than $250. I did this to my 94 XJ and i can tell you that'll help make some room for for those 30s. It's also easily boosted to a 3 to3.5 inch lift for around $90 more.
Front coils
Rear leaves
Edit: Look into getting longer bump stops as they'll help keep your tires out of the fenders. Here are the ones I picked up.
Front
Rear
You can find new springs that give you an inch or two of lift (from stock), but that don't require any additional suspension changes. That's what I'm planning to do with mine. Ill see if I can dig up a link.
Edit- right here:
Crown Automotive 52001125 Front Coil Spring https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008VPV5NC/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_g7BAxbQ58PFHG
Crown Automotive 4886186AA Leaf Spring Assembly https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009X1YAZS/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_87BAxb1Q5X1GA
I think those are the right ones, but double check. And don't forget about new bushings for the leaf springs.
You could go with 3.5" Rubicon express leaf springs or 3" OME by ARB leaf springs in the rear. As for front, I'd go with Rubicon express 3.5" coils.
Edit: Don't forget the u bolts (no link because they're different depending on your rear axle), and the t case drop.
Non-mobile:
^That's ^why ^I'm ^here, ^I ^don't ^judge ^you. ^PM ^/u/xl0 ^if ^I'm ^causing ^any ^trouble.
I havent ordered them yet, but
http://www.amazon.com/Rubicon-Express-RE1463-Leaf-Spring/dp/B006GJKFHW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1408667598&sr=8-2&keywords=xj+rear+leaf+springs
I think your local mechanic just doesn't want to install new leaf springs because it's kind of a bitch.
There are cheaper ways to do it, but you can get a brand new pair for about $230, I put these in my 93 and they include the bushings (but not the shackle bolts) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005VPS358/?coliid=IR3CWRIGZE8TL&colid=3B3H2P3OO3L7T&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
My leaf springs were also inverted and I gained about 4" of lift in the rear with these and some longer shackles.
Tbh I'm surprised you aren't having issues with the rear tires hitting the wheel wells
Funny enough my previous tires were 235/75s and my springs in the rear sagged like crazy. The wheels would rub when I would haul things.
I used Dorman leaf spring assembly's that already had built in bushings. Here's the link for the rears:
Dorman 929-301 Leaf Spring for Jeep Cherokee, Pack of 1 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005VPS358/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_3ozTybXGCSV7Q
I'll have to come back to you with that measurement!
WTS: 2x +3.5in Rear leafs for a cherokee. May also fit wrangler. 0 Miles (Still has shipping tags) $150 amazon
WTS: Aftermarket Receiver Hitch for a cherokee $50
WTB: Kayak
WTT: PET for PTFE
Rubicon Express RE1463 3.5" Leaf Spring for Jeep XJ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006GJKFHW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_UmW4Bb1P3E970
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005VPS358/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I have a 2" shackle lift on the back and my stock springs were flat so I decided to get the HD OEM ones. The jeep has kind of a Rat Fink stance now but Dr Google says that it will flatten out eventually.
I just bought these and I am pleased.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005VPS358?pc_redir=1411222595&robot_redir=1
Dorman 929-301 Leaf Spring for Jeep Cherokee, Pack of 1 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005VPS358/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_5HU4aN3uIEDRl
Dorman 722-024 Leaf Spring Shackle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A195TN8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_38T55FkKZrZlk
Kept the U-bolts
http://www.morris4x4center.com/coil-spring-52001122.html?utm_campaign=map&utm_medium=email&utm_source=yotpo&yotpo_token=5c055200d7e5d61e6a7288fe977d4cc04aa61bcc
Springs felt softer than the old ones I took out. But that's just a feeling.
I am pretty well versed in jeeps, I've done several lifts and more than a few suspensions on various vehicles. I have the tools and know how to do everything, just as an FYI.
I am pretty set about getting the Zone 3" lift or possibly the RE 3.5" super-ride lift... regardless, that doesn't matter. the point is that both are available with AAL (long leaf) or full leaf pack.
Alright, so here is my question:
I've noticed that if I were to buy the Crown OEM-spec leaf pack (link below) and either AAL kit listed above, it would actually be cheaper than buying the kit with the full leaf pack included.
Can anyone see a reason why NOT to but a new Crown leaf pack, get an AAL as listed above and add it to that new pack, and save myself a little coin? Or is there a better reason to buy the full pack with the lift kit for the extra money?
Crown OEM leaf pack: https://www.amazon.com/Crown-Automotive-4886186AA-Spring-Assembly/dp/B009X1YAZS
For good 3" lift leaf springs you should check out the OME (Old Man Emu) springs sold by ARB. They're like $130 each on Amazon with free shipping.
CS033RA's here: http://www.amazon.com/ARB-CS033RA-Dakar-Leaf-Spring/dp/B004P9ZJJ4/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1425412382&sr=1-1&keywords=CS033RA
how about the Crown Springs on Amazon?
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B009X1YAZS/?coliid=I1MRHVGIW27JPS&colid=TIXHMEUDZMSU&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
https://www.amazon.com/Explorer-Pro-Comp-53111-Lifted/dp/B000CNA0G4/ref=au_as_r?_encoding=UTF8&Make=Jeep%7C42&Model=Cherokee%7C347&Year=2000%7C2000&ie=UTF8&n=15684181&newVehicle=1&s=automotive&vehicleId=1&vehicleType=automotive are the rear springs I have in mine.
But my jeep is a mismatch of this and that. I have control arms I bought used, shocks that came from a junkyard, shackles from rough country, rough country front springs.
This is what I did a couple years back.
Rear:
This rear spring is supposedly the same as what was on the UpCountry package and adds 1" lift.
Crown Automotive 4886186AA Leaf Spring Assembly
You will need spring bushings as well. I went with these.
Energy Suspension 2.2109G Spring Bushing for Jeep/Cherokee/Comanche
I added lift shackles for another 1".
JKS OGS651 Rear Shackle Kit for Jeep XJ/MJ
Front:
This is also supposedly equivalent to the UpCountry package.
Moog CC782 Coil Spring Set
I used these to replace the stock isolators (which were shot). There are 4 to a package in case you need to use them all to level the vehicle out.
Energy Suspension 2.6103G Spring Isolator for Jeep
I'd say I ended up with about 3" of lift, and it has visibly settled about 1" in close to 2yrs.
Costs were about $400, not taking into account all the little stuff associated with installing everything.
No issues w/ driveline vibe, but that seems to vary from person to person.
Currently running 31's and at this low a height, they will rub on the lower control arms. You can tweak the steering stops to prevent this, but I ended up getting spacers to push the wheels out and stop the rubbing. This added another $200 to the costs.
Rugged Ridge 15201.08 Black Wheel Spacer Pair (1.5", 5 x 4.5" Bolt Pattern)
No regrets with the current set-up, but if I had thought it through I would have just planned for 33s and done things differently. Once you upsize the tires, you only want to keep going up. LOL