Wheelbase thoughts...

So, earlier this year I tore apart the rear of my YJ and lengthened the wheelbased about 6 inches with flipped factory XJ leafs. I "comp-cut" the rear corners and I had the driveline lengthened and rebuilt my anti-wrap bar and mount at the same time.

I don't like it, and I'm thinking about going back to the factory (or close) wheelbase with wagoneer leafs or possibly RE 1444's

Here's why:

1. The factory rear spring hangers get hung up on everything. This could be solved by totally re-doing the spring and shackle mounts... frenching the front hangers into the frame, etc. if I so desired, but the following would still be an issue...

2. Stock XJ rear leafs ride like **** and travel even worse when flipped backwards. Having the center pin so far offset makes them flex horrible. Even with no spring clamps and a decent shackle angle, they have very little down travel. On gravel roads and more tame trails where speed is a factor... they simply do not absord dips and bumps and potholes, and it makes going wheeling no fun because keeping up with others means I get absolutely punished by the ride.

3. Legality... when I started this, I had decided that my Jeep was going to be a trail only rig from that point on... Honestly I'm rethinking that. There's more to that discussion, but I won't go into detail... suffice to say, my rig is still tabbed and insured, and I intend to keep it that way, and driving around a rig that has comp cut corners and barely any fender coverage, I stick out like a sore thumb.

I guess my point to this thread was to mull over the idea and see what others thought about it. Going back to stock wheelbase for me would simply mean about $50 to shorted the rear driveline, some homemade "corner protection" that would cover up the comp cut, a pair of used wagoneer leafs or some 1444's, and some labor time to shorten up the anti-wrap bar.

Am I out of my mind? The other option would be to find some better replacements for the stock XJ leafs that would ride and flex better, shorten the wheelbase a TAD compared to the XJ leafs, and still allow me to build some corners to get rid of the comp cut... chevy 63's maybe?

Maybe I should just man up and 4-link the rear and REALLY make it trailer only.

Anyway, hopefully some discussion can come of this thread... or maybe someone who's debating whether to do this to their wrangler will come across it and see some ideas they hadn't thought of.

My humble opinion: If you like the lengthened wheel base, then just re-do the suspension to flex and ride more as you'd like, whether it be 4-linked, or a re-do of leaf springs. You would probably like the stability and climbing better of the lengthened wheelbase once you get the ride and flex where you want.

But then, I run 82" so my opinion on longer wheelbase may not count:redneck:

I hate to see all that work go to waste...what about just redoing the frame mount and running a shorter spring (like nuzzy or lincolnlock)?

Im having second thoughts about my choice in rear springs if they truely suck so much.

I wanna stretch my YJ, and still drive it on the street a little. I was thinking 4 link and coilovers and gigantic mud flaps. But I'm still brainstorming and this thread could prove useful.

Pat said:

I wanna stretch my YJ, and still drive it on the street a little. I was thinking 4 link and coilovers and gigantic mud flaps. But I'm still brainstorming and this thread could prove useful.

Click to expand...

Realistically, the legality part isn't too much of an issue I guess... it can be made legal pretty easily, it will just probably look even goofier than just a straight "comp cut" rear...

I just hate how it rides on the street and on potholed dirt roads and stuff, and to be totally honest, I'm not wild about how it looks with puny little 36" tires.

BTW Jonathan, as far as ride goes... when you went for a ride in it, we never hit any holes or rough patches in the road, which is why you were wondering WTF I was talking about...

Question about ride....

See the following diagram... the circle is the axle housing, the long line is the leaf spring. Will the angle pictured in red affect the ride quality? Currently mine looks like the top... but if I redid the front spring hangers and moved the rear shackle hangers down a bit, I could make it more "factory"...

Having a multi-use rig is a very nice attribute. I love being able to take my rig out for a sunny Sunday drive almost as much as a muddy-gnarly Jeepin' trip. My YJ is factory wheelbase, sua, with about 4-5 inches of lift and rides remarkably nice at 80 mph. Potholes are smooth and comfortable until they get reallllly deep - or if I have rear passangers - then my bumpstops hit and it's quite jarring. I probably could eliminate that, but with 37s and only 4-5 inches of lift, I had to do massive fender trimming upwards already, and will hit if I get any more up travel in my suspension. So, the bump stops are fixed to eliminate tire/body destruction. My YJ flexs quite nicely, and even though it's not a 'ramp' master, it'll handle any trail I've thrown at it. And it's seen lots of trails.

On my TJ, it's being set up to go 4 inch extended wheelbase. This can be done by switching fuel cells - but does not require a comp-cut fender.

If I were you, I'd go back to a shorter wheelbase. Yeah, some ledges will be a little tougher, but some trails with tight and twisty will be easier. Who cares? It'll make it more streetable. So you can enjoy it on the road without as many 'blue light specials' worrying you. Plus, it'll increase the options regarding how you set up the suspension.

if you going to try and stick with the xj leaf's or something like an xj leaf go to an mj leaf they give a way softer ride more flex an all around good leaf spring...

I'd like to see more discussion on the flexiness of XJ springs. It would seem like they'd flex well due to length, but reality doesn't seem to match theory.

Matt, could your shackle set up be limited travel?

Got any recent pics to stick in this thread Matt, that shows off your rear end set up?

CrustyJeep said:

I'd like to see more discussion on the flexiness of XJ springs. It would seem like they'd flex well due to length, but reality doesn't seem to match theory.

Matt, could your shackle set up be limited travel?

Got any recent pics to stick in this thread Matt, that shows off your rear end set up?

Click to expand...

I'll take some pictures tonight after work.

CrustyJeep said:

I'd like to see more discussion on the flexiness of XJ springs. It would seem like they'd flex well due to length, but reality doesn't seem to match theory.

Matt, could your shackle set up be limited travel?

Got any recent pics to stick in this thread Matt, that shows off your rear end set up?

Click to expand...

MJ's leaf's are the **** tho their super soft when wheeling about 4inches longer than Xj spring's got them on my XJ with revolver shackle's..

From my build thread, shackle angle.

Here's a pic of the back of my XJ with the MJ leaf's and revolver shackles.

Hey Grump,

Your revolvers are bending.

so they are huh..:haha: Oh well I don't really care for them anyhow.Waste of money in my book..

six-nine how does your shitbox ride?

NotMatt said:

From my build thread, shackle angle.

Click to expand...

That looks all wrong :flipoff:

Can you take a pic on the ramp? Would like to see shackle angles at full droop and full compression.

Best I can do right now... this is full flex... the shackle on the driver's side is NOT touching the frame. Guess it doesn't look TOO bad for leafs, but it's definitely not as good as I think it should be.

I bet you'd like stock BroncoII springs. They are soft and flexy.

Totalled said:

I bet you'd like stock BroncoII springs. They are soft and flexy.

Click to expand...

I liked the travel on the stock YJ springs, but even with an anti-wrap bar, I destroyed them in pretty short order, mainly because they rode nice and flat, but had a LOT of uptravel due to not having bumpstops...

I'm thinking if I end up swapping these out, I might leave the extended wheelbase and the comp cut and go with some wagoneer springs and new hangers up front... or the RE1445's. I'm really happy with the 1444's I have up front.