Jeep Cherokee XJ suspension upgrade

[kokomoto]

I have a 2001 Cherokee XJ Sport. The rear leaf springs were a little weak, causing the rear suspension to sag a bit with the trailer attached and camping gear loaded in the back of the XJ. I decided to replaced the rear leaf springs with Crown HD springs as they have a higher spring rating and approximately 1" of lift. It is apparently the same spec as the factory springs installed on a tow package equipped XJ and the UpCountry Suspension package. I was not interested in a lift, just a good setup for towing my teardrop, and mild offroad situations. Sounds like a perfect solution for what I need.

Before

Before HD leafs

IMG_0160.JPG (78.21 KiB) Viewed 2352 times

After

After leaf upgrade

IMG_0161.JPG (73.05 KiB) Viewed 2352 times

I took measurements from the center of the rear axle hub to the bottom of the fender before and after the upgrade. The initial measurement was approximately 17.5", and after the upgrade it was 19" for an increase of 1.5". I figured they would settle a bit over time.

As you can see, this left the rear slightly higher than the front. So I bought a 1.75" spacer from Fat Bob's for the front coil springs to level everything out. Prior to installing the new spacer, I removed the original factory spacer that is approximately 0.75" thick. The would provide a nominal 1" lift on the front. Here's the final result:

After front spacer install

IMG_0197.JPG (102.56 KiB) Viewed 2352 times

I was somewhat concerned that the HD springs might be too stiff, and ride rough. Without a trailer attached, the XJ ride is more taut, but not objectionable. The ride with the trailer attached is much better. The rear doesn't "sag", and bumps no longer cause the rear to wag about.

Overall, I am very pleased with the results, especially while towing. Now I just need to complete my transmission temp gauge installation.