[Uberjeep]

So I searched High and low looking for someone who had done the bastard pack setup in a YJ, and I found a ton of articles for S10 springs in a XJ, YJ springs in an XJ, but no one has posted anything that I could find as to if it would work for a YJ. Well, as far as success goes, it was 110%

My stock rear springs were flat when I got them, and over the last year have almost inverted from daily use and mild off roading.

I got a set of rear leafs from an early 90's (I think because the front half was missing) S10 Blazer and removed/cut the spring clamps and locating pins. I cut the spring eyes off the main S10 leaves, and cut the springs down to a length of 45". I have been prepping for my 8.8" swap for the rear end for a while, so I figured while I have the back end of the springs undone, it takes a few minutes more to undo the front bolts and do the bastard pack mod. The spring clamps on the YJ pack are pretty tough to bend out, but with a bit of persuasion from a BFH, they opened up enough for me to get the spring pack apart. I pulled the second leaf from the YJ pack out, and transplanted the cut down S10 main leaf and then reassembled the pack. Using a c-clamp to hold the leaves together, then placing the spring clamps in a vice to squeeze in the sides, holds everything tight to get a hammer in to bend back down the tabs. Comparing the old secondary leaf to the new cut S10 leaf is a huge difference. I can stand with about 25% of my weight on the YJ leaf and it hits the floor, the S10 spring however can only be bottommed out if I bounce on the leaf with my full weight. The springs went in easy as pie, and the rest of the 8.8 swap was pretty straight forward as well thanks to all the info I have gathered from this forum. I lost almost an inch of lift due to the thicker axle tubes in the 8.8 compared to the dana 35, but the overall lift from the bastard pack was impressive. I measured my rear corners before getting started and one was sagged almost an inch lower than the other, with the lower one being 23" from the ground to the corner of my tub. After the 8.8 and bastard pack, that same corner sits at almost 27" with the other corner now beng almost identical in height.

So after a quick test drive, I am very happy with my new lift. The ride is actually more smooth than it was before, probably due to me riding on the shocks more than the springs. I love the limited slip in the 8.8 compared to the Detroit I had in the d35. The disc brakes of the 8.8 also feel MUCH better than the drums ever did in the d35.

For anyone who wants a budget lift for their YJ and isn't afraid to get a bit dirty, this one looks like a winner. I will post a few updates once everything gets flexed out a few times and I have had a chance to wheel it offroad to see what they are like there.

[yjmudder90]

pics or it didnt happen!!

[Uberjeep]

Originally Posted by yjmudder90

pics or it didnt happen!!

Ever leave a digital camera on a table in a house with two teenage girls who use facebook? Lol. My card was full and my battery was dead when I grabbed it earlier, so pics will come tomorrow...

[Uberjeep]

Sorry about the size of this post, but I got pic happy looking for decent examples of before and after. Alrighty, so few pics to show the new spring pack and a few older pics to compare the lift from the mods I have done over the last couple rounds of modification.


Before and after 1" body lift.


1.5" Shackle lift installed w/previous 1" body lift.


Parked on a gentle slope and you can see how the springs sag and invert with no flexing at all.


21.5" + 2.75" for the tape measure = 24.25" on the high side (passenger side was about 23" Also notice the gap between tire & flare, flat springs, shackle angled out from jeep.


Outside view of Bastard pack.


Inside view of swapped out 2nd leaf in the bastard pack.


Rear view of new springs installed. I think I can comfortably run 33's and get a bit more flex without worying about completly inverting. The terrible spring wrap I was getting before has subsided immensly. I think the case of beer I traded for the springs was for sure worth every drop!

[phillsam]

This looks to be a great idea!!! do you have any idea what years of the s10's work??

is your rear now higher than your front?
do you plan on doing this to the front?

i might have to use this...my stock springs are pretty bad

[houseyj]

Hell yea this looks beautiful, if possible please post what years of s10's. One other question is if u needed any other mods for the size of the lift, i'm somewhat new but with RC lifts i've seen a need for SYE's and such, any need for them here?

[Joe Dillard]

The first time that I saw this mod done/attempted was ~29 (yes, twenty nine) years ago.

It should have been forgotten then.

[dave_dj1]

you should bend those clamps open and let the srpings flex, you will be amazed at how flexy they get when open'd up!

[93jeepyj]

Is that last pic at ride height ? It does provide some nice arch to the spring now but the shackle angle looks like it suffers because of it.

[4bangerYJ]

Originally Posted by dave_dj1

you should bend those clamps open and let the srpings flex, you will be amazed at how flexy they get when open'd up!

X2 just open them up enough so the leaves can slide on each other. If they bang and pop this will also help with that.

[yellowford]

I thought the S10's had narrowere leaves than a YJ, If I'm not mistaken the YJ leaves are 2.5" wide which means you could use leaves from an Explorer, F150 or others those are just some that I know of that have 2.5" springs.

[Tshark299]

When I used to research stuff for my XJ I remember reading alot about using Dakota leaves also

[Swampwalker3]

I bastard packed xj and yj leafs. Flexed great and rode down the street like a caddy.

[1tuffyj]

Originally Posted by Joe Dillard

The first time that I saw this mod done/attempted was ~29 (yes, twenty nine) years ago.

It should have been forgotten then.

joe, why do u say this? ive been looking for a cheap way to keep my "custom springs" from bending/sagging. this wont work, or at least hold me over for a yr?

[dwaynetm1]

If this was done on a stock YJ with a Dana 35 what other mods do you think I would have to do? Stearing shaft maybe?