Birty Dastards Jeep Club

Tech Forum => Workshop => Topic started by: Fizz on June 10, 2009, 01:39:26 PM

Title: XJ Brink Towbar height
Post by: Fizz on June 10, 2009, 01:39:26 PM
My post seems to have disapeared...

anyway.. I have just put new standard springs on the rear og my 99 XJ woo hoo.. however the swan neck brink towbar is really high (above knee height). anyone any suggestions of what to do.. is it a new towbar time with a flange type and possibly a drop plate to bring the hieght down to around 350-400 mm??? I'm very worried that the front wheels on the twin axle car transporter will be in the air  :-D
Title: Re: XJ Brink Towbar height
Post by: JamesH on June 10, 2009, 02:59:46 PM
Rear leaf springs on an XJ Cherokee will usually settle and drop a bit after a few weeks use. Try driving with some weight in the back to accelerate the process.

Once this is done, try the trailer to see how much it needs to drop if it still needs to. If it does then a drop plate towball mount might be the way to go.
Title: Re: XJ Brink Towbar height
Post by: Fizz on June 10, 2009, 06:33:48 PM
well at the moment I think it's about 4 inches too high....  :shock:
Title: Re: XJ Brink Towbar height
Post by: Nosebolt on June 10, 2009, 06:39:38 PM
ROFL  ROFL

not really helping am I
Title: Re: XJ Brink Towbar height
Post by: neilhull on June 11, 2009, 08:34:25 AM
Hi I fitted new springs to my xj . i had to fit a 5in drop plate so i could tow my caravan . I don't know if you can drop the hight of a swan neck tow bar . BY the way my springs have not drop at all . my xj is still 5ins higher see pic in my post
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=10032 (http://birtydastardsjeepclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=10032" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)
Title: Re: XJ Brink Towbar height
Post by: JamesH on June 11, 2009, 09:39:44 AM
If replacement 'standard' springs lift the back end that much they haven't been manufactured very well in terms of matching the factory spec.

If you want the lift they provide you will obviously need a drop plate to tow.

However, if they are also very hard (as I suspect they might be) it might be that they have much too high a spring rate. In this case I would remove a leaf (or maybe 2 depending on how many are in the packs) from the pack, one of the middle to longer ones. This will reduce the rating and in-turn lower the ride height a bit.
Title: Re: XJ Brink Towbar height
Post by: Fizz on June 11, 2009, 05:34:59 PM
Quote from: "neilhull"
Hi I fitted new springs to my xj . i had to fit a 5in drop plate so i could tow my caravan . I don't know if you can drop the hight of a swan neck tow bar . BY the way my springs have not drop at all . my xj is still 5ins higher see pic in my post
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=10032 (http://birtydastardsjeepclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=10032" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

yep that looks about right lol

5 inches... yes I thin k mines about 4 over what it was.. but i did have a broken leaf on the one side
Title: Re: XJ Brink Towbar height
Post by: Fizz on June 11, 2009, 05:39:28 PM
I've just had a look at my springs and there appears to be, along the spring, some metal bits that go through the middle of the leaf to hold the leafs together. this does not allow them to slide in any way... is this the problem.. I'll post a picture later... btw they were bought from mansfield 4x4
Title: Re: XJ Brink Towbar height
Post by: tim_aka_tim on June 11, 2009, 05:48:10 PM
There should be the bolt through the middle, and a metal clamp forward and rear of it to stop the leaves
twisting along the bolt axis.
Title: Re: XJ Brink Towbar height
Post by: Fizz on June 11, 2009, 05:54:29 PM
Quote from: "tim_aka_tim"
There should be the bolt through the middle, and a metal clamp forward and rear of it to stop the leaves
twisting along the bolt axis.
I'll look again.. not sure ut has the clamps... perhaps the metal bit through the middle is to stop the twist
Title: Re: XJ Brink Towbar height
Post by: neilhull on June 11, 2009, 08:16:41 PM
HI FIZZ were your old springs 4 leave . my old springs were 4 leave but the replacements ar 5 leave . the old 4 leave one were rubbish . my xj handles a lot better with the new ones
Title: Re: XJ Brink Towbar height
Post by: Fizz on June 11, 2009, 11:42:48 PM
4 leaf i think..... still doesn't help the height problem lol
Title: Re: XJ Brink Towbar height
Post by: daggie on June 13, 2009, 06:32:49 AM
put new springs in the front, cos they will be fecked too, this will also raise the front & lower the rear, not much, though