Sagging on one side.

[Jeeps]

I have felt my TJ sagging lower on the right side (driver's side) for a week or 2 now. It is 6 weeks old.

I finally decided to get out and do some measurements and i have found that on level ground the TJ sits about 1 cm lower on the right side. On ground that is slightly sloping to the right (driver's side facing downhill) this increases to over an inch. On ground sloping slightly to the left (driver's side facing downhill) the TJ becomes level.

I am a bit worried because this TJ is only new and i do not carry heavy loads. It tows a very light trailor 1 or 2 times a fortnight. I have only done the measurements after my trip to ormeau with JimmyB but as JimmyB would attest, i did not do anything to cause major damage and I felt it leaning a week before the trip anyway. The only mods i have done to TJ is the addition of 2 recovery points on the front bar and a UHF CB in the cab. Every other part of the Jeep is stock. There is 5000 klm on the clock.

I am due to visit the dealer very soon for other items of interest but does anyone have any idea why a TJ would be lower on one side than the other?

[AussieCJ7]

Hey Jeeps, your dealer should fix that up for you but it is pretty normal

springs are not always a matched set and you can end up with springs from different batchs that settle at different rates

you can try swaping the springs around to a different corner of the jeep and see if you can get a level combo

You can also use spacer block to level it up

Most Jeeps with a winch end up with spacers in the front to make it level again

OME for their leaf spring kits make 2 part numbers for every model the idea is you put all of one part number on drive it for a month then when it settles if you have sag then you swap in the other part number this is meant to be done free of charge by the ome dealer Mick from Suburban was talking about it one night at a SJC meeting

[Wooders]

Normally the drivers side gets slightly stiffer springs - now it's entirely likely that you have them they wrong way around....
The dealer should fix - or it's an ideal excuse to move upto am OME lift :D

[TW.]

we see that every now & then, the spring goes "off" as such and you need to replace it.

in OEM situations and aftermarket situations.

we also see a different height between the spring perches even when the coils are the same size, more often in the 01' & 02" models, like they set these cars up for a fat american driver (ie:taller on the left hand side) and we often need to pack just one side (always the right) of a TJ to level it up even with the same spring height measurement.

OME lifts, i just saw yet another sagged out hard top OME fitted rig with 8 week old blown shocks, that were replaced cos the first lot blew out,had another guy from sydney dropped in with a sagged out kit, old lexx ran them springs for ages-sagg'n.

you guys in n.s.w. seem to get better results out of that gear than i see here.

ACJ7, OME do that for leaf kits but not TJ coil's, wooders, stiffer coils for one side, i havent seen anything anywhere like that, all i can add is it seems the cars are now built with the extra weight of a left hand driver sitting in the seat in mind, the distance from top to bottom spring perdches is equal but the bumper/chassis is 10mm lower on the right side quite often, like they buld the spring perch differently.
it makes sence when you think about it. just it would be nice if they would remember that us r.h.drivers give a shit.

[Jonesy]

Looks like its time to get to Jenny craig jeeps :D

[Jeeps]

Well i took her to the dealer and he said it was normal. The sagging is nothing to worry about. He said the new Cherokees do it a lot worse. :confused:

[TW.]

that reply from a dealer is normal, sagging isn't. you need a fresh spring in that corner asap.

[brizXJ]

I had my '96 Cherokee rear springs reset and an extra leaf added during the week, a number of long distance camping trips had caused droop. Previously there was 12mm lower on the passenger side.(left, yanks!!. Arse end is now 60mm higher and sitting level.

[Jeeps]

Like i said, it's a brand new jeep. Dealer said it was no major deal at the moment. I'll mention it when it goes in for it's first service.

[TW.]

no major deal? w.t.f? its sagging, get them to sort it out.
and yes, they get a lot of sagging in the XJ, we fix that stuff with the FSJ add-a-leaf.
they sag on a very regular basis, more on an even side to side ratio though.
sagging on one side means a spring has gone "off" and needs replacing, it does happen from time to time. c.j. just need to fix it for you!