XJ Lift

[Yager]

Hey, I'm piecing together a lift on my XJ out of used parts. I'm devoting most of my cashola to it, despite it having 235xxx miles, because once the twins come, I'll need all five seats.

This is what I have, so I need just a little guidance from you more experienced peeps..

I have 2" Lift Coils and 2" Lift Blocks. I have 3" Lift Shocks for the rear, all Rusty's.

I need 3" Lift Shocks for the front, Rusty's as well.

I might throw in 1" spacers in the front and a shackle in the rear for a total of 3". I've cut the heck out of the fenders, and am hoping to clear 35's with more body modification.

Do I need to get an adjustable track bar, drop pitman arm, sway bar extension or whatever? Or is 3" not enough to really matter?

[TechJeeper]

I know on a TJ with 3 inches, I relocated my trackbar and  as for the swaybar links, keep an eye out for some extrended removable ones cause the stock ones pry wont last long.

[94_xj_country]

i have one front shock for a cherokee with 3" of lift if you need it. you could buy a matching one for $30 off of rusty's offroad. 2" blocks are kinda big for an xj, you can probably find some bastard packs online for cheap. as for 35's, even with trimming thats kind of big, 33's would get you through everything in this state

[Mudviper]

You will need to do a lot of body trimming if you are going to fit 35"s with a 3" lift. I have 3 1/2 in of lift with fendering trimming and only running 33's. I can fit 35's, but the fronts would still rub.

I strongly suggest to stay away from lift blocks for the rear leaf springs. XJ springs are kind of soft and they will make them wrap around the lift blocks.

If you are going to go to 3" of lift, you will need to relocate your front track bar or get an adjustable one. If this is going to be a trail only rig, there is a cheap way to relocate the front track bar. You will also need to get front sway bar disconnects or extentions. The stock ones are not long enough for 3" of lift.

I will send you a link to a cheap and easy lift for the XJ when I get home from work.

[Yager]

Okay, thanks guys. I guess I'll for go the blocks and switch in a combination of dakota springs and xj springs. I'll somehow work to around three inches.

[GOT ROCKS]

I will tell you right now, if you want to get 35's to fit you will need more than 3" of lift or do a heck of a lot of trimming.

Instead of dropping $$$ on parts all over the place to get to 3" of lift, go check out ZONE OFFROAD (2 Track is a dealer and if you are a club member of WLB, you get a discount off of retail) and look at their 3" lift for an XJ for $290.66 that includes shocks.



Or go here for more information:

//zoneoffroad.com/product?ki=34&vi=462

I hope this helps.  You will fit 33's nicely with this lift kit and some trimming (sounds like you already did the trimming) and it won't be out of control on the family when loading or unloading the new additions.

Have a good one.

Anthony

[Yager]

Hmm.. That's definately something to think about.

[Mudviper]

I myself would stay away from add-a-leaf lift kits on XJ's. In a few months your rear end will be sagging and you will be spending more money to replace your springs.

Here is the link I was talking about to do a budget lift

http://www.lunghd.com/Tech_Articles/Sus ... t_Lift.htm

[GOT ROCKS]

I can get you a price for a whole new spring pack replacement to get the 3" of lift in the rear if you want to still consider the ZONE OFFROAD kit.

I may be able to get a price for the ZONE kit minus the Add-A-Leaf, plus a whole spring pack instead and see where that would put you.  But if you can find the rear spring packs and get the ZONE kit the only thing oyu would be out is the Add-A-Lift spring.  Small price to pay I think to get the whole kit.

But for the price of the kit as is, that is a steal.  And as I said if you are a WLB member you get 20% off (I think, but it may be 15%) from 2 Track. (at best it would drop your price down to $232.53 before taxes)  Plus ZONE is offering free shipping during the month of August.

I put an Add-A-Lift from BDS which is ZONE's sister company in my XJ and it lasted for about 4 or 5 years with out any sagging, and I had over 1K lbs of weight in the back at all times for work, and over 280K miles on it.  But I was also running after market coils that slid over my shocks from Autozone to help with the weight.

You also don't need sway bar disco's or have to relocate the track bar with only 3" of lift.

Either way I thought I would pass on the deal on a whole kit even though it has an Add-A-Leaf.   ::poke::

Good luck.

Anthony

[GOT ROCKS]

After checking out the link for the "CHEAPO" lift, and doing some math you are over $330.  But you do get a whole rear spring pack (after cutting, mixing and matching, and rebuilding them with the XJ leaves).

Before you all go and start doing the math  ::poke::  ::poke:: , read the fine print as you get into the install, you will need to replace the rear brake line with a longer one, you will need new U-Bolts, etc, etc, etc. it all adds up, I stopped at $330 or so.

Now you can move the front brake lines down if you need to and I am sure you can move the rear as well to achieve clearance.

So, if you can get into a few junk yards and get luck to go your way, "GIT-R-DONE".  Just kidding, you can do a serious "CHEAPO" budget lift for next to nothing.  But as he said most of it would have to be free to really justify not buying a budget boost.  And, think of your gas and time, going to all of these junk yards searching around.

Not knocking the ideas out there, just doing the comparing for ya' as I had nothing better to do.   :mrgreen:

Again good luck in whatever you decide, and I see a wrenchfest in the near future.....hehehehe...!!!!

[Mudviper]

I am sorry Anthony put I disagree with a lot  you have to say. ANY lift kit you put on you need to replace the lift spring U-Bolts. It's just the comon sense thing to do. It is very cheap insurance $7.00 for a set of u-bolts.

Any lift kit 3" or more you will need to extend your rear brake line or your risk pulling it out over any kind or articulation. I have 3 1/2" of lift and my rear brake line was pretty strechted

I would like to see an XJ with a 3" lift on it using the stock front sway bar brackets. You wouldn't get hardly any kind of articulation on them. Again I have 3 1/2" lift and there was no way the stock sway bar links where going to work.

Your best bet Yager is to go to the NAXJA web site to get some real answers.

[94_xj_country]

x2. i had stock sway bar links on my xj while running 3" of lift for acouple weeks, kinda sucked.

[GOT ROCKS]

I am sorry Anthony put I disagree with a lot  you have to say. ANY lift kit you put on you need to replace the lift spring U-Bolts. It's just the comon sense thing to do. It is very cheap insurance $7.00 for a set of u-bolts.

Any lift kit 3" or more you will need to extend your rear brake line or your risk pulling it out over any kind or articulation. I have 3 1/2" of lift and my rear brake line was pretty strechted

I would like to see an XJ with a 3" lift on it using the stock front sway bar brackets. You wouldn't get hardly any kind of articulation on them. Again I have 3 1/2" lift and there was no way the stock sway bar links where going to work.

Your best bet Yager is to go to the NAXJA web site to get some real answers.

I guess you didn't read my replies very well.  I stated you needed to relocate the brakes lines both front and rear, and I also covered U-Bolts in there too.  When I said you had to buy them in the "CHEAPO" lift, it was implied that you didn't have any extra costs with the ZONE lift and they were included with it. (as you said, it is common sense that you NEVER re-use old U-Bolts and I don't disagree with that)

I said you could "get away" with out putting on Sway Bar Discos

But if you would like to felx out more, I agree you will need them.

He also said he wanted help with an in expensive way to get 3" of lift.  I gave an option, then you gave an option.  Yours happened to be more expensive and more labor intensive.  That is all I was pointing out.

But before you start getting ahead of yourself and replying to my posts, try reading them through first.  I am not trying to start a war over a fellow wheeler wanting to do a 3" lift.

Everyone has their own experiences and their own opinions.  It wasn't meant as a personal attack on you.  I gave pro's and con's so to speak.  I felt I could advise as I too had a few XJ's.  10 at one time to be exact, and I have dabbled in lifting them different ways.

So I apologize if you took this out of context.


YAGER

Keep doing your research, make the best choice for you and your family and let us know when the wrenchfest is going to be.

There is plenty of information out there to help guide you along.

Sincerely,
Anthony

[Yager]

Yeah, I'm kind of at a cross roads anyway. I'm half way there on this lift, so it just makes sense to find used parts. Also, the XJ has 235k miles on it, and probably isn't worth dumping a lot of cash into. In addition, buying it one piece at a time hides the actual expense from my wife in the form of small charges in the bank log

[GOT ROCKS]

In addition, buying it one piece at a time hides the actual expense from my wife in the form of small charges in the bank log

That is soooo true.  I have been there.  That is why I got my own bank account and just ask her when I need the stuff I don't want to pay for.

Makes her feel like she is contributing to the end result.

I am just kidding, but it is still funny, because we can all relate on some level.