Getting my first lift.

Im now 24 and ive had my xj since high school and have never lifted it. Its a late 89 with a 4.0/ax15. I have wheeled it and use it for my hunting rig. The only thing I have done is shim the fork on the front axle cause it kept losing vacuum due to crusty hoses. On that, I do plan on getting a 1 piece shaft.

Now onto what I want. Im looking at the full traction and tnt customs. Im only looking for 3.5 inch lift and they offer that in long arm. Around my area, there is rocks, sand/dunes, mud, snow, logging roads, hill climbs ect... so I want to keep my lcg somewhat low but, want some lift and flex. Some have said,"just go with a short arm." And I say,"why limit myself?" If I ever want to go to 4.5in, just buy a shackle relocator and new front springs or spacers. I plan on running 33's, switch to a d44 or 8.25 with a locker in the front and rear. I know the 2 kits are different styles and im ok with that. I know they will have their pros and cons being a 4 link and y link but, me having so many different terrains, I cant have a "best kit".

Has anyone have a insight on both kits? Has anyone had problems with spring/coil sag? Hows the warranty and customer service?

I have $4800 to do everything I need. Im leaning towards the full traction kit for the reason of being on a budget and it can be had for $2050 with bilstien 5100 shocks. The tnt is about $2500 with shocks. The extra $500 saved can be lockers or close to a set of tires.

I plan on running km2's or wrangler duratracs. The reason being is I heard great things about them in all terrains. If anyone else has another suggestion for tires, feel free to let me know. Just remember, im not looking for the best rock tire or best mud, I need them to do good in all, not great in 1.

For lockers, Im not looking for a air or electric locker. I dont have onboard air and dont plan on having it, atleast anytime soon. I havent done much research yet on what lockers to use.

I plan on doing a sye with a cv shaft. I know its not really need at 3.5 inches but, if a u joint or something breaks I dont want the yoke to come out. Also, it should give me better drive line angle.

I say you cannot go wrong with either companies kit. Tnt is probably the best y-link kit out there. Clayton is awesome as well.

But, for cost saving and the fact that you will be able to pull your crossmember out without messing with your suspension the BDS kit seems like a better idea.
For tires, I would say MTR-k, duratrac, kelly safari tsr (basically the same as duratrac, but usually cheaper). Have also heard great things about the Grabber Red letters. There are members, such as souske, who have had KM2's and converted to MTR-k's and haven't looked back. I have MTR-k 31's on my heep. I mostly DD it meow, and go out to the dunes. Never let me down, and they still look new.
Treadlightly.org also has a rebate for these tires in addition to the one GY usually offers. So, take that into consideration also.
Definitely recommend skids if you do not already have them. As far as lockers go, pick up a pair of lunchbox lockers and toss em in.

Johnnie Walker said:

I say you cannot go wrong with either companies kit. Tnt is probably the best y-link kit out there. Clayton is awesome as well.

But, for cost saving and the fact that you will be able to pull your crossmember out without messing with your suspension the BDS kit seems like a better idea.
For tires, I would say MTR-k, duratrac, kelly safari tsr (basically the same as duratrac, but usually cheaper). Have also heard great things about the Grabber Red letters. There are members, such as souske, who have had KM2's and converted to MTR-k's and haven't looked back. I have MTR-k 31's on my heep. I mostly DD it meow, and go out to the dunes. Never let me down, and they still look new.
Treadlightly.org also has a rebate for these tires in addition to the one GY usually offers. So, take that into consideration also.
Definitely recommend skids if you do not already have them. As far as lockers go, pick up a pair of lunchbox lockers and toss em in.

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I have been looking today and doing some reading on aussie lockers. They seem to be decent from what ive read. It seems like there are a few good all around tires out right now. Ill just have to keep researching and reading reviews.

I know my budget isnt huge for what I all need but, im trying to make it work. Ive talked to a few guys with a rc long arm 4.5" kit and they seem to like them. Ive read that they are starting to make their kits more "quality". The only issue is they dont make a 3.5" lift. Maybe my wants are too much for my budget haha:dunno:

Piece a kit together. This has been covered a million times.

/thread

Action Fab said:

Piece a kit together. This has been covered a million times.

/thread

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I have thought about doing that but, they seem to come out right at or more then a complete quality kit.

It may have been covered a million times, but not everyone knows what to look for. Its makes it more hard to "search" if you dont know exactly what your looking for. Example; google dont show you tires if you dont know the name of them. So just saying its been covered a million times or search doesnt help. Ive been searching for what I would call a damn good amount of time and sometimes asking for alittle help can reveal something I could have never found. I feel that the time you spent writing, what to me is a useless reply and thinking to yourself, "man this is another newb that didnt search." You could have saved your time or wrote something helpful.

That's the thing. Everyone has an opinion about what's best. Personally I'd never buy any long arm off the shelf kit because they're all shit as compared to what I can build. That being said. You can piece together a decent kit using different components. You'll spend more money, but it's worth the extra cost. Full traction makes a good long arm kit that is strong. Their track bars are shit and I'm not crazy about the ground clearance they have. Rubicon express sucks for crawling but their kit is the shit on road or in the dunes. T&T makes a decent kit but it's over priced. Then there is Clayton. Very strong... crappy crossmember design.... it's one of those things that unless you can look at each kit and see its flaw. You probably don't have the knowledge or experience to care what each flaw is. You won't be upset with any of them. You don't have anything to compare them too anyway. It's be the best lift kit you've ever experienced.

Just stay away from IRO.

I agree with Actionfab.

No kit is complete anyway, there will always be something they are missing.

Having seen more than one rig with the full traction kit, I wouldn't put it on a lowcog rig. It's a badass kit for sure, but it hangs down pretty good compared to a few others out there.

Polyperformance makes the most bitchin long arm out there for an XJ.

Action Fab said:

That's the thing. Everyone has an opinion about what's best. Personally I'd never buy any long arm off the shelf kit because they're all shit as compared to what I can build. That being said. You can piece together a decent kit using different components. You'll spend more money, but it's worth the extra cost. Full traction makes a good long arm kit that is strong. Their track bars are shit and I'm not crazy about the ground clearance they have. Rubicon express sucks for crawling but their kit is the shit on road or in the dunes. T&T makes a decent kit but it's over priced. Then there is Clayton. Very strong... crappy crossmember design.... it's one of those things that unless you can look at each kit and see its flaw. You probably don't have the knowledge or experience to care what each flaw is. You won't be upset with any of them. You don't have anything to compare them too anyway. It's be the best lift kit you've ever experienced.

Just stay away from IRO.

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Thanks for that feed back. It honestly did help because now I know some of the kits flaws. It seems most people wont tell the honest truth about the kit they run cause alot try to act like its the best since they bought it.

I know there isnt a best kit. I just want to get one together that will do good in all conditions and not just be the best in one and completly suck in another. I understand that it can be a big order to fill and thats why I would like to get the "best" for the money spent.

1manwolfpack said:

I know there isnt a best kit. I just want to get one together that will do good in all conditions and not just be the best in one and completly suck in another. I understand that it can be a big order to fill and thats why I would like to get the "best" for the money spent.

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Look for a kit that is a 3 link, with a removable crossmember that allows the link mounts to stay in place to service the trans/t-case and doesn't hang down too low.

Action Fab said:

Look for a kit that is a 3 link, with a removable crossmember that allows the link mounts to stay in place to service the trans/t-case and doesn't hang down too low.

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Polyperformance.

And you get a big section of frame stiffener to go with it.

Any suggestions on some companies with a 3 link setup and a crossmember?

I looked on poly performance's and I didnt run across any poly products. I seen ome, deaver, rc ect... got a link?

Synergy suspension is part of PP.

http://www.polyperformance.com/shop/Synergy-Manufacturing-p-1-c-1311.html

Johnnie Walker said:

Synergy suspension is part of PP.

http://www.polyperformance.com/shop/Synergy-Manufacturing-p-1-c-1311.html

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I thought you meant poly had its own parts. Synergy is out of my price range. Its $2000 before shocks, coils and leafs. Im on a budget that cant be budged. Thanks for that link though.

Might have to give them a call. I haven't seen the 3-link on their site for awhile

if you can weld, you can do that kit for a lot less.
you can just get the 3 link brackets from them and make your own arms. it will require making a new UCA mount on the axle as well.

iirc they stopped listing the 3 link because it's not bolt-on. technically their 4 link is bolt on, but I wouldn't run that without welding the frame brackets.

Im not confident enough in my welding to do that. I know thats a huge down fall when doing budget stuff but it is what it is.

Look at serious offroad long arms if you are ok with radius arms then go from their with your coils and leafs
I'd go for progressive rate coils or dual rate
And I'd go with shackle relocators and quality leafs. Of course a quality track bar.

It looks like serious offroad has a nice complete kit that come with re coils/springs, sye, drive shaft, bilstiens ect... for $2500. That to me sounds like one hell of a deal. It is a 4.5" which is alittle bigger then what I was wanting to do right now but, I could live with it.

1manwolfpack said:

It looks like serious offroad has a nice complete kit that come with re coils/springs, sye, drive shaft, bilstiens ect... for $2500. That to me sounds like one hell of a deal. It is a 4.5" which is alittle bigger then what I was wanting to do right now but, I could live with it.

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He makes good products
Does it come with a track bar?