Looking for some feedback on planning my own lift!

Hey guys so after looking around at lifts and realizing that everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses instead of perfecting a lift system after 30 years. I've decided to piece my own together. I'm looking for some input on parts, Im piecing my list
together and with my new job ill have the cash pretty soon here.

Im going to be building a DD/exploration rig, something that can crawl decently, get through mud and really importantly, scale those steep hills we have out here.

97 XJ 4.0 d30 front, AX15 trans, NP242 tcase, and a Chrysler 8.25 rear.

This will be a long arm lift. Looking to be around 5 inches to fit 33's but keeping it LCOG. I was really torn between rustys and bds. bds is all around a great ride from what i hear and I know their springs are some of the best, stupid expensive though.
Rustys offer a killer deal with pretty decent components, ive heard a lot about their QC problems though and honestly just not exactly what im looking for.


I want Bilstein 7100s, cheaper in the long run and I can valve them to that sweet spot I want. Dont want the rock hard fox that BDS offers, I certainly dont want rustys own shocks. That was really what caused me to just go my own route.
No point buying a kit that doesnt have exactly what you want because you're lazy or uninformed.


I want a decent ride for DD and road trips, but moreso geared for the bush, my shocks right now are completely gone and the body roll is so bad i get a sore neck if im driving around too long.
Thing is, i live in alberta on the east side of the rockies, but eventually i want to head out west to BC and do some coastal wheeling, especially vancouver island, they have a great scene over there as well
.... back to my point, I'm thinking of going with the OME leafs because from what i heard, they're the absolute best riding leaf and they last much longer than any competitors.
Im pretty sure they're 3" of lift, so ill go with a shackle relocation and longer shackles to get me up to that 4.5 to 5.5" of lift in the back.


I'm not 100% sure on my long arms, I really like the TnT Ylink, I mean if you guys can say that a 3 link system is worth the money then I may have to consider that,
but they seem to have a very solid system going on, i also like the arch in the arms to give more clearance as well as how high the mouts are in the crossmember


I dont have any clue what to run for coils, I've read that RC coils are pretty decent riding and obviously they're going to be pretty cheap which is a plus.
Any suggestions? I will EVENTUALLY have a steel bumper/winch just fyi


I'd like to run the Toyo 33x13.5 open countries, I want to go for a real wide footprint, like a bulldog haha.
backspace them so they're way out (we have no fender laws here, even though mine are trimmed and have bushwhackers installed by the PO to fit 31's at stock height)


Everything else I'll probably pick up from 4wheelparts because they have a store in my city and you can't beat free shipping.


I plan on locking the front pretty soon after and im wondering if i should get chromoly shafts in there when i do my regear with the lift or if stock shafts will hold reliably.


ah yes, second question, Gearing the diffs with an AX15, im aware my axle gears are WAY lower than the AW4 versions, for the 33's and an AX15 where should i sit?
4.11 or 4.56? with 31's and stock gears, i cant even get into fifth on the highway without speeding, and 4th is revving at around 2600 at highway speeds, killing mpg prob. ps that 4th gear is tall as hell.


Thanks!

Sounds like a good plan to me, although a bit expensive(my opinion).There are many ways to make an XJ work great without brand name parts, there are plenty of build threads on here to read. I had 488s and 36s with my ax-15 and it was plenty low. I'd say 410s should be fine, 4.56s if you want a slower crawl speed. You have 3.07s right? Dana 30s are pretty tough. If you have abs, your shafts are bigger and stronger, and should hold up fine. When I eventually go long arm, I will be doing a true 4 link with arms mounted on crossmember and frame.

Rusty's kit has some solid arms, but there flex joints aren't that great.

Definitely go bilstein shocks and not rustys.

I have straight arms and would go for the high clearance ones if I did it again. That being said, good luck bending your own lower control arms.

For the rear, just buy Deavers. You will end up buying them down the road anyway.

If I were you, I would go with PAC racing springs. I just ordered a set of 4" 250 lb/in springs. They are just under 150 bucks, and are great springs from what I have read. I wouldn't go under 200 lb/in on any springs you order.

If you are locking the front get a 30 spline locker and some basic alloy shafts, that should be plenty strong. That's what I run on 37's and haven't had an issue.

AaronNW said:

Rusty's kit has some solid arms, but there flex joints aren't that great.

Definitely go bilstein shocks and not rustys.

I have straight arms and would go for the high clearance ones if I did it again. That being said, good luck bending your own lower control arms.

For the rear, just buy Deavers. You will end up buying them down the road anyway.

If I were you, I would go with PAC racing springs. I just ordered a set of 4" 250 lb/in springs. They are just under 150 bucks, and are great springs from what I have read. I wouldn't go under 200 lb/in on any springs you order.

If you are locking the front get a 30 spline locker and some basic alloy shafts, that should be plenty strong. That's what I run on 37's and haven't had an issue.

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i heard the joints on the rustys arent great, id rather go with rubber bushings all round. ill consider rustys though... thoughts on their 4link?

Deavers eh? never heard, ill look them up.

k ill look into pac springs, with springs, more weight means more stable but more bumpy right? i mean what would the sweet spot be?

37s on a d30? wtf? might have to go with 35's...

moparmansfield said:

Sounds like a good plan to me, although a bit expensive(my opinion).There are many ways to make an XJ work great without brand name parts, there are plenty of build threads on here to read. I had 488s and 36s with my ax-15 and it was plenty low. I'd say 410s should be fine, 4.56s if you want a slower crawl speed. You have 3.07s right? Dana 30s are pretty tough. If you have abs, your shafts are bigger and stronger, and should hold up fine. When I eventually go long arm, I will be doing a true 4 link with arms mounted on crossmember and frame.

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3.07 yup, no abs though, ill look at 4 link... 4 link wont unload as much right?

My rustys joint wore out real quick, and it wasn't from lack of grease. They are also the same price to buy and rebuild as the quality johnny joints.

Deaver makes the best leaf springs. Anyone on here will tell you that. The are 700 compared to others that are around 400. Call them directly to order springs if that's what you decide on.

the larger the lb/in number, the stiffer the spring. Right now I have rustys at 180 lb/in and they are way too soft. That is also because I am pretty heavy.

Stiffer springs will help with stability and body roll, but will also cause a stiffer ride. That stiffer ride in my case is a good thing. Worst that could happen is you don't like the spring rate you got, so you sell your coils and buy the right ones for a 50 dollar loss. I would say 200 lb/in progressive spring would be great for you.

I actually run a tj rubicon 44. It has the same tubes, axle shafts, knuckles, and ball joints as a dana 30. I trussed it and gusseted the knuckles.

I would keep it too 33's for a daily driver. I run 37's because its a designated wheeler, and I have a 8" lift in the front.

Cthulu91 said:

i heard the joints on the rustys arent great, id rather go with rubber bushings all round. ill consider rustys though... thoughts on their 4link?

Deavers eh? never heard, ill look them up.

k ill look into pac springs, with springs, more weight means more stable but more bumpy right? i mean what would the sweet spot be?

37s on a d30? wtf? might have to go with 35's...




3.07 yup, no abs though, ill look at 4 link... 4 link wont unload as much right?

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Something like this

http://www.rustysoffroad.com/jeep-s...-xj-competition-4-link-suspension-system.html

And yeah I think there isn't much of an unloading issue with this setup. But I never really noticed it on my y-link at all.

AaronNW said:

My rustys joint wore out real quick, and it wasn't from lack of grease. They are also the same price to buy and rebuild as the quality johnny joints.

Deaver makes the best leaf springs. Anyone on here will tell you that. The are 700 compared to others that are around 400. Call them directly to order springs if that's what you decide on.

the larger the lb/in number, the stiffer the spring. Right now I have rustys at 180 lb/in and they are way too soft. That is also because I am pretty heavy.

Stiffer springs will help with stability and body roll, but will also cause a stiffer ride. That stiffer ride in my case is a good thing. Worst that could happen is you don't like the spring rate you got, so you sell your coils and buy the right ones for a 50 dollar loss. I would say 200 lb/in progressive spring would be great for you.

I actually run a tj rubicon 44. It has the same tubes, axle shafts, knuckles, and ball joints as a dana 30. I trussed it and gusseted the knuckles.

I would keep it too 33's for a daily driver. I run 37's because its a designated wheeler, and I have a 8" lift in the front.

Click to expand...

i really REALLY like the setup the tnt has going on for y link, they're not that much more than the competition either. IF a 4 link is better then i will have to look into it, ive heard its "better" but the consensus sounds like its only really worth going to a 4 link LA if you're super serious about crawling and such.

This jeep wont always be a DD, ill be done EMT school by feb next year and i plan to do a 350 swap or a crated stroker after i pay off my loans.

what kind of spring rate would i be looking for to drive comfortably on dirt roads and etc? like i said, im on full stock and my shocks are completely done, i can probably compress them by hand without even trying.

i mean basically end goal is to do a road trip with my dad and his JK down to south america and do a bit of conservative wheeling down there.

i was kidding with the 35's haha too much work and 33s are a great tire as is.

moparmansfield said:

Something like this

http://www.rustysoffroad.com/jeep-s...-xj-competition-4-link-suspension-system.html

And yeah I think there isn't much of an unloading issue with this setup. But I never really noticed it on my y-link at all.

Click to expand...

ya ive looked at that, whats the verdict around here?

I really like my TNT y link kit, if radius arm is what you want, IMO they are the best.

whitexj98 said:

I really like my TNT y link kit, if radius arm is what you want, IMO they are the best.

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i looked up your build thread.... Dayumn. I'll take your advice any day haha.

shackle relocation... worth it as well yea?