How Did The Up Country Package Achieve Its 1" Lift

So, I have a 1996 Cherokee Classic with the Up Country package.

At the dealership, they told me it had a factory 1" lift. You could tell it was true, because it sat a bit higher than the XJs around it, even though they all had the same sized tires.

I'm wondering how they achieved that lift. For example, I've seen some taller spring isolators that say they lift the front 1 1/2". If the Up Country package gets its 1" lift from taller spring isolators, though, then the aftermarket isolators would offer only an additional 1/2" lift, right?

Same with the rear. If the 1" Up Country comes from the leaf springs, then going with 2" lift leaf springs would actually only net me an additional 1" of lift, wouldn't it?

The Up Country has different coils and leafs; part numbers are different than standard suspension parts. Are your springs/coils in good shape? sagging?

Closest aftermarket you can get are the Moog CC782 coil springs and Crown 4886186AA leaf springs.

Up Country had different coils, leafs, and shocks from the factory as far as I know.

Unless you know the baseline of how much your factory springs have sagged, it is difficult to say how much lift you'd get by replacing parts.

For example, some people will replace sagging stock factory leafs with new stock replacements and say they got 2" of lift out of them. It may have raised the vehicle 2" in the rear, but that's just restoring the factory ride height, it really isn't a "lift".

Many quote 17.5" front and 17" from center of wheel cap to underside of fender trim as the factory ride height. My 01 XJ measures around 18" with refreshed stock parts so there's wiggle room in any numbers you see.

If you have Up Country with its 1-1.5" lift, and add 1.5" isolators, then the ride height will be 1.5" higher than whatever it is today. That would be 2.5-3" over stock.

Its harder to say if you do something with the rear leafs because the factory ones are notorious for sagging.

I'm looking at retiring the old girl. I just found a 2001 Cherokee classic with all the options mine has (NP242, cruise control, overhead console), except for the Up Country package. It only has 26,000 miles on it, and everything looks amazing.

I'm thinking of getting it, swapping over my trailer hitch, and adding a 2, or 3 inch lift and a Detroit Tru Trac.

My rear leafs kinda suck. The straps holding the leafs together have been jangling for years. I was thinking of swapping the front springs over, installing the 1" taller spring isolators when I did. I'm thinking that would put me at 2, 2 1/2" lift in the front. Then I'd just have to swap out the rear leaf springs to even out the lift, and add a transfer case drop mount, right?

My 1997 Country sagged badly. The springs were replaced with OME 2930 front coil and CS033RB1 rear springs, with the third leaf removed
On a lightly loaded XJ, they provided 1" over stock, in the front and 1-1/2" over stock in the rear.
After a couple years, they have not sagged.

lazyxj said:

My 1997 Country sagged badly. The springs were replaced with OME 2930 front coil and CS033RB1 rear springs, with the third leaf removed
On a lightly loaded XJ, they provided 1" over stock, in the front and 1-1/2" over stock in the rear.
After a couple years, they have not sagged.

Click to expand...

OME may have changed the rears around since yours were installed? I bought a pair of CS033RB springs in fall 2014 and with one leaf removed I'm about 2-1/4" - 3-1/4" above stock. (20-1/4" from center of wheel cap to bottom of wheel well trim). Norman 929-301 on my other Jeep made this measurement 18" same shackles, etc. Or are your measurements between Up Country and OME?

md21722 said:

OME may have changed the rears around since yours were installed? I bought a pair of CS033RB springs in fall 2014 and with one leaf removed I'm about 2-1/4" - 3-1/4" above stock. (20-1/4" from center of wheel cap to bottom of wheel well trim). Norman 929-301 on my other Jeep made this measurement 18" same shackles, etc. Or are your measurements between Up Country and OME?

Click to expand...

Same on mine - I'm at 3.25" over stock in the rear WITH the 3rd leaf removed. Been spot on over a year, no settling. Had to install a 1/2" spacer up front to level out with the Rusty's Coils.

CarbonXJ said:

Same on mine - I'm at 3.25" over stock in the rear WITH the 3rd leaf removed. Been spot on over a year, no settling. Had to install a 1/2" spacer up front to level out with the Rusty's Coils.

Click to expand...

I used the ZJ V8 2934 springs rather than the I6 springs and front and rear are level. No settling here either, and that was about 35,000 miles ago.

Measured the 1997 Country this morning and found the rears at 19-1/2" and the fronts also at 19-1/2".
It sit 1" higher in the front and 1-1/2", higher in the rear, compared to a standard Country or 2" and 2-1/2" higher than a standard XJ.

I measured mine today. I'm at 18 1/4" in the front, and 17 1/2" in the rear.

The Jeep was on a lift yesterday getting the new rack bar adjusted, so I'm going to check the front again in a day, or two and see if it settles any.