What else do I need for 3.5" RE lift?

[Double Down]

Have a 97 4 door and I am thinking about doing the Rubicon Express 3.5" Super-ride lift. Don't do a ton of off-roading but would like a good lift, so this seem to work.

Besides shocks, what else will I need for this? The kit includes:

BRAKE LINE SS REAR XJ/ZJ
COIL SPRINGS XJ 3"
5/16" CENTER PIN
ADD-A-LEAF KIT XJ 2.5
*CONTROL ARM SR2 LOWER FIXED
SWAY BAR DISCONNECT ADAPTER BRACKET XJ-ZJ
S/B END LINKS XJ / ZJ
SPRING CLAMP CLIP 2.5"

Since I am doing most of my driving on road for right now, will I need a SYE or new drive-shaft?

Also, who would have the best prices on this kit?

If you have any other ideas for getting a good 3.5" or so of lift while getting a good ride, please let me know.

Thanks,

Chris

[XJ91]

I looked at that very kit then was persuaded to go just a step up RE6025 3" Super Ride w/ Rear Springs instead of AAL. I don't know why they call it a 3" lift when the leafs are 3.5" and the coils are 3.5"???

If you mind to re-locate your front brake lines, then maybe some SS for the front or '95 YJ replacements.

Your 97 would need a SYE / Driveshaft.

I got my lift for $580. USD $760 CAD, through a company in BC, Canada.

Don't forget 31" meats, no triming needed with them.

[JeepinAudiophile]

i just ordered my RE6130 for $695... $807 with shipping. 4x4groupbuys.com They have the best prices on many products, i think it depends on how many they sell... but they get great deals from RE since they are the largest RE retailer in North America.

[Kejtar]

Since I am doing most of my driving on road for right now, will I need a SYE or new drive-shaft?

Hope that you don't need it but still expect it :D

[herreraxto]

or just get the t-case drop kit

[Double Down]

So you are saying that I can get the lift and don't need the SYE or drive-shaft...JUST get the t-case drop kit?

Also, should I get new lower control arms also, or is that not a big deal right now?


Chris

[XJ91]

So you are saying that I can get the lift and don't need the SYE or drive-shaft...JUST get the t-case drop kit?

Also, should I get new lower control arms also, or is that not a big deal right now?


Chris

If you'r lucky only a TC-drop kit.

You get Fixed lower control arms with the kit, do you mean "Do you need Adj. Control arms"?

[Will Penny]

Well, you guys missed out. I bought my RE 6030 from crawltech.com for $679 with free shipping and free shocks about 2 months ago. I just checked their site and sale is over. Sorry. As for the lift, It rides pretty good and it's alot of fun. I have a 00' and I put in a 1" transfer case drop. I have minor vibes between 20-30mph on acceleration but I also put in a ford 8.8 and I put too much angle on the pinion. I plan to eventually put on a SYE but ran out of jeep $$$$$.

[SNOWBLIND]

i ordered mine directly from RE, they seemed to have the "best" prices.

[96XJCLASSIC]

i ordered mine directly from RE, they seemed to have the "best" prices.

Yikes. Really?????? :huh: Fill me in.

[Double Down]

Okay, so what is the consensus? Do I or do I not need a SYE and new drive-shaft with the 3.5 Super-Ride Kit from RE?

Thanks,

Chris

[JeepinAudiophile]

Personally, I'd buy it whether i needed it or not. But that's just me. Sorry for the lack of reasoning, but if setup properly it can only help.

[Captain Ron]

I did the Superflex kit, full leafs, and did not regret it one bit. Figure in longer shocks, and you WILL need a Tcase lowering kit.

--ron

[IDF_Johnny]

I did the exact same lift on my 98 and started with the t case drop about a year ago. great lift, should have gone with the replacement rear leafs and just recently installed the sye and new shaft because it still had vibes with the drop kit. I got my kit direct from RE because I live close and just picked it up, paid $588 with the OME shocks...

[sivrt]

I have the RE 6020 3,5" super ride kit with AAL and I`m very happy with it..
I have 4 degree axle shims and I`m doing my own transfer case drop kit these days.
I have vibes at 60 mph but with the new transfer case lowering kit I`m making I hope this will disappear.
You know, with 1" drop on the case, you only have 2,5" lift on the driveline which should work fine without SYE. Especially if you use degree shims also.

[etaniyani]

like the others said AAL are not recomended. the ride will not be as good as full leaf packs. i would lead you towards the full leafs because you will like the ride better, and they will last longer. i got the same lift with full leafs in the rear, on my 2001 had major vibes without adjustment. fabbed some 3/4 inch transfer case drop and fixed the majority of the problem. still have very minor vibes between 30-40 mph. if you dont plan on wheeling your rig and dont want to hassle with the mechanical problems of a 3.5 inch kit, get the 2 inch budget boost, and you can fit 30 inch tires pretty nicely. up to you. if money is not too much of a concern and you prefer to do things right, get the 3.5 inch kit, full leaf pack, and SYE or transfer case drop. i can get you all the parts you need from Rubicon Express for a pretty good price. im out of town now, back on the 29th and i can get a pricing for you then. if you want a plush ride, i recommend the doetch tech shocks. let me know what you decide. i also sent you a PM. PM me with your decision.

[scottd29]

If you are running a 97 you will probably want to get an SYE and new driveshaft. I made a mistake of of thinking I wouldn't need one on my 95. As I understand 97 and newer XJ's are even more prone to vibrations. If its not in the budget a t-case drop would suffice but kind of defeats the purpose of lifting the vehicle in the first place. Definetly get the full leaf packs. Also I got my kit from dirk at www.dpgoffroad.com . $611 plus shipping and $115 per pair of OME shocks.

[01XJLMTD]

I just installed the RE 6020 3.5" super ride from quadratech came with all part you listed plus 4 shocks. I'm running mtr 245-75-16's. I had a vibration at 40-60. Installed a 1" t-case crossmember shim and it corrected the vibration. By the way the kit cost $349 plus shipping of about $60.00.
So far I love it..

[shotstopper]

I just installed that same kit this past weekend on my '98. Its awesome!
I did end up having to buy a new front track bar. The directions have you move the stock one over and redrill a hole. This works but weakens stuff. The guy who helped me install mine said he originally did this and it broke off. So I bought a Rubicon extended track bar. Works great and went on smooth except for a bolt that broke off.
Hope this helps.

[shotstopper]

The rest of my message did not reply on my post for some reason.
I bought a new track bar. The instructions for the kit say just to relocate it, but a friend who has the same kit said he originally did this and it broke off. So I went with the Rubicon extended track bar. I have no problems with vibration except on turns, I need to check it out but I think its just the tires are rubbing so I might have to trim some.
Also, I went with the Doetch shocks (spelling?) and they work great! I have not lowered anything and it seems fine. Hope this helps.

[herreraxto]

do you have any pics how your xj looks

[urbanXJ]

I suggest the "SYE" conversion. Get rid of the long stock yoke! Get a heavy duty shaft with long "slip-spines" The install is not very difficult. After you have done it I bet you think to yourself ''why would I not." I did the lift, and with slightly longer shocks & no rear "sway-bar" the rear axle travels down and is eventually supported by the yoke-output shaft. Considering the yoke rides on bearings in the aluminimum bell-housing, if components were to fail you'd be SOL. Why drop the TC? So you can get high-centered more?

Tom Woods, from my expirence provided a very heavy duty shaft, and the "SYE" conversion. Customer scervice is great.

In the end, I found much better articulation with the yoke&DS change.

The heavy duty shaft is a double cardan style bolting onto the yoke with the slip sleave located on the main shaft so the vertical stress on the TC from rear end travel is no longer possible.

Best mod ever for me:)

[shotstopper]

Yea, I have a few. I don't know how to post photos though. If someone could tell me how I would. I do now how to send it via e-mail though. What
kind of photos are you looking for?
I have a digital camera, so I can take some of specific areas if you like.

[SNOWBLIND]

i got the RE6020 , the super ride w/ the add a leafs for like $350. that was without shocks or shopping. i ordered it directly from RE. i did a little looking around but thought it best to buy directly from the maker, if possible

[Brian Carpenter]

I hate shims.. it only seems like they add another bit of space for something to fail in... Without them, your springs fit tight to the axle then the U bolts are just to keep the top and bottom together, the spring itself won't allow for any lateral movement because its tight..

My recommendation is ... trash the shims, go with a drop shackle that will give you back the lift plus a tilt to the axle itself..
I have a 6 inch lift with a 2" t-case drop and 2" longer shackles, and no vibrations, everything is strong enough to crawl with

[Drake00XJ]

I just ordered my RE6020 kit yesterday. I got an awesome deal on the kit and shocks. Contact Maurice Kirby, sales@americanmudder.com
Ask for a quote and he'll be sure to give you a very competitive price, maybe the best.

[xj92]

I hate shims.. it only seems like they add another bit of space for something to fail in... Without them, your springs fit tight to the axle then the U bolts are just to keep the top and bottom together, the spring itself won't allow for any lateral movement because its tight..

My recommendation is ... trash the shims, go with a drop shackle that will give you back the lift plus a tilt to the axle itself..
I have a 6 inch lift with a 2" t-case drop and 2" longer shackles, and no vibrations, everything is strong enough to crawl with

Just keep in mind that any transfer case drop makes the motor sit at more of an angle relative to its mounts, which isn't normally a problem, but the more you drop it the more of a problem it would become. 2" is more than most people do, and I wouldn't recommend it, but 1" shouldn't be a problem. I ran mine with a 1" TC drop for a year or two until I could afford the SYE. After putting the SYE on, I noticed my manual tranny was slightly easier to shift again, because of the way the shifter was aligned with the hole. Just a few things to consider.

I too use a longer shackle to correct the angle though, and it works great.

[Motornoggin]

Here is my 89. It has the R.E. 3.5" kit with AAL. I plan on doing Dakota springs in the future. I do not have a SYE or a T-case drop, but that may not be needed on the 89. I have no vibes or problems. I did make my own adjustable track bar. As you can see, it took some trimming to fit the 33x9.50x15s on there.
http://img14.exs.cx/img14/6118/Cherokee001.jpg

http://img14.exs.cx/img14/7302/Cherokee002.jpg

http://img14.exs.cx/img14/4774/Cherokee003.jpg

[herreraxto]

are those 33" tires

[urbanXJ]

Have a 97 4 door and I am thinking about doing the Rubicon Express 3.5" Super-ride lift. Don't do a ton of off-roading but would like a good lift, so this seem to work.

Besides shocks, what else will I need for this? The kit includes:

BRAKE LINE SS REAR XJ/ZJ
COIL SPRINGS XJ 3"
5/16" CENTER PIN
ADD-A-LEAF KIT XJ 2.5
*CONTROL ARM SR2 LOWER FIXED
SWAY BAR DISCONNECT ADAPTER BRACKET XJ-ZJ
S/B END LINKS XJ / ZJ
SPRING CLAMP CLIP 2.5"

Since I am doing most of my driving on road for right now, will I need a SYE or new drive-shaft?

Also, who would have the best prices on this kit?

If you have any other ideas for getting a good 3.5" or so of lift while getting a good ride, please let me know.

Thanks,

Chris

I would include bumpstops or hocky pucks.

Chris, Should have mentioned this the first time.
In addition to the problem I had with the stock rear DS, I should note my setup, with 31x10.5 MT/R's WILL RUB.

I have an RE 3.5 "super flex" kit (full rear spring pac) on mine, with JKS track-bar and discos.

Add 2 or 3 hocky pucks (RTV them together and in place) inside each coil when changing the coil springs. Then the 31's won't rub in the front when they get stuffed. Or, change the bumpstop while your in there.

In the back, use a block of somthing and extend the stock stop.
Or, you could just let the tires carve out their own space.
Or, go for the 4.5" kit.
Good luck with it!

[Double Down]

What part rubs? I was going to do a lot of trimming and put fender flares, will that help? My main concern right now is the driveshaft and vibes. If I get a hack n tap from RE, will that help?

This is my daily driver, but I only drive it like 2 times a week at most. But if I want to take trips or go longer distances I don't want to screw anything up. I just want a good lift for a good price that doesn't require to many mods to the driveline, etc and I can put on some bigger tires. That is why I was thinking the 3.5".

Let me know what you think and why.

Thanks,

Chris

[urbanXJ]

What part rubs? I was going to do a lot of trimming and put fender flares, will that help? My main concern right now is the driveshaft and vibes. If I get a hack n tap from RE, will that help?

This is my daily driver, but I only drive it like 2 times a week at most. But if I want to take trips or go longer distances I don't want to screw anything up. I just want a good lift for a good price that doesn't require to many mods to the driveline, etc and I can put on some bigger tires. That is why I was thinking the 3.5".

Let me know what you think and why.

Thanks,

Chris

If you plan on trimming then no problem with 31's at least.

The driveline is a diffrent story.
What I did was to lift it, and drive it. Very quickly I realized my 00 needed the conversion. On the trail I realized there was no way the stock setup would pass.
On the other hand I have a friend who claims no vibs on his 97 with 4.5" lift.
SO WTF?
Lift it then drive it. You will know shortly thereafter.

I don't know about the hack-n-tap. I got a Woods kit that installed&operates smoothly.

Mabe someone will chime in about their expirence with the hack-n-tap.

In the end, you may have more vibs from the tires than the driveline. So just do it, and see what you end up with:)

[Silver Bullet]

Okay, so what is the consensus? Do I or do I not need a SYE and new drive-shaft with the 3.5 Super-Ride Kit from RE?

Thanks,

Chris

I put the 3.5" kit with rear leaf pack on my 2000 XJ along with front brake lines and an adjustable trac bar.

I would add a 1 inch coil spacer to the front since most Xj's with this kit will sit low in the front.

I tried getting away with a TC drop kit at first, but the vibes were to bad so a week later it went into a shop for an Advanced Adapters SYE and Tom Woods drive shaft. Total cost for that work was around $650 including parts.

Hope this helps
Bullet

[clay]

In the end, you may have more vibs from the tires than the driveline. So just do it, and see what you end up with:)

This is an excellent point. Running heavier tires (C rated LT rather than A rated P) on the vehicle can cause vibes. The dealer that sold me my ford van thought he was doing me a favor putting brand new tires with an "E" load rating on it. In the test drive, it ran smoothly at all speeds. With the new tires it gave really bad vibes at about +60mph. I had them balanced twice (since all tire shops think it is a balance issue) but it didn't help. They were putting 55 psi in the tires and a friend told me to drop it 35 and they are smoother (although the vibes still exist--can't wait to put a lighter duty tire on it).

As I have read these forums with all the talk of vibes I have often wondered how much of it is really driveline and how much is the tires (C rated BFGs with 45 psi would have the same impact on an XJ as I experienced in my van--and you can't balance your way out of it). Lest any think I have cheap tires, they are Goodyear Wrangler HT's that balance and spin well.

Clay

[Double Down]

Curious you brought that up about the tires. How can you tell if a tire is heavier or not? Since I don't know that much about tires, teach me.

Thanks,

Chris

[clay]

My post should have said that I dropped the tires from 55 psi to 35 psi, not that I dropped it by 35 psi.

I call a tire "heavier" based upon the number of ply and the load rating. Your Jeep was likely sold with passenger tires with a load rating of "A" (for example P225/75 R15). Passenger tires are great for onroad use, very smooth, very soft. When you go up to a tire with a "C" load rating (most light truck tires have this rating) the sideways are generally thicker (more ply) and more rigid--great for offroading but can be stiff and cause vibes during on road driving. One trick is that if you add weight to your vehicle the negative effects of the stiffer tires will likely go away--but it will also hurt your gas milage. I know folk on this site will scream when I say this but if your vehicle is a daily driver and nearly all of your driving is onroad you might want to consider a passenger tire. They make them in the same sizes as LT tires (up to about a 33" I think, although they typically come in metric so a P265/75 is about the same as a LT31x10.5 in size). When looking for tires it is important to be honest with yourself. Are you really a weekend warrior, hitting the trails on a regular basis, or are a guy who likes to have a tougher looking jeep that can occationally do some pretty cool offroading?

If you do a lot of offroading than you must go with an LT tire. Many years ago, during my first offroading experience I had rocks tear through the sidewalls of two passenger tires in one trip! Given that I only had one spare, I was stuck for a while.

clay

[Double Down]

Okay, since I do 80% on road and 20% off, is there such a thing as a rugged looking passenger truck tire. Don't get me wrong, I want a good ride, but I want the tires to look somewhat decent too, not frisbees ;)

Any suggestions for a 31-32" tire that would fit this criteria?

Thanks,

Chris

[clay]

If you really are doing 20% of your driving off road you should go with an LT. If not, the Toyo Open Country A/T P265/75 R15 (comparable to a 31" LT in size) is a decent tire for >90% on road use and looks pretty sharp IMHO. It also has almost no road noise. There are other good tires as well. Again, most people here are going to want you to get a 31" MTR or something similar. Given that you got the super-ride kit rather than the super-flex, I am guessing that you really are planning on only moderate offroading (read: no rock crawling). If this is the case, a passenger tire is fine.

Your profile says Ohio. If you are not headed to Moab or the Sierra anytime soon I think you are fine (but I am not that familiar with Ohio trails). Local Jeeper may be able to offer location specific suggestions that would be better than what I am telling you.

Clay

[clay]

One more thing as I think about Ohio. If you like to play with your Jeep in the mud you will also want LTs since they typically have a deeper tread (an MT will also have larger gaps between the treads which prevents them from mudding up and spinning helplessly).

clay

[Motornoggin]

are those 33" tires
Yes, those are 33x9.50x15

[MudslinginXJ]

I plan on putting the RE6030 3.5 Super Flex kit on my xj once i get enough money saved up to do everything right the first time as far as a SYE, driveshaft, tires, rims, all that happy stuff :dunce:. I plan to get my stuff from Jeepin.com They have the best prices i've saw around so far for that kit and the kit comes with 4 shocks and free shipping which is always nice. You can check out the kits and excessories they have at this site (http://jeepinoutfitters.com/catalog.asp?ID=124). Not sure what other people are charging for the add a leaf kit but they are charging $449.50 and the kit comes with shocks and as well as free shipping. Just thought i would let you know. Might be too much since one guy said he got it for $409.00 shipped.

Good luck with your lift and getting everything together...Hope everything works out great for ya!