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(Sorry) Rusty's or Rough Country 3" lift which one is best

J

judah304

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Rochester NY
I know this has probably been asked before so sorry in advance. I just could not find it serching. I have a 1998 Xj 5spd and want to buy a economical lift. Rusty's is full length add a leafs rough country is shorty's. Which would the general XJ public go with. PLease any comments will help. Thanks BrianNAXJA :anon: :anon: :anon:
 
Neither. Try Rubicon Express or TeraFlex. Rough Country is cheap and Rusty's stuff just seems to fall apart...
 
Watch the board's for-sale forum and post on the want adds. Most likely the lift will be temporary. I found a pair of 4.5" Rusty's coils for $50. There are parts to be found here at NAXJA.

What ever you get, even at 3": an Adj Trackbar, maybe LCA's, and of course a good quality set of disconnects (Don't buy Rusty's brand).

I think everyone can agree, save your money for the good stuff. You'll just end up buying it later anyway.
 
Rusty's or mix and match the components that you like and buy them used.
 
CajunCherokee said:
Neither. Try Rubicon Express or TeraFlex. Rough Country is cheap and Rusty's stuff just seems to fall apart...
Click to expand...

Although I am running Rusty's lift (4.5") I promised myself I wouldn't buy anything else from him, unless it is something I can't find anywhere else. Even then, I wouldn't buy it from Rusty.

If you are interested to know why, please check the Cherokee site, in the signature, in the mods section. In short, I had problems with rear springs, shock absorbers and track bar. Overall, the only decent thing that I got from Rusty's kit, is the front coils and the ... transfer case drop-down washers.

My last order to him, for four Bilsteins, to replace his POS shocks, was supposedly send from his shop on May 15th, and I still haven't got them, because he elected to have them shipped US AirMail instead of USPS AirMail Express.

Go with Rubicon, I should have done that in the first place.

Rgds
 
telemike said:
What about BDS suspensions? [/QUOTE

I don't have first hand expierence, what does it have in the kit, what's the promissed lift.

Springs/spacers come with every kit

2": no major mods

3" - 4.5" : LCA's, Adjustable track bar, extended brake lines

4.5" and above : UCA's, HD adj, track bar, maybe drop pitman, SYE (or drop t-case, shims, extended slip yoke)

For the most part, the less you pay, lesser the quailty. Will cheaper stuff work, sure, but it may not last on the trail.
Click to expand...
 
I like my Rusty's lift. It is a little taller than advertised, but the quality seems very good. I am comparing this to a Rough Country or Explorer Pro Comp kit that friends have had. I also had this kit in hand 2 days after I ordered it. Mine is the 4.5"
 
springs

I am on my 3rd setof Rusty's 4.5 leaves. THEY SUCK! after 2 trips, they are shot! My next set will be RE's. good luck!
 
I've been running Rusty's 3" w/aal on my '97 for over 40k miles and have had no problems at all. Easy install: coil springs, aal and 4 shocks. No saging front or rear and the shocks are still in great shape. They're not the best, but comparable to any other +/- $30 shock. When I talked to him he recommended waiting to buy a t-case drop to see if I needed it. I did, but just made it myself. My only experience with Rusty's.

I'm in the middle of removing the lift and replacing with an RE-6200 5.5 exteme duty now that the xj has graduated from the DD kid hauler.
 
Rusty's products SUCK, althogh im running a six inch lift from Rusty's, From personal experience, I would advice you to go with a higher quality company. Rusty's have been giving me nothing but problems. And any time I speak with the man his initial responce is "That's the first time I've heard of that" or "You have other problems caused by some other component" But guess what, all the components are Rusty's, so that's just saying that one of HIS other components was built cheap. His stuff is just crap.:mad:
 
i got the tuff country package with blocks shocks lca t-case drops brackline brackets and control arm bracket and front springs........ price was $380 not bad,,kit has been great no problems at all.
 
I have a set of 3" Coil springs, 3" add a leaf, transfer case drop brackets, 1" blocks and possibly shocks I would be willing to sell.

PM me. It would give you a chance to try it out with inexpensive used stuff and decide what you want to do.
 
Well the price on the BDS stuff was 300.00 for the kit with no shocks. The RE kit is 320.00 and come's with control arms. I guess yes if money flowed in my pocket as well as it flowed out. Well let's just say I would have a rock ready setup with a dana 44 and lockers and everthing inluding a plot of land to drive it. But in the real world what I am wondering is for 145.00 minus shocks I can get a rusty's 3" kit and order some doetsch shocks for 100.00 and be looking good and be a little more prepped for the occasional offroad trip.
 
rustys stuff is ok but re seems to be much better
 
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