getting ready to put on my Rustys lift

Well it's all here, and now I'm ready to put on my 8.5" Rustys lift on my 88 xj. I plan on swapping out the axles for a D44 front and a 9 inch rear as soon as I am done building them. My question, is would it be TOTALLY ridiculous to install the lift along with an NP231 transfer case with SYE (I currently have a 242), just to swap out the axles later. I know I will have to pay for a second set of driveshafts down the road, but it's my DD and I can't have it down for too long. From what I am guessing, I should just have to pay to have the driveshafts shortened and set up for different u-joints after I do the axle swap....So, any tips on the install????

Oh, I have the wheels and tires here, but they are 5 on 5-1/2 bolt pattern. I am going to use spydertrax adapters until I get the new axles.

Well, once you get the new axles, selling those adapters will make up for the price of the driveshafts, so just get some made for that np231, then sell the driveshafts as well if you feel like it. As for the install, do the front first, so you can set the jeep down in the rear and be able to lift the jeep a little higher in the front, and maybe even get away with not using spring compressors. Good luck, and remember to spray everything down with pb buster.

good idea, I was gonna start with the rear cause it seemed easier, but I'll tackle the front first. I never thought about selling the adapters to cover the cost of the new driveshafts...

sell the rusty's kit and buy a sawzall

how huge are those coils. I may be getting some around summertime

texas- I haven't opened anything up yet, I'll tell you how big they are when I do.......maybe I'll use my sawzall to open the box.....hehehehehe

XJ_ranger said:

sell the rusty's kit and buy a sawzall

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x2

Lore5 said:

x2

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x3.....

make it a convertable?.....

did I miss something?

jephs422 said:

did I miss something?

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rusty's is generaly accepted as the lower end lift company round these parts - however many people have had great expierence with his products...

My personal opinion was that Rusty's products arent the greatest...
as reflected here:

XJ_ranger said:

sell the rusty's kit and buy a sawzall

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Others agreed with me:

Lore5 said:

x2

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19Pioneer86 said:

x3.....

make it a convertable?.....

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Just be aware that there is no COMPLETE lift kit and complications are always a possiblity - look into driveline issues, brake lines, pinion angles, quality of components.

no you didnt miss anything and here is the standard "im putting on a lift - what do i need to do?" answer:

PB blaster is worth its weight in gold - hit every bolt that is to move before, during and after the lift install - including the steering linkage, u-bolt nuts, shackle bolts, LCA/UCA bolts, front Leaf bolts, and rear shock upper mount bolts.

Impact tools are godly

One more thing, adding that red thread locker stuff to every bolt you install will help tons in keeping lift components secure and safe. It's a good habit to get into whenever you work on jeeps.

xjj33p3r said:

One more thing, adding that red thread locker stuff to every bolt you install will help tons in keeping lift components secure and safe. It's a good habit to get into whenever you work on jeeps.

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most of us choose antisieze to have the opposite effect - thread lock is good for ring gear bolts and driveline high vibrations stuff. Most suspention stuff you want a little lubrication to keep the sleves from rusting and the bolts from breaking off once you break a Rusty's part...
torque specs are there to make sure the bolt stays (in most cases) and lock-tite is a good idea sometimes - use it sparingly (sp?)....

why is it that everytime somebody talks about their new rusty's kit... people gotta shovel crap on them. I like my rusty's stuff and haven't really heard all that much about his stuff breaking. I guess it makes you feel good though right? Holier than thou.
Good luck with your install and I'm sure it'll work awesome.
Post some pics when it's done.

XJ_ranger said:

most of us choose antisieze to have the opposite effect - thread lock is good for ring gear bolts and driveline high vibrations stuff. Most suspention stuff you want a little lubrication to keep the sleves from rusting and the bolts from breaking off once you break a Rusty's part...
torque specs are there to make sure the bolt stays (in most cases) and lock-tite is a good idea sometimes - use it sparingly (sp?)....

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y2k-

Thanks, I was feelin the same way. I have known Rusty for years, and he has never done any of my other buddies wrong on their stuff. I've been wheelin with him in Rubicon, and his XJ worked awesome. I was just hoping for a few tips on things I may overlook. I'll defenitley post pics of the install.......

im really getting sick of people bitching about rustys parts. I have rustys parts and so far they have fared better than RE who seem to be incapable of putting their kits together with all the parts correctly. Stop bashing rustys they arent shitty or they wouldnt be in buisness. Its so annoying to get on a post looking for usefull information about something and hear constant rusty's bashing, if you want truly high quality parts make them yourself but untill you do stop whining about how crappy rustys is cause your ignorant

I think I'm justified when I say that rusty's leafs sag, because mine sag right now, but it's still a sweet lift, and I prove it to people all the time

did you get the coils on yet??? huh huh sorry little too much to drink!!! snap some pics!!! later clayton

You guys need to get over your, " Oh my, people are making fun of a brand I like." syndrome. Unless you're Rusty himself, don't take such offense. If he has a problem with a bunch of yahoos talking trash about his product, then I suggest he do something about his product.

Since I've never seem him post on 's forums disputing the claims of second rate products, then I assume the complaints are valid. Afterall, someone that deals in so much XJ stuff should already know about .

Fact is, anyone that's unhappy with anyone's products is going to speak out, it doesn't matter which brand it is (turns out Rusty's is just the biggest disappointment of them all). That's the way I want it. What's the point in sugar coating things?

Get used to it. Post about Rusty's and expect to see unhappy customers.

I'm a happy Rusty's customer and would buy from them again. There are other people in the local Jeep club I belong to that have also bought Rusty's stuff because I recommended them. They are happy also. I too get tired of the Rusty's bashing. To say their springs sag, well "Duh" all springs sag......Why don't you all go pick on Rough Country or FabTech. Both of these companies sell crap....

A couple of tips for the rustys install.
8.5 " huh. That would be the long arm setup.
Use a plasma cutter to cut the holes for the long arm brackets. A drill will work,but the better the whole the less noise it will make.
Do use tread locker on the track bar drop bracket. It's the one piece that does come loose.
Replace the bushing on the frame side of the track bar with a heim joint. It will save replacing the bushing in a few months.
Notch the axle track bar bracket an 1/8th to 1/4" so the track bar travels up better. this will dramatically improve the articulation.
Plan on at least 3 degree shims in the rear.
You will need to isolate the fuel line on the drivers side. It will want to rub against a bolt on the long arm bracket.
Use Rusty's numbers for the arm lengths. I did and it was off by .02 degrees for the alignment. (caster)
Fabricate some good front spring retainers.
Expect to be getting some longer brake lines up front.
expect some heavy bump steer going that big.
I also like Rusty's adjustable spring spacers, cheaper than the ACOS and just as functional.

01xj
Rusty's 6.5" long arm, pushed to 9".
44 rear, 44 front, 4.88's detroits, Teralow 231, aw4, 35" truxs, superior alloy shafts 5x5.5 and more dents than is worth fixing.