want to lift it WAY Up. whats good?

[Jeeping UP North]

i have been wanting to put an air bab suspension system in my jeep but after goin to a car show this weekend i realized i want to lift my XJ WAY up, plus the fact that my "girl" likes lifted vehicles better. so i know all u guys (and some gals) out there know ur stuff. so whats good? my main concern right now is gettin it up and keeping it stable on the road. dont want to role the badboy and dont want to put a cage in it either. Im not looking to lift it for mudding reasons, but mainly for looks. so what do i need. feel free to send me an email at drwells@cedarville.net. if u have any other ?s about what im trying to do feel free to email me. thanks

Dr. Wells

[GI-John]

You're kidding, right?

EDIT:

go to www.jeepsunlimited.com (http://)

[Jeremy]

haha.. well.. that is interesting :D

But you're from michigan, so that's cool :wave:

[Scott Mac.]

It's a yooper thing, I don't understand

http://www.fototime.com/{1D49486E-F723-49EE-9CC5-5A2D93200987}/picture.JPG

[myjeepsbigger]

Try this company: http://www.bootie-fab.com
I hear they're all the rave at the local mall...

[THE_OWL]

4" Lift blocks, Stacked twice on each other.
and about 12 of them hockey puck Coil spacers will get u exactly what ur asking for.
dont ferget the taz sticker and chrome KCs.
your chick will dig it!

[STRYKER]

Originally posted by myjeepsbigger
Try this company: http://www.bootie-fab.com
I hear they're all the rave at the local mall...

LMAO.....

You can build it big AND functional....
How much you have to spend? There is so much you don't understand about the geometry and mechanical stress on parts that'll need to be replaced in what you're proposing.
You'll fit right in over at JU. :D

[4ward]

This guy comes to our club and asks a legitimate question and ll you folks can do is slam this guy for wanting to have a big 'ol mall crawler. Makes me real proud to be a member here :rolleyes:

How's about trying to explain the pro's and con's along with your sarcasm. This is not POR you bunch of tools.

JUN, I'm only going to scratch the surface here but I'll try.

You need to ask more specific questions and definately give us a whole lot more details.

1- What size tires do you want to run?
2- How much money do you have to blow on this project?
3- Would've been what kind of terrain, but you've already covered that. Although, once you start to modify it, you'll most likely end up wanting to actually use it for more than impressing chics.
4- What is your mechanical skill level? i.e.- do you know how to turn wrenches, weld, etc.....

Lifting big takes a lot of $$$$ and patience and tuning ability.

So, hopefully I've started you down a better path than what the other clever chaps on this thread have. Answer these questions and at least some of us will try to guide you toward something to your liking.

Sean

[Bent]

A 12" Body lift would be the cheepest, Paint the air in the gap above the frame the same color as the body, no-one will even know. The other option that is popular here in So. California ( mild winters) is to get a 38" steering column extention kit and mount the seats on the roof. The extra interior space can be made into a sub woofer that really kicks A$$.

[GI-John]

Originally posted by OneTonXJ
This guy comes to our club and asks a legitimate question and ll you folks can do is slam this guy for wanting to have a big 'ol mall crawler. Makes me real proud to be a member here :rolleyes:

Sean

Haven't slammed his question yet, but it sounds like a troll to me.

I'll be the first to help out if the Q is legit.

[woody]

I agree with One Ton...we dunno if this guy is for real or funnin us, but no sense steering him wrong straight off.

Lifting an XJ 'WAY" up isn't hard, but it requires a good plan taken from your list of objectives & tailored to your budget.

To keep it 'safe', it'll cost roughly as much as if you bodge it together...so don't skimp. Don't be afraid to ask us very specific questions about what has worked for us and what hasn't.

After building a couple rigs, I am a big fan of HAVING EVERYTHING YOU NEED ONHAND (parts, supplies, fluids, hardware etc) before turning a wrench. I didn't strictly follow this rule when I lifted my XJ to 6" last month, and ended up paying more $ for UPS shipping, and time in install hassles/downtime than if I had thought things through.

Also having a spare vehicle is handy if you are doing your own work.

There are things that are much easier to accomplish at different stages of the project. (example: welding brackets on an axle is better when the ax is out from under the Jeep, same goes for detailing/painting if that is your thing)

Come up with your objectives & a budget, then follow up with more questions...we'll help ya out if we can.

[Scott Mac.]

If a Yooper can take a dead white tail , throw it over his shoulder and ride it into town on his bike, he can take a bit of sarcasm.

Sorry if I offended you Doc. Listen to these guys and answer their questions and they'll give you the best XJ advice on the planet.

For more local Jeep flavor head over to Michigan Jeepers (http://www.michiganjeepers.com)

[bgcntry72]

Sorry but the post from T-Bent made my 1800 Margarita come out of my nose.
Moving on.
Being only 3.75" lifted, I can't help much, at least from an experience standpoint.
Doc, there are plenty of vehicles out there that are far, far easier and cheaper to successfully lift than an XJ. Being a unibody vehicle, lift can only be obtained in the suspension, which is a pretty finely tuned unit the way AMC designed it. Like a falling domino, you can't really 'put some stink' on one part of it wihtout affecting all of the connected parts, and some that are not connected. Additional height leads to increased drivetrain and steering angles, center of gravity changes, stability issues, strength issues, vibration and control issues, and it just goes on and on. The costs increase exponentially as you go up, and no 2 XJs are the same so you don't really have much to go on as far as absolute results. I wish you the best of luck and truly make sure that you ask a lot of questions and really listen to the answers. You won't find a more impressive collection of knowledge, experience, and knowhow about Jeeps than you will on this board. Plus, you can learn a little about woodworking, welding, RC hobbys, boats, steam engines, internal combustion engine modification, computer hardware and networking, home brewing, legal self-representation, military strategy, politics at home and abroad, sports, fission vs. fusion nuclear physics, air traffic laws, the Simpsons, camping, wilderness survival, travel, etc, etc, etc.

[Jeeping UP North]

<<No need for Racial statements here. Forum Fixer>>

[THE_OWL]

[QUOTE]im pretty good at finding things cheap too, i have alot of connections and i could swindel a jeeper out of his jeep (sp)

(Edited for Racial statements... Forum Fixer)

[GI-John]

There are a few options, but probably the best is to get a complete kit from a reputable company.

Rubicon Express offers 2 different 5.5" systems (short and Long arms)
www.rubiconexpress.com (http://) 1300. and up

Rusty's has a 6", and 8" system, (upgradeable to long arms) (1600 and up)

rustysoffroad.com (http://)

Skyjacker also has 6 and 8" kits (2000. and up)

www.4wheelparts.com/ (http://)

Add to the price of the lift the following to achieve your 35" tire goal

SYE 300.00
New driveshaft 100-300.
new tires 800.00
wheels
and replacements for anything that breaks during the install of the above mentioned parts. (I guarantee something will break!)

If I was you, I'd look into getting a pre-runner lift kit for the Chevy pickup. You can combine a 100.00 body lift with a 600.00 suspension lift, get the look you want, and still have some money left to spend on your "friend"

Good Luck!

John

EDIT: dont ask me why the links don't work, I just don't know.

[THE_OWL]

You Named the links but didnt add the URL

[utahxjer]

$100 bucks a month. Wish that's all I spend a month! :eek: If you really want it big, and functional, mine is at 8.5", 35's, lockers, gears, rear axle, and I'm already over $4,000. And that's since January 2003.

[THE_OWL]

Im at 10" lift and Im almost $30,000 :D
in a 15 yr old Heep
I dunno If the racial slurs are accepted here tho

[XJ-4-life]

I dont think it was a racial slur as much as an analogy. remember he was just flamed pretty bad, so I think a witty retort is in order.
just my 2 cents


Jeeping UP North> I got all my stuff from www.rustysoffroad.com

[Jeeping UP North]

ok lets say i want to spend under 800$ what do u guys suggest, and dont worry about counting tires i can get my hands on those pretty easy.

[REDXJ4FUN]

well check out CheapXJs site if you realy scounge you can get 35s under an xj for that price but thats noy counting gears or doing anything with the brakes and you will be cutting your wheel wells. if you can get a 4.5 kit and some tj flairs you can clear 33s with some good flex.

[STRYKER]

Originally posted by REDXJ4FUN
well check out CheapXJs site if you realy scounge you can get 35s under an xj for that price but thats noy counting gears or doing anything with the brakes and you will be cutting your wheel wells. if you can get a 4.5 kit and some tj flairs you can clear 33s with some good flex.

Number one expense and primary save for the drivetrain will be a SYE kit ...of any description that gets the extra length off of that output shaft and brings the driveshaft universal closer to the bearing. You're set for any lift after that is addressed.

[REDXJ4FUN]

A sye is a good invest ment But depending on yhe year of XJ 4'5 can be done with just a lowering kit( i know some don't like them but it works)

[Jeeping UP North]

Hey guys i know im new to all this XJ stuff, but do they make a body lift kit for the xj's?

[Matt S.]

First, there is no actual frame to the cherokee. So that is nearly impossibl ewith out making a seperate frame.
Secondly, for $800 your not ganna get big, you can get good looking.

I was in your EXACT position about 3 yrs ago when i bought my XJ. I wanted BIG! I stepped it up to 15" lift that I threw together, VERY UNSAFE. I did all of it, it cost me near 2k to do. that is SUPER cheap for that big. You should seriously consider waiting on lifting it to any extreme for a while. Hang around here for a while and learn some things, read some opinions, and figure out what you want. Honestly, any suspension mods you do are only going to further the XJs alreagy capable off road ability. Trust me I learned that one too. Built it for looks then relized it actually worked off-road. Then the addiction started:D

Go buy yourself a Budget Boost kit. Bring it up to 2" and save your money for quiet some time, until you have an idea what you want to do. You'll be surprised on how that 2"s makes your cherokee LOOK alot better.

This could possible take you ALOT of money, so be aware of what you step into. Of course this is all in my opinion:D

MATT

[XJZ]

Yikes.....


JU...JU...Is there...Is there.. an echo..an echo... in here..in here...

[Beezil]

One ton, go 60 or go home.

[XJguy]

For $800 you can do the following:

Buy some adjustable control arms.
Buy some poly spacers and or longer coils for the front .
Get another XJ leaf pack from the junk yard combine it with yours.
From Rubicon Express get the clamps and bolts for the "new" leaf packs.
Youll need longer shocks as well.

Optional: Extended shackles a little more lift and shims to correct the pinion angle.

All said and done you'll have to replace your steering linkages and your track bar with ones made for lifted XJs.

You can get to about 5.5" lift this way and it is the cheapest way to do it and still have it be considerd right and it will be safe.

You may also need extended sway bar links.

Ask me how I know this :)

Now if you plan on making your ride a capable off roader then youll also need to address the brake lines, ABS wires and possibly the driveshaft all of which my be too short after the lift.

XJguy

[Bones]

If you don't re-gear or figure in tires you might get about 4.5" on $800-$1000. It won't be the ideal set up for off road but with some mild trimming you could run 33's with properly backspaced wheels.
It would really cost a lot of stop light to stop light time to turn the 33's without a re-gear and I would not try to off-road it without the new gears and some other items. We used to figure a minimum of about $1K per inch of lift over 4.5" because of the domino effect so I would not go higher.
There will be drawbacks to a lift on the cheap (ride quality, caster angle problems, vibes etc.) but for a poser rig (one built for the road not the trail) it can work. I would figure on new lower control arms, adjustable track bar, shocks, t-case lowering kit, axle shims for the rear, and new brake lines all around (wrangler lines can be adapted) in addition to the new springs.

For the lift on the cheap check out eBay, there are a couple of companies offering cheap 3-4.5" lifts such as these:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2420974019
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2421526267
You cold also go with a 3" lift and drop in a budget boost (longer shackles and coil spring spacers, but watch you shock length so you don't have to buy another set.

Good luck and sorry about the smartasses that forgot they weren't on POR,

Bones :skull1:
NAXJA #6

PS: if you really want to impress the chicks go with flowers!
http://images.fotki.com/v6/free/958b0/4/42106/139130/HC_BOBSWORRY1-or.jpg
Works at any age..
http://images.fotki.com/v1/free/958b0/4/42106/139130/HC_BOBSWORRY2-or.jpg

Sorry Bob, I had to... ;)

[utahxjer]

Originally posted by Jeeping UP North
ok lets say i want to spend under 800$ what do u guys suggest, and dont worry about counting tires i can get my hands on those pretty easy.

You can get tires pretty EASY or pretty cheap? I think we got a thief runnin around!!! Everybody up there better watch their tires!!!:lock: :lock: just kiddin

[ruehmann]

Wow
Dont get me started on those
Whites, Blacks, Mexicans, Hispanics , asians, Jews ,Prostants,
Cathloics (they have a lot of paperwork to get married)
Gays, Hetros, Crossdressers, toyota owners, Wrangler drivers, people who wear their jeans to tight, to loose, to high, too low,

I know this is MODS FORUM, so give the guy the facts, at $100 a month you will be able to buy a (quality lift, correct rims, good tires, corective geometry for steering, sye and or driveshafts . . .)

It's going to take a while if you want to start out Way big. like a Decade
And if you like living make sure you do it right, no trackbar= no stearing= crash.
Whatever I may think and what ever you think . . . whatever they think. Please be safe!! We all have to drive next to each other.
Ruehmann

[btl_fed_xj]

You could go with a 2" lift from OME and then pick up some nice rims and tires. Here's my XJ without any lift.... I am saving the pennies for the OME lift, for 2" it's the best lift you can get out there (which is why it costs as much as some 3 & 3.5" lifts).


http://www.lehigh.edu/~jasc/jeeprearpass.JPG

Jamie

[GI-John]

I still say that he would get the results that he wants (big lift cheaply)by getting a 2wd lift kit and a body lift kit for the Chebby.

Throw on some tires and rims and call it done

Fabtech comes to mind.

600.00 for a 3" suspension, 100.00 for a 2"body, and voila.

I'd like to see him do an XJ, but it would kill the bank.

[Bent]

Hey UP NORTH, Sorry about the :flame:

[Bentonedge]

hey there up north where about you located? i am in the up at least 3-6 times a year. and if nto there very close. like 20minutes to the brigde. i know that a very easy and cheap way to lift is the leaf in front idea. have seen it down and with some good connections in the way of autoparts and used parts(junkyard) i think you could easly put togeathger a 7" lift for under 700 bucks. i mean dollars. search the past 3 weeks worth of posts to find the 2 real big talks about it. drop me a line one day. benisadork@hotmail.com

[XJ-4-life]

rustys 3" AAL is 270 shipped. 2" daystar is like 100 shipped.
after that you can find cheap tires just about anywhere: here, ebay, i just got a new set of swampers from 4wheelparts, buy 3 get one free, plus free shipping for 400. this should give you an amount of lift you will like.