"lowering" xj, please advise

my 93 w/175k has a tomken lift that was probably put on by the original owner when it was new. it has become my dd and sees a lot of highway miles for work, with occasional mild offroad. a variety of sqeaks, clunks and pops have developed. this combined with a ride quality slightly worse than a hay wagon assures me i am up for some serious suspension work. 20.5" from hub center to flare in back, and 21.5" in front lead me to believe i have a 4" lift with .5" of sag in back.

what i want to do is lower(gasp!) the jeep to +2", and find a good balance of ride quality, weight capacity and off road competency. while i am at it, i think a steering refurb is in order.

i have been searching and researching(no pun intended) and though i have found no articles/threads directly adressing this project i have come up with this recipe. this is terra incognita for me, and i am asking for input.

front suspension
1. return to stock control arms
2. sway bar bushings, and links, stock(at 2" any advantage to discos?)
3. old man emu 2" front coils
4. new coil spring isolators, stock
5. new trac bar bushings, stock
6. rocky road shock pin adaptors (gives 1.5" to shocks)
7. monroe sensa tracs( i have yet to work out which ones)

rear suspension
1. ome 2" leafs(will these come w/ bushings?)
2. rocky road bpes for rear(gives 1.25" to shock) or homebrew bpes using rear swaybar parts (anyone know how much this extension this gives?)
3. swaybar bushings
4. sensa tracs



steering
1. new drag link, tie rod ends, ball joints
2. passenger hub, did driver in fall

what am i missing?

Looks like it would work fine. You are saying you want it to be at about 2" with a "good balance of ride quality, weight capacity and off road competency." If you are spending the $ on OME springs (they do not come with bushings), I'd recommend OME shocks (skip the BPE's and sensatracs). Disco's are an "advantage" regardless of lift height (But if your offroad use is fairly mild they may not be necessary).

I'd do the lift, and while I was in there, inspect the steering and see what NEEDs to be replaced, you may very well find some of what you listed is just fine, and the steering box is due for replacement.

Get it aligned and recheck driveline angles after you get it back together. New tires? 30" AT's would be right for what you are planning.

I would recomend going with RE drop brackets it will improve your ride and handling. With the steering rebuild go with heavy duty parts for a lift between 4-6 in they will work better than stock and last longer considering your lift. While you have the front end apart replace all the bushings very cheap insurance.

i read the thread title and was about to come in here and start swingin'....

Sounds like you are on the right track, except for shocks. I don't think you'll find a SensaTrac that's the right length for a 2" lift. Monroe/Rancho engineers say to use stock shocks for up to (and including) 3" of lift. The problem with applying this to the SensaTrac line is that the bores are grooved. At normal height the piston rides near the center of the groove to soften the ride. With a 2" lift you'll pull the piston up toward (or beyond) the grooves.

If you like Monroes, use stock length shocks but either move up to the Reflex series or drop down to the level below the SensaTrac -- don't remember what it's called now, maybe the Gas Magum? Neither of those uses "groove tube technology") so altered ride height isn't as much of an issue.

Good call on the OME. Ive been running OME springs AND SHOCKS for a couple of years now. the ride/handling is excellent. Ive got my ThumperXJ set up at 4 inches tho. I must suggest that if you use OME springs, go with the OME shocks as well. You will NOT be disapointed. I suggest~

front
1. Do NOT use stock control arms, use REs.
2. Little advantage to discos with only 2 inches.
7. OME nitrochargers, NOT those screwy Monroes.(<IMPORTANT)
rear
1. no. I used urathane bushings, after I drilled and tapped a grease Zert into each spring.
2. If you use OME shocks, you wont need anyones bpes.

steering
TRACK BAR. Replace it with a nice adjustable one and replace its top mount with an RE or Kevins HD mount.