What comprises a good lift kit ?

OK...

I currently have a rustys 2" budget boost on my xj. it works awesome.

BUT....my rear springs have seen better days, and are starting to give me some severe pinion angle changes, and my uca/lca bushings seem to be shot too (315k will do that), so I'm looking at removing the budget boost, and going with a 3" or 3.5" lift.

Searching around, I'm noticing that different kits contain different stuff.

Granted, new coils up front and new springs in the rear are a given.

I'd prefer longer brake lines instead of brackets.

Some kits include LCA's, and some don't.

Some kits have track bar brackets and some don't.

Some have sway bar disconnects, some don't (not a real necessary thing for me).

I guess, I'm trying to find out if the trackbar bracket is needed, and if the LCA is needed, why not the UCA ?


I'm only looking to run a 30-31" tire (I have a diff rig with the equipment for real offroading), but I need new rear springs & UCA/LCA bushings, so why not do a kit to get some or most of this in one fell swoop ?

No one has any comments or answers ?

OK... if you go something like the RE3.5" kit and do not have a winch or winch bumper, rear bumper, tire carrier, etc. you're going to get about 4.5-5.0 inches of lift.... In that case a trackbar would be necessary (unless you dont mind the axle not being centered under the jeep), a SYE will most likely be necessary with some form of rear driveshaft (stock front or aftermarket), longer brakelines, shocks, etc.


It starts to add up really quick. If you want to just run 30-31" tires and want a good riding lift look at the Old Man Emu lift setup w/ shocks.

As for LCA's it all depends on what lift height you go w/ but they never hurt, UCA's are for adjusting pinion angles and again necessity depends on lift hight. Swaybar disconnects are a good idea if you drive on the road much and really are a minimal cost for an added factor of safety...


I notice you need new bushings in your CA's, just get some stock ones off a newer jeep...

I think your best friend here will be the naxja search button....

I tried search, but found nothing really as to what everyone thinks SHOULD be in a lift of given height. Did find a lot about what comes in the kits, but not necessarily what SHOULD come in the kits.

I talked to one lift company today, and they flat out told me that they have no plans to offer their kit with anything except rear add-a-leaves. I explained that my rear springs were shot, and an AAL would not do me any good. He said, "Well, that's all we offer, and all we plan to offer".

I know who wont be getting my money.

And as far as my goals, a 30" (running them now) or maybe 31" tires, with no rubbing during most off road excursions. I know I need new rear leafs, and I am 99% sure I need new CA bushings all around.

I"m about to drop almost 20k in my off road rig (axles/gears/spool/locker/doubler/4 link F&R/full cage/tranny/rims/42's/min 500 hp engine), so I don't need to be doing it here on the XJ, but I also don't want to save a few hundred now, and be spending it again in a year or so over something that doesn't do its' job anymore. This is a hunting rig and sometimes daily driver. I don't need crazy lift, but a nice ride would be a big plus. I need good solid parts that work well, not the newest trick on the net.

I welcome all advice and ideas.

I am concerned tho about some of the kits, (like the RE 3.5) that may give a lot more than advertised. New front & rear bumpers are in the plans, and a winch on the front is also, (as I am often out in the woods alone, and a winch is a good thing in such cases), but they will come later on in the year. I will most likely have to make my own, as I have yet to find any like I want.

I really don't want to have to go the SYE route. I don't feel I should on a 3"-3.5" lift. Heck, I didn't even need a new rear D/S on my offroad rig until I swapped in the 205 tcase, and that was because of the shorter case and 6" of lift. It was driveable, but flex would have unslipped the slip yoke quickly.

TRCM said:

OK...

BUT....my rear springs have seen better days, and are starting to give me some severe pinion angle changes, and my uca/lca bushings seem to be shot too (315k will do that), so I'm looking at removing the budget boost, and going with a 3" or 3.5" lift.

Click to expand...

:worship: 315,000 miles WOW!!! :worship: Not surprised thou!!!

Gotta love the Inline 4.0L XJ

Bite the bullet and get the RE 3.5" kit, add a trackbar to it. It will settle to a proper 3.5" after six months or so, and is fairly complete for what it is. I don't think anyone puts together a more complete kit than RE.

moparmatt said:

:worship: 315,000 miles WOW!!! :worship: Not surprised thou!!!

Gotta love the Inline 4.0L XJ

Click to expand...

it ain't the original engine, but everything else is. Engine was changed out at 140k for some reason.

tranny is showing it too

uncc civilengineer,
Thanks for posting up. I have been combing the archives for a while and wondering the same thing that this fellow asks. Your answer is much appreciated.

go RE6030 i have it and love it deffinatly worth your cash!!