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couple questions about lifting my 89 jeep cherokee

blazinjames

NAXJA Forum User
Im about to install a 6in used rusty lift on my 89 jeep cherokee and i have acouple questions

1. everyone is saying i might need a sye kit and custom drive shaft? I have a new slip yoke and i also heard i can just get the rear drive shaft i have extended and wont need the sye kit? is that true or will i most likely need to spend like 400 on a sye kit?

also if i want a bit more lift can i add the 1" spacers i see for sale anywhere or will that effect the performance on and off road?
 
AS far as the spacers... As long as you have long enough shocks your fine. And with your driveshaft.......Have fun with that
 
SYE's are cheap. PORC has one. You can use a stock front driveshaft off of a XJ for the rear. Will cost you less then $200. At 6'' of lift, plus another inch if you do the spacer, you need a sye.

The spacer does not affect the ride. You will have to get something to lift the back another inch as well otherwise you will have the raked look going on. Also, make sure you realign it. Track bar will have to be adjusted.

I would look hard at those used parts. Mainly the track bar, if you got it used. You might want to consider another make.
 
People have just had some problems with there trac bar thats all. I would run it tell then.
 
blazinjames said:
Im about to install a 6in used rusty lift on my 89 jeep cherokee and i have acouple questions

Well....first you'll want to clean up those parts so they aren't Rusty.:D




SYE yes. Only do extra lift if you need it later. If this is you're daily driver, you'll want to do a lot more planning before you start. New and interesting problems come up when you lift over 3-4 inches or so. I've had 3 xj's over 4 inches lift...Trust me.

Good Luck.
 
I don't have any experience with Rusty's hardware; however, I've done a lot of searching/reading with regard to track bars. Rusty's' appears to have a bad rap for track bar mounts. From what I've read, others have had outright failure of the track bar mount, and the track bar. Personally, I can't think of a more serious safety issue than a failed track bar!
My suggestion is you do your own search/inquiry to determine if the stories are correct.
A 6" lift on an XJ takes you into the "big boy" area, with regard to lifts. All kinds of issues must be addressed, including proper drive line angles, drive line lengths, brake line lengths, shock lengths, e-brake cable lengths, caster vs pinion angle issues, etc., etc.
Search kit manufacturers like Rubicon Express, and see what their most expensive kits come with, and what recommended additions they have. This will give you a basic idea of the areas you will need to address.
If your Rusty's "kit" uses standard length control arms, your ride will go to hell, and your front "droop" most likely will be minimal. And, if they are not adjustable, alignment will be difficult.
You can run at 6" without an SYE, but your u-joint angles will be at max, and you may encounter u-joint "bind" when the rear axle hangs down. To correct this, you need the SYE, or a different transfer case, to allow using a double-Cardin rear drive shaft. The double Cardin shaft requires adjusting the rear pinion angle to ~3 degrees below the drive shaft angle; this requires (to do it right) cutting the spring perches loose and rotating the axle into alignment.
So----think long and hard before leaping to the 6" lift, especially if your XJ is also a "daily driver".
 
hmm..now im scared it is my daily driver..

would it be better for me to scarp the entire rusty lift and go with a new lift or something?

i dont mind buying a sye just wasnt sure if i needed it..

so from the sounds of it i shouldnt even use the lift i got? its not rusty and it was only used for a year and a bit...so i think its still in good condition?
 
I have the same lift you are going to put on and have been running it for two years now, I havn't had any problems other than the nylon lock nuts will get loose if they get oil all over them like mine did because of engine leaks so check those once in a while. I ended up puttin spacers and doing some trimming mainly for tire clearence but am running 35's now and have NO rubbing issues. One thing I will mention is check your passenger side rim for clearence,( rusty uses two heim joints stacked and for some alloy rims they will not clear) I have had no problems with the stacked joints, I have heard and read conflicting openions about the idea but have had no problems with mine. The sway bar connect points will have to be relocated as the steering linkage will hit the factory sway bar mounts that are on the dana 30. I also moved the steering shock so it wouldn't rub the drag link. It took a couple of runs to break the rear spring packs in but they flex great now. Can't remember if you mentioned long arm or not but mine is long arm and I really like it rides good and with the sway dico'ed the front has miles of travel. god luck and if you have any pother ?'s hit me back I did mine myself.
 
Theres nothing wrong with putting 6" on your DD. I drive mine daily with around 7.5 inchs. I would DEFINITLY add RE drop brackets or a LA upgrade onto the list of things to have with your 6in lift. That will get rid of your rough ride. Some degree shims make easy work of rotating the rear axle in the correct direction. and yes you need an SYE.

IMO Keep your lift, buy Drop Brackets or LA upgrade, buy an SYE, brake lines, shocks and buy an OTK steering setup and make damn sure all your steering geometry is correct.

Read this if you haven't already...
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=934477
 
so i have the shocks, springs, rear leafs, upper and lower control arms, adjustable track bar, extended shackles, long travel slip yoke, for long u bolts and 4 shims

thats everything i got when i bought it

they guy told me i might not need sye or driveshaft if the long travel slip works...

so before i start lifting my jeep i need Sye, brake lines and will have to extend my drive shaft?

and i also need control arm drop brackets?? re has them for 262bucks on the website

then is steering is bad, get a steering upgrade?

and thats it??
 
blazinjames said:
so i have the shocks, springs, rear leafs, upper and lower control arms, adjustable track bar, extended shackles, long travel slip yoke, for long u bolts and 4 shims

thats everything i got when i bought it

they guy told me i might not need sye or driveshaft if the long travel slip works...

so before i start lifting my jeep i need Sye, brake lines and will have to extend my drive shaft?

and i also need control arm drop brackets?? re has them for 262bucks on the website

then is steering is bad, get a steering upgrade?

and thats it??

When I had my 89' I was at 5.5" and did not need a SYE. With my 99' as soon as I went over 2" I needed one. Try it without one first. Drop brackets would be a good idea but not something that is needed toget the vehicle moving. At that amount of lift the steering geometry is going to be off, combined with the control arm angles you will have, you will probaly be battling with Death Wobble. Add a Dropped steering arm to see if that will bring your steering geometry back into shape.
 
I'd add a steering box brace if you add the pitman arm drop. THe drop puts a lot of extra stress on the already weak frame rail where the box is mounted. my 6" rusty's life came with brake lines and did not include shackles... Strange.
 
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