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new XJ owner

G

gtlegg

NAXJA Forum User
Location
jersey shore
I just picked up my first XJ:roll:. 2000 classic model, 3in rough country lift(its listed as a $300 lift, ive never seen a lift that cheap), and 32x11.5 tires. auto and 130k miles.

ive owned a TJ ( 3in lift and 32s) in the past and recently have a stock JK.
my lifted TJ seemed to ride better then this. this feel a little bouncy and seems to sway when turning. and these size tires rub alot in the front. also not really familiar with the leaf spring suspension. and these 32s seem to meaty for the jeep.

i hope to meet some people and learn a lot about my XJ and get on some trails some times soon.

-Jerry
 
Congrats on the Cherokee. Unless you plan on doing some fender trimming, those 32's are a bit beefy for that lift. I just put a 3.5" and 32's on my Jeep and i'll be doing some trimming before I do any 4wheeling. May want to consider going down to 31's.
 
^i was thinking of going down to 31's but im not quite sure how they will be offroad, also these micky thompsons that came on the jeep, they are starting to show some cracking on the side walls....so i may replace them and go to a 31x10.5 tire as long as they are capable for some local trails, my other idea was to order a new lift kit to fit these 32s.

theres an XJ by me, that looks to be running some very beefy tires with some wheel gap still there. ill have to speak to him.
 
31's are plenty of tire for trail use. your not gonna be climbing huge ledges but you'll be OK. I run 235's and mine does good on easy trails
 
Your bouncy ride is because of the rough counrty crap in there. Get rid of it, get an OME or a Rubicon Express lift. BDS makes a NICE product as well. I run a 5.5" RE in my 97 XJ and the ride quality is very nice.

Congrats on the XJ!
 
yea you're definately gonna wanna do some trimming or lift it a little higher. this is my jeep when i first put the 4.5" lift in with 32x11.5's on stock rims and without cutting
Jeep2.jpg
 
Did you install the lift or did it come with it? There is nothing wrong with Rough Country products, They have good equipment and awsome customer service. For $300.00, your lift probably came with new front coils and add-a-leafs in the rear. More than likely the shocks have not been replaced. Call Rough Country and get a set of gas shocks, I really don't like the add-a-leafs, I'd get a new set of rear leaf springs. Add a JKS adjustable track bar and a set of JKS swaybar disconnects and your XJ should be good to go! 31's are max with a 3" lift, unless you want to do some fender trimming.
 
thanks fellow owners!

i appreciate the input. anyone else have any review on rough country products. also the jeep came with the lift, i wasnt fond that it had it, but it was one of the cheapest and cleanest cherokee in my area, that was the classic edition.

also i looked under the jeep and seem to have new shocks.

also ive seen things on line stating

add-a-leaf
rear leaf
spring packs

oh and the rubbing is coming from the front tires while turning not sure if its hitting the coil spring or some of the linkage

im not sure which is better tho. id like to go the safest route possible
 
get the full spring packs. they might be a little more but you'll be happy with the outcome. an add-a-leaf will start to sag a lot faster and make the ride worse. plus seeing as you bought it used you have no idea what's happened to those springs or what condition they're in. just get new springs and be done with it
 
ok, just some im 100% clear the springs you are referring to are the rear leaf springs correct? i can order 3" rear leafs for it and be good. or am i better off investing in a new suspension set up with actual 3" rear springs

and i think i asked the person what he installed and i believe it was add a leafs.
 
yes you can order just rear 3" springs. depends how much you wanna spend. i bought mine from skyjacker. they're real stiff but not worth the price. i know for sure rancho and rusty's makes em but don't go through rusty's (crap). so all in all get new rear leafs. if you're unsure about the lift though i would recommend getting a whole new kit. that way you know what you're starting out with
 
you really think rustys stuff isnt to good? i was running it on my TJ and had a friend running it on his XJ and it seemed to hold its own for the price...as of now im eyeing down some RE and OME spring packs and kits. thanks for the advice, its much appreciated.
 
about rusty's..first off the quality isn't there at all. second it will take FOREVER to get your stuff. btw if you're gettin RE the kits sit higher than advertised so be prepared for more mods after puttin it in. welcome to the XJ world and have fun
 
The RE stuff is good, but be careful, the RE kits always sit higher than advertised. I was told a 3.5 inch kit would acutually lift anywhere from 4-5 inches. If you lift your xj this much you will start running into other issues, more than likely you'll need a slip yoke illiminator kit for the transfer case and a cv driveshaft. You can buy spring packs, which are completely new rear springs that will give you 3 inches of lift. The add-a-leafs are exactly what they say, they just add one leaf to your existing springs, they are cheap but don't seem to last long and make your ride stiff as hell. Call Jason at Rough Country 800-222-7023, he is also a NAXJA member: GRIMUS99XJ, he can help you with any questions you may have.
 
I think that if you're sure you want to stay around three inches, just buy a new set of leafs from a good manufacturer, such as RE or OME as mentioned, and be all set. But if you're planning on going bigger down the road, you might be better off dealing with the current ride quality for a little while, saving that money, and putting it towards whatever kit you decide to upgrade to.
 
You mentioned looking into OME, you may want to talk with Dirk at DPG Off-Road. He is a great guy, knows his stuff and is also very helpful.

www.dpgoffroad.com

Phone: 316-776-0122
 
thanks for all the info and the phone numbers. hope i wasnt to annoying, but im going to give these people a call. and thanks again
 
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