3" Bastard or RC?

I'm trying to decide between one of these two lifts, money aside. I know RC's is probably a better ride and such, but if the bastard pack can still pull off similar flex, I'm thinking of going with that. I just wanted to get some second opinions in way of flex, please don't recommend me any other kits, I'm simply trying to compare these two.
Bastard Pack:
http://www.lunghd.com/Tech_Articles/Suspension_Steering_Axles_and_Brakes/Budget_Lift.htm

Rough Country:
http://www.roughcountry.com/jeep_xj_3.html


Edit:
constructive feedback, please.

I vote neither. but if you must RC!

Bump, see edit.

For the rear, i can tell your going on budget, so suggesting some $800 lift kit like the RE is out, and i understand that.

If your looking for just 3" of lift. I would go with a Add a leaf from RC, then get a 0.75" shackle to equal it out, after it settles with the shackle it should be right at 3".

Im assuming your only Concerned with the rear Leaf springs and have your Front coil springs/Track bar Figured out?

Also, I advise looking into atleast a rear Brake line. they just are not long enough for any kind of lift.

nw-xj-scott said:

For the rear, i can tell your going on budget, so suggesting some $800 lift kit like the RE is out, and i understand that.

If your looking for just 3" of lift. I would go with a Add a leaf from RC, then get a 0.75" shackle to equal it out, after it settles with the shackle it should be right at 3".

Im assuming your only Concerned with the rear Leaf springs and have your Front coil springs/Track bar Figured out?

Also, I advise looking into atleast a rear Brake line. they just are not long enough for any kind of lift.

Click to expand...

Yes an $800 kit is way out of question.

I'm trying to avoid AAL, as my bushings are shot. I can salvage some new bushings off a later model XJ though if I choose to go the lunghd route.

The front coils I was under the impression I could get going either route. The track-bar I'm just going to redrill, or else rip one off a jeep with a longer track-bar.

As for the brakeline extension, "The check is in the mail."

I did the junkyard/ebay lift similar to the lundh one you posted and am very happy with it. I ended up with about 4". I have 40K on it and it hasn't lost any height. It does take time though to figure it all out. I rebuilt the leaf pack 3 times to get it to where I was happy. I used dakota leafs and did V8 Grand coils with a 2 inch spacer up front. I got the lower Control arms off ebay. I just repositioned the front brake lines and got a longer rear brake line. I run cheap shocks. You should check out the tech on http://www.rocklizardfabrications.com/tech_articles.htm to get another budget build perspective and he shows you how to get shocks for the lift. Hope that helps. I think building is better but it does take more time and intuition.

i also have done the jy lift, f150 springs, s10 rear pack, longer rear shackle instead of block being only differences. stiff upfront but with new winch/bumber no complaints works great. ended with 4-4.5 inch lift.

Sometimes paying more money for the "better" stuff doesn't pan out.

My 4.5" RE full packs sagged in less than a year. The right side droops 1" compared to the left. I think I went off-road 3 times on them in that time period.

Just FYI.

I think springs are springs. They are all using the same metal.

I ran a RC 3 in for several years, with no problems. The cheaper kits are missing some parts though. You should really try for one with LCA'a and some type of track bar correction ( I used their relocation bracket with no problems). The ride will probobly be rough with out those.

I bought 3" springs for the front, built the back from Dakota leafs + the stock main leaf. ended up with about 4" and it flexes great in the rear. The front is a little tight.

bigdaddyjlove said:

I bought 3" springs for the front, built the back from Dakota leafs + the stock main leaf. ended up with about 4" and it flexes great in the rear. The front is a little tight.

Click to expand...

Why is it a little tight?

Thanks guys for all your advice, I have already purchased some rear brake line extensions (about $20, thanks howler) and I'll get those installed here sometime soon. As for the lift itself, I'm seeing some great advice. I already have a 2" AAL, but my bushings are shot so the goal is for this to be a two birds, one stone deal (the kit is sagging pretty bad, it's like 20 y/o). I'm planning on purchasing some shocks for ~3" lift, which is what I'm aiming for.

I suggest getting the RC leaf packs from grimus on here (search his name, he'll give you a good discounted price). I bought the 3" full leaf kit from RC about 6 months ago...and I wanted to go a little bigger. I've since bought extended brake lines, 1.75" RE spacers, 1.25" shackles in the rear, RE HD trackbar and bracket, etc. Reason why I say to get the lift is, if you deside you want to go bigger down the road or stiffen the rear up more for cargo (you probably will if you wheel) then you can make a bastard pack out of the lift leafs (that's what I did, added XJ chopped main to the 3" packs) and that way you can get even more lift.

~Scott

I did the bastard pack. It was easy cheap and I am happy with it. I got the springs from the junkyard for about $50 While I was there I snagged a TJ rear brake line and it was done. With a 1.75" shackle I got 4.5" I didnt use any overload springs so it is very flexy.

I did the RC and then as time progressed I added stuff. I am still amazed at how smooth the ride is, others around here have been suprised as well when the go for a spin.

Hubbazoot said:

Why is it a little tight?

Thanks guys for all your advice, I have already purchased some rear brake line extensions (about $20, thanks howler) and I'll get those installed here sometime soon. As for the lift itself, I'm seeing some great advice. I already have a 2" AAL, but my bushings are shot so the goal is for this to be a two birds, one stone deal (the kit is sagging pretty bad, it's like 20 y/o). I'm planning on purchasing some shocks for ~3" lift, which is what I'm aiming for.

Click to expand...

The springs i bought from superlift are only about an inch longer than stock when they are unloaded, so they get the lift from being stiffer.

Thank you all for some seriously great advice here, I think I am going to go ahead and go with the JY lift. Even though the RC seems like a great kit, I am going to go ahead and buy the LCA's on their own, and either drill a trackbar adjustment or find a slightly longer jy trackbar. I'm in a pretty tight budget pinch, but this is something I've thought about for a good long time and I'm going to go ahead and go with the BP, that'll leave me plenty of money to buy some other little goodies. Once I finish, I'll get all the photos up of how it goes.

To answer the bushings question, I think I'll go ahead and rip some leaves off a much newer model XJ, like a '99 or something like that. As for the shocks, I'm going to go ahead and see about getting some Nitro 9000's or something like that from RC (something with higher travel.). I saw a guy playing with his project vehicle on an RTI ramp (he maxed out the ramp and still had travel left.) and that answered a LOT of my questions about lifts and articulation. I have done wheeling, but it has never been at a level to challenge either me or my rig. Thank you all for your help, I'll let you know how the lift goes

Hubbazoot said:

...I have done wheeling, but it has never been at a level to challenge either me or my rig...

Click to expand...

Then you arn't wheeling! Good luck with the Jeep though!

:laugh:
~Scott

Muddy Beast said:

Then you arn't wheeling! Good luck with the Jeep though!

:laugh:
~Scott

Click to expand...

Eh, I still consider it wheeling. I've ridden trails, climbed rocks, driven in snow, etc. Thanks for the wishes with the XJ.

stay away from the AAL's... if your debating a bastard pack (which only accounts for the rear lift), do that in the rear as opposed to an AAL, then do the front w/ the rc 3" stuff... just stay away from their shocks. total shouldnt run you more then $300-$400 depending on shocks/shipping.

AAL = sag

also who cares if your quote UNQUOTE wheeling..... its your jeep!
the rc 3" stuff will serve you well, its a good cheap starter kit... IF you take my warning about the AAL and shocks.

First off...money is never "aside" when dealing with your XJ. It is always out front, in your face, and constantly moves away from your wallet. You can either throw larger amounts of it at your XJ in the form of off-the-shelf kits or you can throw smaller amounts of it , plus vast amounts of your time searching for parts, instead (by putting your own kits together). Your call. Anyone who says that one is absolutely better than the other just has more money in that wallet and less time, or inclination , to search. It's that simple. Our society has always paid more for convenience and less for ? (let's call it "hands on auto education"). !st Class Air Travel/Teacher Salaries? Magnovox Stereos/Heath Kit Radios.

The bottom line to your thread is that you are searching for validation for a decision you have already made concerning your jeep upgrades. You know what you want to do and you know what your wallet will allow you to do and how much time you are willing to spend on it. So is it convenience or is it hands on auto education?

The number one thing that I have learned on this forum, besides an aversion to unnecesary flaming, is that whatever route you take to your XJ upgrade is just fine. It's your toy so play with it any way you want. The experiences provided by everyone on this forum can be incredibly valuable to you in your decisions.

My mom used to say to me that "everything is like making soup, dummy. You start with good stuff, you end with good soup. Now go do your homework!"

That's my jeep mantra. Get the best ingredients you can afford in whatever manner you can afford to acquire them and do it right the first time. No AAL, blocks or short cuts, no burnt soup. Your whole family will be happier, and in less pain.