RE 3.5 what else will I need?

I just ordered the RE 3.5 super ride kit just wondering what other parts I will need to get this kit in and riding ok.. I notice 1st there is no TC drop with it so Im gonna guess that I'll need that. also there is no trac bar or relocating kit for this kit not sure if its needed or not. Anyone have any exp with this kit? this will be my 1st lift kit install so im guessing it will take me a day or so to get it right.. ooo and after its in can any shop get it aligned for me?

i believe the directions have you drill a new hole in the axle mount so you can reuse the stock trackbar. i may be wrong but if it doesnt come with an adjustable track bar or bracket, thats the only option unless you get an adjustable trackbar. personally, i would get an adjustable track bar.

as for the transfer case drop, it depends on what year and transmission you have. i didnt need to drop the transfercase on my 89 w/4.5" lift and a 5sp(longer driveshaft than the auto trans), but i do have a longer shackle and shims.

as for the install, it also depnds on how old and how rusty your suspension is. for the front coil springs, you might need a spring/strut compressor depending on what you disconnect. use pb blaster on all the nuts/bolts a week prior to the install and have a torch ready if the pb blaster doesnt work. for the rear, becarefull with the top shock bolts as they tend to snap off. an impact wrench works well to jar them loose. if they break/snap, it best to just punch them through. when they broke on my rusty old 89, i was able to reeach up and use a nut on the back of the mount and not have to cut through the floor.

im sure you will hit a few snags, but its a straight forward remove and replace. use jack stands to support the vehicle and when installing the coil springs, use a floor jack, or at the very least a bottle jack, to lift one side of the axle while letting the other side of the axle droop.

as for an alignment, you can adjust the toe and center the steering wheel using a tape measure and straight edge. if you have never done an alignment and would prefer to have a "pro" do it, then any tire shop should be able to do it. there are three components/specs to look at with an alignment, camber, caster, and toe. when doing a lift on an xj, camber doesnt change, but caster and toe will change. although caster will change, it may not change enough to be out of spec or if the kit comes with longer lower control arms, it should bring it back to specs. you can also adjust caster with the caster adjusment shoe/saddle and by adding a shim in the lower control arm frame mount.

another alignment spec is centering the front axle, this is done by increasing length of the track bar. you can do this by measuring off common points on the axle and frame and moving the axle so its centered. a simpler way to center the axle is to disconnect the trackbar and turn the steering wheel back and forth so it self centers and adjust the trackbar so it fits in the mounts.

good luck

I added the RE adjustable track bar and needed it since I didn't want to re-drill the hole. I also added a TC drop until I could afford the SYE & CV Drive shaft. every XJ is different with regard to vibes, but even with the drop, I still have vibes on decel. I eventually added a Tom Woods drive shaft, SYE and 4 degree axle shims and now I have no vibes at all.

Also I didn't see it mentioned, you'll need new shocks for all 4 corners and a ball joint press to get the sway bar bolts out of the front axle. I didn't have one, so I ended up drilling through the back of the bolts until I could easily hit them out with a hammer.

Definately get the RE adjustable Track bar. If you decide later to go with a bigger lift, you already have the adjustabler bar. I drilled mine per the instructions and later, when I put on the bigger lift, the bolt for the track bar pulled thru the thin material between the two holes and I had to have it welded. The only other item I added was the transfer case lowering kit. After that I had no vibes and was good to go.

Definitely spring for the adjustable track bar.

I would just order the 4.5" kit.. Some places will let you substitute 3.5" coils instead of the 4.5" ones and the kit comes with WAY more for your money for not much more cost...

I almost bought the Old Man Emu kit from RockyRoad im starting to think I should have their 4 inch kit came with the Adj Trackbar and rubber brake lines too and the TC drop kit

I have that kit. You don't need anything extra. Very easy install, took 2-3 hours.

will the RE1600 be ok and will I need anything else how about a TC drop kit how about front brake lines

just follow the directions. The front brake lines can be extended another 4" or so by just taking the "Z" bend in the front wheelwells, straightening it out and then remounting it.

You'll have to drive it after you install the lift to see if you need a tcase drop. I didn't on my 98.

as far as the track bar if i order the re1600 adj trac bar will i need to also get a new trac bar barcket or brace or will the 1600 mount to the stock trac bar bracket that is on the jeep now?

bobhere73 said:

as far as the track bar if i order the re1600 adj trac bar will i need to also get a new trac bar barcket or brace or will the 1600 mount to the stock trac bar bracket that is on the jeep now?

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It will mount to where the stock one is mounted to, you just have to drill it out a little bit.

Just curious. What took 2-3 hours? The whole lift? Mine took two days. I would pay to see someone do the job in 2-3 hours. A shop needs the Jeep for the entire day.

You the man!:laugh3:

jeepster_259 said:

I have that kit. You don't need anything extra. Very easy install, took 2-3 hours.

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the whole lift took 2-3 hours. If you need two days, get a friend who has installed a lift before to do it.

If your shop needs a full day, find another shop.

There is absolutely no reason to need more than a few hours. It's all bolt on. Really not that much to it. If you have a friend to help you out it will go a lot easier b/c one can work on the front while the other works on the rear (what I did). If I did it by myself it prob. would have take a couple more hours.

Be ready for snapping the bolts on the top of your rear shocks (mine did and I've heard many people have the same issue). Easy fix (what I did) is to take the rear swaybar mounts (which the RE lift says to remove anyway) and weld those on as bar-pin eliminators.

I do know how to install a lift. I just don't want anyone being misinformed on the amount of time required to install a full lift. I guess what I am saying is I smell BS.

There are alot of details that have to be addressed and even without the difficult/frozen bolts, alignment issues, trackbar install, spring perch drilling, front and rear brake lines, bleeding brakes, sye, driveline, u-bolts, shock issues, proper torque, etc, I would not trust a shop that said, "pick it up in 2 hours". Not that I would have a shop do it.

I did mine (first time installer) and removing individual parts took 2 hours by themselves. My jeep was holding itself together for dear life. I could do it faster if I did it again but most of my time was spent with taking things off that didn't want to come off. If non of the bolts had issues being removed it could be pretty fast I guess but 2 hours would be rushing it.

playwithit said:

I do know how to install a lift. I just don't want anyone being misinformed on the amount of time required to install a full lift. I guess what I am saying is I smell BS.

There are alot of details that have to be addressed and even without the difficult/frozen bolts, alignment issues, trackbar install, spring perch drilling, front and rear brake lines, bleeding brakes, sye, driveline, u-bolts, shock issues, proper torque, etc, I would not trust a shop that said, "pick it up in 2 hours". Not that I would have a shop do it.

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Well, first off, there is no BS that it only took 2-3 hours.
Second, on the RE 3.5" lift, there is no trackbar to install, just redrilling a hole.
Third, only the rear brake line is extended and needs to be bled. Fronts are just bent and remounted.
Fourth, a SYE may or may not be needed (not part of the lift). I didn't need one, nor did I need a tcase drop (also not a part of the lift).
Fifth, frozen bolts is on a case by case basis. Perhaps I was lucky that I didn't have any bolt issues besides the rear shock bolts braking.
Sixth, alignment is also not part of the lift install procedure. You should do it, but not included in lift installation time.
Seventh, there is no spring perch drilling!
And Finally, the lift kit is very straightforward...replace the coils, replace the lower control arms, put in your AAL or leaf packs, extend the rear brake line and bleed it, remount the front lines, install shocks...that's the basic procedure.

A well designed lift kit should not take more than half a day with 2 people (assuming it's not a full suspension replacement like a long-arm or something and that it's bolt-on).

expecting to install a lift for the first time and expecting a 2-3 hour time frame is unrealistic.

If you have never installed a lift before and are doing it by yourself, then yes 2-3 hours is unrealistic. However, as I said before, with 2 people who have installed a lift before, it is very realistic.

jeepster_259 said:

If you have never installed a lift before and are doing it by yourself, then yes 2-3 hours is unrealistic. However, as I said before, with 2 people who have installed a lift before, it is very realistic.

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Your posts are giving people unrealistic expectations. You're leaving things out (using air tools, having 2 people, alignment, deal with frozen bolts, SYE or t-case drop, etc) which will make people think they can be ON THE ROAD in 2-3 hours.

I've done 2-3 lifts before, and I like spending an entire day on it. I grease every bolt, torque them all to spec.

Granted you live in FL so you prob don't deal with frozen bolts (the front leaf spring bolts need heat and PB, takes about an hour to get those two out alone).

Clarify next time.