2nd Cherokee. 1st was mild, second wild?

[97CountryXJ]

Hope this helps. http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2255910
To repeat what I said before, 1997 Cherokees and up to 2001 are MORE prone to vibrations due to the external style slip yoke on NP231's. Also, my meager 3" lift did not produce many vibrations, but some are different than others.
A buddy of mine is in the first stages of fabrication like the one in the link above. I have lifted many Jeeps and found every one is different. I think that you are on the right track, as far as having to spend the time and money, go for it!

 

[Blackchrome]

My 2 cents...I've owned a TJ with 4" lift and 33's and now have a 99XJ with 33's. I prefer my XJ over my TJ for that main reason...that the XJ has leafs in the rear. I get all the flex in the world that I could ever want and need with a 6.5" BDS LA in the front, and the rear springs give me predictability in off camber situations. The unloading issue happens with Coilovers; eg. going up a steep hill to the point where your front end gets light enough (requires a steep angle) that the coils in the coil overs unload, meaning they push the front end over. Maybe not to the point of rolling backwards, but enough to make it unpredictable. My buddy with 40s on his TJ and Coil overs front has sat on his rear stinger many a times because of this.

Anyways, I think Coil overs on the front are bad ass but definitly keep the leafs in the rear.

 

[keep0njeepin0n]

I am not set on coil overs, just trying to think out side the box. I figured most would say it was too much of a hassel for the gains in articulation. As far as the COG suffering from the amount of lift incurred from coil overs, COG is going to suffer from any lift in general, but I have figured a 8" net gain from a well set up coil over converison. That is rather high, but D60s or GM corporates weight like 400lbs+ each. That will help with COG some.
I have been going back and fourth with some people I know here that know a thing or two about crazy jeeps, and they say it would be cool but dont think it is worth it. On the same lines as the feedback here. They also mentioned a coil conversion for the rear, witch would be much easier to accomplish. I should get started with something sometime after chirstmas and will post pics.

Am I an idiot or is this guy smoking crack?!?!

PLEASE, by all means, if my thought process is jacked up, let me know, but.......what does the weight of the axle itself have to do with the COG??? The weight is under the suspension, so it's not going to make it squat any lower with a dana 60 over a dana 35...right? Or is there more to it than I'm not understanding? If so, please explain!

 

[IXNAYXJ]

Am I an idiot or is this guy smoking crack?!?!

PLEASE, by all means, if my thought process is jacked up, let me know, but.......what does the weight of the axle itself have to do with the COG??? The weight is under the suspension, so it's not going to make it squat any lower with a dana 60 over a dana 35...right? Or is there more to it than I'm not understanding? If so, please explain!

He's not totally wrong. What he's talking about is un-sprung weight. In sports cars it's the #1 enemy, but in off camber situations it helps plant the vehicle. The more weight there lower in the chasis the better you are.

-----Matt-----

 

[rcmf5525]

97countryXJ, that jeep is huge! But IMHO anyone who lifts any vehicle 15" is asking for trouble. An XJ really is not fuctional past 8", unless it is used as a bogger and nothing else. Even at 8", like Rustys XJ, things get hairy. But it sure does look bad ass. I have a friend of mine that has an XJ with 16" of lift. I have driven it couple of times and I am glad I dont own it. I almost bought it at one point, thank God and my wife I did not.

Blackchrome, I just wonder what is not predictable about coils? Off camber with any raised vehicle is going to make your butt pucker. Sure, leafs will allow you to go a little more off camber than a flexy coil, but really it is all in how well you know your ride. 40s are quite large. 38s are about as big as you will see in serious comps. There has to be a reason for that right? The rides that have tires that large are extreamly purpose built and dont have any fenders to speak of so they can go with a smaller lift and still get the articulation and tire size they want. Going from 35s to 38s is a lot different than going from 32s to 35s. Would you agree?

One of the main selling points of coil overs for me is the fact that there will never be any spring unseating. Im sure anyone who has done some crawling knows what that feels like and it aint good. Maybe I will go with 12" travel coil overs and try to keep the lift in the 6" area. That should be do able. I should be able to run 35s with a little cutting. The ride hight is adjustable with coil overs as well...

 

[rcmf5525]

keep0nJeepin0n - if you have 10,000lbs of axles, it doesnt matter how high your vehicle is you arent tipping it over. I know that is a gross [SIZE=-1]exageration, but it illustrates the idea well......
[/SIZE]

 

[Blackchrome]

well my point is made in what you agreed with...leafs are better in off camber, ie. it's more stable. However, with that said, you are also right in that coils will give you better flex. I'm just saying that I prefer leafs because I like the predictability. Yes, you can know your truck well. I knew my TJ better than I know my XJ, point is, coils in the front for flex, and leafs for control in the rear.
I was just speaking on experience of my friend. He wouldn't give up his coil overs for anything...well maybe air shocks, but thats a whole new ball of wax. Anyways, tire size had nothing to do with the unloading of the springs in a coilover. I still think you should do it...but I think you've already decided on what you're going to do

 

[rcmf5525]

I guess you are right. Just trying to get someone to prove my logic wrong. Well, this should be fun!!

 

[keep0njeepin0n]

He's not totally wrong. What he's talking about is un-sprung weight. In sports cars it's the #1 enemy, but in off camber situations it helps plant the vehicle. The more weight there lower in the chasis the better you are.

-----Matt-----

Ok, I'm tracking now...makes sense. But at first I was like WTF!?!?!?!?!?!

 

[keep0njeepin0n]

keep0nJeepin0n - if you have 10,000lbs of axles, it doesnt matter how high your vehicle is you arent tipping it over. I know that is a gross [SIZE=-1]exageration, but it illustrates the idea well......
[/SIZE]

I see what you mean, but that's not completely true...look at monster trucks. A lot of those guys are using the axles from the old military duece-and-a-half's and they tip pretty easy!

 

[xalexjx]

Iv been happy with d30, 8.25 with alloy shafts, lockers front and rear, winch and 33's, Short arm front, leafs rear, Iv never seen a reason to have to run anything bigger, only thing i would think about is jumping up to some 35's. If your a good driver with patience and experience you can do a lot with 35's lockers a winch and some commen sence. Iv ran a few trails where the guys with d60's and 37s have to winch and i walk right up it. Maby theyre just bad drivers, :looney:

 

[tjmwr7]

?????

 

[tjmwr7]

I cut the top off so i can lean back and use my uzi.
Go with the 5.5 ruby LONG ARM. thats all you need.
Why spend money on something you dont need. Are you going to comp in a rock race? If so get the coil overs. If you want the adjustbility of them. Buy the jks adjustable coil tops. The rubicon long arm is been my fav so far.
what are you running underneath? I have 35"s on my upgraded dana 30 and 8.25 and no breakage. Moab and all.

 

[rcmf5525]

I cut the top off so i can lean back and use my uzi.
Go with the 5.5 ruby LONG ARM. thats all you need.
Why spend money on something you dont need. Are you going to comp in a rock race? If so get the coil overs. If you want the adjustbility of them. Buy the jks adjustable coil tops. The rubicon long arm is been my fav so far.
what are you running underneath? I have 35"s on my upgraded dana 30 and 8.25 and no breakage. Moab and all.

I think that is what I am going to go with for now. I would like to have 37s but dont really want to go with 8" of lift with out full sized axles, if at all. Does anyone know if it is possible to run 37s with less than 8" of lift with proper back spacing and either wheel spacers or the added length of full sized axles?

I know that a good driver on 33s can do more, in some cases, than a bad driver on 37s. If that same good driver had 37s he could do a lot more than he could on 33s. Right???

 

[lancey3]

I think that is what I am going to go with for now. I would like to have 37s but dont really want to go with 8" of lift with out full sized axles, if at all. Does anyone know if it is possible to run 37s with less than 8" of lift with proper back spacing and either wheel spacers or the added length of full sized axles?

I know that a good driver on 33s can do more, in some cases, than a bad driver on 37s. If that same good driver had 37s he could do a lot more than he could on 33s. Right???

someone here runs 37s on a 2 inch budget boost.

and

uncc civilengineer runs 37 inch maxxis creeps talk to him about his lift. i think its six inches.

 

[rcmf5525]

37s with 2"? I bet that looks strange...

 

[tjmwr7]

5.5 ruby with alittle trimming maybe some spacers. There you go.

 

[rcmf5525]

Sorry to bring this one back to life, but I just found out that I should be getting anywhere from $3500 to $4000 out of my tax returns to dump into this project. There are so many directions to take this thing my head is spinning.:laugh2:
If you have not read the entire post, I already have a '92 on the RE5.5 short arm and I am looking to make a dedicated trail rig out of this one. It still has to be operational on the street, but by no means will it be driven daily. It is a '99 with D30 and 8.25, auto. I am going to keep it leaf sprung, but dont know which long arm to go with up front and if I should go to coil overs up front since I am going to build axles (obviously). If I do keep the regular coil front, should I go with 6" or 4" to keep COG as low as possible (street able, not street legal, necessarily)? I am thinking OX in the front and a spool in the rear. I would like to run 37s, so should I look hard for D60s or go with a 9" in the rear (pretty accessible to me) and build it stout? This rig will not see the likes of Moab or the Rubicon, but Tellico is close as well as about 10 other ORV parks and some private land in the NC, SC, and GA area. There is some rockin' to be had...

I think I am going to piece together the lift instead of just buying a kit. I know some of this is more personal preference, but I have read and read about TnT, BDS, RK, RE, Clayton, and Rustys. I just cant make up my mind.:banghead:

 

[ehall]

The shark tank idea was really good, Ima gonna fab that up right now