Trying to put together a good all around suspension

[PumpinIron]

So, unlike some of you guys I don't do any rock crawling. I have tons of respect for it and I would love to do it, but I think I very well might have one of the cleanest XJs in existence. That being said, it's also my daily driver / family car so I want it to stay nice and clean.

I do however take it off road. We take it to the dunes, on the beach, in the snow, and on the trails. Basically what I am getting at is that it does see off-road use, it's just lighter off road use and we aren't climbing over any huge rocks so I don't need some insane amount of flex.

My goal here is to lift the Jeep somewhere between 2" to 4" (I need to be able to fit 31" mud terrain tires) while still maintaining good on road handling and ride quality. However, I also want a suspension that performs decent off-road in the types of conditions I mentioned above.

Having said all of this, I'm really confused on where to start. Everyone says long arm lifts are kind and handle the best. However, that seems like it might be a lot of overkill for what I am trying to do here, right? The problem with a non-long arm lift is that once you get too high you almost need long arms or some sort of adjustable control arms (right?) in order to keep the suspension geometry in check from what I understand.

On top of that I need to find a nice off-road / on-road shock setup. I really like the Bilstein 5160s (well I like the way they look I mean, haha) but I am not sure if those are a good dual purpose shock or not.

Basically my question to you guys (since a lot of you have been doing this for way longer than I have) is what would you do in my situation? Assuming money is not an option and you want to build a great daily driver / off-road Cherokee what parts would you buy? I'm not just talking about suspension as well, I'm talking about steering, axles, etc.

My only requirements as mentioned above are that it not be a HUGE lift (I only want to fit 31" tires and I want to keep the stock fenders / fender flares) and it handle well both on road and LIGHT off-roading.

Any input is appreciated!

 

[tbburg]

Do not:
Do not use and "add a leaf" spring in the rear. They're cheap, and the ride quality sucks.
Do NOT get rear springs that take poly bushings. Poly bushings suck on the street and don't last long off-road. For the best setup, look for springs that have the stock sized spring eyes.
Do not get too tied up in how the shocks look. you can't see them with 2" of lift anyway.

Do:
Consider using the stock front springs with spacers. Maintains stock ride quality.
Consider 30" tires. Easier to fit, don't "have to" re-gear, cheaper.
Consider limiting yourself to 3" lift. pavement ride quality goes downhill quick above 3"
Do buy good shocks. The 51xx Bilsteins are great. The Fox 2.0s are also good. Sad to say, but budget at least 100-125 bucks a corner on these. You'll want softer valving for mainly street use.
Do properly adjust your bump stops. You'll find that properly sized shocks for 2-3" of lift will bottom out before the stock bump stops engage, ruining your nice new shocks.(and probably voiding the warranty as well)

Having said that I'm running:
30" tires(BFG) on 15x8 wheels(TJ Canyons)
Old Man Emu 1.5" rear springs, stock shackles.
Grand Cherokee front springs with 2" pucks.
Currently running JK "red"(rubicon) shocks all around. A little stiff, and a little long in the back. Eventually planning on BDS Fox 2.0s (I have a set on my other jeep(TJ) and really like them.

 

[Hopkins]

Check out Metal Cloak's new XJ lift. It's the absolute best quality that money can buy. Amazing ride on and off road, and the kit is designed for fitting 31s just like your looking for. They have the best control arm joints in the industry and are the only name to go with if you want your Jeep to ride like a Cadillac. www.MetalCloak.com

There prices are really high, but like I said the quality doesn't get any better.

 

[PumpinIron]

Do not:
Do not use and "add a leaf" spring in the rear. They're cheap, and the ride quality sucks.
Do NOT get rear springs that take poly bushings. Poly bushings suck on the street and don't last long off-road. For the best setup, look for springs that have the stock sized spring eyes.
Do not get too tied up in how the shocks look. you can't see them with 2" of lift anyway.

Do:
Consider using the stock front springs with spacers. Maintains stock ride quality.
Consider 30" tires. Easier to fit, don't "have to" re-gear, cheaper.
Consider limiting yourself to 3" lift. pavement ride quality goes downhill quick above 3"
Do buy good shocks. The 51xx Bilsteins are great. The Fox 2.0s are also good. Sad to say, but budget at least 100-125 bucks a corner on these. You'll want softer valving for mainly street use.
Do properly adjust your bump stops. You'll find that properly sized shocks for 2-3" of lift will bottom out before the stock bump stops engage, ruining your nice new shocks.(and probably voiding the warranty as well)

Having said that I'm running:
30" tires(BFG) on 15x8 wheels(TJ Canyons)
Old Man Emu 1.5" rear springs, stock shackles.
Grand Cherokee front springs with 2" pucks.
Currently running JK "red"(rubicon) shocks all around. A little stiff, and a little long in the back. Eventually planning on BDS Fox 2.0s (I have a set on my other jeep(TJ) and really like them.

First off your XJ looks badass! I'm probably the minority here but I actually like the look of a mildly lifted XJ with 30" or 31" tires on it. Also, I have the Ravine wheels but your pictures are making me want the Canyons, LOL!

Thanks for the advice! I want to stay around 3" or less of lift mostly because I don't want to lose much (if any) street drivability. Also, as mentioned, it would be pointless to go all out here with a huge lift and tires since the car is 80% daily driving and 20% off road. Even then, the off roading I do is not the kind of stuff you need massive flex for anyways.

What I am thinking so far is Bilstein 5100 or 5160 shocks (they're spendy but having had Bilsteins before on past vehicles I know they are high quality), OME 2" coil springs, OME 2" leaf springs (not add a leafs of course).

Check out Metal Cloak's new XJ lift. It's the absolute best quality that money can buy. Amazing ride on and off road, and the kit is designed for fitting 31s just like your looking for. They have the best control arm joints in the industry and are the only name to go with if you want your Jeep to ride like a Cadillac. www.MetalCloak.com

There prices are really high, but like I said the quality doesn't get any better.

I'll check them out! Thanks for the tip.

 

[jeeperjohn]

I suggest:
3 1/2" lift with full leaf packs, adjustable control arms and drop brackets, best shocks you can afford ( I used rancho adjustable shocks at that ride height and I loved them). Lift spacers with stock coils as mentioned above will work well. Consider an SYE kit for reliability and reduced chance of vibration.

 

[chameleo78]

The MetalCloak kit looks great!! And if price were no object that's probably how I would go. However price is always an object so... I think there are some things you could delete from their kit and replace with cheaper alternatives and still maintain the ride/handling.

 

[yossarian19]

I've run 31s on stock gear ratio. If you want to drive up a hill some day, it sucks - though it's fine on flat ground. My advice, stay with a 30" tire or a LT type 235/75/15.
For what you describe, a refreshed stock suspension is more than enough. If you really want / need to lift, though, my advice is to keep it mild or open your wallet wide. Even a 4" lift starts adding up the $$ quick if you want to keep decent ride and performance.
Moog CC782 coil springs and Crown HD leaf springs are a good combination that will keep you just under 2" of lift, which is desirable for on road handling and simplicity. If you have the $$ to blow, sure, you can go higher and use Bilstein 5160s - but you can get down a dirt road just fine with OE replacement shocks and no lift, too.

In your situation, I would go CC782 coils, HD leaf springs, replace the upper & lower control arms (for fresh bushings more than anything) and buy some 30x9.50 LT tires. Replace your shocks with quality OE replacement stuff like Monroe's Gas Magnum line or Bilstein's 4600 shocks. Save your money for gas - because a stock Cherokee doesn't need modifying to be a helluva family camping vehicle.

 

[PumpinIron]

I already have 31" Cooper STT tires. The previous owner put some sort of a mix and match lift kit on there. It's already got adjustable upper and lower control arms, Rubicon Express shocks (which ride pretty rough on the road) and I think have high miles on them. It's also got a 4.5" lift (which is a bit much for me to be honest) and the leafs in the rear appear to be starting to wear out (I say that because the back is slightly lower than the front).

Anyways, I figured that I already have the control arms so why not just get some new springs, leafs, and shocks and lower it a bit. Most people would probably tell me to stay at 4.5" but honestly it's just a bit too tall for my liking. I feel like 2" would be better since I won't have to struggle as much to get in and out of the car. Not only that but at this height I swear it feels 'tippy' sometimes when you're driving.

 

[yossarian19]

Ah, I see.
Look at dpgoffroad.com and maybe give Dirk, the owner over there, a call. You probably just want a set of 2" springs / shocks from Old Man Emu. You may or may not need to add wheel spacers to clear 31s, your lower control arms are going to help in that regard (usually, LCAs are the first thing to rub - but after market ones give more clearance)

 

[Demonoid369]

For the front a spacer will work, but the rear do what I did, do a bastard pack of a xj leaf pack with a extra xj main leaf added to get 1.5" and use the money you saved and get a shackle relocator, help flex and ride.

 

[Jbh97009]

At that height I'd look into OME.... Best ride, and probably the best lift all around at that height, and their bilstein shocks are nice

 

[Johnnie Walker]

Looks like you are half way there. Are you running a swaybar?
Short list of what I recommend.
Front:
-OME 934 coils, maybe add spacer or ACOS
-IRO trackbar/bracket - Not sure what you are currently running. Some of the trackbars for taller lifts do not adjust short enough for shorter lifts.
-Prothane bumpstops

Rear:
OME MD/HD leaf packs, maybe with current shackle (if longer than stock)

Shocks, The OME shocks are nice, their Sport shocks are better. Bilstein 5100 are very nice as well.

 

[XJLI]

Best riding, offroadable, and money no object?

-old man emu medium duty springs and sport shocks
-JKS boomerang shackle
-JKS ACOS pro with hydro bumpstop
-JKS upper and lower control arms
-JKS trackbar
-energy suspension 4" rear bumpstop
-antirock front swaybar
-currie steering system
-remove rear swaybar

sets you up for 3-3.5" of lift and will drive on road and off better than stock with the same levels of NVH. idk what year XJ you have but you'll probably need a SYE with a 96 or newer.

 

[sunburned]

I'd go with DPG as well. http://dpgoffroad.com/products/22-5-inch-ultimate-xj-old-man-emu-hybrid-kit-2/


Edit: Actually, after looking at the metalcloak kit, that's a great deal: http://www.metalcloak.com/Duroflex-Lift-Kit-3-5-XJ-Short-Arm-ARB-Shocks-p/7180.htm

Only thing I'd change is getting a double shear bracket for the frame side of the track bar. Don't even mess with the single shear.

And get an AA SYE.

 

[XJLI]

oh wow, that metalcloak kit IS really nice. single shear trackbars are fine for most people, you only need double shear if you are being real hardcore or higher than 4" of lift.

 

[PumpinIron]

Best riding, offroadable, and money no object?

-old man emu medium duty springs and sport shocks
-JKS boomerang shackle
-JKS ACOS pro with hydro bumpstop
-JKS upper and lower control arms
-JKS trackbar
-energy suspension 4" rear bumpstop
-antirock front swaybar
-currie steering system
-remove rear swaybar

sets you up for 3-3.5" of lift and will drive on road and off better than stock with the same levels of NVH. idk what year XJ you have but you'll probably need a SYE with a 96 or newer.

Oooh, I like this setup a lot after doing the research.

I think what I'll do is end up getting an OME lift from DPG and then add on some of these additional pieces you mentioned to go with it. From everything I have read it seems OME makes a really nice suspension for these cars.

 

[genevamotorsports]

I use my XJ basically like you (except for snow) and learned as I went. One issue that cropped up is my 3" lift ended up actually being 4"! This has taught me all the drive line and alignment geometry changes needed to make it drive "right" on the street. All the previous information is great. Either stay at 2" with 30" tires or go 3"+, 31"+ tires, track bar, control arms and an SYE kit. These XJ's are old. Either way you go, make sure all your suspension components are tight and get a real good alignment.

 

[XJLI]

Oooh, I like this setup a lot after doing the research.

I think what I'll do is end up getting an OME lift from DPG and then add on some of these additional pieces you mentioned to go with it. From everything I have read it seems OME makes a really nice suspension for these cars.

JKS make nice stuff. i had the ORGS (JKS before they were called JKS) trackbar on my 93... got it used with something like 60k miles on it. i put another 60k on it before my stock bracket starting cracking from wheeling-related stress.