Getting ready to go from 3" to 4.5-5" , please review my plan...

I am almost ready to go from 3" to 4.5"-5"

what do you guys think of my plan?


Current Setup

1996 Jeep XJ Sport 4.0HO, Auto, np 231j

Front Rough Country 3" Coils, (measures just under 20 2/3" from hub to fender flare, just over 3" lift)

rear newer stock springs with 3" AAL (measures just over 20" from hub to flare)

track bar: relocated for 3" lift (shifted 3/4")

brake lives: front and rear are relocated

SYE with FIXED yoke (using a stock auto 4.0 D shaft in the rear) and 2(?) degree axle shim

shocks: nearly new JK rubicon shocks

control arms: stock uppers and stock lowers with a 1/4" shim on the bottom

shackles: STOCK

DIY extended swaybar links, with DIY discos

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what's the plan:

Front: keep my current 3" RC springs and use the 1.75" steel coil spacers that I fabb'ed but never used

rear: keep my AAL and build a custom shackle box that will allow me to use my Rough Country 1-1.5" lift shackles (that I got at the bone yard for $4 in like new condition) while getting BETTER shackle angle and a only around 1.5-2" lift

things to address...

BRAKE lines:I have some GM c1500 front lines, and Dakota rear lines, these are around 6" longer than stock

track bar: I plan to build a stronger higher (maybe an inch) mount that can actually clear... will have to relocate the stabilizer for this...

steering, ZJ pitman arm (drops 1") (only $13 at the bone yard)

SHOCKS: plan to keep my JK Rubicon shocks, on the front I will make a pair of extended bar pin eliminators, for the rear I plan to cut off the axle mounts and move them 2" or so higher (might get new fronts later)


swaybar links: I plan to extend them to the proper length


control arms: I have a like new set of front control arms off a JK Rubicon... I am debating weather to make the upper and lower frame side mounts or just keep it simple and make them fixed (lowers are around 22 5/8" while the uppers are around 19" (might consider extending the uppers, also might eventually upgrade to aftermarket adjustable JK control arms)

the frame side mounts will be welded to the a large piece of 1/4" plate that I am going to weld to the frame...

The good thing about the JK arms is they are WAY longer, they are WAY stronger, they are easy to mod, they have a beefy,bushing that flexes really well... they are simple to lengthen/shorten... I have even seen one guy mod them over to have heim joints instead of the bushings...

you did an sye at 3". i have a 96 and im at 3" no major vibes. im going 4.5" soon. gotta buy a trackbar soon. plenty of room with break lines. even for 4" i think. get new leafs from rusty 3.5" and 1.5" Spacer/shackle. MAYBE an SYE if i need it. RC uses the same nitro shocks for the 3" and 4.5" lift, plus i got BPES in the back so shock are good. I wanna do fixed LCAs with Adj. Uppers. Discos to put my front sway on. Stock steering setup maybe a drop PA

yes I did a SYE... only spent $80 including the shaft, so I figured why not... it was better than having the t case dropped an inch (which I did do for a few months)

honestly you could skip the track bar and just make a new mount,,, one that has clearance up top so it is not smacking the bracket when you flex

I max out the front brake soft lines already with the discos and I could have went further

fixed LCAs and adjustable uppers makes sense, you can shim the lowers as needed, just DO NOT get stock length lowers, get something that is 16" or maybe a little more, I think you can shim the lowers out either 1/3" or 1/2"

Go Jeep's website talks about making shims

lets see pics of your 'relocated' trackbar mount at 4.5-5" eric. i wanna see how you (reuse?) the stock trackbar.

xcm said:

lets see pics of your 'relocated' trackbar mount at 4.5-5" eric. i wanna see how you (reuse?) the stock trackbar.

Click to expand...

you are gonna have to give me some time to build it first

the plan is move it up around 1" and over around 3/4" on the axle side, while leaving lots of area above it open so it can still flex...

I don't know does that sound workable?

I know it's not the way most people would do it... but I can replace a stock piece for $50 new and in stock... or later I can fab a new one for around $70

also why is relocated in quotes? if the track bar mount is moved at all (esp if move up or down) then it is relocated

and why in the heck are you putting parentheses and a question mark around the word reuse?

either way if you got a better idea then shoot... if not then I respectfully stick my tongue out at you in a playful manner... no disrespect intended, you have been quite helpful in the past... but ATM I do not find your current post in this thread to be in anyway helpful

PS: many people have move the track bar over and ran it at 4.5"... so relocating it and moving it should work ever better... also I like how you wrote ONLINE that is funny

Blk96XJ said:

MAYBE an SYE if i need it.

Click to expand...

Just get it...Much better on your driveline than a t-case drop.

Eric, as for not replacing the track bar. Upgrade to a double shear setup. the TRE design is not nearly as strong as a double shear setup. An extra 200 bucks is a worthwhile purchase for me.

For a 4.5-5 inches of lift you're going to need a few things, brakelines, control arms, trackbar.

lets just say im skeptical of this turning out well. as far as 'helpfull comments', its obvious you dont want to spend any money on this, so my helpfull comment, is wait till you can afford to lift it right.

the online thing, has to do with the avatar.

FlexdXJ said:

Just get it...Much better on your driveline than a t-case drop.

Eric, as for not replacing the track bar. Upgrade to a double shear setup. the TRE design is not nearly as strong as a double shear setup. An extra 200 bucks is a worthwhile purchase for me.

Click to expand...

I plan to build one soon enough... the frame side bracket is simple enough to build or even to mod the factory one

xcm said:

lets just say im skeptical of this turning out well. as far as 'helpfull comments', its obvious you dont want to spend any money on this, so my helpfull comment, is wait till you can afford to lift it right.

the online thing, has to do with the avatar.

Click to expand...

something is only 'Right' if it does the following:

‎1) it works and works well

2) it lasts

‎3) it is simple to maintain

4) parts are easy to obtain


honestly people do it all the time... it's no big deal... and I do plan on building a double shear setup soon enough... just not today

I guess what I am getting at is the stock track bar is new, while it is not ideal it will work for now...

the new axle side mount will be stronger and have clearance to flex, as a result it will perform better than stock, and make for a nice band aid until I can afford to build my new track bar (at which time I will make a double shear frame side mount)

ericfx1984 said:

something is only 'Right' if it does the following:

‎1) it works and works well

2) it lasts

‎3) it is simple to maintain

4) parts are easy to obtain


honestly people do it all the time... it's no big deal... and I do plan on building a double shear setup soon enough... just not today

Click to expand...

I mean if you want to do it the cheap way, go for it, but a stock trackbar won't work as well or be nearly as strong as a double shear. You seem to be able to fab stuff so if you can make it work, by all mean, do it. I would just build the trackbar /bracket right off the bat since you already have the stock one on there and then switch them out. Seems kinda like a waste of time to have to modify it for the stock bar then have to modify the trackbar for double shear.

further more a lot of people seem to think that moving the track bar over at 2" - 4.5" is cutting corners, maybe it is, but it does work, it's not the best setup in the workd, but it works

FlexdXJ said:

I mean if you want to do it the cheap way, go for it, but a stock trackbar won't work as well or be nearly as strong as a double shear. You seem to be able to fab stuff so if you can make it work, by all mean, do it. I would just build the trackbar /bracket right off the bat since you already have the stock one on there and then switch them out. Seems kinda like a waste of time to have to modify it for the stock bar then have to modify the trackbar for double shear.

Click to expand...

I am not going to mod the trackbar at all... just going to run it

later on I will remove the stock bar and replace it with a new track bar, I will just make it with heims on both ends and a straight piece of DOM