Hello, New here. We just got my wife a 99 XJ and wanting around a 4-4.5 lift. Want a decent lift that is capable off road and on. I have my eye on the Rusty's 4.5LA and the Currie 4.5. They are both close in price. What are some opinions on the Rusty's long arm vs Currie short arm with Johnny joints?
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Lift Options and Opinions
- Thread starter Ghost23
- Start date
- Location
- Albuquerque, NM
FWIW if I were starting fresh again for a mild daily driver build I would go with a 3 inch lift with all bushings in the control arms, and a 2 inch lift leaf pack with hd shackle relocation boxes in the back. With minor trimming and proper bumpstopping you could run 31s with that setup and it would be very comfortable
amorth
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Denver, CO
Rustys is ok - nothing great but not terrible. There are definitely better brands out there. Is it capable to take you offroad? Most definitely. But if you're going to go above 3" you'll need to consider get into a sye, shims, longer brake lines, etc. With that you should consider Serious Offroad's 4.5" LA (http://www.seriousoffroadproducts.c...-Arm-4.5in.-Long-Arm-Suspension-NP231J-T-case) - it's a complete kit and it's beef!
If that's too much, I agree with what x-jay vision said. A 3" lift is very capable of taking you most places (that's what I run) and I'm happy with it. Although I'm seriously considering upgrading to that serious offroad kit.
If that's too much, I agree with what x-jay vision said. A 3" lift is very capable of taking you most places (that's what I run) and I'm happy with it. Although I'm seriously considering upgrading to that serious offroad kit.
I like that kit you listed. I mentioned the 3" lift, but she had already seen one with a 4.5" with cut out fenders and flares on 33's and made her mind up. So I want to get the best riding most reliable kit I can. She will be driving it 30 miles a day for work. Makes it hard for her when every Cherokee or wrangler around here has at least a 4" lift and 33's.
http://www.currieenterprises.com/cestore/categories.aspx?id=995
This is the Currie kit i was looking at.
This is the Currie kit i was looking at.
VAhasnoWAVES
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Lake City, Mi
well... duh. ask any woman, an extra inch or two makes a difference.
to be honest... if my wife was going to be putting miles on a rig, id tell her to get a car. but hey, if the finances and desires are there to support it, might as well keep the woman happy.
stay away from rustys. and as much as i am a fan of currie's stuff, that kit is incomplete in my opinion.
4.5" is a tricky lift height. your in the territory where you really need to start considering long arms or drop brackets considering that your wife will be DD'ing this rig. what may be tolerable for one person may be too harsh for another. also note that with 33s comes more than just lift to actually have an enjoyable experience driving this vehicle, as well as keep it reliable. you should weigh the lift height, tire size, and ride quality you want against your budget... you can alleviate a lot of the geometry and driveline issues by dropping down to a 3" lift, and will proper bump stopping can play with it on 33s.
as far as brand. there are so many that ill never buy a kit again. im a fan of just buying the components i need. with that said... look into the 3.5" super ride stuff from rubicon express. their stuff tends to run tall, ride well, and she and the jeep can grow with many of the components.
VAhasnoWAVES
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Lake City, Mi
like i said... im no longer a fan of buying "kits". ive added so much to my RE one. but if your willing to piece together your own to achieve 4.5" of lift (and considering her use), my suggestion is:
FRONT:
Rubicon express 4.5" coils
adjustable track bar (IRO is a popular choice)
fixed lowers (your choice)
control arm drop brackets (RE or rough country)
extended or quick disconnect sway bar links
extended brake lines
bilsteins
REAR:
3.5" leafs (full leaf pack)
1" shackle
shackle relocation bracket (HD offroad)
brake line
bilsteins
things you also need to consider on 4.5" of lift and 33s:
- gears
- trans cooler
transfer case drop or SYE (SYE preffered)
FRONT:
Rubicon express 4.5" coils
adjustable track bar (IRO is a popular choice)
fixed lowers (your choice)
control arm drop brackets (RE or rough country)
extended or quick disconnect sway bar links
extended brake lines
bilsteins
REAR:
3.5" leafs (full leaf pack)
1" shackle
shackle relocation bracket (HD offroad)
brake line
bilsteins
things you also need to consider on 4.5" of lift and 33s:
- gears
- trans cooler
transfer case drop or SYE (SYE preffered)
Well she had a car and recently had a bad wreck. 2008 Pontiac g6 gxp. She squeezed out through the window seconds before the inside of the car caught on fire. All that was left was a burnt shell of a body and some item in the trunk. So we found a very clean 99 Cherokee. She has always liked them and the 4x4 will come in handy because they don't plow our road very often in the winter. I can order stuff through advance auto at 20% discount and carquest at 10% above cost. So sourcing parts isn't hard. Just trying to find out what others like and recommend. I like the long arm kits and feel that they would ride good with a nice set of shocks. Anything will ride better than what it does now. Suspension is wore out but she doesn't complain. My 2004.5 dodge 2500 quad cab Cummins rides better. I like the idea of piecing together a kit. That way I can pick and choose the best parts.
VAhasnoWAVES
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Lake City, Mi
shorts arms and drop brackets will give you many of the same characteristics as long arms, at a fraction of the price, and will probably suffice for her use. with that said, you/she will not regret a long arm purchase.
indiana is part of the MW Chapter here on naxja. drop in and say hi. a lot of good people in there.
indiana is part of the MW Chapter here on naxja. drop in and say hi. a lot of good people in there.
Thanks for the help! I just got done looking over your Chernobyl Cherokee link. Nice!
Wow, do glad to hear your wife made it out!
The Currie stuff looks great, the rear bumps tops, control arms ect are trick. Be aware of spring rates and make sure they match your needs. Spring rate and shocks will dramatically effect on road manners, load carrying capability and flex. These jeeps will dive and wallow, especially with a load, if the wrong stuff is bolted on. You can find a nice balance of ability to scrub pavement and flex off road. Do your homework here.
I think the Currier, ensuring springs and shocks meet your needs, and some additional stuff like brake lines, sway bar discos, SYE would be nice.
As people state here, going for a little less height may keep scope in control and give good capability.
FWIW, I installed DPG Off Roads Ultimate Kit (old man emu and jks) on my 97... Overall I am very satisfied.
http://dpgoffroad.com/products/22-5-inch-ultimate-xj-old-man-emu-hybrid-kit-2/
The Currie stuff looks great, the rear bumps tops, control arms ect are trick. Be aware of spring rates and make sure they match your needs. Spring rate and shocks will dramatically effect on road manners, load carrying capability and flex. These jeeps will dive and wallow, especially with a load, if the wrong stuff is bolted on. You can find a nice balance of ability to scrub pavement and flex off road. Do your homework here.
I think the Currier, ensuring springs and shocks meet your needs, and some additional stuff like brake lines, sway bar discos, SYE would be nice.
As people state here, going for a little less height may keep scope in control and give good capability.
FWIW, I installed DPG Off Roads Ultimate Kit (old man emu and jks) on my 97... Overall I am very satisfied.
http://dpgoffroad.com/products/22-5-inch-ultimate-xj-old-man-emu-hybrid-kit-2/
