I have a basic newbie questions on an xj lift...

I just picked up an xj and was going to do a mild 3" lift, probably the rough country kit. I don't plan for any crazy off road, just fire trail to get to more remote camp sites than the Subaru can get to..

Now my question is regarding a shopping list, aside from the lift kit and possibly a tc drop kit if it vibes what else would you guys reccomend for a 1 shot order? The more I read, a double shear drop link is in the cards too, but what else am I realistically going to need?

My family will be riding in this so I'd like it to be as safe as possible

Extended sway bar links or relocation kit.

i also have a question of quality..? after scanning this and other forums, i see a lot of warning against maker or another.. does the rough country kit carry the badge of junk honor or can i get some level of security with it? and what about the bds track bar?

Get the full leaf packs.

Rough Country springs and shocks are pretty firm. They ride like crap. I think you'd be better off with Rusty's if you are on a tighter budget and only plan on a 3" lift... Definitely get replacement rear springs no matter what way you go. And a double shear style adjustable trackbar so you can align it and not worry about a lesser trackbar failing you...

Transfer case drops are not all that great. SYE is the preferred method.

Extended sway bar links. Quicker disconnects are helpful.

Adjustable track bar to keep the axle centered.

Good shocks and good springs.

You might be surprised what a stock XJ can do. You may not need it lifted it at all.

Put some good tires on there and see how it does before committing to a lift and the associated costs.

Zone makes a good lift to that a lot of guys seem to be happy with

I'm planning and saving for an sye setup, but after the lift kit I hope to get to all the bushings and brake upgrades first.. Then was going to beefy axle internals, then a transmission/transfer case upgrade ( has 255,000 on the clock) and when I got the 204 tc I would get the sye and driveshafts.. Am I putting things in the wrong order?

You might be surprised what a stock XJ can do. You may not need it lifted it at all.

Put some good tires on there and see how it does before committing to a lift and the associated costs.[/QUOTE]



I know the truck is capable in stock form and I'm not by any means trying to go crazy with the suspension, but considering the mileage and the amount of things in the related susp. Systems it just makes sense to get it as a kit.. Shocks springs hardware etc.. It's cheaper

204? What year as your Jeep? If it's a very early XJ (84-86) it should have a 207. It can get a little tricky finding a slip yoke kit that works with those. But, you can get a fullsize Jeep 208 (80-87) and swap the input shaft from your 207 if you have a manual transmission. If you have an automatic, the 208 is a boltin. They are a nice heavy duty fixed yoke case. That's how I'm going with my 86...

It's a 99' auto trans, I was told to scour the scrap yards for a 204.. But I haven't really given much thought beyond that because it's a few steps away for me at this point.. You are suggesting I aim at a 208 case?

If you had an early XJ with a 207 yes. But not for a newer one. What the hell is a 204?

Its cheaper to rebuild in stock form.

I have a 01 XJ that is stock and I rebuilt it this summer.
I have a 97 XJ that has a lift and I did it this fall.

With a lifted suspension, you need longer sway bar links, adjustable track bars, may need adjustable lower control arms, bump stops, SYE/driveshaft. And if you go to big tires then you start wanting to reinforce the steering and other parts.

Stock rear springs Dorman 929-301 $103/ea
Stock front control arms/bushings $155-176 if you're replacing links rather than pressing bushings in and out of your existing arms
Stock sway bar links $35 max
Stock track bar $40-110 depending on who's you buy

Bearings, u-joints, and shocks generally will be the same either way. Good shocks are worth the money.

You either have a NP231 or NP242.

If you have full time 4WD then you have NP242.

If you have the NP242 you either do a HnT SYE or use a Tom Woods shaft.

With NP231 there are a lot more options.

By all means get a lift if you want it but don't think its going to save money.

Ohh, I know it's gonna be a money pit at this point, I've made peace with the fact I'm going to put a whupping on the credit card. When I first started kicking this idea around I imagined it as simple... It's not. That's why I'm asking for input here.. Find out what parts work together and learn from others mistakes. For that thanks in advance..

As far as the 204 tc, I might have my #'s mixed up but the jeep guy I work with reccomended an np204, but I haven't gotten that far in part research yet

Your 99 will have either a 231 or 242... If the guy actually said 204, he's a dumbass and don't listen to him...

X2 on the advice for a zone lift, I recently put on their 3in lift on my 89 xj, performs amazing, and everything was of very good quality for a good price too

How stiff are the zone springs? I was aimed at the rough country because they are stiff, I'm going to be using this as a camping vehicle and will be towing a trailer while it's filled

I have heavy aftermarket front and rear, and imo the springs are noticeable stiffer than the originals, I can't say anything about towing a trailer however. No sag when fully loaded with my friends and gear for hunting.

I found the RC leaf springs to be wayyy too short and they would require the relocation brackets for me to even consider using them. I ended up with 2.5" OME springs, medium load, and they've already sagged to being flat in 3 months.
For $100, the shackle relocation brackets provide a lot of ride quality.

Be prepared to snap your bolts @ your top shock mounts in the rear. You will also probably snap the forward leaf spring eye captive nut.
Pb blast everything days before your installation. I still snapped bolts like crazy.
I have a 3.5 rough country lift with springs. Go with a double shear track bar of premium quality like the others say. Rough country stuff is affordable but I do not take my rig wheeling. I use it for the snow up in the mountains and it is a tow vehicle in the summer.
If you are looking for a wheeling rig spend the big bucks and get better quality components.
Regardless of which direction you go, I recommend on replacing the lower control arm mounts on your front axle. The stamped steel ones are really weak.
I have aftermarket tube steel upper and lower control arms that are slightly longer than stock.

My lift is mix and match. My rig rides very nice on my RC springs but my use is 85% on road too. People that use their rigs more for off road will criticize my setup because of its lack of strength.
I think you should ask yourself what you are planning to do with the rig and select the best quality parts for your application instead of just deciding on a single brand.