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First lift. This gonna work???

S

SouthernXJ

NAXJA Forum User
Location
South Carolina
Ok, running a stock 91 XJ Laredo, 4D. Currently running 31 BFGs that are rubbing on the street (intalled by previous owner).

I dont have much dough to put into this and this will be a 95% show 5% go ride, since I never really have occasion to go offroad, but love the look of the larger Cherokees. This is also my first lift on any vehicle, so bare with me! :)

Thinking:

F-150 springs up front. I dont know what year I need to look for, but I'm looking for about 4.5 inches. They'll be new or used, dosent matter, I just need to know what timeline to look for to get about 4-4.5" I can use spacers to take up a little height if need be.

Rear, Cherokee main leaf with a Dakota spring pack. Depending on how high that gets me, maybe a small shackle to get another inch or so to level it up.

Drop transfer case kit? Think I'll need one?

Read through most all the post I could find here, but I feel like I dont have the complete picture yet.

Will I need any other parts replaced (besides brakelines) at 4.5? Thanks!!!
 
lower control arms, above 3 inches.. in back.. nope.. maybe the t-case drop thou.. just buy 3 inch lift coils and use a coil spacer if u go that route... how would f-150 coils be any cheaper?? and get your spring packs re-arced.. usually less than 60 and it turns out nice if u add a leaf..
 
Well, I can pick up salvage Dakota packs and F-150 springs for next to nothing. Also, not fond of the idea of the adding a leaf (as in an add-a-leaf) due to the harsh ride and the fact that they're quick to sag.
 
Just a thought. Another dude on this forum (buck jackson) first did his XJ as a DD and just liked the more aggressive look of a lifted Cherokee. He put on Bushwacker Pocket Flares and that allowed him to run 32's on his stock suspension with no lift. He just had to adjust the bumpstops a bit. Since he did not take it offroad at the time the lack of articulation did not matter. It had no vibes (Still doesn't although i don't understand why...buck?) since nothing was really changed other than the tires. If you are doing yours as a show rather than go, the less you change out downstairs the more you are ahead.
Good luck with it whatever you do.
 
No, first i used the existing flares but trimmed sheetmetal and remounted them higher, but that looked stupid so I went with the TJ rear flares all the way around. I didn't like the look of the TJ flares all that much either, but as Island XJ points out, I ran 31's and then 32's with no lift. I have the bushwackers now, but at the time they were not available. At any rate, I disagree with Island XJ, just lift it with a suspension lift now, because if you are human, inchitis will eventually set in and you will be going up and out of control in no time. In fact, why not go right to a six inch system now? ;)
 
Lol, 6" would be nice. Be a little tough getting my 3 year old in and out of it every day :)

I'm probably going to go for for something in the 4" range, but need to keep it low-buck. Told the wife I could do it for about $300, so it'll be salvage yard springs and packs probably. Still hunting down more info about the Dakota pack, best cheap springs to use, and as mentioned; control arms. Still researching.....
 
SouthernXJ said:
Lol, 6" would be nice. Be a little tough getting my 3 year old in and out of it every day :)

I'm probably going to go for for something in the 4" range, but need to keep it low-buck. Told the wife I could do it for about $300, so it'll be salvage yard springs and packs probably. Still hunting down more info about the Dakota pack, best cheap springs to use, and as mentioned; control arms. Still researching.....
Click to expand...

The Dakota pack will give you about 5.5" to 6" if you use all the leaves. And it'll ride like a ... truck. You're not making sense. You don't want an AAL because you're afraid of a harsh ride, but you don't seem concerned about throwing in coils and spring packs from legitimate trucks. Doesn't make sense to me. I've run AALs and they do NOT ride harsh. Just be sure to get a full-length AAL, not a shorty.

For what you're trying to do, you're going to create a lot of problems for yourself. If you're on a budget, just buy Rusty's 3" kit with the AAL and be done. You won't need an SYE at 3", you won't need control arms at 3", and the wife and baby won't need an elevator to get into the truck.

If you haven't heard it before remember that the cost of the lift increases exponentially with the height (in other words, twice as high costs at least four times as much).
 
I thought people had gotten a nice ride out of the Dakota springs in the rear, maybe I read it wrong. Well, I started out by looking at the Rusty kit you mentioned, then moved into the franken-kits, which seem like a viable option too. But, as you said, it's slowly getting more and more complex....

I'll take your advice and start looking at the Rusty kit again. Back to the basics :)
 
Yeah, I read most of that page. Some good info there, some stuff still somewhat trial and error with that method. A premade kit may be the way to go. Not to mention, if that does create 6" like he mentioned above, that introduces more problems that would need to be addressed.

Thanks for the link though, I should be doing something soon and I'll get some pics up!

You decide what your're doing?
 
For what it's worth - on a '95 XJ w/ the offroad package I just installed a BB that consisted of RE full length AAL, front hockey pucks (2inch spacers) and OME 35/36 shocks. Ended up w/ 2inches of lift in front (took the old spacers out), and (eyeball) 4 or so inches of lift in back. The folks at RE tell me that settling will bring the back end down. Absolutely no complications - no death wobble, nuthin' (knock wood) - the ride is a bit rougher, but feels "tighter". Can't remember exactly how much it cost, but wasn't too expensive. It's easier to lift my 5 year old into his carseat now than it was before, and our 7 and 13 year old's think it looks "cool"...
 
Yeah, I'll have to make sure to get the toe-in as right as I can. I have a kid in the XJ every day and dont want a case of the death wobbles. I had a 74 Beetle that did the same thing (bad steering dampener), scares the crap outa ya! Cant imagine it in a larger vehicle.
 
Codhead said:
front hockey pucks (2inch spacers)
Ended up w/ 2inches of lift in front (took the old spacers out),
Click to expand...
I have tried, but i can't envision this. How did you use hockey pucks as spring spacers in the front? Did you hollow out the centers and slip them over the bumpstop? They seem to small to work as spring spacers. Could you describe how you did this in a bit more detail?
Buck.
 
Buck Jackson said:
I have tried, but i can't envision this. How did you use hockey pucks as spring spacers in the front? Did you hollow out the centers and slip them over the bumpstop? They seem to small to work as spring spacers. Could you describe how you did this in a bit more detail?
Buck.
Click to expand...

:laugh2:
 
Buck Jackson said:
I have tried, but i can't envision this. How did you use hockey pucks as spring spacers in the front? Did you hollow out the centers and slip them over the bumpstop? They seem to small to work as spring spacers. Could you describe how you did this in a bit more detail?
Buck.
Click to expand...
That is what we call spacers. Not real hockey pucks! :roll: :laugh2: Southern where are you in SC? That is where I am maybe I can help you out.
 
Buck Jackson said:
Hook,
Line,
& Sinker.....

:looser:
Click to expand...

Go away! Im sleepy! KOC is taking up the time my Jeep dose not! :moon:
 
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