Questions about lifting...buying soon

To start off, 89 XJ 4.0 auto NP231 dana 30 & 35 171k. Bought my heep in february and was waiting to sell my honda to get the money to lift it (I'm going to school at Universal Technical Institute in Houston for Collision Repair). Finally sold the honda and am ready to buy my lift. Was originally gonna get the 4.5 but now I can only afford a 3. Use my rig for offroading about one night a week and a daily driver the rest of the time. I'm looking at Rusty's 3" spring pack that includes front coils, rear leaf packs, 4 shocks, and rear brake line extension.
First question, if this is usually a dd with only mild offroading, will I need anything else thats not included with the lift keeping in mind my tight budget. I'd probably buy sway bar discos but is there anything else needed to install it and at least be able to drive it safely, and somewhat reliably.
Second question, would I be able to run 32s on stock wheels, I'm willing to trim fenders but want to avoid trimming the quarter panels.
Thanks in advance for all the help. By the way I'm planning on ordering this week or next and am aware that some people don't like Rusty's but I just can't afford Rubicon Express but I need a new suspension for my 1300 mile haul back to Minnesota in september (everything I moved down here needs to fit in or on top of the heep). Thanks again!
schmels3

good choice on the lift, i have the rusty's 4.5 with 32's and i love it. you will deffinately need to trim the front, the rear you will not have to touch. i trimed mine past the pinch welds and folded them under and now the tires dont come close to the fenders.

somethings you might need are, sway bar disco's or make your own by drilling a hole in the stock sway bar bolt on the axle and using a tractor pin to hold the sway bar link in place, bar pin eliminators ( not really neccesarry but it will be nice), bumpstops (probably 2"), also make sure you get the adjustable trac bar it will ride better and it is reuable when you add more lift

*if your jeep is from a salt state then your going to break alot of bolts, so haveing the proper tools to instal is a plus. like an impact gun, drill gun and drill bits, taps and extra bolts.

Whats the advantage with using the bar pin eliminators? Is the adjustable track bar necessary in order to acquire a proper alignment or does it help prevent bumpsteer or what? Any other suggestions on anything else I would NEED to buy to get it rolling after installing the parts I listed earlier. Thanks again.
schmels3

you can get it rolling with just the kit. it will make it a better ride with the adjustable track bar, and the bar pin eliminators will alow you to run a normal shock front and rear. you dont really need anything else. just get it, put it on, and if you need anything the local auto parts store will have it.

Thanks for the replys thus far! Does anybody know if Rusty's shocks require the bar pin eliminators? Also, is it unusual or typical to get vibes from just a 3 in lift? Any other recommendations on other parts that are strongly encouraged to be bought and installed with the lift? Thanks.
schmels3

schmels3 said:

Thanks for the replys thus far! Does anybody know if Rusty's shocks require the bar pin eliminators? Also, is it unusual or typical to get vibes from just a 3 in lift? Any other recommendations on other parts that are strongly encouraged to be bought and installed with the lift? Thanks.
schmels3

Click to expand...

the 3 inch on a 89 probably won't cause vibes. you may need to shim a couple degrees. the the upper rear shock conversions. the bolts are gonna break back there and you will have to drill and tap for figure something out. bar pin elims are not necessary for the front but are nice. upper shock conversions will save you time with the driver side shock as well. i would but a longer adj trackbar too.

Just installed Rusty's 3" with rear leaf pack about 6 weeks ago on my '96, went with 31X10.50 BFG AT KO's on stock alloy rims, have no rub - did add Rusty's 2" front bump stops and 3* shims, but, had vibes until I added 1" TC crossmember drop. Yeah an adjustable tracbar would be a good idea, on my list of what to do next, but the ride is good and it handles the trails well. Rusty's shocks bolt right up and no bar pin eliminators are required, as things settle I may want them later. To me this was a good starting place and can be built on as inchitis and my demands of the XJ change. Sorry I can't say how the 32's would be - likely would require some trimming. Hope this helps.

Mike


skyjackedxj96 made some good points - I had no bolts break but it happens. This link to RockLizard should help
http://www.rocklizardfabrications.com/broken_shock_mounts.htm
if your not so lucky.

Thanks everyone for the help! I will keep you updated as to how it all goes.
schmels3

first off i would like to say we have to much in common. i was hoping to go to UTI for collision. i am going to get the same lift and i live in secnic frezee you ass off sota. i was surfing and saw this post and would like to thank you for asking it so well. it answered all the questions i had. i guess it pays to search.

Seriously!! When i first began to save my money i thought more conservatively towords the 3" lift. Then people started sayin if u do that then youll need to get a SYE and CV shaft, not that u need discos, its just less hassle to take them off with quik disconects. And finally a set of decent tires and wheels. Spacers suck and blocks are spring killers. Not to mention shitty ride, so dont get those.
If u want to do it the right way that will make u happy in the long run and reliability.
SAVE YOUR MONEY!!!
Or u will never be satisfied.
Save it, and get at least a 5.5 to 6 inch kit. Get good reliable tires, not those shitty off brands. As far as the lift parts, u can find em used if u search.
A set of re drop brackets are easy to find and control arms.
Always buy new springs n shackles n hack n tap sye. so yer kinda fubar'd there.
Look for the deals. do your homework. And go for it.