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Lowered the XJ back down

codyyy

NAXJA Forum User
Location
San Diego, CA
I didn't tweak the lift right so I put all the stock stuff back on. The S10 packs gave a lot more lift than the front had. By the way, the 3" RC front coils gave me less than an inch of lift on the front. Measured from ground to fender flare, it was just about 32" with the RC 3" lift coils, 31" with the stock coils.
The stock leaves inverted so now the rear axle is sitting on the bumpstops. I broke a front swaybar link so now I have no swaybars attached. The front isn't doing well either, it bottoms out as well. Tomorrow I will go to a few shops and ask how much it will cost to replace the leaf packs, coils, shocks, sway bar links, and whatever else needs fixing. I already know this won't be cheap, but how much do you think parts and labor would be? By the way, PM me if you have a full 3.5 or 3" lift kit for sale. Thanks.
Before:
IM000385.jpg

After:
IM000460.jpg
 
The top pic is with the lift. If you just concentrate on the front, you can tell it is only slightly lower. It looks worse in person. We double checked and it was 32" with the lift on, 31" without.
 
Bottom pic look quite a bit higher to me.
 
why not just get some 2" poly spacers for the front? Or an ACOS?
 
The S10 packs lifted it about 4.5" in the rear, that's why it looks huge. The XJ was majorly raked when the lift was on because the lift was so much higher in the rear. If you were to see it in person before the lift was taken off and after, it would look about the same in the front. I need new leaves, shocks, coils, sway bar links, and probably something else. AALs won't help at all now that the leaves have inverted. The axle is literally sitting on the bumpstops almost.
 
so did you take it back down to stock? If so, why are you gonna have a shop do what you just did? Go buy a ome lift or something simular with coils, a full pack, and shocks. Then replace it all yourself and you will get by a lot cheaper than having a shop do it. Then as far as a sway bar, I havn't been running one for a long time now. But if you really want one, pay attention to someone parting a jeep out and buy one from them.
 
Wow can't believe putting 3" taller coils wouldn't have an effect on the height. Were they new or used? Or did your jeep come from the factory with "up country" suspension were it was already slightly lifted? Try measuring from the flare to the center of the hub...I think stock was supposed to be 17" in the front. I think that's right, if not maybe someone can correct...
 
not sure why your front didn't lift more than one inch. My 3" RC coils lifted the front of my xj 3.5 inches.
 
The coils just to start were only like 2" longer at most than stock ones. Sure the spring rate was more but the springs were about the same thickness so they sagged just like the stock ones do. We measured twice and it was only an inch higher at the most, so no wonder it was extremely raked. 4.5" or more of lift in the rear and only an inch up front.
 
Here's the thing: I need to get a full kit now. I don't want a shop to do it, as I've broken and replaced most everything so I know what is good and what is not. I talked to one off-road shop, Mumbly's, and they said that it would be like $900 for a full BDS 3" kit, and $550 or more in labor. I need to know something though: Would it be cheaper to buy a full kit and install it myself, or have a shop replace all my stock crap with new stock crap?


By the way, that RC kit was new. I bought it from JCWhitney a few months ago. The AAL flattened out after a few days and the ubolts they gave me weren't long enough to put on the blocks. I sold off the blocks and AALs and got the S10 packs, which screwed everything up. I figured if it was only 1" or so higher in the rear, it wouldn't matter. Apparently it was 3.5" or more so it screwed it up.
 
I think you answered your own question!!!

codyyy said:
Here's the thing: I need to get a full kit now. I don't want a shop to do it, as I've broken and replaced most everything so I know what is good and what is not. I talked to one off-road shop, Mumbly's, and they said that it would be like $900 for a full BDS 3" kit, and $550 or more in labor. I need to know something though: Would it be cheaper to buy a full kit and install it myself, or have a shop replace all my stock crap with new stock crap?
 
codyyy said:
I talked to one off-road shop, Mumbly's, and they said that it would be like $900 for a full BDS 3" kit, and $550 or more in labor. I need to know something though: Would it be cheaper to buy a full kit and install it myself, or have a shop replace all my stock crap with new stock crap?

It'll probably run you about the same.

By the way, that RC kit was new. I bought it from JCWhitney a few months ago. The AAL flattened out after a few days and the ubolts they gave me weren't long enough to put on the blocks.

AALs will tend to do that unless you're putting them into a new spring pack.
 
Just get a new 3" kit and install it yourself. If you did all the other installs, removals and reinstallation of the stock stuff you basically have already done the work twice already. The new kit will install will be a piece of cake.
 
Dont know about you guys but that definitely does not look like it only increased 1" in the front, you guys sure you measured at the same spot?

Looks more like an actual 3" buddy... :banghead:
 
It's not. I couldn't even fit 31s on it without it rubbing. It probably looks bigger in the pics because in the first one, the camera is closer and also it's above the hood more looking down at an angle, the fender flare makes it look worse. We measured both sides twice.
I went to Mumbly's and called RBR, both said a BDS 3" full kit is gonna be $887. Trucks R Us said they have a Trailmaster kit for $990. Mumblys wants $550 in labor, RBR wants $650 in labor, and Trucks R Us wants $550 in labor.
 
Proper way would be to measure from center of wheel to the bottom of the fender flair. Stock will be about 17.5 and rear will be about 17 (this is in inches). Anything will effect the height if measuring from the ground.

-ground
-tire pressure
-uneven weight
-blah blah

Im thinking you need to slow down and quit going the "cheap" route. The RC kit I bought works just fine. And Im sure they dont use any blocks with their kits. This is because you bought it from JC crap. Not sure how much you paid but the 3in kit from RC is $245 with AALs and no shock boots.
 
TheEddie said:
Dont know about you guys but that definitely does not look like it only increased 1" in the front, you guys sure you measured at the same spot?

Looks more like an actual 3" buddy... :banghead:
ME 2 :doh:
 
codyyy said:
I paid $245 from JC, free shipping. After going to many places and asking what to do, BDS sounds nice. I like the lifetime warranty.
BDS NICE STUFF I LOVE MINE 3" but actually raised it 3.5 front and 3 1/4 rear. Although with 31X10.5 BFG's(stock rims) I still rub rarely but on occation
 
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