Making a never ending list & checking it twice

Hello, me and a buddy are going to be starting my lift install this week on my 97 and I would like some input on a few things I'm still not too sure about.


Ok, so heres the specs. I already have a 3" Rustys full-pack kit installed. I pieced together a 4.5" kit made up of new RE coils, fixed upper and lower arms, sway bar links, and a 2" shackle. I just ordered a trackbar from RE and a some shocks to finish it up. I have a AA SYE that I'm going have installed with a rebuilt DC shaft. I plan on relocating the front lines and using a dakota rear brake line. I also have a brand new set of 33" BFG MT's waiting for some breathing room. anyways...

What are some trouble spots or problems that I could avoid having knowledge in advance? I do have plently of blaster. I always heard everybody talking about the rear shock bolts breaking, not being able to access the shackle bolt or something, and issues when bolting in the new arms with the new taller coils installed. What are the best fixes to these problems?

also, I am going to have to drive short distances throughout a couple weeks or so with the new lift before I can take the Jeep out of commission to have the SYE installed. My question is, ... can I remove my rear shaft and take out my t-case drop and just drive in 4hi for a couple weeks untill I get my SYE and new shaft?? Or should I just try it out with the new lift and leave in the t-case drop till the SYE install?


I'll post pics of the process...
Thanks and let me know if I'm missing someting. Thanks

Heres her currently


Heres my ever so helpful neighbor and the tires I've been waiting 6 months to install...

It should look nice.... Since there's already a lift on there maybe you'll get lucky and not have problems with the bolts.

I'd say just leave the T-case drop on there if you must drive it. If it vibs too bad then pull the shaft but in my personal opinion the only way to do it is all at one time and not ghettofy anything. My not just do the sye now or do the lift then? It really doesn't take that long to install the sye. It took me maybe 45 mintutes on a lift.

x2 doing it right the first time - dont take shortcuts, you'll regret it in the future.

even though you already have a lift on there, hit all your bolts good with PB blaster (especially those upper shock bolts) a few days before you're gonna do the install.

you might want to pull one of those shock bolts now and go ahead and get some replacement bolts, if you're worried about it in the future. when you put them back in, you can always put some sort of "protectant" on it to prevent future seizing. I've never had a problem with mine since I did BPE's with all new hardware....they always come right out.

I am running 4.5 to 5" on my 91 without an SYE and it does fine. But since mine is a 91 I have the housing on the back of my t-case that you don't. I'd leave the drop in for now. If you haven't done any trimming on your fenders, you will at least need to trim your front fenders to keep from rubbing in tight turns. Your rear fenders will need to be trimmed to help with flex off road.

or just bump-stopped really well...

Yeah, they probably are going to rub.What actual size are they?

I would set aside a Saturday or Sunday to do the SYE

It really isn't that difficult and can be done by a complete beginner. Just read a few tutorials on how to do it, get a basic idea of how it's going to go down, and you can crawl up under your jeep and easily finish it within 6 hours. Most people it only takes about an hour, but they have usually done something of that technical level before. I hadn't ever touched anything w/ gears or snap rings and it took me about 5 hours with about 2 of those hours dedicated to dickin' around with those inner snap rings that are a pain to get out.

Get some HD snap ring pliers, RTV sealant, Red Locktite, and the right sockets and you can do it. Here are a couple of the tutorials on how to do it:

http://www.4x4xplor.com/SYE-CV.html
http://www.yuccaman.com/jeep/porc_sye.html
http://www.4xshaft.com/np231sye.html

icewolf73 said:

I am running 4.5 to 5" on my 91 without an SYE and it does fine.

Click to expand...

Do you have a T-case drop?

1) Just relocating the front brake lines may not be enough, particularly with droop. YJ front brake lines work on the cheap.

http://www.madxj.com/MADXJ/technical/technicalfiles/ARyjBrakeHosesOnXJ/YJbrakeHosesOnXJ.htm

2) your parking brake cable may not be long enough anymore. If its not, well, search, I know a fix for pre 97's.

3) You can drive for a day here or there on the front end when its necessary - I wouldn't do it for a couple of weeks though.. not even on my front end. The SYE takes a couple of hours, give it a full day the first time maybe. Do it on a saturday and have your shaft fit to length monday, back on the road tues/wed.

Wow, that took a while....


I finally installed the new(er) lift with my buddys shop/help a few weekends back, and almost everything went well except removing the t-case drop. I ran out of time so I went ahead and had the SYE installed at a local shop, as well as a driveshaft balanced and an alignment. They couldn't get the t-case drop out either, wtf? So they just left it in, but my angles are currently perfect and I will fix this in the near future. Also, I'm using a factory front DC shaft with my SYE.

I'd have to say overall I'm pretty happy with the ride. The SYE makes it drive like a cadillac.. better than it ever has the entire time I've owned it, and the 4.5 RE coils are much softer than my old 3" Rustys. It doesn't really even look like it sits all that much higher but I did ony go a couple inches. 3" full pack Rustys to a 4.5" RE pieced together kit. I actually used a RC 2" rear shackle instead of the 1.25 RE, for a extra little umph.

Heres a driveway before.


And After



The SYE. (i know, i know. just act like you haven't seen 400)



Hopefully I'll have my 33's on it this weekend. I'll post some pics.
Thanks for all the help.

That looks nice.. enjoy the new look

I've had my wheels and tires on for a little while now, but haven't really had the time to get pictures up and this thread isn't really boomin with all that much enthusiasm anyways.. ha.


So yeah, they're 255/85/16 BFG MT's ...on the 60th Anniversary wheels. Of course they are factory backspaced so in tight turns I rub my LCA's but I can live with it for now. I actually like the wheels a lot more than I thought I would. I might be getting some spacers in the near future just cause I'd like to keep the wheels on. And I'm already wanting to get some coil spacers and build my pack up a few more inches, but time (and money) will only tell. Here she is...

nice shoes!

Time for some trimming......

That looks awesome. Love stock wheels on lifted rigs.

How are you not able to get a Tcase drop out?

Up travel is WAY over rated!

Thank you all for the compliments. I've waited a VERY long time and went through 2 other xj's while I was getting this kit all pieced together. By piecing it together like I did, I saved myself several hundred dollars... that I'm gonna end up putting back into her anyways. Lookin at front bumpers and side rails.

You know to tell you the truth, I have no idea why that damn t-case drop won't come out. The previous owner had done some sort of half assed jimmy-rigg install on it, and 2 of the 4 bolts just spin like they aren't screwed into anything but they won't come out either. I messed with it off and on for about a week over x-mas break and soon I ran out of time and patience. SO, I then took it to a local 4x4 shop to have them remove the t-case drop and install the SYE and they swear up and down they tried everything to get it out and it wouldn't budge.

Any Suggestions??

Oh, and just for fun here's my two old XJ's
A 96 Classic (hence the name) and a 98 Sport