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2" Lift Vibration

L

loki45

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Albany, NY
I have a 2000 XJ Limited that's got a Detroit TrueTrac limited slip 8.25 in the rear and a AW4 Tranny and NP242J.

I recently installed a 2" lift and now I'm having vibrations at 30 to 40 MPH. It has 2" block in the front and shackles in the back. I brought it to two different places, where we ruled out the transfer case and differential.
Does anyone have an idea of what it could be, or maybe had the same problem and how to fix it? :confused:
 
Now don't quote me on this, but from what i have read you might need a sye. I know that on the newer xj's you can't go very high without having to get a sye and new driveshaft. That is probably where your vibs are coming from.
 
Well, I'd never go to those mechanics again...

because of the longer output shaft on your transfer case, lifted 2000's are more prone to vibrations from the driveline. Especially with the 8.25 rear (because its low pinion) and because you used shackles to lift it - the shackles have tipped your pinion angle up.

You can do one of 3 things...

Do a SYE and get a new driveshaft (you can get a front shaft from an 89-01 XJ with an auto tranny, that will swap directly in - then you'll have matching F and R driveshafts)

Get some shims for your rear axle - somewhere between 2-4 degrees should be sufficient to push your pinion back down and "realign" your driveline.

Do a 3/4"-1" transfer case drop (and possibly also use some 2* shims)

There are eleventy billion threads about this on NAXJA - if you look at the bottom of this page under "similar threads", its a good place to start reading.

Personally, I'd do a SYE (for your NP242, I think your only option is a "hack and tap" but I'm not 100% sure on this)

Be prepared to get flamed for not searching :)

HTH,
MrF
 
JNickel101 said:
Well, I'd never go to those mechanics again...

because of the longer output shaft on your transfer case, lifted 2000's are more prone to vibrations from the driveline. Especially with the 8.25 rear (because its low pinion) and because you used shackles to lift it - the shackles have tipped your pinion angle up.

You can do one of 3 things...

Do a SYE and get a new driveshaft (you can get a front shaft from an 89-01 XJ with an auto tranny, that will swap directly in - then you'll have matching F and R driveshafts)

Get some shims for your rear axle - somewhere between 2-4 degrees should be sufficient to push your pinion back down and "realign" your driveline.

Do a 3/4"-1" transfer case drop (and possibly also use some 2* shims)

There are eleventy billion threads about this on NAXJA - if you look at the bottom of this page under "similar threads", its a good place to start reading.

Personally, I'd do a SYE (for your NP242, I think your only option is a "hack and tap" but I'm not 100% sure on this)

Be prepared to get flamed for not searching :)

HTH,
MrF
Click to expand...

I'm a newbie to posting so I'll take flaming as a form of hazing. :laugh:

Money is tight right now... so I think the T/C drop and/or shims is where I'll start. :spin1:
 
How tight? hack and taps are pretty cheap...and the XJ shaft you could pull from a junkyard XJ or possibly find on Ebay...
 
JNickel101 said:
because of the longer output shaft on your transfer case, lifted 2000's are more prone to vibrations from the driveline.
Click to expand...
The output shaft is NOT longer,the housing got shorter leaving more of the shaft unsupported!
 
i'd live w/ the vibs until u can afford the hack-n-tap. i've seen xfer drops cause bad juju to the shift linkage...of course ymmv, but just my .02
 
RCP Phx said:
The output shaft is NOT longer,the housing got shorter leaving more of the shaft unsupported!
Click to expand...

Same difference - point is, the J model transfer cases seem more prone to vibrations.
 
I never measured distance from ground to top of wheel well before the lift. I did it just now and it comes out 33" and 1/4 in the front, 32" and 1/4 in the back. When I put my lift in we kept the orginial spacers that sit on top of the springs in the front, just putting 2" BB block below it. Could that be attributing to the vibration? :confused1
 
Tcase drop is a terrible idea...SYE, man!
 
Yes, i should have stated that as well, that the SYE option is the best idea.

you dont want to measure from the ground up, you want to measure from the center of the hub to the flare.
 
Yeah, I hear that a lot. I think I may try the shims first because its cheapest and simplest of fixes that does not mess with the t-case.
:yelclap:
 
I've seen them used all the way up to 6" of lift....

for that price you could have a custom shaft built....check ebay or junk yards...i got mine for $50 and it had damn near brand new u-joints
 
Last edited:
garr said:
With only 2" of lift is the length of an XJ front driveshaft too long? or OK?
Click to expand...

It will work fine. My 90' had vibs after the 2" spacer/bastard pack lift that I put on it. I went with the PORC HD SYE and a XJ front shaft. Fit like it was made for it.
 
JNickel101 said:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/97-01-Jeep-Cherokee-XJ-front-driveshaft_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33738QQihZ021QQitemZ310013272124QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

example...
Click to expand...

Last week the same guy listed one that went for $108
Then you add replacement cost for the 3 U joints ($15 X 3= $45) & the centering ball ($32) & the price is now up to $185 + $20shipping= $205, Getting mighty close to the price of the new shaft!!
If no one bids it is worth the $44 shipped, But for over $100 +20 shipping, he can keep it!
 
Last edited:
did u use a torque wrench?? and check them twice?? yay sye me too, i did a bb, had vibes, did the tc drop, ended up wrecking a good used motor mount, mind you, they stopped after i replaced all the mounts with urethane, but itd been cheaper (timewise)to go with a full on lift kit and sye. to begin with.
 
For the 242 your only option is the hack/tap sye. To get that to work with a stock front shaft you need a flange (spicer part [SIZE=-1]#211229x) which will run you about $50. So $45(new joints) + $50(JY driveshaft) + $85(hack/tap) + $50(flange)=$230. You might be able to get a jy ds for like $30, but I wouldn't pay more than $50 for one. Oh yea and it will work with 2" of lift, heck it would work on a stock xj if you wanted. I run one on 2" and it works fine.
[/SIZE]
 
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