More lift for OME- help!

I have the 3" OME lift with full springs in rear and stock shackles and 31 x 10.50 BFG AT's. I recently installed a home brew bumper and winch and lost a good bit of lift on the front. I loved the ride I had and don't do any rock crawling, just exploring old logging roads, fishing holes, and camping. It is my daily driver and 90% pavement. I have searched the threads and I think I know what I need but want to be sure. I will be getting a JKS ACOS and JKS 1 3/4" shackles for the lift. I would like to get it up between 4-5". I would get the Rough Country dropped control arm brackets for a better ride. Do I also need the adjustable lower control arms to restore the caster? What about the adjustable upper control arms? I am currently running the stock track bar and I don't want to redrill. I have seen Kevins,TnT and RE heavy duty as all quality trac bars. Which has the ends that doesn't transfer road noise? I was real pleased with the OME 3" lift and want the 4-5" lift to be the same with stock type highway road manners. Thanks, from a first post newbie.:laugh3:

Don't forget longer shocks. At ~4.5" your standard OME shocks may not be long enough.

While I will be the first to agree that JKS makes top-notch products, they are also the most expensive. For things like the Quicker Disconnects where their product has a design feature that other manufacturer's don't, I have no problem spending the extra money. For something as common as shackles and spacers, though, I have trouble recommending that you spend that kind of money. I have a set of Rough Country spacers and shackles that I paid less than $65 for altogether, that I may install when I buy longer shocks. Sure, the front isn't adjustable, but I personally have seen very few XJs that sit perfectly level and it doesn't bother me.

Here is what I did to get 4+ out of the OME;

4.5" REAR; OME Dakar HD rear springs, TeraFlex 1.5 shackles, 3/4" blocks, OME Nitrocharger extended shocks.

4.25" FRONT; OME MD front coils, ACOS, Nitrocharger extended shocks, Currie johnny jointed adj. LCA's, Currie johnny jointed adj. track bar.

Stock wheels, 31x10.50's and 1" spacers, very little trimming except for the front lower section of the front fenders. It rides like a cadddy and flexes its a$$ off.

I'm sitting about 5" with 33" and trimming, works great. It's a similar setup to what you want.
Front: OME + ACOS. Drop brackets, Fixed lower and adjustable upper CAs.
Rear: OME + 1.5" shackle + 1" block.

For the front with drop brackets your control arm length will not increase that much over stock. You will only need one set of adjustable control arm for caster. It can be either upper or lower. At least one poly/rubber bushing will help reduce road noise and vibration.
Watch your break line length.
For the track bar you could get an HD drop bracket and/or adjustable bar.
Watch for binding the front joint of the rear drive line when the rear axle drops. The stock slip yoke has a limited operating angle.
You did not mention the year. If you have a dicso front axles watch the vacuum tube there too.

Think keeping it to about 4" with 31". You will have plenty of room for flex. Once you start going over 4" you reach the point where other components could need upgraded, such as drive lines, slip yokes or steering. All of which add up.

It is a 2001 and I had vibrations with just the OME 3" lift and had to go with a SYE and a new rear drive shaft about 5 years ago. I put the lift on in 2002. The RC dropped bracket says you need at least a 4.5" lift so I guess I'll crank the adjustable coil spacer up to get that. Are you saying I just need either a top or bottom control arm or both or neither since the control brackets will drop the arms down close to the stock level. If the 31"s look too small for that height then I may go with 33" . I have larger Bushwhacker flares on the jeep now, but they are not the ones that you have to cut the fenders to install. If it rubs with the 33's then I will put the TJ flares on that I have seen a couple of write up's about. I don't want to re-gear to 4:56. I have the factory 8.25 posi in my 4:10, but I have had several bad experiences with ring and pinion changes. I had my CJ regeared to 4:56 and had problems and finally bought Currie 9" 4:56's that I was real happy with. Expensive, but worth it. I had my xj"s 8.25" regeared to 4:10 and the guy could never get it right. Sold it and bought my factory posi 4:10 still in the crate from Chrysler.Three different installers and problems with all.

Sorry Dave, I missed the part where you said that I needed only one of the control arms to be adjustable. Thanks for all the responses.

The lower arms can still be fixed types if you run drop brackets. Caster will be adjusted as described at Gojeep's site (go.jeep-xj.info). As for ACOS - your call, but you can get spacers much cheaper if you already know your final lift height.
Don't forget shocks!

tinnocker30 said:

It is a 2001 and I had vibrations with just the OME 3" lift and had to go with a SYE and a new rear drive shaft about 5 years ago. I put the lift on in 2002. The RC dropped bracket says you need at least a 4.5" lift so I guess I'll crank the adjustable coil spacer up to get that.

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I agree with the ACOS idea for the front but in the rear instead of running blocks on it why not just move up to UBE's?

you can set your pinion angle with out shims, move your axle in position to the wheelwell.... not to mention it will give the height of lift that you are desiring...

tinnocker30 said:

Wjat are UBE's? Never heard of that one.

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U-Bolt Eliminaters, I thought about them but I already had the blocks and U-bolts are cheap.

Ok, I read a thread about them a couple days ago. I would have to cut the mounts off and weld the UBE's on. That wouldn't be a problem. That would get rid of the angle wedge that I am using now. Good idea, thanks.

Is their a easier way to get longer brake lines other than from one of the lift companies? Do NAPA, Auto Zone, ect. sell brake lines for another vehicle that will interchange for the longer lines that I will need? Both front and rear.

Is the track bar for a lifted vehicle longer or shorter than stock? I am thinking of reworking my mounts and using the stock bar. No, I will not cut the stock bar just the mounts. I am going back to check the thread about re-drilling the mount and see exactly what I need to do. Would a 4-5" lift be too much to re-drill? If so, then I plan to modify the mounts.

http://naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=941636&highlight=longer+brake+lines

http://naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=70205&highlight=longer+brake+lines

Tons more info can be found searching, and welcome :wave:

As for as shocks, I was looking under the Jeep a couple hours ago and would like to keep the 3'' lift - OME gas filled shocks that I have. So, I will cut the mounts off the rear axle and move them up to the centerline of my axle to compensate for the extra couple of inches. Now what to do for the front. Has anyone ever modified the shocks lower mount to raise it up around two inches?

The more points you add to your suspension that could possibly loosen up, the harder it will be to trace a vibration. Also may make it easier to break.

Search BPE Bar Pin Eliminators for the rear, that may give you some options for keeping your shocks, also.

I don't see how BPE will make my 3'' lift OME shocks any longer. The rear is not a problem as I can move the mounts up to the center of the axle and use the same length shock. Has anyone ever modified the front mount that is on the axle, extended it up, to accomandate 2 extra inches. Or is there a extension to go on the top shock stud? It may be better to just buy new front shocks. Again, thanks to everyone for their help.

tinnocker30 said:

I don't see how BPE will make my 3'' lift OME shocks any longer. The rear is not a problem as I can move the mounts up to the center of the axle and use the same length shock. Has anyone ever modified the front mount that is on the axle, extended it up, to accomandate 2 extra inches. Or is there a extension to go on the top shock stud? It may be better to just buy new front shocks. Again, thanks to everyone for their help.

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Someone makes stud extensions for the top of the front mounts, and they make stud eliminaters(use shocks with eyes on both ends). You could possibly use some old sway bar mounts for the bottom front mounts to give you another 1" or so.