Just bought 99 XJ. Need lift suggestions.

I just bought a 99 Cherokee with 178K miles. I need to know who makes the best 3-4" lift for the money. I have an RE 4.5 kit at home but I think my brother is gonna use that on his Jeep and I don't know if I want to go that high. I just want enough lift to fit 31x10.5's and I don't mind trimming if I have must. I think I want a kit that comes with front and back springs but I'm open to any suggestions. I want better than stock flex but I don't want my Jeep to ride rough, so I assume I need some good shocks. Also, who makes the best front swaybar disconnects? When I had a 90 XJ, it had a set of JKS but I didn't like them a lot since they were a bit loud and hard to reconnect sometimes. Will I need an adjustable track bar or a lowering bracket? I'll hack and tap if the vibrations are there. If I'm leaving anything out, let me know and I'll pick it up.

The best 3-4" for your money. You piece it together
Grab V8 ZJ Coils and pick up some coil spacers.
Bastard pack in the rear. Grab XJ or S10 leafs for the rear and add them to your current pack and throw in 1.75 inch shackles.
Any shocks aslong as they are long enough. Bilsteins ride great! Ranchos are on the stiff side. Other than that I couldn't tell yea.
I'd go for the adjustable trac bar.

I just put a Rubicon Express SuperFlex 3.5" kit on my 98 XJ Classic with the add-a-leafs. It's rides awesome, better than stock. I put a set of Pro Comp ES3000 shocks on with it. The kit came with some really amazing Sway Bar Disconnects. I just ended up taking off my sway bars and sold the disconnects anyway. I fit 31's with room for great flex. Could fit 32's without any trimming.

So far, I'd say the lift kit is excellent, can't complain. BTW, I don't have any driveline vibes and I didn't do a transfer case drop or anything.

Thanks for the info. What is the difference btw the RE Superride and Superflex kits? Also, what is everyone recommending for a rocker panel skid? I want to keep mine from getting banged up like my old Jeep was but I don't like the ones that hang low and out to the side of the Jeep. I saw a set made by RockRatz that I liked but it didn't have any support for the pinch seam. I've always been told to get one that protected it to.

oldmustangjunkie said:

Thanks for the info. What is the difference btw the RE Superride and Superflex kits? Also, what is everyone recommending for a rocker panel skid? I want to keep mine from getting banged up like my old Jeep was but I don't like the ones that hang low and out to the side of the Jeep. I saw a set made by RockRatz that I liked but it didn't have any support for the pinch seam. I've always been told to get one that protected it to.

Click to expand...

The superflex has different bushings in the control arms that let the axle flex more, hence the name. I'd definitely go for the RE 3.5 SF kit with either RE monotubes or OME shocks.

As for the rocker guards, I prefer the TnT customs parts that have two tubes covering the bottom and sides of the rocker panel. Looks sweet too.

How much worse will the Superflex ride on the road vs. the Superride? I tow my ATV's and drive to and from the trails.

Camo-5 said:

3.5" Rubicon Express Superride or Superflex kit - it's up to you. Spend the couple bucks and get the full leaf packs. Well worth it in the long run. Mine turned out to be approx. 4.0" when settled on my 97XJ.

Click to expand...

x1000 except mine ended up being 4.5".

I added JKS discos and think they are great.

My Superflex kit rides awesome on the road. Much better than stock in my opinion!

Do your RE kits ride smoother offroad than stock, too? Also, my Jeep has lines going from the trans to the radiator, would it benefit me to get an auxillary trans cooler and plumb it in line? Anyone else done this?

My Superflex kit rides awesome off-road too. I was very impressed with its ride all around.
As far as adding a tranny cooler, it certainly doesn't hurt. I believe the XJ's with the tow package came with one from the factory.

oldmustangjunkie said:

Do your RE kits ride smoother offroad than stock, too? Also, my Jeep has lines going from the trans to the radiator, would it benefit me to get an auxillary trans cooler and plumb it in line? Anyone else done this?

Click to expand...

If you are towing your ATV's, definitely. Spend the $60 on a B&M cooler and plumb it in the return trans line, plus maybe a temp gauge. My trans stays perfectly cool even when I'm towing a wave runner. Plus it'll help a lot when you are barely moving out on the trails.

Cool. Who has the best prices on the RE kit? Everywhere I've seen is about on par with RE's website. Also, who has the best price on a Lock Right for my 8.25 axle? LR's for the 27 spline are plentiful but I can't find much in the way of 29 spline axles.