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3 inch lift kits

alexgalexg

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Connecticut
So I am looking at a 3 inch lift kit. My Xj does tons of road trips so this kit needs to soak up the terrible new england pot holes, ride nicely at 70 on the highway as well as do its job off road. I dont want something that vibrates, rides like its axles welded to the frame and death wobble. Someone recommended Rubicon express 3.5 inch kit. Anyone have any better recommendations or opinions on this choice?
 
Well it could be a Ford, Chevy, Dodge thing sometimes, but consider that Old Man Emu, (OME), is specially forged in Australia for their really crappy dirt roads, (...think washboard aplenty). They did have a metalurgical issue with their rear military type wrap leaf springs a some six years ago, but that was supposed to be resolved, but they don't seem to offer that anymore for the XJ. Because of that, and at that time therefore, I could not get those, but ended up with a heavier duty type, i.e, matched/tuned for the XJ for just a healthy 2" lift. Perhaps the OME are better than offerings from others.., can't say, but their real world tested use in the middle of nowhere places in Austrailia was a major selling point for me. To add; Alaskan road conditions of any kind, (other than perfect, lol), seem to ruin the temper of OEM, and other aftermarket ones I've seen. Figured I would not go with the usual aftermarket varieties due to my lack of trust in them being hardy enough, and had no interest in trying to get OEM Up-Country leafs from the dealership network, (if even possible).

I recall a famous brand having big issues in their quality control, (a brand to this day sometimes holding some Jeep'ers allegence), and was glad to go with OME instead.

I had also ordered add-a-leafs.., just in case, but I tossed them aside. Perhaps I'll make swords out of them.

Was able to get the correct size from arbusa.com by looking at their pdf, and then talking direct with them on the phone.., whereupon my order went out to their outlet, a 4 Wheel Drive store in Wa. St., (In addition I obtained a Wa. State form in order to avoid their Taxes), and then on a barge to Alaska, (where I paid 32 cents per pound for the barge shippment).
http://www.arbusa.com/uploads/PDF/accessorizeYourRig/jeepCherokeeXJ.pdf

The link above shows now; a downsized offering at this time for their their years of XJ offerings, (1984--2001). Perhaps the current American competition has enough offerings for these really old XJ's, and thusly ARBUSA/OME, has withdrawn many of those previous extra offerings. At the time my front coils were $160 ea, and the rear leafs, (cs035RA), were $120 ea. The rubber rear leaf eye bushings were $16 ea., 'U' bolts $13 ea., etc.

If you want 3" lifts, they do offer them, (but only in medium duty now; either in cs033RA, or cs033RB), but you might have to add a front coil block, or some adjustable coil spacer in order to meet your needs to match up to one of those higher leaf springs. Seems RA might be what you want if you just want to put some hocky-pucks up front.

For a 3" lift you might need to get longer shocks, more-so if you cut out, and toss that rear stabilizer, and as well as perhaps in disconnecting your front sway, (using some disconnects, etc.--I used JKS). Also don't 'fergit to extend your brake lines, front in particular.

Anyway, at the time I ordered OME, they then went all the way from a Cadillac ride, to a medium, to a heavy duty ride, but not so much of a spread today.

My then situation involved introducing a junked OEM trailer hitch, requiring the heavier duty OME rear leaf as per my carrying the expected heavier tool kits, cement, rock, etc., in the cargo area, as well as additional trailer tongue weights, all impacting the rear suspension.

Don't know what year XJ you have, but for my '89XJ the 2" lift was about maximum without having to expensively modify a bunch of major/minor parts. Hence I am limited to 30" tires, unless I cut away metal, etc.

I am getting brain fog, so someone else might chime in giving you better advice. Take it.
P.S. I do not have any affiliation with ARBUSA, OME, or 4 Wheel Drive parts.
 
What kind of off roading do you plan on doing? If you are planning on sticking dirt and fire roads OME is hard to beat. A stock XJ would rattle my teeth & bones. I put a OME 2.5" on mine with BFG 30x9.5x15 on stock wheels and I can hear the washboard, but I don't feel it. Since it's designed to be a softer ride, tight corners at high speeds need a bit of care, say at speeds of 75 MPH or higher. When you lift and go to bigger tires your mileage will likely suffer so factor in potential regearing of axles.
 
Much of my off roading will be muddy trails and whatnot. But occasionally I would like to join up with some jeepers and do bigger things. Im not the type to break my stuff so it wont be rock crawling or anything like that. But a jack of all trades kind of lift would be nice. I will have to research what everyone has told me here. I do have a question regarding my original recommendation for the 3.5 inch lift from rubicon express. 3 Inches should be fine but will that extra half require brake line extensions and things like that?
 
At a 2" OME lift, I did not have to move, or lengthen my brake lines. However once installing the JKS sway bar dis-connects/re-connects, (both sides of axle), I still did not need to move, or lengthen my brake lines. However should I want to use the dis-connects, I would either have to move, or lengthen my "front" brake lines which I did. Simply I carefully bent those lines, and repositioned them with fasteners. I did not have to lengthen my front brake lines. Even though I have no rear anti-sway bar, I had no need to lengthen the rear center brake line either.

3" plus might be pushing it. Not sure.

Still wondering what year your XJ is.., helpful information to share to the membership in order to give you more accurate informed help/feedback, etc.

Your idea of 'death-wobble' is a valid concern, but more likely it would happen before a lift if the parts all ready installed were crappy anywhere up in the front end. There are many points, or parts that can act alone, or together to give you death wobble. If you properly align all parts within proper limits, i.e., using degree angle tool, so as to go upwards with your intended lift things might be ok.., but it is also true that you might aggravate OEM parts prematurely. My Renix XJ does not like to venture upwards beyond 2" without major changes. In fact, OME does not like to guarentee certain aspects of their lift packages that do not include a Transfer Case spacer kit. Anyway it was a highly recommended kit of little washers, (three pounds worth), etc. You can make your own, but for me my time was better spent removing/installing parts, and not having to spend the extra time looking around for some other methods. That aside, be sure to relax your motor mounts when you are going up so as to not over-stress attached parts. Be sure to tighten them down to specs once your lift is complete.

Me, having experiencing death wobble(s) (without the OME 2" lift), for some weeks years ago, (which feels like a wheel/tire is departing away, with side to side nose movement).., said, "ah shucks", pulled out my wallet, and spent whatever.., so as freshen up the front end, bearings, hubs, brakes, parts, rubber, about everything but upper, and lower suspension arms/rubbers, (they were ok, and I did not want to go higher, as per avoiding major changes mentioned above, etc. The cheaper way is to pull all the parts apart to see if there are any major wear spots, (usually hidden from view, or from hands on tuggings/bangings, etc.), and replace such items. Others have been either successful, or unsuccessful chasing down the cause. Hence I opted for better than OEM parts, and replace as much as I could. My hundreds of miles on dirt/mud rutted roads, and thousands on paved pot-holed roads have me considering that even some of those parts are beginning to wear out.., and I'm looking into my wallet, lol. BUT first, I've got another XJ issue to deal with...
 
I recently put a 3" zone kit on with rear leaves and did not need extended brake line's the rear is close so at 3.5 I would probably go with an extended line. I did get longer shocks. The sway bars were fine for on road and mild off road. The rear is still a little stiff but I only have about 2000 miles on it so it will probably settle in. The front feels like factory.

I may go with cellular shocks on rear if it doesn't lossen up some in the future.


I was looking for the same as fully street capable and mild trail machine!
I am running 255/70r17 which is about 31 by 950 . No cutting and no rubbing yet. Im running hankook dynapro tires.
 
I did find a three inch lift I like. I may slap it on and see how it does and beef up stuff along the way. I think that will be the best option here rather than but a bunch of things I may not need
 
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