George

[kastein]

Looks great, but I really hope you plan on bracing those LCA mounts and I'm honestly not sure if I'd have used DOM that small to brace the axle housing after clearancing it for the oil pan... the LCA mounts for sure need to be boxed in at the front at the very least I'd say.

[Gold Cobra]

The lowers will be boxed in for sure before final install. That was just initial mockup. As far as the DOM size, 1.75" is what I had lying around, as well as the only size die I own for my bender. I'm sure it'll be fine. This is a pavement princess and the axle won't be subject to any real abuse. Plus if it bends, it just gives me some negative camber, which will just make it cooler, right?

[kastein]

hahaha, true. Figured you had something in mind for bracing the LCAs but... wanted to make sure.

I've mildly buckled stock LCA mounts on a potholed road (yay Massachusetts DOT!) so just looking at those was sketching me out.

[emptypockets86]

Just curious, what is your rocker to ground clearance?

[Gold Cobra]

So I blew up the last two pairs of 2" blocks. My souloution......



....a 3" block! So the other blocks were cracking do to the curve in the perch and of the leaf. Also the 2" inch block just wasn't low enough. So I scored these blocks from Mnkyboys wrecked XJ and ground the blocks to match the contour of the perch and leaf. Worked great.

So this will be my ride height for now.





I'm really happy with it now that the back is down another inch. I've got plenty of up travel front and rear and didn't make any unibody modifications. All I have left to do now is box in the lowers, paint the front end, and pick up some new shocks for up front. Then I can go cruising for chicks.

Before;

After;

[kastein]

Hollow aluminum blocks are always going to crack eventually... no other way to put it.

I forget where I got them (probably rough country? I know I ordered something from them for my MJ) but I did find a vendor for 2" cast iron lowering blocks.

[Gold Cobra]

Also for those who are wondering, here are some ride height measurements. Keep in mind I'm currently running a 235/75R15 which I'd consider pretty big for this application.

Center of front hub to bottom of flare: 14.5"
Ground to pinch seam below rear of the door: 13"
Ground to door handle: 36.5"
Ground to tailgate handle: 35"

For comparison my Wife's stock 01 XJ 4x4 running a 30x9.50R15 (The Brendamobile)
Center of hub to bottom of front flare: 18"
Ground to pinch seam below front door: 16.25"
Ground to door handle 39.75"

I'd love to compare these numbers to any other "low" MJ or XJs out there. So if you too have dropped your junk, grab a tape measure and post the results.

[emptypockets86]

Center of front hub to bottom of flare: 17.75"
Ground to pinch seam below rear of the door: 13.5"
Ground to door handle: 37"
Ground to tailgate handle: 36.25" range, she's not on even ground front to rear

[High2by]

That looks good. I'm just not sold on the blocks. Maybe linking the rear would be another option?
I'm unsure about my front axle too, I'll be doing something similar to what you did but a little different. I'm still figuring that one out too.

I'm trying to work out my tire sizes to get the stance I want for mine. I'm thinking 295/50R15 in the rear and 245/60R15 for the front. From what I've read, there's only about 1/4" difference in overall diameter so they should show the same amount of sidewall.

[Gold Cobra]

I'm not a fan of blocks either, especially a 3" aluminum block. However, the blocks are a giving me exactly what I want. I needed to drop the rear while maintaining payload capacity without modification to the bed or unibody. Blocks do just that. I may link the rear down the road but I wanted all of these modifications to be easily reversible in case I wanted to do a four wheel drive swap.

[Gold Cobra]

I got the lowers boxed in and made some stubby swaybar links.



I also threw a coat of primer on it tonight. The next two days I'm going to put a new rear main seal in while the axle is out, then get everything put back together. Hopefully, I'm ready for this thing to be back on the road.

[Gold Cobra]

Got the new rear main and oil pan put in. If you have a stock height (or in my case lowered) XJ or MJ it's so much easier to do with the front end removed.



I also bought some new shocks at NAPA 11" collapsed and like 17" extended.



Everything in place


I was so excited to drive it but when I turned the key it was dead. I had left it in the on position when I was checking clearances.

Getting a jump from the Brendamobile.


Then I finally got to take it for a spin.








Drove great an handled great! No clunks or rubbing from the suspension that I can tell. I am very happy with how it turned out. My only complaint is that I don't think anyone will notice it's lowered. Maybe that's just because I'm running a stock tire still. Overall I got this done for less than $100, most of that was the shocks.

The only thing that went wrong on my test drive wasn't suspension related. I'm writing this from the side of the road waiting for my motor to cool. My thermostat failed, lol.

[High2by]

That looks good. I know you're glad to get to drive it again. Nice work and way to keep the cost down.

[Andy in Pa.]

Looks good. Yeah, you have more tire on there than typically comes on a factory XJ. If you find a set of the later model 16's and put some 245-50-16's or something similar in size, it will look lowered then.

[Lowrange2]

Originally Posted by Andy in Pa.

Looks good. Yeah, you have more tire on there than typically comes on a factory XJ. If you find a set of the later model 16's and put some 245-50-16's or something similar in size, it will look lowered then.

That's what I'm sayin! Icon's and 245/40's.