Questions about lift kit(s)

[FaultyLine]

Hello,

I've been looking into lift kits for my 01 XJ and am a bit torn between a couple of them and would love some opinions/advice/suggestions from folks. Thanks in advance for any responses!

I'm not planning on doing anything too hard-core in my XJ, but I would like to have a vehicle that is more capable than a stock one. I originally wanted to get the OME 2.5" suspension system, but then I started thinking about the RE 4.5" kit. My thinking was "If I'm going to lift it, might as well get a 'medium' lift done once instead of a 'small' lift, then a 'medium' one years later. I'm not planning on running 33" tires because I'd have to re-gear my axles which isn't in the budget, so I'm having a difficult time justifying the 4.5" kit.

I've heard that both kits are quite good, they both come with everything needed to get it installed, and are approximately the same cost. Since I'm only planning on running 31" tires, I can't see how I'll be able to take advantage of the RE kit - unless it has drastically more flex than the OME kit.

Which kit would you go with, and why?

 

[mako my day]

Of you are 100000% set on.sticking with 31" then no need for 4.5"

 

[Better_than_Tom]

My buddy has a rough country 4.5" lift and 32s. Its a long arm kit and the flex is amazing. He could run bigger tires but he is too cheap to regear lol. I would go big or go home haha. Its better to cry once then twice. If you go with the small kit and then get more into offroading trust me you will regret not having the bigger left. My buddy just bought 5in lift springs and shackles as an example.

 

[Skwerly]

The problem is, you will eventually want 33s; that’s just the way it goes. Even if you don’t, the 4.5” kit is a great all-around kit with good street manners and wonderful trail attributes.

I highly recommend going 4.5 to anyone, because it does a number of things: it gets you up in the air enough to safely run any SoCal trail; it won’t leave you with that ‘Dang, I wish I’d lifted my Jeep a little higher’ feeling down the road; it allows 33s, even if you never run them--I like options.

Here’s an article I wrote a while back on this very subject:

http://voices.yahoo.com/how-high-lift-jeep-cherokee-5101183.html?cat=27

 

[94XJFAB]

can you fab and weld? or strictly bolt on?

 

[blondejoncherokee]

if you just want to run 31s you only need around 2-3" of lift :

Front
Go to the junkyard and grab some extra stock isolators, 3 of them per side nets about 2". Or grab zj v8 up country coils and 2 per side.

Or

buy used coils from the local for sale forum. I see 3.5" and under coils for 50$ and less all the time.
use your rear sway mounts as BPEs to drop the stock shocks down a hair. save for some monotubes to swap in soon. used or new, keep an eye on the classifieds.

Rear:
get a set of stock packs for free or under 40$ on your local classifieds or from the JY. take the main leaf, cut the eyes off, and take the 2 leaves below that. Put them in your rear pack. use longer, new U bolts and new center pins.
use your rear sway mounts as BPEs to drop the stock shocks down a hair. save for some monotubes to swap in soon. used or new, keep an eye on the classifieds.

1996 Dodge dakota rear brake line from autozone for 20$
1995 GMC 2wd 3/4 ton truck front lines

the money you save on the leaves/coils/combos should easily cover the costs of monotube shocks.

as for control arms, runt he stockers until you find a killer deal in the for sale section for some adjustable uppers and some ok lowers.

trackbar same as control arms, wait for a good used unit for cheap, you can run the stocker in the short run until then.

with 3.5" lift I cleared 33 swampers for years with fender trimming and bump stopping.




OR



go to serious off road.

get the RE 3.5" packs, buy some cheap shackles, the RE 4.5" coils ,(crazy good prices on there for those items) and then same as above for arms, shocks, brake lines, etc.

 

[FaultyLine]

Of you are 100000% set on.sticking with 31" then no need for 4.5"

I'm not positive that I'll stick with 31" tires - but it's what I'm thinking I'll be doing for a long while.

I would go big or go home haha. Its better to cry once then twice.

Well said sir...

Skwerly, My buddy Mark (sidewaysstarion) says the same... eventually I'll want to go bigger - the problem is that I think he's right! Thanks for sharing the write up. After reading everyone's responses, I'm thinking going with a lower kit *may* be a mistake, unless I'm positive I'm never going to run over 31" tires... I really don't want a 'dang' feeling after spending money and time making this happen.

can you fab and weld? or strictly bolt on?

I don't know how to fab/weld - yet. I'm thinking of taking a welding just because it would make sense.

Thank you everyone for the responses and information! I really appreciate it!

 

[David_Bricker]

Your buddy is Mark? Sorry to hear that! (just joking - Mark is a great guy).

I'm on 4.5" of lift, with 33s. Can't see going smaller. It will cost more to do it right, but it will cost less than doing it right twice. In SoCal, you'll end up on 33s eventually.

This will mean an SYE for certain, but I'd still go 4.5" to start with. Going above 4.5: and 33s gets into another whole realm of cost and complexity.

I run short arms, with drop brackets. I can use every inch of travel out of my 12" shocks, front and rear, and if I had room for shock, could probably use 14". It's a huge debate as to whether long or short arm is best. I see advantages and disadvantages to both setups.

I'd probably shy away from Rough Country. I'm having some sagging issues with their springs. If you want a complete package, RE is a decent way to go. My lift is somewhat piecemeal - Rokman upper and lower adjustable control arms, Rough Country drop brackets, RC springs (going to Deavers), Bilstein shocks (going to 7100s from 5150s).

David Bricker / SYR

 

[Johnnie Walker]

Ome rides amazing. Have you considered dpgoffroad ome hybrid kit?
I personally think mid/long arms should be on anything 4+in.
Or cad brackets I guess. Maybe pair ome lift with a pair of acos in the front?
If needed the ome aal are made to fit correctly with their leaf packs.
For shocks, I recommend a minimum of bilstein 5100 equivalent or better.

 

[sidewaysstarion]

I vote you go for the big lift and roll around roller skate status (big lift small tires) till you get the cash to regear and upgrade to 33's or bigger. You already have an SYE and a front driveshaft.

 

[Action Fab]

31's fit pretty easily without any lift if you don't mind trimming a little. I'm not running any lift with tall 32's (same size as most 33's). You'd be money ahead with a locker and aggressive tires.