Looking for a basic 3" lift kit advice

[mfran12335]

I have a stock 2000 xj that I want to lift for some occasional light off roading and getting through the snow. It's also a daily driver so I don't want to go too crazy with mods and break the bank to have it drive awful on the highway then. So I don't want the steering and driveavility to change too much. I'm thinking 3" lift with larger tires added down the road should be good enough for whag I want to. Looking at kits and researching there are 100's of options. Any advice or recommendations of where to start? Thanks

[nickyg]

Budget is the big question. I would go with a full leaf spring rather then a add a leaf.
I did the adda leaf from an S10. It was cheap, easy and works well. However about six years ago my rear end sat about an inch higher. Now it's level so i figure in about 3 more years I'll be changing em out. 9 years on a set of springs is not bad.
I'm sure some the more hard core people will chim in with more advice
I've been looking at this kit.
http://www.roughcountry.com/jeep-suspension-lift-kit-630.html

[NW99XJ]

At The 3” range of lift, there’s a couple things that will need to be taken into consideration.
First and foremost is your budget. Knowing what you have to work with will help determine just how thorough you can be, and where you might have to put something off for a bit, or cut corners.
Over 2” of lift, and driveline vibrations are likely because of the new angle of the driveline (being as the transfer case is now farther away – lifted – from the axle.) This is not an absolute rule, and there are some people that are running 4.5” of lift with little to no vibrations. If you DO end up with vibrations after the lift is done, they can be eliminated or reduced by a number of ways, the most effective being a slip yoke eliminator kit. That is also the most expensive route as well, but the best way to go. Then there’s transfer case drops, and finally axle degree shims.
Another thing to take into consideration is brake line length. At 3” of lift, you can prob get away with relocating the hard lines up front, but the soft line in the rear will have to (should be) be replaced with a longer one.
Also, as you lift the vehicle, the front axle will want to be pulled to one side because of the stock track bar. At 3” of lift, you’ll be at the max of what a track bar relocation bracket can do for you, and may want to be looking at a kit that comes with an adjustable track bar, or source one yourself.
The bottom line is going to be your budget… what you can afford, and then it’s going to be a matter of finding the most complete kit you can with what you have to work with. And if there isn’t anything “off the shelf” that will fit the bill, then piecing one together with a combination of new aftermarket, and used parts will be the way to go.
Now if all this is too much to digest all at once, and you’re looking for someone to tell you which manufacturer to go with, well THOSE opinions will be as different as the background of the people giving them to you. I would say keep asking questions as often as you can, learn from the advice of those of us who have been where you are now, and do as much research as you can to better make a more educated decision when the time comes to spend that well earned money.

[mfran12335]

At The 3” range of lift, there’s a couple things that will need to be taken into consideration.
First and foremost is your budget. Knowing what you have to work with will help determine just how thorough you can be, and where you might have to put something off for a bit, or cut corners.
Over 2” of lift, and driveline vibrations are likely because of the new angle of the driveline (being as the transfer case is now farther away – lifted – from the axle.) This is not an absolute rule, and there are some people that are running 4.5” of lift with little to no vibrations. If you DO end up with vibrations after the lift is done, they can be eliminated or reduced by a number of ways, the most effective being a slip yoke eliminator kit. That is also the most expensive route as well, but the best way to go. Then there’s transfer case drops, and finally axle degree shims.
Another thing to take into consideration is brake line length. At 3” of lift, you can prob get away with relocating the hard lines up front, but the soft line in the rear will have to (should be) be replaced with a longer one.
Also, as you lift the vehicle, the front axle will want to be pulled to one side because of the stock track bar. At 3” of lift, you’ll be at the max of what a track bar relocation bracket can do for you, and may want to be looking at a kit that comes with an adjustable track bar, or source one yourself.
The bottom line is going to be your budget… what you can afford, and then it’s going to be a matter of finding the most complete kit you can with what you have to work with. And if there isn’t anything “off the shelf” that will fit the bill, then piecing one together with a combination of new aftermarket, and used parts will be the way to go.
Now if all this is too much to digest all at once, and you’re looking for someone to tell you which manufacturer to go with, well THOSE opinions will be as different as the background of the people giving them to you. I would say keep asking questions as often as you can, learn from the advice of those of us who have been where you are now, and do as much research as you can to better make a more educated decision when the time comes to spend that well earned money.

My budget is around $500-600. I was hoping for a kit thag would have everything I needed in one. I'll keep on researching and ask questions when they come up. Thanks for the replies.

[abebehrmann]

My budget is around $500-600. I was hoping for a kit thag would have everything I needed in one. I'll keep on researching and ask questions when they come up. Thanks for the replies.

For that price range look at Zone Offroad or Rough Country.

http://zoneoffroad.com/display?ma=6&yr=1999&mo=9&ca=78

http://www.roughcountry.com/suspension-lift-kits/jeep-suspension-lift-kits.html?vehicle_drive=3&vehicle_model=304&vehicle_year=76

I know some people make fun of Rough Country, but there are many members on here who use their kits and are happy with them. I've heard very good things about Zone Offroad, but have no experience with them either. If I were you I would try to look for kits that have a full leaf pack (the add a leafs are a lot cheaper but also tend to sag after a few years) and new lower control arms.

3'' is pretty much the maximum amount of lift you can do to an XJ without replacing lower control arms but I would feel a lot better if they were replaced.

[Pinkyman]

If I were you I would try to look for kits that have a full leaf pack (the add a leafs are a lot cheaper but also tend to sag after a few years)

This.

I did the Rough Country Add-A-Leaf in mine, and as saggy and worn as my stock leafs were, even with the AAL it sagged pretty bad within a month. I ended up installing IRO 3.5" full leaf packs.

[denverd1]

Go with a full leaf pack if you can. Front coils don't vary much in price. So pick your desired height and go from there. 3" is easy. 5" gets complicated

sent from my Samsoon S5 from the bottom of a mud hole