Another Rookie Question..Lift kits

[Kimber6331]

hey guys i know this may seem funny, but im not sure where to start in order to lift me xj. i know i would have to get springs and shocks, but i know theres more to it. any help would be greatly appreciated! thanks!

[xj4life2]

start with research lots and lots , figure out how high you want to go and then chose a kit based on what you have found . I will add this don't just do a" for now" lift . get the one you want the first time you can always tweek it to your individual style at a later date. If you have more questions feel free to call me at the 800 number anytime
Mark

[UKJeepThang]

The higher you go, the more it will cost! And I'm not just talking about bigger lift kits but more extra items such as extended brake lines, SYE's, CV rear prop etc. etc.

As Payless said, do your research first. Decide what you want to use your rig for and go for the right amount of lift for the terrain you want to trail. Budget is always an issue but it's worth saving up for the right amount of lift straight away

Good luck!!!

[rockcrusher]

Really think about it. I thought that 4.5 would be plenty to keep me happy, but now i want 6.5 and i havnt even got to wheel it yet. Just food for thought.

[firehawk]

I read on another forum.... "figure what you want to spend.... and then DOUBLE it".:D

Seriously though, there's MUCH more than springs and shocks. Adjustable TB, SYE for the rear DS, figuring caster/pinion angles, bigger tires mean different gears, etc...

Take it from an idiot like me.... do it right the first time. Save yourself the headaches/cost of not thinking it all through.:thumbsup:

[Mudderoy]

It seems the norm is people get a lift, happy for a while then want to go higher. I went as high as I could without a SYE. Once I get the SYE I'm going to 6.5" Nice thing is I really don't have to do much to go two more inches. The rear I just have to move the bolt down one hole.

[XJ4IV]

hey guys i know this may seem funny, but im not sure where to start in order to lift me xj. i know i would have to get springs and shocks, but i know theres more to it. any help would be greatly appreciated! thanks!

you can lift three inches and only replace shocks and springs and clear 31 inch tires with minimal rubbing I have 5 inches of lift with new brake lines and upper control arms and adjustable trackbar the rest is still stock no case drop or anything for driveline and my jeep is doing great I drive it daily about 65 miles

[Kimber6331]

awesome guys thanks. i wanted to do just enough to do basic offroading (not looking to climbing boulders and extreme objects) but enough to go wheelin in most common terrain. im thinking moderate hills some low creeks and such. tough but not extreme. its my daily car as well. . . . xjIV with minimal rubbing do you mean after or before i would remove the fenders ( or get specialized ones)? i have stock tires on there maybe one inch bigger than usual and if i have one person (over 190 ilbs) in back it alreadys rubs on most bumps. . and budget is not tight but not as much as i would like.

[Kimber6331]

ok i remember seeing a member's rig i liked and i looked it up he had "4.5 with 32's". im pretty positive thats what im going for. So what would i have to replace or modify? springs shocks trackbar brake lines control arms? anything missing? what about gears? im just pretty much inexperienced when it comes to modifying xjs.

[4.3LXJ]

The first thing I would suggest you do is decide two things. Your budget and what size tires you will use, which also figures into the budget. Bear in mind that after 33", there is also regearing to figure in as well as axle upgrades.

[buckeyecam1]

Yea I'm with you kimber, totally lost when it comes to what else I need besides the lift. So let me get this straight, if you get a 4.5 you wont need a sye or extended brake lines? thanks.

[Mudderoy]

Yea I'm with you kimber, totally lost when it comes to what else I need besides the lift. So let me get this straight, if you get a 4.5 you wont need a sye or extended brake lines? thanks.

From my understanding it is a crap shoot as far as not needing a SYE. I didn't. The 1" transfer case drop worked. I still need to do the SYE because dropping things down from the bottom of your Jeep are counter to what you were trying to do in the first place, create more clearance.

[JeepinOutfitters]

Yea I'm with you kimber, totally lost when it comes to what else I need besides the lift. So let me get this straight, if you get a 4.5 you wont need a sye or extended brake lines? thanks.

No, just the opposite. At 4.5" you likely WILL need those things. Generally speaking, with a 4.5" kit you'll need front upper and lower control arms, front brakelines, front adjustable trackbar, extended front swaybar endlinks or quick disconnects, rear brakeline, front coils, rear leafs springs (some kits also include lift shackles), front and rear shocks, and at least extended front bumpstops. That's just what you should be getting in any good, complete 4.5" lift kit.

Then on top of that you'll likely need to do an SYE kit and CV rear driveshaft.

[Mudderoy]

No, just the opposite. At 4.5" you likely WILL need those things. Generally speaking, with a 4.5" kit you'll need front upper and lower control arms, front brakelines, front adjustable trackbar, extended front swaybar endlinks or quick disconnects, rear brakeline, front coils, rear leafs springs (some kits also include lift shackles), front and rear shocks, and at least extended front bumpstops. That's just what you should be getting in any good, complete 4.5" lift kit.

Then on top of that you'll likely need to do an SYE kit and CV rear driveshaft.

Just looking at your signature Jason. How does your wife's D30 hold up to the 35 and 36 tires locked?

[JeepinOutfitters]

Just looking at your signature Jason. How does your wife's D30 hold up to the 35 and 36 tires locked?

It's held up just as well as the D30 in my XJ running the same tires ;) And both are the low pinion axle. I've got Warn inners and outers to go with my hub kit, but the TJ is still running all stock shafts. (knock on wood) to date we've had no axle or u-joint breakage on either axle. I credit a lot of that to an easy foot and being locked front and rear which allows us to crawl obstacles as opposed to having to reply on momentum and wheel spin. And when we do get stuck, if we can't get unstuck after a couple of tries we'll bust out the winch or a strap as opposed to keep trying and potentially break something (generally by that point the traffic jamb on the trail is tired of waiting so it's time to get moving anyway).

[Mudderoy]

It's held up just as well as the D30 in my XJ running the same tires ;) And both are the low pinion axle. I've got Warn inners and outers to go with my hub kit, but the TJ is still running all stock shafts. (knock on wood) to date we've had no axle or u-joint breakage on either axle. I credit a lot of that to an easy foot and being locked front and rear which allows us to crawl obstacles as opposed to having to reply on momentum and wheel spin. And when we do get stuck, if we can't get unstuck after a couple of tries we'll bust out the winch or a strap as opposed to keep trying and potentially break something (generally by that point the traffic jamb on the trail is tired of waiting so it's time to get moving anyway).

Great information. Thank you. I really would like to stick with my D30, but I still want those 35's. Sounds like most things in life. You think about what you are doing and 9 times out of 10 you'll be just fine. :patriot:

[rguignard]

i have 3.5 RC lift with 31s welded rear 35 no sway bars and i drive it everyday and i wheel it too so far so good. im easy on to on the street and a little hard on it off road its not a car so i dont go fast around corners and i drive kind of fast.

[XJ4IV]

awesome guys thanks. i wanted to do just enough to do basic offroading (not looking to climbing boulders and extreme objects) but enough to go wheelin in most common terrain. im thinking moderate hills some low creeks and such. tough but not extreme. its my daily car as well. . . . xjIV with minimal rubbing do you mean after or before i would remove the fenders ( or get specialized ones)? i have stock tires on there maybe one inch bigger than usual and if i have one person (over 190 ilbs) in back it alreadys rubs on most bumps. . and budget is not tight but not as much as i would like.

Rubbing while turning your wheels sit too close to the control arms and they would rub, If your removing your fender flares that will make it look better but not really needed for only 3 inches and 31's. With the type of wheeling your talking about you may not flex it out a whole lot so rubbing may not be an issue at this point I wouldn't worry about it yet!

[XJ4IV]

Yea I'm with you kimber, totally lost when it comes to what else I need besides the lift. So let me get this straight, if you get a 4.5 you wont need a sye or extended brake lines? thanks.

If your not really gonna wheel it you DONT need brake lines but if you flex your suspension you will notice that you are actually held BACK by your brake lines and also they could BREAK amd then your REALLY screwed, Best to get longer lines