96TEXjAS

This is my first write up so here goes. I'm very budget minded and this is the cheapest way I could find to do an approximately "2 rear lift.

XJ specs:

96 XJ 4x4 4.0 I6 aw4 31x10.50x15 Goodyear authority approx. "2 budget lift with trimmed fenders and flares.


Tools used:

21mm 1/2 in drive socket
21mm 1/2 in drive deep socket
1/2 in drive socket wrench
Large adj. wrench
1/2 in breaker bar
Penetrating oil
Pry bar
Grinder
Floor jack
2 jack stands
Various wood blocks


Parts used:

Rear lowering shackle kit from Autozone # 13-4200:









(12) Hillman hardened 9/16 flat washers:









Now, on to the fun. I had done my reaserch, I thought, before purchasing these shackles but found out later there are 2 available. The ones I used and another # 13-4100. Here are some pics of the differences. BTW, I'm glad I got these because the others would have provided less lift and I'm actually going to go to the lowest hole, providing the most lift.



















Now. Because I got the bigger shackles some adjustments had to be made with an angle grinder to get them to fit up in to the hanger. If you look closely you can see that I had to grind the top part quite a bit to match the width of the stock one. Idk if the smaller Autozone shackle will fit without some grinding but it is narrower as seen in the above pics.





I live in Texas so no rust to worry about but I still use penetrating oil wherever I can.

First I blocked the front wheels.

Next using the socket and breaker bar I loosened the bolts holding the shackle to the spring eye and hanger. If you have air tools use them here. I do but my compressor is not big enough for the impact gun.

Then using the floor jack and the wood blocks I jacked up the Cherokee ( I have a hitch so that is where I jacked it up from. If you do not you'll need to jack from the uniframe. I don't know if the bumper is a good place FYI ) just enough to take the weight off the springs. This is sort of a guess and will need to be adjusted as you try to remove the bolt from the spring eye. I lifted until the tires started to come off the ground then let it back down just a bit and it worked well.

Install the new shackle into the hanger. I don't have torque specs so I tightened this bolt pretty tight and it never seemed to bind so I felt that was good. Since I only removed one side at a time it was cocked a bit but I just played with the jack a little and pried it over till it was real close.




Then using some prying and wiggling I got the bolt through the washers and spring eye.





That's it for the drivers side. Steps are the same for passenger side but in my case some exhaust trimming needed to be done to clear the shackle.









After trimming and shackle install.










Be sure to only snug up the bolts during install until the Jeep's weight is on the springs. I don't know how critical this is but I've heard this about certain suspension parts and felt it applied here. Once back on the ground tighten spring eye bolts. I never found torque specs so I just used the breaker bar on the lower bolt. Check bolts after 500 miles or so for tightness. I also did a visual check before driving the first few times I drove it.

That's it! All done. Here's a before pic with the front springs installed but nothing in the rear.






And after.









And a before and after flexing. It should be noted I did source some Bilstein takeoffs from a friends jeep shop. They're a bit longer which helps with the droop. I wasn't able to install the shackles with the stock shocks BTW. That's why the shackles were installed a few weeks after the springs. One day I'll do a build thread detailing my budget lift as the springs were sourced from the same shop and are, I believe, from a TJ.