2 inch lift question
08-29-2010, 07:39 PM
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2 inch lift question
Just got an 01' Cherokee and I'm looking to put a two inch lift on with thirty inch tires, which do you recommend. I would like to retain as smooth of a ride as possible, I will be using it mostly as a daily driver but will do some off-roading ; Rubicon Express - XJ 2" BUDGET KIT W/ADD-A-LEAF or Skyjacker 2" Poly Value Kit with Hydro Shocks? Open to other lifts too. If my leaf springs are not sagging, do I really need to add a leaf for a two inch lift? I am new to jeeping so any help would be appreciated!
08-29-2010, 08:36 PM
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Two inches isn't really anything much. I'd get the cheapest kit and spend my money on some good shocks if I wanted good ride quality.
08-29-2010, 08:47 PM
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A 2'' kit is usually going to consist of a spacer for the front and a shackle for the rear. All of the kits with this setup will ride pretty much the same. SO! I would suggest grabbing the cheapest kit possible, and investing in a decent (not the absolute best, as you will probably get inch-itis down the road, and you might as well not blow all your cash on shocks that will be replaced) set of shocks. Old Man Emu shocks are top notch, and even some other lower-price brands are great too. Monroe Sensa-Tracs ride really good for being available at your local Advance Auto or Autozone.
08-29-2010, 09:09 PM
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Just got an 01' Cherokee and I'm looking to put a two inch lift on with thirty inch tires, which do you recommend. I would like to retain as smooth of a ride as possible, I will be using it mostly as a daily driver but will do some off-roading ; Rubicon Express - XJ 2" BUDGET KIT W/ADD-A-LEAF or Skyjacker 2" Poly Value Kit with Hydro Shocks? Open to other lifts too. If my leaf springs are not sagging, do I really need to add a leaf for a two inch lift? I am new to jeeping so any help would be appreciated!
08-29-2010, 09:21 PM
#7
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I did a lot of research on 2" lifts, My springs sag about 1/2". I ordered this lift this last Thursday and it was at my door Friday (i paid for ups ground). I opened the boxes and am very impressed with what I got. I did upgrade to the gas shocks. i will hopefully install next weekend, let you know how it goes.
http://zoneoffroad.com/product?ki=31&gr=-1
http://zoneoffroad.com/product?ki=31&gr=-1
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08-29-2010, 09:43 PM
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Check this out. Full packs are definately the best option. http://www.rocklizardfabrications.co...dget_boost.htm
08-29-2010, 10:44 PM
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A 2'' kit is usually going to consist of a spacer for the front and a shackle for the rear. All of the kits with this setup will ride pretty much the same. SO! I would suggest grabbing the cheapest kit possible, and investing in a decent (not the absolute best, as you will probably get inch-itis down the road, and you might as well not blow all your cash on shocks that will be replaced) set of shocks. Old Man Emu shocks are top notch, and even some other lower-price brands are great too. Monroe Sensa-Tracs ride really good for being available at your local Advance Auto or Autozone.
The only thing right are the ome shocks
08-30-2010, 08:35 AM
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Year: 2001
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Gotta love how people trash other people over the interwebz for their supposed "Stupidity".
For clarification:
A 2'' budget boost can be achieved in a variety of ways. The cheapest kits usually involve raising the front with a coil spacer, and the rear with either a block or a shackle. This method of lifting is decent enough, and will get the job done, but will put a dying leaf spring pack to rest and can cause other problems (spring-wrap for example, as well as the rare case where the spring pack itself snaps around the block or at the shackle eye).
A typical mid-grade 2'' lift kit will include coil spacers for the front and an Add-A-Leaf for the rear, as well as longer shocks. This type of kit will help failing rear leaf springs but only for a little while. Ultimately, these modified rear packs will FAIL with use, depending on how bad the pre-existing spring sag was before the modification. I would recommend this type of kit for Jeeps with decent stock leaves.
The third, and certainly not final way of lifting 2'', is to buy brand new coils and full leaf pack, along with the associated hardware. More often than not, a kit with new leaves will leave your Jeep with a rake. This is because the rear leaves take time to settle, and are also designed to bear the extra weight that comes with a modified Jeep. These kits are few and far between. Old Man Emu comes to mind.
Finally, if you have enough time and researching power, you can piece together your own bastard pack lift. This can include individual leaves from any 2.5'' spring pack. Commonly, Dakota or S10 spring packs are used as donors. I used the packs from a Chevy 1500. You could use coil spacers for the front, or you could swap in a set of springs from another vehicle. 90's Thunderbird coils will net you 3'' or a little less, and V8 Grand Cherokees can net you anywhere from 0.5''-1.5''. You can make up the difference with an extra set of spring pad isolators. You can grab shocks from a JK Wrangler, preferably from a non-Rubicon model. These shocks are typically used for 2-4'' of lift (I have had them on mine from 2-3'' and they have worked flawlessly). The black non-Rubicon shocks ride very plush, while the red and black Rubicon shocks are a little stiffer.
Something else that hasn't been mentioned is a transfer case drop. 1997-2001 Cherokees are very finicky whenever it comes to driveline angles due to a change in the tailcone of the transfer case. Whenever I lifted my 2001, I had vibrations at a mere 2''. I dropped the transfer case 5/8'' with grade 8 washers and shimmed the axle 2 degrees. This helped. Or, if you are so inclined, you can removed the rear axle and move the spring perches to adjust the angle. This is typically only done whenever you are swapping in a new axle into a vehicle with high lift. I did this on my 8.8 whenever I installed it.
Another thing. WJ Grand Cherokee lower front control arms are a drop-in replacement if your new tires rub on the control arms. These replacement arms have a bend in them to provide extra clearance.
Also, you may want to check on the condition of your front sway bar bushings. Lifting will always bring worn factory components to light, especially in the way of death wobble. These two little pieces of poly cost less than $25 and can make a great improvement if your current ones are worn out. On a related note, you can ditch the rear sway bar with no ill effects.
Disclaimer: I believe that I have provided the best possible information regarding 2'' lifts, so if anyone has a problem with the aforementioned text, you can shove it. That is all.
For clarification:
A 2'' budget boost can be achieved in a variety of ways. The cheapest kits usually involve raising the front with a coil spacer, and the rear with either a block or a shackle. This method of lifting is decent enough, and will get the job done, but will put a dying leaf spring pack to rest and can cause other problems (spring-wrap for example, as well as the rare case where the spring pack itself snaps around the block or at the shackle eye).
A typical mid-grade 2'' lift kit will include coil spacers for the front and an Add-A-Leaf for the rear, as well as longer shocks. This type of kit will help failing rear leaf springs but only for a little while. Ultimately, these modified rear packs will FAIL with use, depending on how bad the pre-existing spring sag was before the modification. I would recommend this type of kit for Jeeps with decent stock leaves.
The third, and certainly not final way of lifting 2'', is to buy brand new coils and full leaf pack, along with the associated hardware. More often than not, a kit with new leaves will leave your Jeep with a rake. This is because the rear leaves take time to settle, and are also designed to bear the extra weight that comes with a modified Jeep. These kits are few and far between. Old Man Emu comes to mind.
Finally, if you have enough time and researching power, you can piece together your own bastard pack lift. This can include individual leaves from any 2.5'' spring pack. Commonly, Dakota or S10 spring packs are used as donors. I used the packs from a Chevy 1500. You could use coil spacers for the front, or you could swap in a set of springs from another vehicle. 90's Thunderbird coils will net you 3'' or a little less, and V8 Grand Cherokees can net you anywhere from 0.5''-1.5''. You can make up the difference with an extra set of spring pad isolators. You can grab shocks from a JK Wrangler, preferably from a non-Rubicon model. These shocks are typically used for 2-4'' of lift (I have had them on mine from 2-3'' and they have worked flawlessly). The black non-Rubicon shocks ride very plush, while the red and black Rubicon shocks are a little stiffer.
Something else that hasn't been mentioned is a transfer case drop. 1997-2001 Cherokees are very finicky whenever it comes to driveline angles due to a change in the tailcone of the transfer case. Whenever I lifted my 2001, I had vibrations at a mere 2''. I dropped the transfer case 5/8'' with grade 8 washers and shimmed the axle 2 degrees. This helped. Or, if you are so inclined, you can removed the rear axle and move the spring perches to adjust the angle. This is typically only done whenever you are swapping in a new axle into a vehicle with high lift. I did this on my 8.8 whenever I installed it.
Another thing. WJ Grand Cherokee lower front control arms are a drop-in replacement if your new tires rub on the control arms. These replacement arms have a bend in them to provide extra clearance.
Also, you may want to check on the condition of your front sway bar bushings. Lifting will always bring worn factory components to light, especially in the way of death wobble. These two little pieces of poly cost less than $25 and can make a great improvement if your current ones are worn out. On a related note, you can ditch the rear sway bar with no ill effects.
Disclaimer: I believe that I have provided the best possible information regarding 2'' lifts, so if anyone has a problem with the aforementioned text, you can shove it. That is all.
Last edited by Silver60th; 08-30-2010 at 09:54 AM.
08-30-2010, 10:11 AM
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i got OME's medium duty 2", i cheaped out on the shocks though. it rides pretty stiff but when shes fully loaded plus trailer theres little to no sag and rides normal which is what i was going for
08-30-2010, 08:05 PM
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Gotta love how people trash other people over the interwebz for their supposed "Stupidity".
For clarification:
A 2'' budget boost can be achieved in a variety of ways. The cheapest kits usually involve raising the front with a coil spacer, and the rear with either a block or a shackle. This method of lifting is decent enough, and will get the job done, but will put a dying leaf spring pack to rest and can cause other problems (spring-wrap for example, as well as the rare case where the spring pack itself snaps around the block or at the shackle eye).
A typical mid-grade 2'' lift kit will include coil spacers for the front and an Add-A-Leaf for the rear, as well as longer shocks. This type of kit will help failing rear leaf springs but only for a little while. Ultimately, these modified rear packs will FAIL with use, depending on how bad the pre-existing spring sag was before the modification. I would recommend this type of kit for Jeeps with decent stock leaves.
The third, and certainly not final way of lifting 2'', is to buy brand new coils and full leaf pack, along with the associated hardware. More often than not, a kit with new leaves will leave your Jeep with a rake. This is because the rear leaves take time to settle, and are also designed to bear the extra weight that comes with a modified Jeep. These kits are few and far between. Old Man Emu comes to mind.
Finally, if you have enough time and researching power, you can piece together your own bastard pack lift. This can include individual leaves from any 2.5'' spring pack. Commonly, Dakota or S10 spring packs are used as donors. I used the packs from a Chevy 1500. You could use coil spacers for the front, or you could swap in a set of springs from another vehicle. 90's Thunderbird coils will net you 3'' or a little less, and V8 Grand Cherokees can net you anywhere from 0.5''-1.5''. You can make up the difference with an extra set of spring pad isolators. You can grab shocks from a JK Wrangler, preferably from a non-Rubicon model. These shocks are typically used for 2-4'' of lift (I have had them on mine from 2-3'' and they have worked flawlessly). The black non-Rubicon shocks ride very plush, while the red and black Rubicon shocks are a little stiffer.
Something else that hasn't been mentioned is a transfer case drop. 1997-2001 Cherokees are very finicky whenever it comes to driveline angles due to a change in the tailcone of the transfer case. Whenever I lifted my 2001, I had vibrations at a mere 2''. I dropped the transfer case 5/8'' with grade 8 washers and shimmed the axle 2 degrees. This helped. Or, if you are so inclined, you can removed the rear axle and move the spring perches to adjust the angle. This is typically only done whenever you are swapping in a new axle into a vehicle with high lift. I did this on my 8.8 whenever I installed it.
Another thing. WJ Grand Cherokee lower front control arms are a drop-in replacement if your new tires rub on the control arms. These replacement arms have a bend in them to provide extra clearance.
Also, you may want to check on the condition of your front sway bar bushings. Lifting will always bring worn factory components to light, especially in the way of death wobble. These two little pieces of poly cost less than $25 and can make a great improvement if your current ones are worn out. On a related note, you can ditch the rear sway bar with no ill effects.
Disclaimer: I believe that I have provided the best possible information regarding 2'' lifts, so if anyone has a problem with the aforementioned text, you can shove it. That is all.
For clarification:
A 2'' budget boost can be achieved in a variety of ways. The cheapest kits usually involve raising the front with a coil spacer, and the rear with either a block or a shackle. This method of lifting is decent enough, and will get the job done, but will put a dying leaf spring pack to rest and can cause other problems (spring-wrap for example, as well as the rare case where the spring pack itself snaps around the block or at the shackle eye).
A typical mid-grade 2'' lift kit will include coil spacers for the front and an Add-A-Leaf for the rear, as well as longer shocks. This type of kit will help failing rear leaf springs but only for a little while. Ultimately, these modified rear packs will FAIL with use, depending on how bad the pre-existing spring sag was before the modification. I would recommend this type of kit for Jeeps with decent stock leaves.
The third, and certainly not final way of lifting 2'', is to buy brand new coils and full leaf pack, along with the associated hardware. More often than not, a kit with new leaves will leave your Jeep with a rake. This is because the rear leaves take time to settle, and are also designed to bear the extra weight that comes with a modified Jeep. These kits are few and far between. Old Man Emu comes to mind.
Finally, if you have enough time and researching power, you can piece together your own bastard pack lift. This can include individual leaves from any 2.5'' spring pack. Commonly, Dakota or S10 spring packs are used as donors. I used the packs from a Chevy 1500. You could use coil spacers for the front, or you could swap in a set of springs from another vehicle. 90's Thunderbird coils will net you 3'' or a little less, and V8 Grand Cherokees can net you anywhere from 0.5''-1.5''. You can make up the difference with an extra set of spring pad isolators. You can grab shocks from a JK Wrangler, preferably from a non-Rubicon model. These shocks are typically used for 2-4'' of lift (I have had them on mine from 2-3'' and they have worked flawlessly). The black non-Rubicon shocks ride very plush, while the red and black Rubicon shocks are a little stiffer.
Something else that hasn't been mentioned is a transfer case drop. 1997-2001 Cherokees are very finicky whenever it comes to driveline angles due to a change in the tailcone of the transfer case. Whenever I lifted my 2001, I had vibrations at a mere 2''. I dropped the transfer case 5/8'' with grade 8 washers and shimmed the axle 2 degrees. This helped. Or, if you are so inclined, you can removed the rear axle and move the spring perches to adjust the angle. This is typically only done whenever you are swapping in a new axle into a vehicle with high lift. I did this on my 8.8 whenever I installed it.
Another thing. WJ Grand Cherokee lower front control arms are a drop-in replacement if your new tires rub on the control arms. These replacement arms have a bend in them to provide extra clearance.
Also, you may want to check on the condition of your front sway bar bushings. Lifting will always bring worn factory components to light, especially in the way of death wobble. These two little pieces of poly cost less than $25 and can make a great improvement if your current ones are worn out. On a related note, you can ditch the rear sway bar with no ill effects.
Disclaimer: I believe that I have provided the best possible information regarding 2'' lifts, so if anyone has a problem with the aforementioned text, you can shove it. That is all.
08-30-2010, 08:18 PM
#15
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Just get a rocky road BB, they have the beefiest shackles i have ever seen! and theyre greasable. a 2 inch Budget Boost with spacers and shackles will give you a ride quality exactly like you have now. An AAL will give you a crappy ride. You dont need the BPE's with the rocky road BB, im running a 3 inch lift with stock shocks and i have no problems whatsoever and it still rides great.
basically i would either get the rocky road BB, or the Teraflex BB, the rocky road BB will net you an exact 2 inches while most others will give you 1.5 (check the fine print
) other than that they are about the same
basically i would either get the rocky road BB, or the Teraflex BB, the rocky road BB will net you an exact 2 inches while most others will give you 1.5 (check the fine print
) other than that they are about the same
Last edited by xj_maniac_newb; 08-30-2010 at 08:25 PM.