YOU LUCKY SOB!!!! why am I never that lucky?

 

yea no s***

 

If you have a budget, and you want something simple to start.. I would say some ZJ Upcountry coils up front (should net approx 1.5-2"), For the rear I would say make a bastard pack with S-10 or dakota leafs. And then get some 235/75R15s or some 30x9.5s As for wheels also, I would say either some black cragar soft 8's or the "d windows" in the 15x8 variety. I personally like the Soft 8's better.
But other than that I would say definitely learn how to drive it first, then worry about everything else.

 

couldnt have said that any better. I have a friend out here who went all out on lift & tires and forget that even with that stuff if you cant drive you just simply cant drive. My first wheeler was a bone stock 93 cherokee with a set of good mudd tires on it and i got alot of place my friends who thought everything was about the skinny pedal g couldnt get. But if you cant live with out a lift I would say just get a budget boost for now and then start moving up.

 

well i was thinking about it and i think i'll just do a 2.5inch suspension lift for now so i can put bigger tires on it, then i just go bigger later

 

I agree with wheeling/driving it first. I've had my Jeep for 8 years since I was 17. I haven't lifted it. Just maintenance and a few under body parts from not having enough clearance ONCE, but haven't needed a lift until recent plans. The Jeep is plenty capable to do what a lot of other stock SUVs can't...I have the memories to prove it. Your Jeep will go to hell and back again with you.

Spend your money on quality maintenance and parts before building. Then plan out the thing (like I'm doing now) and buy everything at once...correctly the first time. 4.5 inches? Get a long arm kit for flex if you're going crawling...things like that. read all the threads on the forum and decide what you need for your rig.

Here was my deciding factor: http://www.expeditionportal.com Since being on that site, I've decided to make it an ExPo rig...not a crawler. so an 8'' lift is unneccessary for what I'll use it for. anyways, i'm rambling, time to cram it.

 

My thin wallet likes this idea. do you know of other front coils that would work (the local JY is pretty small). On a bastard pack, are the S-10/Dakota leafs bolt on or do I need to mix and match? Will I need new shocks with this set up?

s

 

I just put basically this lift on my '87 XJ. I used ZJ coils and coil spacers, with '88 Dakota rear leaf springs. You keep the XJ's upper-most leaf and swap in all but the Dakota's helper spring. The site is pretty good at explaining everything. It took a friend and I roughly 9 hours to do the lift in a garage with just a floor jack and stands. I also used RC Nitro 9000 shocks, like them so far. One shock wouldn't de-compress when we took it out of the box, I called RC and they sent me 2 new shocks for free.
http://www.lunghd.com/Tech_Articles/...udget_Lift.htm
http://www.roughcountry.com/shocks_rc9000.html

 

LOL. Wheel time is so true. A buddy of mine had a early 90's wrangler given to him. He immediately lifted it 6" and threw bigger tires on it. With nothing else done took it out and flipped it before he could get to the ORV park. lol. Learning to drive is a good idea. Take your time little man. And learn patience. If you take your time to build it. In the end( which hopefully never comes) you will have built a rig that will stand the test you put it to. Oh.and lastly. enjoy your jeep. don't kill it right off the bat. Enjoy it bro. Find your limits and don't cross em till your ready. I crossed my limits before I was ready and dropped my bike doing 145mph....... take your time

 

yeah save up your money and go out and do some wheeling with your dad and family. you will find that even a stock vehicle can do more then you can at your age. then at the end of the year or start of next start working on your jeep plans.

 

1 Its great a 15 year old is gettin into this craze! your not alone, I am 16!
2 Yes the higher you go the more money it will take to get there. If it is your DD then dont go to extreme or your mpg will suffer.

 

x2. I agree completely... I've seen guys with 4-5K of gear on their rigs stuck in stuff my old beater Jeep with 235's and 2" lift almost flew over, by comparison. Learning how to drive, and drive well (on AND off-road) is what makes a good wheeler, not how much money you dump into the rig.

And chances are, for the sort of stuff you're talking about needing it for, you dont' really even need a lift yet. IMHO, start saving the money, put it in a separate account, and drive the jeep for a year or two, on and off-road, before doing anything. Learn how it performs, what to expect, how it handles and get comfortable and relaxed in it. Spend the time researching the sorts of things you *might* want to add to it (this website's a great resource) and then after a year or two, think about an upgrade or two.

Just my opinion of course

EDIT: And don't be afraid to ask questions. Most people here are friendly and helpful. It's a good community with a lot of guys who know a whole heck of a lot about Cherokees.

 

I'd agree with a lot of the guys on here. Leave it stock and learn how to drive it first. The XJ is pretty capable off-road in stock form. Hell the wifes liberty isn't half bad. haha Its no XJ though!

 

i agree with the leave it stock with good tire guys, once you start lifting the money starts goin dry. a stock xj is alot better than what you would think offroad and if you dont really have the places to use a big lift(rock ledges, mud pits etc.) there is no real point and it would be a waste of money id start out with bumpers, winch, roof rack things like that if i was in your position. you have plenty of time to lift your jeep just take your time and get neccesities first. but like all these other guys its just my opinion, its your jeep your money do want you want

 

I think the best way to build up an XJ, which is probably how I will do it when I get a new one is make it more trail survivable. Get some good T-case, tranny, engine, gas tank skids and some rocker guards.