Desertfox1023

So over the course of time people have always been wanting to do some cheap lifts that get the job done using some J/Y OME parts and as always are easy on the wallet. So I took some time today to write this huge write up to provide some information that I've gathered over the course of time I've been around jeeps on how to get a lift done with out a 300 price tag. The following post contains this information. Feel free to post coments or list your own ideas on the matter. I'm simply posting this here to pass on the wealth so others can get there jeep it in the air without breaking the bank. Hopefully if this thread gets enough info stored on it it can later be organized into one large source of info for others. Also so whenever someone post up about a doing a BB we can simply point them here. As always there is more than one way to do things so this is just one way and if you chose to do so it is at your own risk to you and your rig.

Desertfox1023

So you got yourself a Cherokee and you want it big without dropping down some big cash on a lift, then here's a guide for you:

Typical cheap lift kits:

Rusty's BB : 1.75" of lift using front spacers and rear shackles. Cost $100 , does not include shocks

RC 3" lift : 3" lift using new front coil springs, rear add-a-leaf, with shocks included.

These are a quick and cheap way to get your jeep in the air however there are even cheaper ways to get the job done with better results.

When dealing with lifting your XJ you have to note several important things about it such as: Steering, Brake lines, Drivelines, Shocks, as well as others.
The higher you go the more these factors come into play and the more money you'll have to spend to get everything back into tune.

Lift Heights and things effected:
1" - Can be done with little to no effects on parts
1.5" - Stock shocks reach there maximum point for use
2" - Stock shocks will need to be replaced / extended
2.5" - Same as above
3" - Same as above, On some 96+ models with the 8.25 rear axle you will have drive line issues.
3.5" - Same as above and, Brake lines need to be extended, track bar needs to be relocated.
4" - Same as above, stock control arms reach there maximum height for use, and drive line issues will more than likely occur for all models with out a driveline modification in use.
4.5" - Same as above, need to replace lower control arms

Anything outside of the 4.5" lift range and you have stepped out side of the Budget Boost range.

SO HOW DO YOU GET IT UP?

Front:

- F-150 coil springs are a way to get the front up. They’re actually shorter than XJ springs but there spring rate is so high they provide about an 1.5" of lift.

- ZJ Coil springs are a much better solution to getting the front up and come in a variety for styles and provide a different amount of lift depending on the trim model. The lift provided ranges from 1" to 2.5" of lift.

- Stock Isolator Spacers are .75" tall and can be stacked up for a cheap lift and are also good for fine tuning a lift to get that height just right. NOTE: You do not want to use more than 3" of spacers on your Cherokee as you will not have any more of your front bump stop left.

Rear:
-Blocks are a very cheap way to lifting the rear of your rig. There are some notes about using blocks. Cherokee rear springs are soft and blocks cause them to sag and invert very easily. Problems such as popping u-joints can occur as well as a harsh ride. When springs being to warp you can also end up throwing a block which is where the block comes out from between the spring and the axle. Also since blocks go between the rear leaf springs and axle they pick up the rear sway bar and it will rub on the inside of your tire. The simple fix is to remove the rear sway bar. This will increase your rear flex while only minimally effecting on road handling.

-Shackles are a tried and true method for lifting the rear. In general for every 1" longer a shackle is than the stock unit it will lift your Cherokee by .5". MJ Shackles are a great bolt on to a XJ as they will provide you with 1" of lift.

-Bastard Packs - You can also make your own leaf spring packs to provide a rear lift on your jeep. The two most common springs to use for this are s-10 springs or dodge Dakota rear springs. These are full leaf packs and are a much better alternative to any add-a-leaf kit and can usually be built for cheaper.

Shocks:

The options for shocks are either extensions or just buying new shocks.

-BPE's (Bar pin eliminators) are shock extensions. You can make your own for little to no money at all and they will extend your shocks by .5". To do this go to the junkyard and pull the rear-sway bar off some XJ's. Using the end links on them you can make some BPE's as shown here . You can then simple add a spacer and some longer bolts to the top of the BPE's to make spacers to accommodate for what ever size BB you are running.

-The other Budget friendly shock option is to buy Rusty's Off Road shocks. They are $30 a piece and provide a good ride. There are also some OME shocks you can use from other vehicles however you can simply by the Rusty's shocks for cheaper and the ride quality will be better along with performance.

Brake lines:

YJ brakes lines are a bolt on replacement for a line that is 3" longer than stock. You can either pull them off a j/y YJ or buy them at your local autoparts store. Simply ask for lines for a 95 YJ just to be sure.

Dodge Dakota Rear lines are also a direct bolt in for the rear of your Cherokee and provide 6" of extra length. At your local auto store just tell them you have a 92 Dodge Dakota.

Track bar:

When you lift your XJ your front axle will become off centered. You can simply redill the track bar to recenter your axle.

Driveline:

If you experience driveline angle vibrations there is only so much you can go for a cheap fix.

Shims - your pinion angle might just be off and you can correct it using degree shims.

Transfer case Drop - a 1" TC drop can help correct your angles by dropping the TC down to create a better angle.

YJ slip yoke - a TJ slip yoke is longer than a XJ slip yoke and can be used so that you don't pull your yoke out if you have a high amount of lift.

New Driveshaft - You can have your driveshaft lengthend at a shop to compensate for the lift.

Your option is a a SYE and new driveshaft which will get you out side the BB area.

Sway bar links:

Stock XJ sway bar links are good till about 3" of lift.
ZJ links are 1" longer than XJ ones so if you swap them over then you can use them up to a 4" lift.


Cheap Budget Boost Combinations that can be done for less than 50 bucks:

1.5" - Use 2 sets of stock spacers along with a rear MJ shackle.

2" - ZJ coil springs using some .75 spacers if needed to get it right around 2" in the front. For the rear you can do a MJ shackle, blocks, or make some rear springs. For your shocks just make some BPE's and you'll be good

3" - ZJ coil springs using some .75 spacers to get it right around 3" in the front. The rear make some bastards packs then either buy some cheap shocks or make some 3" shocks spacers to make the lift good to go.

Tankerblade

awesome write up. One question though, how different are wj springs to zj? and would a 2004 wj limited springs help lift?

FlyingLow

quick question on the zj springs. which would work best? springs from the I6, V8, or upcountry?

afbond03

V8 Springs work best.

Desertfox1023

The order for the most lift for ZJ springs go:

I6 -1 to 1.5"
I6 upcountry - 1.5 - 2"
v8 - 1.5 - 2"
v8 upcountry -2 - 2.5"

I'm not sure about WJ springs.

Mullins_j

I didn't know the ZJ sway bar links were longer, what would be the best year to get from the ZJ, for a 4" lift?

THanks,
J

Desertfox1023

Any year ZJ really from 93 to 98. From what I've seen they've all had the longer links. Some cherokees also have the longer links but I'm not sure as to what specific model has them. I'm currently running them on mine at 4.5" of lift which I modified to some homemade disconects. I don't recomend that much lift though as the are absolute pain to hook back up. They where fine though when I just had 4" on the jeep.

pajeepman

How much does change in the ride does using ZJ springs make. Are they just longer or is the spring rate different. I like the idea but don't want to make the ride worse on my XJ.

Codycobra84

I put the V-8 ZJ springs in my '88 MJ and I don't think it changed it to bad. It was alittle stiffer but the stock MJ ride compared to my XJ I have now the MJ was alot softer than the XJ anyways.

This is some good info, after reading it I now know I have a full budget 1.5inch lift for the XJ for free. I still have my old MJ so I'm gonna ****** and few things up and off of it before I sell/scrap it.

-Cody

nick_n_ii

V6? Don't you mean I6?

NewXJaddict

great write up! I am not even close to ready to lift my Jeep yet but when I am this is a great source of information as I am almost always broke lol.

Tx93cherokee

May be a dumb question but how do you know that a shock for a lift is longer than a stock shock. For example, if I'm doing a 3 in lift and need a longer shock, what do I buy? Is there a certain measurement?

Tx93cherokee

Another dumb question, where do you put the spacers?

UserID6095

Most shocks will be listed as 0-3" Shocks.

ex: http://www.quadratec.com/products/16016_104.htm


On top of the coil spring.