You can get a PORC sye kit for $170 and a front driveshaft from a junk yard. Probably $250 max total.

It's worth it. Any jeep i get my hands on gets a sye. The best way to go about this is to lift it first and then test for vibrations. You can always drop the t-case temporarily until you get an sye. It gives you time to save up.

If you are going to college and not wheel much, i'd hold on the lift and use that money for a mini-fridge for all that beer.

 

Wow to get this back on topic for the asker, I would go with a 4.5" rough country lift. If you can get full spring packs great. If not run the add leaf and when that starts to sag make you an s-10 pack. Order it through Rough Country's jeep dealer and get 10% off. Will run you under 500 and comes with a transfer case drop. Most jeeps don't have vibs unless you run a 8.25 rear axle in which case the pinion is really low on them. 31's do not look back on a 4.5" lift my buddy runs this setup. If it were me me I would trim the fenders when you do it and run 33x10.50 on the stock rims. Of course with the money you saved by not going RE you can buy new rock crawler rims cheap.

 

Well if you have a 242t-case you shouldn't need a Sye any time soon lift it and wheel it.

 

I'm pretty sure your 96 XJ has the longer tail housing on the TC. I think 97 was the first year of the shorter one. That being said, your 4.5" lift kit should come with a 1" TC drop and degree shims for the rear axle to counter any vibes. This shouls work fine for you expecially if you won't be doing any hardcore 4wheeling. My Rusty's 4.5" lift came with a TC drop kit and degree shims and I get no vibes...even after installing another 1.5" BB.

 

i think what i am going to do is buy the 3" lift.... install it... if i get no vibrations then i'm going to put in a 1" BB to give me a little more height as long as i can run that with the same shocks that come with the lift. if i can do that and i do get a little vibration then i can just do the tc drop. It will not be wheeled hard at all... mainly dirt roads and maybe a little mud or rock but nothing crazy. i do plan on aftermarket rims and i have 7 months b4 i go to school.. i work full time and will have plenty of time to save for beer!!!! haha

 

If you got that route then you'll be stretching your stock arms to the max, That was my plan and trust me it's better to jsut go ahead and do the 4.5" lift and get all the right stuff the first time.

 

X2!! Do it once....right.

 

ok... looks like i'm ordering the 4.5". anyone know of a cheap sye kit or hack'n tap. just in case i have to have one? o and my rearend is a dana 35.. i just crawled under it to see.

 

o and one more thing... how can i identify my t case? 241? 242?

 

there should be a tag on the transfercase...if you dont feel like looking under your jeep you can tell by this.

on your 4x4 selctor if you have:
2WD
4High (part time)
Neutral
4Low (part time)
you have have a NP231


if you have:
2WD
4High (part time)
4 FULL TIME (full time)
Neutral
4Low (part time)
you have a NP242

you need to check your selector because your gauge cluster will have lights for both the 242 and 231 regardless

 

yah its the 231 for sure then... big decision to make

 

Just a note I run a 4.5" lift 1" drop no vibs.

 

Hack in tap

easy and cheap. search naxja web site there are tons of wright ups on it

 

My 2001 XJ with 3.5" RE lift NEEDED a sye in the worst way. As they say, every Jeep is different.

Don't lift it 3" thinking that you definitely won't need a sye, because you might. And even if you don't NEED it, it will probably smooth things out.

 

That's becuase you have a newer XJ with the shorter out put on your TC. Granted always prepare for the worst but with the setup he has it is not common for it to have vibs.