I have a '98 and I have been wondering about this. I have heard so many different things. I want to go 4.5" but I don't want to put a lot of $ into it.

Someone told me they just dropped their TC 1" and was fine.

Can someone clear this up?

 

Dropping the T-case will be fine, or get the pinion angle set right and you won't need the drop or the SYE...

 

I also installed a 4.5" lift kit and the kit came with a 1" transfercase drop kit. You absolutely do not NEED to spend the money on a SYE for a 4.5" lift on an XJ. Of course, the SYE will give you the best ride. I figure hey it's a 4wheeling rig. It's gonna vibe a little bit and ride kinda rough.
Heck if you want to go ultra low buck get a couple of chunks of aluminum or steal and make your own drop kit. You will need 1" longer than stock cross member bolts and you could shim the thing down with washers. I added a few washers to each bolt when I added my rear shackles and went an inch higher out back. I also shimmed the cross member on my Toyletta with washers when I put in the dual transfer cases and it was vibrating against the bottom of the cab. Worked like a champ through some of the waorst 4wheeling a rig ever saw and never came loose nor broke.

 

Oh, almost forgot. Your 4.5" lift kit should also come with a set of 3 degree shims to put between your rear axle pads and your leaf springs. This will slightly angle your pinion up and is the other half of your anti vibe solution. If your lift comes with extended shackles as part of the lift for the rear they may not throw in the degree shims. Might not be needed.

 

im on 5" with a tc drop. i have a 1" shackle lift to which should change the pinion angle. i get vibes between 55-65mph if ive got my foot to the floor, but other than that, not many vibes.

 

with your xj having the newer style t-case output, your jeep will be more prone to vibrations than earlier xj's

some get bad vibes at 2" others get minor vibes at 5"

some people live with it, others freak out

 

JakeWI is at 4.5" without an SYE. I think he's got a TC drop in it (but can't quite remember) and he has 31" tires.

when it's set up properly, no SYE is needed. if you have the $$$ for SYE, do it. it's worth the coin and will give you great performance.

I'm running SYE on my 87 MJ which is lifted 6.5"...because of it's longer wheel base, the SYE is unnecessary...I just had the case, nothing to use it on, and everything I'd need parts-wise to have a shaft made. so, in it went, the pinion angle set properly (1* above in-line with the driveshaft). it hasn't let me down, and if I do break a shaft, I can still run home in FWD (though with the newer xj's, you can do this anyways)

 

Will the vibes cause any expensive damage??

 

Anyone else got an opinion they'd like to share?

Sorry for being so persistent, all the things I want to do to my Cherokee are wearing on me and I'd like them to happen as soon as possible.