Cody's 99 XJ SE
05-19-2013, 07:52 PM
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Location: Harrisonburg, VA
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Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Cody's 99 XJ SE
I bought my XJ Memorial Day Weekend 2012. I bought it as something to take hunting and fishing, and to drive in the snow with some light daily driving mixed in. I have been in a cycle of saving money and then buying parts to lift it for almost a year and was in no real hurry to do so. That is until someone rear ended my other car parked on the street in front of my house and totaled it. Figured I might as well get the lift put on while I still had a rental car.
I purchased the Rancho 2.5 AAL kit and 4 of their 9000 series shocks during their shock and awe promotion last summer to score a $500 rebate. I knew I didn't want to use the AAL and decided to pair the Rancho front end components with Old Man Emu's heavy load leaf springs. I don't have the know how, resources, or patience to do much mechanical work so I took it to a shop to be installed. During the installation process my plans had to be improvised and are still being improvised. The OME leafs gave more lift than my Rancho shocks were long enough for (The shocks I bought were good up to 3" of lift). When the shop called to inform me of this they also said my 31" tires were rubbing pretty bad up front and the rear was sitting higher than the front. Without seeing it for myself I don't know how bad it was. I knew it was going to be tight and was prepared to trim. But I asked them to put coil spacers on the front to even it up with the rear and order me four shocks that would work all the way around.
What I ended up with is a drastic improvement over what it was, but the front is sitting just a smidge higher than the rear and I don't think I can leave it that way for long. It bugs me. I measured from the center of the hubs to the flares and got the front at 21.5 and the rear at 20.5. More lift than I was shooting for in the front but I do like the extra room it gives my tires. Probably going to add the OME extra leaf to hopefully even it up. What I have on it at the moment:
Rancho 2.5" Coils
Rancho lower control arms
Rancho steering stabilizer
Coil spacers netting about 1.5" more lift I'm guessing
Rancho 5000 shocks (not the ones I wanted but will do for now)
Old Man Emu heavy load leaf springs CS035RA
Goodyear Duratrac 31x10.50's
Cragar 15x8 Soft 8's with 4" backspacing
Before and after pictures:
I purchased the Rancho 2.5 AAL kit and 4 of their 9000 series shocks during their shock and awe promotion last summer to score a $500 rebate. I knew I didn't want to use the AAL and decided to pair the Rancho front end components with Old Man Emu's heavy load leaf springs. I don't have the know how, resources, or patience to do much mechanical work so I took it to a shop to be installed. During the installation process my plans had to be improvised and are still being improvised. The OME leafs gave more lift than my Rancho shocks were long enough for (The shocks I bought were good up to 3" of lift). When the shop called to inform me of this they also said my 31" tires were rubbing pretty bad up front and the rear was sitting higher than the front. Without seeing it for myself I don't know how bad it was. I knew it was going to be tight and was prepared to trim. But I asked them to put coil spacers on the front to even it up with the rear and order me four shocks that would work all the way around.
What I ended up with is a drastic improvement over what it was, but the front is sitting just a smidge higher than the rear and I don't think I can leave it that way for long. It bugs me. I measured from the center of the hubs to the flares and got the front at 21.5 and the rear at 20.5. More lift than I was shooting for in the front but I do like the extra room it gives my tires. Probably going to add the OME extra leaf to hopefully even it up. What I have on it at the moment:
Rancho 2.5" Coils
Rancho lower control arms
Rancho steering stabilizer
Coil spacers netting about 1.5" more lift I'm guessing
Rancho 5000 shocks (not the ones I wanted but will do for now)
Old Man Emu heavy load leaf springs CS035RA
Goodyear Duratrac 31x10.50's
Cragar 15x8 Soft 8's with 4" backspacing
Before and after pictures:
Last edited by 2PulledHammys; 05-19-2013 at 07:54 PM.
08-04-2013, 05:39 PM
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Model: Cherokee
Looks good!
Soo... i should be worried about the OME 2" Heavy Duty rear leafs giving substantially more than 2" of lift?
Any suggestions that might work better with the 3" RS9000 shocks? The reason for going with the OME Heavy Duty leafs is that i haul motors in the back of my XJ, and may need to do some light duty towing from time to time, and don't want it squatting like crazy.
Soo... i should be worried about the OME 2" Heavy Duty rear leafs giving substantially more than 2" of lift?
Any suggestions that might work better with the 3" RS9000 shocks? The reason for going with the OME Heavy Duty leafs is that i haul motors in the back of my XJ, and may need to do some light duty towing from time to time, and don't want it squatting like crazy.
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