MrXShun

Sorry for the long post, to skip the history and get to the tech questions, please scroll.

Hello everyone. I just bought a 2004 WJ Columbia Edition, and need some input. This is my first Cherokee of any time, but I have been a long-time admirer. Back in 90s I always wanted to get a used one to bang around in, not being a huge Wrangler fan at the time, but loving the look and attitude of the Cherokee.

Flash forward to today, I have a new JKUR I bought last year, and loving it for doors/top off driving and offroading with it. I’ve built it up with a 4”/37s and a whole whack of additional weight. This is my fun secondary vehicle, which I try to avoid taking out in the winter due to salt, but this idea isn’t working all that well.

My DD was is a 2006 van, and it’s time is nearly here. I was close to buying a ¾ ton to trailer queen my JK with, but didn’t like the price for the used options I was finding, and buying another new vehicle was pushing my threshold a bit for this year. This will be a year or two out. I always had in the back of my head the idea of finding a WJ, lifting it, and going with that for a while. I’m just not into regular not fun vehicles, I had looked at some other new stuff, but I want fun and interesting, and customizable. The front axle and the idea of getting this offroad ready as a vehicle a friend could bring up, and I could play with both enticed me.

So after searching for a good starter of either a XJ or WJ (or ZJ, but that seems to be an impossible task), I found the WJ I day dreamed would be the ideal garage find. This 2004 4.7 was owned by a little old lady on a farm, and has only 80k km or 50k miles, and zero body rust, and not much surface rust underneath, the frame and the control arms have next to nothing. It has been oil sprayed and heated garage kept, so I got very lucky, and pulled the trigger. Cost was higher, but I’m happy with the transaction. The seats, although cloth with the Columbia embroidering look new, like not 2 years old even, new. I almost asked a dumb question when I first open it, questioning if they replaced the seats. Interior is mint. I couldn’t be happier with this purchase.

It has a lower right wheel noise, bald tires, and I believe some suspension issues, which was part of the reason I was able to talk the owner down another couple Gs, as I plan on replacing all that anyway. I’m sure brakes, and other typical things have not been kept up, and I’ll have a sweet safety invoice, but I planned for that. I’d rather have everything new to me at this time anyway.

I’m not sure what I’ll be doing with this. It will be my DD, and I at least I want to put on rubi take offs, as I love the look of those with the WJ, and lift to accommodate. After that, given I have the 35c rear axle, I’m guessing I have to really drop some coin to replace the axles and to armour up and get locked if I want to wheel hard with this. I’ll start with the lift and wheels for now and see this summer what the desire is.

Tech questions:

I’ve done a lot of research on lifts, and know this is the first and more typical question in any Jeep forum – what’s the best. From what I’ve read, I’ve learned:

Rough Country – what most would expect, can be spongy ride, issues with the arms hitting somewhere, most say they would not do again, but some people having no issue. I like the price, who doesn’t.

Iron Rock – seems to be the most common, people have mostly good things to say, but read many things about the DW and needing the upper control arms not included. Also, does not have the tcase skid which others do. Seen what might be old complaints of UCA mounts failing, still an issue?

BDS, haven’t seen a lot with this one, no long arm kit, no tcase skid.

Clayton – looks great, but they are out of my price range for this, but those that buy it seem to love it.

I know there are others, not sure what else I should be looking at. What are the thoughts on these for a 4 inch lift? For a DD is it worth it to go long arm? Obviously that enables me down the road to expand.

Thanks for any help!

MrXShun

Man, tough crowd, no one? Anyone care to comment on the RC one, I'm sort of leaning this way as not only is it cheaper, but it's MUCH cheaper in Canada, given it's much more available, and the others are going to kill me going over the big black line.

dave1123

First of all, welcome to CF!

It IS unusual you haven't got a least 1 reply in 128 views because guys seem to jump on lifts for their ZJs. I own a 2000 WJ, but prefer to keep it a stock suspension because I use it to deliver newspapers and it's already close to too high, PLUS I want it reliable which it is. I've put 100K on it in 4 years!

In my opinion, around 4" is marginal without a long arm kit to keep the geometry right and not have problems with wobble. The rear suspension is a 3-link which is tough to get right. Most long arm kits require a change to 4-link in the rear. These are just my opinions and are given without actually doing one myself.

I'm 72 years old and don't do much off-roading except for well maintained fire trails. It's unstoppable in snow, which is what I bought it for. When the county closes the roads, the papers still must be delivered. It's in my contract! The cops don't understand that.

dave1123

I just went to RC and looked at the 4" kit and it looks pretty complete and addresses the major issues well. You'll have to mess around with the front driveshaft getting it right, doing away with the CV joint is what most guys do. There are many others, but if RC is available to you, I'd say go for it.

THIS may generate other opinions! LOL!

MrXShun

Hey thanks for your response. I'm going to do LA's as I did do a lot of reading, and it seems people who have gone with SA's at 4" have had real issues with DW being quite prevalent.

I'm just hung up on RC, because for all other common lifts, they are on the low end for reviews, and hung up on IRO as they don't change the rear and without the additionally replaced front uppers, people noted DW issues.

I'm leaning towards RC. I wish you could buy it without their shocks though, as I would prefer to replace those.

dave1123

Here's an idea. Call them and see if you can return the shocks or get the kit without them. It can't hurt to ask!

00_WJ_4.0

[I]WJ number five, as dave says they're great. Mine has a 4" rough country lift in it , (well, this one does) I also can't believe nobody else has replied. Ive been absent for a while but im back now. Lol

MrXShun

Nice, what tires do you have? What bump stops do you have?

I'm curious to the trimming, some say 4 inch and 32's require nothing, some say some, and some say a lot.

GUARDIAN

HERE IS MY 04, BUT ONLY 2.5 INCH LIFT. I DO THINK IF I WERE GOING TO 4 I WOULD GO WITH LONG ARM KIT. THOSE ARE 32"s, NO TRIMMING OF METAL, LOT OF TRIMMING PLASTIC, FLOWMASTER 40 SERIES,

00_WJ_4.0

That's sick looking. As you may imagine, I LOVE the WJ, have had five in total and currently have two. The white one has a 4.0 stroked to a 4.6, K&N cold air, flowmaster weld muffler, I would have liked the long arm but this one was built before I got it and well, jeep cost me $650 so... Engine and trans have 50k on the rebuild

00_WJ_4.0

Oh and it has 265/70R16 on it for tires and haven't had much of a chance to get under it as of yet, I've only had it a bit more than a week and I work alot and the weather sucks lol also has 1 1/2 inch wheel spacers.. as far as trimming, the plastic on the inner fenders on the bumper portion has been cut out of it, it has quick disconnect sway bar end links as well.

GUARDIAN

here's a couple more pics. since you like my WJ.

00_WJ_4.0

DD is dirty here, but there they are together. odd angle, makes the tires on the white one look smaller than they are

MrXShun

Awesome. Thanks for the posts, looks like my legit card came in, and I've been accepted haha. Was worried early on, thought I ostracised myself when I mentioned I had a JK.

I can't wait to get mine done. I'm picking up my rubi take offs sat, and getting a few small things done for the safety next week and ordering lift from there. Super pumped, I really like the look with a lift.

What sliders do you have? I'm thinking the JCR Offroad ones.

00_WJ_4.0

As of yet I don't have sliders on my Jeep, plan to install some home made ones after I do some repairs on the rockers and such. I also have to replace the rear shocks at the moment. It rides HARD. it's like it has no suspension at all in the rear at the moment. Have to rewire the hella lights on the front as the previous owner cut and hacked at a bunch of stuff.