2 inches
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
From: Maryland
Year: 92/96
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I just ordered a 2" lift myself. just a block in the back and a spacer in the front. Im going to shim out my shocks a bit. i think the kit i ordered came with extended brake lines to. just doing the small lift to get me by for the winter. then its on to a 4.5 long arm! My other truck will be the main snow undertaker!
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Just put a 2in budget lift on my 90 xj. Blocks in the front and shackles/blocks in the back and bar pin eliminators on the stock shocks. Very happy with the results. Can't beat it for 75 bucks
I just did the 2" Rough Country spacer/shackle lift yesterday. It took me about 7 hours including two trips to the parts store to rent a strut compressor (coil compressor didn't work) and a couple of breaks for lunch and dinner. I put on a set of 30"x9.5" tires and TJ wheels. My driveway is slightly inclined so the lift looks higher in the front, but it sits right on level ground. It's a huge improvement IMO.
Before on stock 27" tires:

After on 30" tires:
Before on stock 27" tires:

After on 30" tires:
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 5,390
Likes: 3
From: Chicago IL
Year: 1997
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 Straigh 6
I just did the 2" Rough Country spacer/shackle lift yesterday. It took me about 7 hours including two trips to the parts store to rent a strut compressor (coil compressor didn't work) and a couple of breaks for lunch and dinner. I put on a set of 30"x9.5" tires and TJ wheels. My driveway is slightly inclined so the lift looks higher in the front, but it sits right on level ground. It's a huge improvement IMO.
Before on stock 27" tires:

After on 30" tires:

Before on stock 27" tires:

After on 30" tires:

Definitely. Start hitting all the bolts you need to take off now with some penetrating lubricant and it will make your life much easier. I tried to do it without a spring compressor but I don't see how it could possibly be done. I ended up renting one from Autozone. Unless you take the steering, track bar and control arms off your front axle it probably won't want to drop that low. The rear shackles are pretty easy, though.
What size tires are you going to run?
What size tires are you going to run?
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 5,390
Likes: 3
From: Chicago IL
Year: 1997
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 Straigh 6
well ive been using some pb blaster for the past week to get ready for the install. umm for right now im going to run 225/75r15 until i find some cheap 30's. So im guessing you had no trouble witht he shackle botls seizing?
I'd suggest a big breaker bar on those shackle bolts. The one I used was 2' long and it still had to lean on it pretty hard. That's in Arizona where there's little to no rust too. I'm guessing that they had used some sort of thread locker on them as I had to turn them a good number of times with the bar even after breaking them loose. Spend a few bucks on a decent breaker bar, you'll be glad you did. You don't have to go crazy on a snapon, proto, etc. Just an O.K. one will do.
I couldn't get my pneumatic impact on those bolts. Too close to everything else.
I couldn't get my pneumatic impact on those bolts. Too close to everything else.
Last edited by danimal; Nov 30, 2009 at 12:59 PM.
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 5,390
Likes: 3
From: Chicago IL
Year: 1997
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 Straigh 6
ya i live in chicago and i met some guy at pep boys and i asked wat he would charge for the whole install of the lift and he said 100$ so i may just save myself the headache lol
I have a 30" breaker bar but they were still pretty rough and my XJ has zero rust. Like danimal said, you won't be able to get air tools on it because of clearance. Maybe you can score a deal on the tires off Craigslist. I only paid $340 for that set of wheels and tires and they have tons of tread left.


