Hey all. I'm new to the jeep world, as well as this forum. I just picked up a 2000 xj and ready for a lift. I do moderate to some technical wheelin. From trail rides to rock crawls. I have been talking with some jeep owners for the best lift but decided to try out actual cherokee drivers. Any and all ideas on what lift fits me the best? Long arm? Short arm? Thanks!

 

First we need to know how high you're planning on going as well as tire size.

 

some of what I did..

Refurbished a used 4.5" BDS lift kit and put it on 33" tires...some things that needed to be done as well to make it perform nicely/ safely as a DD:
- longer brake lines from Chevy CK truck
- drop pitman arm (not required but helps steering link angles)
- tcase drop blocks (not required but helps drive shaft angles)
- new rear drive shaft from IRO plus a hack 'n' tap SYE
- 4 degree shims on rear axle in addition to stock shim
- a ****load of PB blaster follwed by similar quantities of anti-seize compond

Now I'm up to 6.5" SA via longer front springs, rear shackle relocators and 1.5" steel lift blocks...at this height needed longer shocks...having problems with death wobble, so I'm working through that bit by bit (1 ton OTK steering from JCR, track bar upgrade/ relo, upgraded steering box, the kitchen sink)

The one thing I haven't done that everyone will say you should do 4.5"+ of lift is install long radius arms. I have a sick sense of humor and wanted to see how far I could take short arms.

Things not recommended to do include tall rear lift blocks (or anything poly).

 

for me i went with a RE 3.5" super ride kit with mono tube shocks and adjustable track bar. mine is really just a family trail rider though. nothing extreme.. if i was going to get into rock crawling and things like that i think i'd certainly go long arm and something that allowed a 33-35" tire..

 

Metal Cloak's 3.5" lift kit is what I have:

http://www.metalcloak.com/XJ-Cheroke...ion-p/7180.htm

 

Budget would be a big part of it as any time you install larger tires you need to re-gear and install lockers also. So a realistic dollar figure is needed to help you better and what you can afford to do at one time and what is needed for it.

 

I was planing on going either a 4.5 or 6.5, and really leaning towards a long arm kit

 

I have a wide budget, I received. Stipend of 2500 and looking to use that for upgrades on my jeep