J308

Hello all let me apologize for the long read, but I've searched and read so many opinions that don't seem based in facts, and this is my family-of-five safety we're talking about.

EDIT: Feel free to skip to post #2 for the Cliffs Notes if you don't want to read my story. I won't be offended. It's crazy long.


This is my first Jeep, although a family acquaintance had an XJ that would go everywhere I ever wanted to go with street tires.

I needed an inexpensive hauler project / DD, so I found a Craigslist special 170k mile 1994 XJ to resto-mod about 30 miles away. The seller told me it needed tires and shocks. On the way home, it had sloppy steering with a ton of play, and the suspension was wallowing as bad as any car I've ever driven to the point where I was white-knuckled over 55 MPH. It was scary stuff and I have nerves of steel, having had numerous 100mph bike get-offs. I honestly wanted to kiss the ground when I got to the house. Later I took it out to spray the mud off and found that I could do a brake check from 25-30 and nose-dive, then lock the rear tires, and get the whole Jeep bouncing by off-and-on'ing the brakes.

So first order of business is getting this thing mechanically safe on a budget. I need tires and suspension for a DD, want to stay away from AAL with my worn out leafs, but am willing to consider them with aftermarket leafs from another truck that is compatible for 2" BB, etc.

I have searched through the budget 2", 2.5", 3" lift threads that I could find, and I've used site:cherokeeforum.com entersearchtermhere, etc. but I need specialized advice from veterans who know what really rides as good or better than stock. I'm ok with firmer, but don't want unsafe or seriously uncomfortable.

Option 1: RC or similar budget 2"-~2.5" with new leafs from I don't know where.
Pros: Cheap (although not sure since I feel like I need new leafs for the AAL)
Cons: Heard the ride sucks compared to stock, but that could be subjective.

Option 2: BB 2" built around new Bilsteins + new leafs.
Pros: I'm familiar with Bilsteins from my cars and have liked them.
Cons: Twice as expensive from what I can find, and so many component choices it's hard to see what's what.

Option 3: ????? You tell me but since this is a budget, street vehicle DD with plans to occasionally camp, drive to work in snow 2 days per year, and haul the mountain bike into the woods to park and ride, it doesn't need to be crazy.

From my searching (I won't link all the threads I currently have open for reference over the past 4 days, probably about 40), it looks like I need to fall somewhere between 30"s and here:
Referencing this thread: https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/bes...-500-a-112177/ I want to stay under 3" of lift and would prefer 30's so I don't have to deal with all the extras and keep the MPG reasonable.

I don't want to go bigger and need SYE, etc or more $$$. I don't want o use AAL with my shot suspension. I dont' want to source anything with bushings from a junkard. I don't want a used shocks because I've bought low-mileage used shocks that were blown from the get go and I'd rather know what I have.

My goal is a small lift with new shocks/leafs and bushings, good tires, and any old wheel (steel) although I might try to find some Eccos or 10-hole OE in the JY.

Veterans please chime in, I'm making a junkyard run for other stuff (might be able to pick something up for my cause here) and need to order the rest of the parts tomorrow to get this thing to DD status ASAP, all my other DD's are for sale and this thing needs to be safe as it could be called into duty any time.

Thanks for reading!

--Jay

J308

Cliffs Notes:
Suspension is bad.

Want recommendations for shocks + full leafs that ride better than stock, up to 2.5" of lift.
Want recommendations for inexpensive (even used) tire source for 30"s.
MPG is a concern.
I'd like to do it for the price of a loaf of bread.


Also, I've read the junkyard compatibility chart.
I've read the lift/tire thread. (appearance is of no concern but don't want reverse rake)
I know if 33's will fit with a 3" lift, but don't care.

E-Rok

coils are cheap, and you could prolly add a blazer leaf to you existing leaf pack to get the needed lift, and it would ride fine.

as for shocks, I put Bilstein 5125's on my jeep and I would never buy cheap shocks again. pricey but worth it

T-VIS

x2

J308

I agree Bilstein are worth the money... But im not interested in reusing my existing leafs.

Also, I've read that many people think the Skyjacker lift kit shocks ride comparable to the Bilstein, and aren't those entire lift kits around the same price as the Billys?

Got any other ideas on those leafs?

NewKindOfClown

If you wanna buy full leaf packs, you're gonna pay for them. If you want this lift for a loaf of bread, it's gonna take time and labor, like building that bastard pack.
I've been scouring eBay, four forums, and 6 different Craigslist cities daily for about 6 months, and I'm finally putting my lift on this week. My final cost is still around $800, but I've sacrificed my budget a few times for good deals on quality parts.
Cheap won't be the best, and it won't be the easiest, but like I said, it's either gonna cost you time and effort or it's gonna cost you money.

As for tires, watch the forums and watch Craigslist. Also check the DOT code on the tires before you buy them. It's on the sidewall, and the last four digits tell what week of what year they were made. For example, the ones I'm picking up say 5210, so they were made in the last week of 2010. You shouldn't use tires that are more than 6 years old, so I personally wouldn't buy any older than 3 or 4. I didn't know that when I bought my first set, and I threw down $200 on a set of rotting 10 year old KM2s that looked like they were in good shape.

mithuth

Just a quick list of what I would do if I were shopping at quadratec:

2x HD OEM replacement leafs ($199.98) Lift 0 F / .75 R http://www.quadratec.com/products/56010_11.htm
2x required leaf bushing (17.98) http://www.quadratec.com/products/56001_06.htm
2x required leaf bushing (21.98) http://www.quadratec.com/products/56001_05.htm
1x Daystar budget boost (159.99) Lift: 1.75 / 1" http://www.quadratec.com/products/76057_80X_PG.htm

For right around 400+SH you will end up with 1.75 of lift front and rear and can clear 30x9.5 easily, though I'd recommend 235/75-15 for clearance and cost efficiency.

As for shocks, get a set of used JK take-offs. People claim JK shocks are good for upto 3" of lift, but I've found they're prefect for stock-ish XJs. I laid the OEM XJ shocks on the floor next to the JK shocks and they are identical in lengths both extended and collapsed. These can be has for anywhere from $40-60 depending on the seller. I got mine for $40 from a friend who lifted his JK.

Then later on after you've straightened out all the little things you can look into bigger/better lift.

Your wandering/shaking steering sounds like tie rod end or balljoint issue. Have you jacked up the axle and shook tires? Shake at 12 and 6 = bad ball joints, shake at 3 and 9 = bad tie rod. Another thing to do is have someone sit in the jeep and wiggle the steeringwheel back and forth and watch teh pitman arm for exessive movement before the tires start to move. That indicates a bad TRE at the drag link.

Did the shaking feel more like the tires were actually hopping off the ground? If so, that's commonly refereed to as death wobble, to which I point you to this:
Hope this helps.

E-Rok

any shocks that ride as nice as the bilsteins are going to cost as much as them (~$80 each). no way around that.

if you dont want to reuse leafs, you can buy a brand new leaf pack, wont be the cheapest route but would be the best thing to do.

J308

Well that's discouraging. Here I am thinking I can get an RC or RE ~2.5" w/ Leaf pack for ~$500... or whatever they go for, I'm taking recommendations FIRST, then pricing, because while I'd like it for mega-cheap, quality rules over price ultimately, but I definitely have to stay reasonable.

Hearing that it has taken you 6 months to put together a 3-inch lift (assumption from your sig) at a budget of $800 is real buzzkill.

It does help.

Many thanks for the link to the HD OEM Leaf replacement. What is HD about it, if you know? Did it come on certain XJs or just an upgraded part?

Would it benefit me to consider the OEM Leafs above plus an AAL kit? They way I understand it is the main argument against AAL's is that they ride on worn-out OE leafs. There is probably more to it.

As far as JK shocks... Unless they were taken off a 500 mile JK with documentation of their removal, I'm not really interested. I bought two sets of low-mileage used shocks last year, both very high quality (Bilstein) and BOTH sets were blown. I can't afford to take chances with downtime, so I'm going to pass on used shocks. I'd check out Bilsteins, Rancho, Skyjacker, RC, RE, new before looking at most used shocks at any price. I'm also not interested in doing it twice. I want to go 29"-30 (maybe to 31" if economical enough) one time. I won't get the itch/budget to go bigger, so I'd rather do it once.

Thanks very much for the shaking the tire tip, I will jack it up tomorrow and perform this test. It's definitely a wander and not a shake, god knows I'm scared shtless to take it above 55mph, so not really any wobble to speak of. It just takes up about a lane and a half.

I guess in my head I thought it would go like:
~$500 - 2-2.5 lift with full leafs and new shocks + stabilizer. (I read too many RC builds I think.)
<$500 - retread/used 30s or 31s
<$200 - 15" steelies or Icons, etc.
~$100 - YJ tie rods plus whatever bushings I need.

And someone to tell me that it will ride better than stock, steer and handle tighter,have less roll on the street and more off-road capability,and be an excellent commuter that even non-Jeep people would be happy to drive.

J308

If Bilsteins are only ~$80 each then the search may be over.

What part number should I be looking at for a 2" lift?
so $320 for Bilstein
$150 for BB 2"
$200 for OE HD Leafs from QuadraTech

Wait, crap, I'm up to OME levels. Damn I know Bilsteins are great but I'm wondering if a piecemeal setup would be better than a mid-level all-in-one lift kit.

So what do you recommend for my goals, if we were building around the Bilstein?

Dsach

Treadwright Tires are good for the money. I have seen nothing but good reviews on them.

NewKindOfClown

x2. I forgot about Treadwrights. There are bad reviews from a few years ago, but they made changes, and their tires are now top-notch.


I didn't see this earlier. First off, you can go cheaper than mine, but my price is including my extended sway bar links, a new double shear track bar, wheels, 33" tires, and almost brand new Rubicon Express leaf springs. I didn't mean for my reply to sound so harsh and black and white. If you're building on a budget, though, I highly suggest making a mental list of multiple parts you'd be willing to accept for each place, mainly which companies for each part you need. You may not find your number one choice for a good price, but you may find something just as good.
The HD leafs, as I understand, are stiffer to support more weight in the rear. Consequentially, they last longer. I think it was an option from factory. If you're getting new leaves, an AAL is a viable option. You're right that they suck only because the other springs are usually busted.

mdnov

The springs through Quadratec are made by Crown. I researched the company and I could not find anyone who had issues with them. I got the heavy duty ones. There was a night and day difference in ride height. The ride is a tad stiff but not too bad. I am pleased with them.

freestylr2525

Same here, I had saggy leaf packs, Just replace them its your best bet. You can look thru my pictures. I have before and after pictures. With the HD the ride is stiffer but honestly i like it better.

sam24th

Honestly id get the ome full leaf packs and a pair rustys front coils and some bilsteins. If your current leaf pack is saggy doing an aal is going to be marginal at best.