garider

This will be our 1st lift on an XJ. It is a 2wd for my soon to be 16yr old son that wants the 4x4 look without the insurance costs. Plus, he really has no real need for a 4x4.

It will be a daily driver that mostly sees street use, with a little use on dirt roads to get to our lease property and fishing. Soo, will the ride be somewhat close to the stock ride with a complete 4.5" add-a-leaf kit (623N2) from Rough Country, 32" Kenda Klevers tires, and Pro Comp steelies?

OleBlue

No, for a lifted jeep to be close to stock comfort, you need a decent brand longarm lift, with really good shocks. And add a leaf kit will ride like crap and sag soon after you lift it. Go full spring pack and longarms, good shocks and good quick discos. Rubicon express makes a good kit, but upgrade the shocks to bilsteins.

For best ride at 4.5 lift,

good brand longarm lift
Good steering stabilizer
Slip Yoke Eliminator
Tom woods drive shaft or refurbished front ds if it will work with your application
Good shocks
Front end allignment after lift

Also replace all tie rod ends, lifting a jeep really brings out the "worn parts".

If you want lasting quality, dont look to rough country.

XJBear

I agree with OleBlue. I run those tires (m/t's) and I like them, but honestly big guy Jeeps aren't meant to ride nice. Big mudders have more tread slap so they'll ride rougher than a/t's. Also any lifted anything will ride rough. If he doesnt need 4x4 and itll only see pavement and "some dirt road", a lifted Jeep might not be the best option since they aren't real good on gas. Rough country is well, rough. Unless your running a high end lift with long arms and high end shocks like bilsteins, expect to feel the bumps on the road.

salad

Let me put it this way... it will ride better than stock if stock has no shocks and the springs sagged so bad that it rides on the bumpstops.

For a quality ride you need quality parts. That includes full replacement leaf springs with a decent spring rate, and nice shock absorbers. "Rough Country" isn't just a name.

You have a difference in insurance for 2WD vs 4WD? Here everyone gets 4WD for the millimeter of slush they'll see once a year.

XJmike0122

Sorry man if you want the best possible ride quality the only name you need to know is Old Man Emu. Oh and a shackle relocation bracket. OleBlue must of had a brain fart. Last time I checked 2wd don't have a transfer case (no need for an SYE) nor would a front DS even remotely be long enough for the rear so take those out of the equation. Also for 4.5 inches your going to need a adjustable track bar and new brake lines.

OleBlue

Oops lol, you are right. I guess I dont normally associate Jeeps and 2wd. My bad on that one.

garider

Thanks for the input!
I understand that it should, and will ride rougher than stock. I guess I should have ask if it will be a Safe, but rough ride? He is a new driver and I don't want it to be unsafe for him to drive to school and around home (10 mile drive, 1-way).

I cannot drop a lot of cash into a "high-end", long arm lift. Like I said before, there will be no need for impressive "flexing" and off-road stretching. We are mainly going for an eye appealing, lifted look. You know, what most of the "flexers" call a Poser. Lol

With that said, I can get the same Rough Country kit with Full leaf pack for $650 to my door. Will I feel a $200 difference in ride quality over the add a leaf?

XJmike0122

What do the leaf springs look like? As in the shape they are in.

kgm

The add a leaf won't last as long. I considered new leaf packs an investment in my time. I had to do essentially the same amount of work whether it was full leaf or AAL, and I just spent the extra $250. I may not always have the 3 days I took to pull everything apart and do it right, but I'd rather spend the $250 on parts than labor.

I did Rubi Express springs & Bilstein shocks. Spring rate is important, and quality of damper is as well. They are a system The ones I pulled off had over an inch of play before they started damping movement!

My springs were upside down, so I gained about 7"+ because my tire tops were covered by the flares

4.5" lift will throw the Center of gravity that much higher, which IIRC, would be bad for a teenager imo. The **** I pulled when I was 16 was unbelieveable. I got my license, and crashed a car into a pole 13 days later trying to drift a ~93 Ford Tempo

garider

The originals on our XJ appear to sag a little vs some others I've seen. We've owned it since 48,000 miles, it now has 201,000. No doubt they have wear.

Tsaani97xj

My personal opinion is you should consider going with a 3" lift and definitely go with new leaf packs. Once you go above 3" you are significantly changing the geometry of the suspension and in turn its handling characteristics. This being for a new driver I would keep it more mild. You could add some fender flares for a more aggressive offroad look without affecting how it handles.

If you are pretty set on 4.5 and dont want to invest in long arms then control arm drop brackets would keep the suspension close to stock characteristics. You will want to consider a good track bar like Iron Rock Offroads double sheer. You will also need to make sure the brake lines are lengthened or relocated to match the articulation of the new suspension. I know you said the intent is not to flex it out but it will be capable of doing that once lifted.

Before you do any of the lift though please make sure all the bushings, bearings, ujoints etc are all in top condition. Adding a lift will drastically strain even slightly worn parts that may otherwise seem ok at stock height.

Best of luck on the project.

Xj88

Your missing the point.
In order to achieve a good ride you need the following
1. A relatively flat control arm angle.. with short arms and 4.5 inches of lift..this isn't going to happen.
2. A good shackle angle. 45* shackle angle is optimal..rough country leafs are famous for giving a terrible shackle angle
3. Quality shocks (old man emu, fox, bilstein).

Will it give him the cool kid mall credit? Sure.
Will it ride good? No

94XjSport94

Yep ^

A lifted Jeep doesn't have to ride rough, mine is nice.

garider

I would assume that I have to go with the 4.5" lift since we have already purchased the 32" Kendas and 15x8 Pro-comps w/3.75 BS. From what I've read, the 32's will rub with a 3" kit? I do not want to cut the fenders, and a I want to keep the factory flares (I like the look).

98cherokee531

Yes just buy a 4.5" rough country kit with springs, install it, tell junior not to hot rod it, and most likely deal with the bit of a rough ride. It won't kill you. Nor him. Give him the talk of going around turns and stuff. My xj is lifted 4.5" and handles fine but I'm used to it. I wouldn't hop in a buddy's jeep and fly in it because each jeep acts different.