So right now my 2000 Xj has a 3inch rough country lift and I was wondering what all I'd have to change to get it to a 4.5 in?

Coils and new leaf springs, sye, adjustable trackbar if not one already. Possibly brake lines as well.

Control arm drop brackets or long arms, sye, coil springs, shocks, and leaf pack/shackles/relocation combo

4.5 would be at it's absolute limit on short arms. so i would also suggest drop brackets or maybe even go long arms.

but if you're just looking to add a few things to yours to get to 4.5, i would say adjustable control arms if you are still using stock
so that and everything else mentioned above.

there are no shortcuts to going from 3 to 4.5. everything needs attention at that height.

steering, track bar, control arms, springs, brake lines, transfer case drop or slip yoke eliminator and if not already, gas tank and transfer case skids.

I did the same thing 4 yrs ago but used a Rustys 3" kit for the base. The RC leafs are not known as a quality set to start with for a base, you be the judge.


Many 4 1/2' lifts kits use a 3" leaf pack and a shackle for the extra 1 1/2" in the rear. I changed about every part and in the end it cost me about $4-5k to do it correctly including gears/lockers/sye, I had the correct tires and wheels. I built up the parts over a years period then another 6 mo. on the small details and labor needed to do most of the work about $1k total.

x2 on drop brackets or long arm. i went 4.5" short arm and my front tires are almost twice as used as the rear. everything else is fine, adjustable track bar, new tie rod and drag link, but the axle is set maybe an inch or two back, and this causes premature wear. going back i should've gotten drop brackets, but i'm planning on long arm now, so keep that in mind.

If you have to ask someone what to do I would suggest not doing it. You are not ready.

Well he's asking to learn? Once he hears what he needs he'll be ready because now he'll have a better idea.

Do a little research and learn how things work before you ask someone to hand you all the answers.

Well some of the things have multiple options. He was respectful and had proper grammar. Everyone else that has been around for awhile also provided input with different options. Going through previous threads are still going to leave out opinion and are going to differ based on his budget.

In him understanding how suspension is supposed to work, he should be able to answer his own questions. I'm not saying search the posts on Cherokee forum. The internet is a very large place with vast resources.

Yeah the internet is great. That's where this forum lives with many resources of knowledge (members) great place to learn.

I came from a race car background and knew nothing about Jeeps till I bought my first a WJ 6 yrs. ago and then bought an XJ a year later for off road use.


Had it not been for asking questions mostly here and some on NAXJA I found a wealth of information. It came from members and mods but totaled many yrs. of overall experience with XJ's and what needed to be done to achieve what I was after and not throwing money away.


Personally I owe a great deal to the older members here who took the time in the beginning to help me along the way, without them my XJ would have been sold a long time ago as a failed project.

I guess I'm just an A hole. Oh well. It's got me this far.