BrofessorXJ

Hi All,

Going to be installing my 6.5" Rough Country Long Arm Kit on next weekend. I'll be running 35x12.5x15 Pro Comp Mud Terrain with some 15x8 black steelies with 3.75 inch backspacing. Also a hack and tap SYE for my 231 and a refurbished drive shaft from Iron Rock Off Road.

So I've never done a lift in my life but I'd like to think of myself as pretty mechanically inclined as i've installed all my engine upgrades, headers, new intake manifold and throttle body, Injectors, etc.

I'm going to start by reading over the instructions 3 times and making sure everything is there before I start taking it apart but what else should I watch out for when installing? I heard the pitman arm is a PITA so i'll rent a puller for that. I have only hand tools and an impact drill but the Jeep has been in California it's whole life so everything should come out like butter after a few coverings of PB blaster. Also I will be trimming the fenders with a cut off wheel.

Any advice or words of wisdom is most welcome.

Thanks!

LongArmXJ

get some pb blaster. have access to a torch lol. Lots of bolts will break or be hard to get out if its like any xj ive lifted lol. the leaf spring bolts are a pain to get out, and the rear upper shock bolts are known to break. Read the instructions and make sure you have the right drill bits to install the long arm set up. you will have to drill the unibody.

DieselD

PB blast rverybolt you touch. Be prepared to drill out rear upper shock bolts. I can almost guarantee at least 1 will break. All 4 broke when I did my 91. I don't know others experience but for me impact wrench did squat on the leaf spring bushings. I used my biggest breaker bar with a five for long heavy piece of pipe on the end. It was like the bushing just absorbed the impact of the... impact. Lol.

Empty_Pockets

Start spraying with blaster and kroil now, for the rear shock bolts, turn them as much as u can until they feel like there going to break, spray, then turn back in, turn back out, and repeat untill they come out. I olny broke one doing it that way and it broke on the first turn. The leaf spring bolts....big pry bar, and a pipe to put on the end. Why a hack n tap when you have a 231?

Metmknice

?? If you are talking about comparing to a full SYE, it's easier/quicker/cheaper than a full SYE. There is an SYE avail for the 242 also, so your comment does not make much sense.

Richieb9

Installing my 6.5 but not log arm. Still I def would also recommend what he says here about the torch and PB blaster or wd40 but pb and liquid wrench are better. If you can't get it out heat it up a bit, just make sure you don't melt any bushings that you are reusing. None of my bolts broke at all, but my jeep is an Arizona jeep where it is very dry and very little rust, even on my 93.

Empty_Pockets

Wasnt aware, I got my rugged ridge sye brand new from baseline 4x4 for 160 shipped

99 Purple XJ

Be careful when removing the nutserts for the cross member the two bolts hanging down they have to be removed when installing the long arm cross member heat them up red hot and soak them in pb blaster if they break theyre a pain to remove

BrofessorXJ

Thanks guys all really good stuff i'll be frequenting back to this when I install it next weekend. I'll give it a couple good coatings of pb blaster this week and it should be okay. It's a 96 and the jeep has been in California its whole life with no rust so i'm hoping for no broken bolts but i'm expecting a few. I'll let you know how it turns out!

Empty_Pockets

Ill be right there with you, ordering my crossmember for my long arms then I can put my 6.5in lift on

BrofessorXJ

What lift did you end up going with?

Super bummed that 35x12.5x15 KM2's are on back order until June.

troy5118

If you have any plans of plating the frame I'd do it now so you can add weld nuts to attach your new crossmember brackets too. I did that and it worked slick.

Empty_Pockets

Building my own. Bds coils, Rustys leafs, re arms on a Clayton's crossmember, lii slider boxes, rugged ridge sye, iron rock double shear track bar, and bilstine 5150's

DieselD

How'd you come out on price? Seems like you would get gouged on shipping, but sounds like a nice blend of components.

Empty_Pockets

Right around 1300 bought a lot of it used, most of it shipping was included, or traded some things off my old rig.