Hey guys,

Ive tried searching this topic but google just gives me lift kits for sale!! So if there is a good thread on here i would appreciate the link but here goes...

1997 cherokee sport, 4.5" rought country add a leaf kit. I LOVE it! but depending on how much work and money it is i would like to get another 1.5 to 2 inches. I cant seem to find the best way to do this. I am assuming spacers up fron (rc has 1.5" spacers) and another leaf in the rear? Anyexperience with "adding" to a kit like this?

I know i can search and find everything else i need to do to accomodate the added lift but im looking for actuall suspension add ons.

Thanks guys

 

Is it a short arm or a long arm set up?

 

Longer shocks
Longer brake lines
Stronger steering
Slip Yoke Eliminator
Degree shims

 

its a short arm. rough country offers the long arm add on i was thinking that and spacers in fron and another leaf in rear and longer u bolts. I already have extended brake lines, not sure about the shocks, they are the ones that came with the 4.5" kit. I know i have to do the slipyoke too, not sure what to do about the steering though or how to go about adjusting the rear or front axles

 

Theres several ways you could add more lift. Of course there's always the right way and the alternative. Just remember as another member posted above going over 4.5 inches you will need much longer brakeline, driveline will need to addressed and in my experience you are more prone to death wobble and worse steering. To add lift you could create bastard packs using s10 leafs and combine them with your current leafs and then use pucks up front, the problem is your control arms might not be long enough if they aren't adjustable. My recommendation would be to research long arm setups and do it right, full leafs in the rear and the right size coils up front. Its a lot safer and you'll be happier with the results.

 

If done properly and safely about 2-3k if you do all the work.

 

There's a lot of work involved going from 4.5 to 6.5. It's the difference between modified and heavily modified. Brake lines. Longarms. New leaf packs. AAL will not cut it at 6.5.shims.longer driveshaft. Steering upgrades, tracbar to mention a few

 

control arm drop brackets 200
drop pitman arm 60
good trac bar and drop mount 220
longer shackles 40
transfercsae dorp if needed 25
aglinment 80
coil spacers 50

Total around 675. Depending on what your trucks used for you might get away with the 4.5 shocks. this is obviously a rough guess but should give you an idea of what your getting into.

 

If you're looking to do it right, don't use "drop" anything it my opinion. (exception being the pitman arm)

 

TC drop isn't even an option at 6.5", he'll have to run an SYE if he isn't already.

 

I would say 'Don't mess with a good thing!'... If it ain't broke, don't fix it. You LOVE the 4.5" height and 2 more inches isn't going to do much more for you but empty your wallet. If you are just iching to spend money, bulletproof what youve got or do fun stuff like bumpers/winches/recovery/bigger wheels/tires/stereo/roof rack/ a billion other useful things...

 

If this is just going to be a "Mall Crawler" you can do it on the cheap for 2k maybe if you drive slow. For a real deal off road XJ you need money period.

I enjoy off roading trails mostly and playing in the mountains. If your serious about off roading just start over again on your 4 1/2" lift and do it right from the beginning with a good 4 1/2"ong arm kit and not a RC either.

That height will do for about 95% of the people here if that much even. The rest do need more lift for what they intend to do with their XJ's and I enjoy watching them at work with driving skills.

If you do enough reading about lifts you will see that even a 4 1/2" gets to be very costly if done properly/safely, I know mine was and I'm not finished yet. You need to reconsider all these aspects before going with tall of a lift and your budget and fabrication skills.

 

awesome thanks guys. I agree pretty much all around. I probably dont need to go bigger. I like the idea of "bulletproofing" what I have.