Hey! I'm 18 years old and new here. I've had an all stock '98 XJ for right about 2 years now and I'm proud to say she's served me well! And while I've never been in a scenario where I've needed to have extra ground clearance, I'm looking to get a small lift to confortably fot 31 inch tires. My question is can I fit 31s on her with a 3" lift with minimal to trimming. I don't mind trimming a little bit as long as it isn't super visible and I dont have take off the stock fender flares. Know, I do know this question has been asked a thousand times before me, but the answeres I've found on other forums seem to be a mixed bag so i figured I'd make my own post and see what kind of answers I get here.

I'm also curious on how effective/reliable block and shackle lifts are. The price of this kit is very attractive but I'm curions if I'll actually get 3 inches out of it or not as I haven't found many reviews of it.

However, I understand that that kit may not be as reliable or as durable as a full on suspension kit and I'm willing to part with a little extra money if that's the case. I've found two 3" rouch country lifts that have a price I'm willing to meet, but one is $100 more than the other. I'll link the two kits here and here, I'm just wondering if there's a major differance that the new control arms in the latter link will provide.

It should be noted that I don't to any serious rockcrwaling or offroading and I'm primarily lifting to have a more agressive look and to get a few extra inches of ground clearance for backwoods driving at our farm.

Anyways, thanks for reading my rant and thank you for any help you can provide!

 

Yes you can fit 31s with a 3" lift, I ran that setup for a few years. Get a kit that comes with new coil and leaf springs, not blocks or an add a leaf, also don't buy Rough Country their springs, shocks and bushings are junk, go with Zone, Rustys, Skyjacker, or Rubicon Express instead.

 

this exactly.

Also see this chart

 

How much more ground clearance will you get with 31s?
Is there a possibility of getting driveline vibrations?
How do taller tires affect your power and acceleration?

 

To help OP ponder those considerations (I hope) I got my '98 with a 2" lift & 31" M/Ts, 5 years ago. No issues, although the rear springs need replacing (so, when I do that, the blocks & AAL's will be going with the old springs).

The height difference isn't noticable unless parked alongside a stock XJ, although it has been enough to save my rockers a couple of times.

At 150K it's still surprisingly spritely but doesn't have the top end my stock '96 had, part of that is the tyres as is happier at a higher speed on the 265/70 A/T Winter tyres I'm using now.

 

I've bought dozens of RC products.
I'm sure OME and Rusty's are really good but I've never had any issues with RC.
KEEP IN MIND I have not been on the Rubicon for probably 30 years or up to Moab.
My Cherokee is just going to see some gravel roads and a little bit of mud dirt and snow.
Some of their stuff like they're lower and upper control arms are powder coated but they're shocks coil springs and leaf springs even steering stabilizers to not come with a great paint job.
I always paint them and clear coat them.
Besides that I've never had any issue.
Some people say that rough country leaf springs ride stuff.
I cannot speak to that because I've never had any other brand of leaf spring.
Well I did have some rancho stuff back in the day but I can tell you it was very stiff also.

​​​​​ive heard nightmares about rough country ball joints nightmares about rough country ball joints so I always buy Moog or movetech however you spell it.

 

Had plenty of experience with Rough Country. Shocks are blown out or leaking within a year or less, springs not only ride rough but they sag really bad within a year or two, bushings wear out quickly, and any hardware they send you is the cheapest junk they can find.

 

yup

 

I certainly can't argue with you.
I don't have that much experience with it.
I talked to some local guys that work with RC and many others.
Most guys have told me that the quality especially of the shocks has improved greatly in the last 5 years.
The XJ I bought already had a RC lift kit and shocks.
I know from some pics that they are at least 7 years old.
The shocks and the leaf springs are very Rusty.
The front coil springs have a tiny little bit of rust but not much.
The control arms look beautiful.
Definitely nothing is sagging that's for sure.
Don't know the experience of the shocks but currently none of them appear to be leaking that I know of.
But damn they look like they're 30 years old 😂.
I got some N3 shocks that had some very good reviews.
I will absolutely positively reply to this thread or start a new one or both if they give me any problems.
Somebody had mentioned that rough country is just a little bit more money.
That comparable listing shock for this shock is three times as much and the top of the line lift kits are also three times as much sometimes four or five times as much.
I'm definitely not a poor man so if I decide to make this thing really nice I will go ahead and spend the money especially on the shocks.
The overcoils look pretty nice.
I can guarantee you that my new leaf springs and coil springs and shocks are not going to rest.
Lol😂😂😂
I put 8 coats of primer ceramic paint and ceramic clear coat on em😊

 

If price was no issue.
Without spending $30,000 on shocksWhat brand of shock and which brand of leaf springs and coil springs would you use?

 

Rubicon Express springs and Bilsteins

 

That's cool RE stuff isn't that much more.
I don't mind sending a grand on shocks.
When I'm all done with this thing and have a sye kid and all the other work done.
I may save up for some sweet shocks!!!

 

I'd run top of the line Kings if money was no object, lol

Been on RE leafs and springs with Bilstiens for several years now, and they've held up perfectly. Comfortable on road, and AMAZING off road. Best bang for the buck IMO

 

RC 4.5 inch lift here. Actually ended up being 5.5 inches, and settled in to 5 front and rear after adding steel bumpers, winch, tire carrier.

Over 40k miles on it the last 4 years. No problems at all with the lift. I wheel at least once a month. Sometimes harder than others.

only issue I’ve ever had was a sway bar link breaking pulling in to my driveway about a year ago. I had a new set at my door in a day.

 

Good to know good ol' American customer service is still alive in some, perhaps unexpected quarters; my recent experiences had given me cause for doubt.