Cheers623

Ok, have been a member for a few months and done a lot of reading here and research. Am going to get my wife's '01 Cherokee lifted and new wheels and tires for her birthday. The truck is in great shape and we will be keeping it a long time. I was thinking of getting the OME 2.5" lift kit, Goodyear Duratrac 31s, and Mickey Thompson Classic IIs 15x8 wheels. Was going to buy it and have it installed by 4wheel parts in my neighborhood.

Few questions though. First, does this look like a good setup for a mostly DD in town with light occassional forest service roads and such? Ride quality is a must for my wife. We are in our 40s and don't wanna deal with road howl at high speeds. Second, I was thinking that the Mickey Thompsons being aluminum would be a better deal than a cheaper set of Cragar wheels because of the reduced weight and nicer looks. So, are they worth the extra coin over the cheaper, heavier steel wheels? Third, what do you think about the Goodyears? They get good reviews on the store website. The Mickey Thompson tires look good but get mixed reviews about road noise. The Goodyears seem like a good all terrain tire that's also quiet. Lastly, am I forgetting something? Should I be looking at a brake upgrade in the near future? The last brake job we got at Les Schwab sucked/sucks. They are great about adjusting things or replacing parts but the brakes grab a lot on occasion and they make the loud clacking sound caused by the shifting brackets. 3 different Les Schwab stores have had no luck getting rid of it.

Anyway, that's about it. I want to buy once and cry once, so to speak. My wife's worth it but I'm trying to get totally debt-free in the not too distant future. I can justify this from a maintenance point of view since we own this truck outright and want to maintain it in great shape with a few worthwhile upgrades. Are my choices sound ones. Feedback is greatly appreciated.
Cheers!

macgyver35

I have OME 2" spring packs (not add-a-leaf) in the back of my 98 and they work well and ride fairly smoothly. I have noticed that it only takes a few hundred pounds (like 4 bags of concrete in the rear) to really compress them, but I'm not bottoming out. I have 2" coil spacers in front.

I can't speak to the Duratracs, other than a 31 might rub occasionally. Many folks running 31's will have a 3" lift or more. Not always necessary, depending on wheel width and backspacing. I have Firestone Destination A/T in a 235/75-15 (which I love), they are equivalent to a 29", and they have worked well. Based on my set-up, I'd be comfortable with a 30", but I think a 31 would rub. The Firestones have held up well over the last year and a half. I got them in November of 2011, have put about 18,000 miles on them, and they still have the little rubber hairs on the sidewalls. They have worn evenly, and they are MUCH better on wet roads than the BFG A/T I used to run. They also run smooth and quiet. The big thing about having 235/75 over a 30 is that the 235 comes with a tread life warranty, while the 30 does not. Also, the 235 is closer to the stock size, so I don't have bogging or lugging that would come from a larger tire, and I can get about 20 MPG on the highway with stock 3.55 gears and a Spartan rear locker.
You can take a look at my pics to get a sense of what a 2" lift looks like with my tire combo. Your wheel gap would be about the same with a 2.5" lift and a 30" tire. A bit less gap if you run a 31.

kylemackechnie

I got the 2.5" OME HD Kit from ARB here in australia and it was by far the best purchase made so far. In australia, the corrugations (hard, short bumps on the road caused by trucks braking) are terrible and the OME kit soaks them up like a dream, whilst still maintaing cornering stiffness and on road handling. It is also designed for Aussie conditions so you know that it will be able to take corrugated roads for days on end without overheating or bending.
Like you, my jeep is mostly for street driving but when i do go offroad, it keeps up with the JKs on 33's and 35's, and im rocking 28's (geting 32's next month though after i put in a coil spacer and shackle relocation kit)

Like i was saying, as mine is mostly a DD, i needed a kit that would be able to maintain (it actually improved) the on-road characteristics of my XJ, it stays straight and doesnt lean from corner to corner and it also takes the speed bumps really well at speed.

In conclusion, the OME 2.5" HD kit will be the best purchase you ever make to your XJ, but if you plan on going more than 31's and want to keep it looking good (no cutting/rubbing etc.) then you (as i will be doing) may want to look inti some coil spacers such as the ACOS adjustable spacer from JKS and some shackle relocation brackets and extended shackles. Im probably going to end up at around 4-5" after mine is complete, but it sits at a perfect 2.5" (as advertised) when it is fully loaded up.

DO IT!!!!!!!


ps. im going for the stock stel wheels that i have on my 2000 sport and some 32x11.5r15 BFG KM2s, i will also be getting a SYE and driveshaft for the 4-5" lift
Happy trails...

Cheers623

Awesome feedback so far! This is helping. Thanks guys and keep it comin!
Cheers

raypla

Been runnig my OME Med duty leaves for 5+ years, not a single complaint

The OME SPort shocks compliment the springs very well.

She still sits like this.......


after seeing many of loads like this..........

Cheers623

Beautiful Red Rig. Thanks for posting the pics! I'm really looking foward to doing this for my wife but hose pics help!
Cheers

Scott_Sport99

I have the cs034ra spring's. do it once and do it right. I dicked around with other routes and this is like a caddy ride compared to them.
Just extend the rear brake line. what shocks are you going to use?
I just put in plain old skyjacker shocks in it and still love it.
I have general grabber 2's (great all around tire by the way..quiet also)and stayed in the 235 75 15 size and I can handle all my fishing spots in the woods with ease and then some.
as far as the brakes go if they are the fronts, they are either on the wrong sides..they go on one way to work but will go on either way if you don't know about it( I did it lol)
or the metal they rid on that is part of the lower control arm is grooved and they cant pass the groove.

Wheels, I stick with stock..they do not break as easily!
here is how Grimace sits...(if the pics don't show let me know)..

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...size=960%2C720

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...size=960%2C720