Hey Guys,
In 2 days I start my “Frankenstein” build thread for my 2001 xj and I could really use everyones help!
I am replacing both the entire front and rear suspension, lifting it 4.5” inches, replacing all the bushing, and bolts, along with a new exhaust system.
I want this thing To ride and handle nice and smooth and drive like new. Below is a list of all components I have already ordered and just want to run it by you guys to make sure I didn’t forget or miss anything.

IF ANY OF THE SPONSORS ON HERE WANT TO HELP ME OUT I'D GREATLY APPRECIATE IT!
Here we go....

FRONT SUSPENSION

• 3” Front Coil Springs (Zone Off-Road)-they are owned by BDS so I’m assuming they will be of the same or similar quality
  • Adjustable Lower Control Arms *Need advice for a good quality and affordable ones! I bought RC fixed lower control arms but think I may return them bc I’m worried they won’t work or adjust properly.
    • Double Shear Adj. Trackbar- IRO
      • Control Arm drop Re-location Brackets- Some weird cheap brand Prices for these range between $75-$200. Would these do the trick or should I find better quality?
        • 1” Front Spacers
          • Front shocks-Blisten 5100’s part #24-188197...10” Should be good for front shocks on a 4.5” lift, no?
            • Shock Isolators x2
              • Front shock Bar-pin Eliminators x2
                • Shock Tower Grommets x8
                  • 5” Inch Extended Bump Stops x2- Daystar What would be the “approximate” appropriate bump stop length for this 4.5” inch lift + 10” inch shocks + 33” tires? Would the control arm drop relocation brackets affect bump stop length?
                    • Steering Stabilizer- Rubicon
                    • Pitman Arm-to correct bump steer/wobble/alignment

REAR SUSPENSION

• 3” Inch Rear Leaf Springs Zone Off-Road
  • Leaf Spring and Shackle Replacement Bolts kit I ordered a set from Team Cherokee but may go in another direction bc I’ve read several people having issues with them fitting and seating properly. Does anybody know why?
    • Rear Leaf Springs Bushings Kit
      • U-Bolts-for Dana 35
        • 1-1.5” Inch Shackle Relocation Bracket Using existing OEM stock shackles
          • Rear Shocks x2 Blisten 5100 part #33-066868
            • Rear Shock tower Grommets x8
              • 4” inch Rear Bump Stops x2
                • Front and Rear Extended Break Lines

EXHAUSTReplacing everything from the front pipe to the tailpipe. Will be having them welded.

• Front-pipe BRExhuast Mandrel Bent Front Pipe #102-8920 @ auto Zone. *Not sure what flanges and gaskets to get for this front-pipe
  • Catalytic Converter for 3rd rear car under unibody (No O2 sensor) bc my rusted and broke off from front pipe.

Magna Flow Universal OEM Grade Federal / EPA Compliant (no 02 senor bc its the rear cat on CA emissions 01 xj Part #51205
Check this one out bc its confusing. Bought it on Amazon.

• 02 Senor (downstream pre-cat) NGK # 23099 (same as NTK)throwing a p.0158 code “Bank 2, Sensor 2”. Looked under the good and the sensor is completely missing. Need to replace.
  • Front exhaust Studs Pretty sure these are the studs I need to attach the front pipe to the manifold
    • Tailpipe and Muffler-Flowmaster Super 44 with Mandrel Bent tail-pipe Both 2.5” O.D
      • 2.5” ExtensionPipe Walker Part #52356 This is for the +/- 8” gap between the cat and the muffler to make the tailpipe even and flush with the rear bumper. Otherwise, it would be about 8” too short. Worried about this rusting too fast. Is there a better-quality steel extension pipe I can use?

*Still looking for an exhaust tip. Was going to open it up with a 3” tip but worried about clearance issues.

UNDER THE HOOD

• Fuel Rail
  • 12 Hole Fuel Injectors
    • New Gas Cap vapor leak code
      • Spark Plugs: NKG spark plugs spaced out to spec

TIRES AND WHEELS
33x12.50x15 (what’s the other sizes that are comparable?)
***TBD****

That should bring me to 4” in the front and 4.5” inches in the rear.

what do you guys think? Am I missing anything?

I didn't buy transfer case drop or SYE yet bc I wasn't sure if I'd even need it when considering that I will be installing re-location brackets for both the front (control arm drop bracket) and rear (Shackle Relocation Bracket) for a to get a better angle.
Also, I didn't get a

 

BUMP! Common Fella's! The clock is tickn.

 

Your post is cut off at the end.

Have you considered the cost of re-gearing the axles?

Also check this chart in case you forgot something

 

control arm drop brackets while yes they will reduce the operating angle of the arms - for only 4" of lift though they aren't really needed. Just about any adjustable lower control arm is going to be better than those RC fixed lowers. Specifically on the adjustable lower arms look for ones that are running a Johnny joint style bushing on at least one end. For visual reference of what this is, just look up jeep Johnny joint on google images.

I would hold back on buying any extended bump stops until you have your lift installed and you can properly measure for them.

The same attitude goes towards a drop pitman arm, with changing the track bar setup your onto something that you might in fact need to adjust angles for the track bar and steer link to match. SO with that i would hold off on any drop pitman arm until after you have your lift and new track bar installed this way you can potentially buy the right pitman arm the first time

the shock grommets being listed as separate things your buying ?unless i'm understanding this wrong? I don't believe you'd need to buy those separately as those should come with your new shocks anyway?

For the roughly 4" lift height i'd say run a tcase drop regardless. yea you can adjust pinion angles some to meet your lift but for the operating angles from the tc it would still be fair to run the TC drop.

 

You dont need bar pin eliminators, or gromets with the shocks, they bolt in and have all new hardware.

 

Thanks man! I didn't know that until now. I can always return the RC lower CA I bought. What do you think would be most important with my set-up? Adj, Upper CA's or ADK Lower CA's? Also, What ones should I buy that are moderately priced? I really dont want to spend more that $150-$200

An approximation would be fine. I only have a few days to use the shop. To install the Extended Bump Stops you have to remove the wheels and Coils unlike the rubber stops where you can just squeeze the in between the coils.I have to use that time on other things.


Bought 8 in total for front and back (4 per shock) yes the shocks did come with the big black ones. I am putting these on both sides of each big black shock bushing as this is the way they are designed to be used. I already nought them and they are so cheap that I am going to put them on as extra. Couldn't hurt

[/QUOTE]For the roughly 4" lift height i'd say run a TC drop regardless. yea you can adjust pinion angles some to meet your lift but for the operating angles from the tc it would still be fair to run the TC drop.[/QUOTE]
I am not doing rough country, I hand-picked all the different components. I didn't want to buy a RC drop until I was absolutely sure I need it. We will see what happens. And if it does I should just get a SYE instead, right?


I bought them because 1# They were Cheap #2 I will likely snap one of the bolt anyways when taking the old shocks off. This complete remedy that by installing them rather than buying and using more expensive hardware.

 

Later down the road I am going to do a Dana 44 swap but for now I am not getting new axels. This jeep is my daily driver and won't be doing any serious off-roading until maybe fall. Thats why quality of the ride on the roads is so important. I want it to dribe like a magic carpet.

Thanks man! I didn't know that until now. I can always return the RC lower CA I bought. What do you think would be most important with my set-up? Adj, Upper CA's or ADK Lower CA's? Also, What ones should I buy that are moderately priced? I really dont want to spend more that $150-$200

An approximation would be fine. I only have a few days to use the shop. To install the Extended Bump Stops you have to remove the wheels and Coils unlike the rubber stops where you can just squeeze the in between the coils.I have to use that time on other things.


Bought 8 in total for front and back (4 per shock) yes the shocks did come with the big black ones. I am putting these on both sides of each big black shock bushing as this is the way they are designed to be used. I already nought them and they are so cheap that I am going to put them on as extra. Couldn't hurt

[/QUOTE]For the roughly 4" lift height i'd say run a TC drop regardless. yea you can adjust pinion angles some to meet your lift but for the operating angles from the tc it would still be fair to run the TC drop.[/QUOTE]
I am not doing rough country, I hand-picked all the different components. I didn't want to buy a RC drop until I was absolutely sure I need it. We will see what happens. And if it does I should just get a SYE instead, right?


I bought them because 1# They were Cheap #2 I will likely snap one of the bolt anyways when taking the old shocks off. This complete remedy that by installing them rather than buying and using more expensive hardware.

I am concerned that the Blisten 5100's wont work and I am not sure how the BPE's will effect length. Do I need longer Shocks for a short or mid arm kit? This is something I may end up doing in a few months. If thaat's the case should I buy longer shocks?

 

The BPE goes in the same place the shock mounts too. So, 1# you are doing the same amount of work and are affected the same way if a bolt breaks, and 2# are buying the incorrect shock to use with a bar pin eliminator.
No need to spend the extra money unless you buy a different shock. The hardware is just a simple nut and bolt you can buy at any hardware are Autopart store.

And the shock grommets are not designed to be used with more grommets, you just need one, and there is nowhere to put them on the rear anyway.

As for the shock length that depends on tire size and use. If don't offroad then don't worry about it, the ones listed will work fine.

 

Thanks for the help and info. I plan on getting different shocks in the future. I also plan on getting a mid-arm are long-arm kit in a few months. Would this be a cause for needing longer shocks? 5100's I think are a direct fit for stock XJ's but from what I was told they can also ne used on BPE's. I actually do off-road and will be doing it with this jeep but not until she is completely finished. It's a project in progress. Next things I plan to do are the breaks and joints, new water pump and thermostat, new wires etc.

In regards to the shock grommets I bought. The product description and reviews say they can be used in conjunction with the existing big black bushings for the front and back. Thanks for letting me know. I will return them.

Found this CA set and was going to buy it tonight: (click link)

And looking at TC dop kits and found these:

 

You aren't going to get quality magic carpet street performance on the road with 35s and stock gearing.

You don't have to swap axles to regear them.

 

You guys won't believe this but my dear old friend from Military Academy is willing to sell me a DANA 44 that came off a Comanche. He's charging me only $300 for it! It has different perches than an XJ so I' have to weld on new spring perches compatible with an XJ.

 

I just did the same thing for my XJ. Took the D44 from my old MJ and welded up some perches and new shock mounts on it. Now heads up, you will have to bend the brake hardlines a little to clear the new perches.

 

thats a pretty common price. dont forget about shock mounts as well and you may need a different length driveshaft depending on what axle you used to have.

 

NICE MAN! What perches and shock mounts did you use? I am going to pick up the Dana 44 this weekend. Other than having to weld on different perches and shock mounts he said it will directly be a plug-and-play fit. I am first going to install the lift this weekend then the axel in a few more weeks when I get the tires. What was the biggest difference/change that you've noticed with the D44 vs the old turdy 5?

.
I'm not going 35's yet, I'm going 33's.
Many people say you don't need to re-gear the dana 35's with 33's if your not gunning it hard off-road. This is my daily driver and won't be doing any off-roading until the entire project is fully complete I am hoping to be able to get some long or mid arms in a few months. But others have said that using those control arm drop relocation brackets with the stock length lower CA's and some good quality adj. upper CA's come just as close in ride quality compared to Long-arms. The only real big advantage the mid or long arms have is the ability to run much bigger tires from what I gather. I'm sure there are some good AT 35's that ride nicely. Obviously, not as nice as a smaller tire. Plus re-gearing would cost just as much as just getting a complete replacement axel and I think the D44 will increase my XJ's value eventually.

Really? Where do you live? I see them going from anywhere from $650=$1200.
My 01 has a 28 7/8" drive shaft and the Dana 44 has a 29 5/8" drive shaft. You bring up a great point! Would I have to regear my Dana 30's in front when I swap in the Dana 44? Thank you for bringing that up bc that was what I was going to ask.