77olds

'00 XJ Sport (4x4 of course)

2" or 3" lift kit... I need to know EVERYTHING.

I asked before and was told "yeah all you need is the kit from (insert company here) it comes with everything, then I'm told by someone else that I might need to relocate track bar mounts, etc... so in other words, the kit DOESN'T come with everything.

Look, I've never lifted a vehicle before. I know my way around a car, but I'm completely new to this, and lifting my XJ will be my first experience.

I need to know every last little shred of information for what it takes to properly lift an XJ 2 to 3 inches. I mean, please do not spare any details.

I don't want to get 90% done with the job and run into an issue where "Well, that was just sort of self-evident"... it might've been self evident to someone who has lifted a vehicle before.

So, what do I need?

Here's what I THINK I need for a 2 to 3 inch lift:

-Front and back shock absorbers
-Coil springs, leaf springs (mine are sagging, need to replace anyway)
-Leaf shackles
-Extended Track Bars? I was told I'd need this, or to relocate the mounting hole... Is this true?
-Longer u-bolts

Is that all right? Any longer brake lines? Hoses? Bolts? What bolts might break? Do I need bushings?

Please guys, help out a fellow Jeeper.

wahoo

If you go with a rough country series 2 lift you will get everything you need, and upgrade it from a add a leaf to full leaf springs. Thats what I got and you don't need to buy shackles with the kit. I added a transfer case drop a little later, I had a little vibration and lowered the TC 1 inch and I have know vibration. Hope this helps.

agent8

I am a noob here but it seems many times, questions around here go unanswered. From what I know, each jeep is different and it is going to depend on what you want. For instance, I have about a 5- 5.5" lift and I still have the stock track bar. It needs a different one but it drives ok without it where other jeeps won't. The easiest way is to get a complete kit. With only 2-3" you are pretty safe on a lot of things. Over 3" is a different story. Most kits I have seen come with just about everything you will need and some sites will give you recommended things to go with it. If you are only going for looks or just need a little more clearance, you could go spacers and shackles and get around 2".
Sorry I don't know a lot but it sure beats having your posts go into the land of nothing unanswered like mine usually do.

kentuckyscott

Honestly 2-3 iches isn't enough for your vehicle to need much more than the "kit".....depening on where you get the kit. Anything over 3 inches usually requires more work like relocating the trac bar, brake lines, SYE, etc. I ordered mine through Zone....got the 3" AAL (Since my xj only has 90K on it) with Nitro shocks. The kit really did cover most everything. You will break some bolts so be prepared for a few trips to the hardware store etc. Other than that I will be doing a 1"TC Drop to rid myself of the driveline vibrations I am getting.....I will probably do the SYE down the line when I can afford it.

Gionet

never use a transfercase drop even if it comes with one.

Get a slip yoke eliminator kit and be done with vibes forever.

kentuckyscott

I do agree i theory....but many of us need a lil time for our wallets to recover. A TC drop for a minor lift 3" and below can usually do a very good job of getting someone by until they can do the SYE route.....in my humble oppinion.

agent8

hack and tap ftw

mithuth

The problem about these sorts of posts is that you have a lot of questions to answer before we can answer yours. So they often go unanswered.
Plus they're asked 4-5 times a day where the OP never takes time to bother reading anything to help themselves.

1 - how mechanical are you, and do you have a good set of tools to work with?
2 - Do you have a second vehicle to drive in the event something comes up and you can't drive the Jeep until X part comes in (in the event you need something you forgot to order)
3 - Have you read at least 5 build threads that use the kit you're considering and saw what issues previous installers have ran into so you can prepare for those issues?

NEVER pass up the chance to read someone else's build thread and learn from the trials and errors they have had. It will save you tons of time and headaches down the road.

Here's some tips I've gathered in my short time here:
You may as well prepare to punch out or drill out the rear upper shock mount bolts. They've been a PITA on every build thread I've read.

2" of lift - get 2" coil spacers and 2" drop shackles and an alignment. With 2" of lift you can still use a good set of OEM shocks and be just fine. You would be limited to a 30x9.5" tire unless you want to cut and trim wheel openings a bit.

3" of lift - get 3" front coils and (for me at least) I am using heavy duty OEM replacement springs (1" over stock height) + 2" shackles. I have heard mixed results on driveline vibes, but I have a 1" TC drop sitting here just in case. The ideal situation is to use a SYE and replacement rear drive shaft and remove the TC drop later on. You can clear 31s, if you rub at full flex, do some minor trimming.


The bottom line is - figure out what you can do yourself or afford to pay someone else to do, and go for it. Don't expect everyone to spoon feed you the info when you won't do the reading/research yourself.
I'm not trying to be a dick about it, but you have got to read and read some more, THEN dive right in. There's no better way to learn.

agent8

See, every one is different. My rear shock mount bolts came off without having to spray, in under 1 minute a piece with very little effort. After a shackle lift, my muffler hits the bolts and I had to cut it while others didn't. Many factors but 2- 3 inches is usually a piece of cake

dogger15

For not to much more $$$ better to go with sye and not hnt just my opinion

Also just read and read to hear different thoughts good/bad

agent8

The cheapest sye I can find with a driveshaft is around $450.
Hack and tap kit with shaft is $220. If you are skilled enough to do the hack and tap, and your not going to go crazy rock climbing, wouldn't that be better? (I am actually asking, not being rhetorical. LOL

77olds

That's helpful info. Thanks guys.

Few more questions:

Drive-line Vibe: How bad is it? Minor annoyance, or what? I already get some vibration on the highway, not sure what from.

Breaking bolts: I'd rather just replace the bolts whether they break or not. Which bolts in particular are problematic? I'd imagine shock mounts... what else?

agent8

If you are going to replace the shock mount bolts anyways, might as well put some bar pin eliminators on there. It's a nice cheap upgrade.

xj^REMY

BEAUTIFULLY PUT, SIR!!... couldnt be worded better

all i kno, & where my rig sits now (4.5" mix suspension components & still fine tuning here & there), i've learned BY MYSELF... ive searched, compared, measured, searched some more, & then a little more searching