macgyver35

I'll be the first to jump in with "use the search feature" although I'll readily admit it sucks.

Do Google searches for "cherokeeforum XXXXXXXXX" where you replace the X's with whatever keywords you want to find.

Also, many of your questions can be answered by reading a handful of the build threads that are on this site. Just go to the build threads section in the main menu.

lastly, if you want, read my posts. I'm not an expert, and where I lack in knowledge other guys have me beat by a mile, but over 5 years I think I've answered a number of your questions already at least twice for other people.

The bottom line is that there are just so darn many possible things you can do to a Jeep, nobody here can give you definitive answers to most of what you want to know. We can share opinions, and maybe personal experiences with a comparatively small lsit of specific products, but man, the sky's the limit in what you can do.

General suggestions:

Mild to moderate off-roading? A 2" to 3" lift should be just fine. I have a 2" on mine and it will go plenty of places. Also, a 2" lift with spacers in front, new full leaf packs in the back, and new shocks is cheap, about $375-$400. Add coils in front instead of spacers and you go up about $100. Jump to a 3' lift and start considering things like slip yoke eliminator, extended brake lines, track bar concerns, and you can start spending money quickly. Lifting Jeeps comes with an exponential increase in costs for each inch you go up.

As far as lift companies... Stick to Old Man Emu, Rubicon Express, and maybe Rusty's. They are generally the highest rated while still being "affordable". There are others like BDS and Clayton, and they make stellar stuff, but you'll pay a premium for it, which may not be worth it if you just do mild wheeling.

Basic info:

• A lift will improve approach, departure, and break-over angles. They do nothing for straight-line ground clearance. Bigger tires give you that.
• Any size tire over 31" (on a 4.0 with auto trans) will require regearing both axles if you want to retain any kind of rational off the line power and have some hope of justifiable fuel economy. This regearing will cost you about $750-$1000 if you do it yourself (not recommended for novices), and add about $500 to have a shop so it. So, plan for big tires carefully. the tires themselves can get really pricey, but preparing properly for big tires costs even more than that in many cases.
• You can't mount a spare right on the hatch. It's not structurally designed for that, nor will the hydraulic lifts ever work with that kind of weight on there. A roof rack with tire mount will set you back anywhere from $400-$800. A rear bumper with swing-away tire carrier will set you back $750-$1500.
• If you can, go with LED lights instead of traditional KC halogens. LED will give you an equivalent light output for about 1/5 to 1/3 the power requirements of halogen, and they'll last forever.

My suggestion for you at this point?

A 2 inch lift, 235/75 or 30" tires (keep the spare inside for now), a couple of LED light pods or a 12" to 15" light bar up front, a new front bumper with bull bar to mount the lights on, and a Spartan rear locker. You can pull all of that off if you do the work yourself for about $1800-$2200.
Last but most importantly...
Go through the whole vehicle and replace worn out parts. Suspension bushings, motor and trans mounts, O2 sensors, all fluids, etc. And at 120K, replace that catalytic converter while you're doing the muffler.

Mine looks pretty stock at first glance, but look at this thread for an idea of where about $8000 went:

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f59/br...1/#post2828692

andrewmp6

A brushgaurd does nothing for protection its best to buy a true off road bumper.As far as lift most of us like rubicon express as a budget brand and keep it under 4 inches higher then that it starts to get pricey.

Teephphah

I went with a Rubicon Express 2" lift to start with because it was cheap.

But that's kind of like the crack dealer giving you the first sample for free.

He knows you're going to be back for more.

With that in mind, I'd tell you to save up a few more pennies and go with one of their 3.5" lifts and save yourself the time and money of buying and installing two kits, because the 2" is just going to get you hooked in the first place and you're going to end up wanting more.

I've bumped my 2000 up to 3.5" now and I haven't had to worry about installing a slip yoke eliminator yet (fear of which was one of the reasons I stayed away from going all the way up to 3.5" to start with). No vibes felt yet, but, everyone will tell you that every XJ is different in that way, so yours MIGHT give you trouble there if you go up to 3.5". In general, 2" is considered to be pretty safe in that regard.

one_speed_heuer

I have 3.5 inch Rough Country lift. It has a half inch transfer case drop. You can skip the sye and get 15$ in nuts bolts and washers and save 200$. Youll want a new track bar. I have a jks waiting for me when I get home. I also am strongly considering adjustable lower control arms.

I have 31s with stock axles and the most ive gotten is 18 mpg on an auto 4.0. It has better get up and go than most stock xjs ive seen. Part of me wishes it had a coil spacer/shackle lift and I cut the fenders. Id have saved hundreds and possibly a torn pair of jeans.

Do lots of research. Once you get started you wont stop.