NUHWELL

Okay so I bought a 2000 Xj (first car) and Im still in highschool so of course I dont have alot of money to be putting into it. I am looking to lift it 3.5 inches and so far I have been collecting parts because I dont have the money to be buying those crazy lifts they sell online. So far I have 3.5 RC leafsprings, 3.5 rubicon express front coils and 3.5 Rc shocks. My question is what else would I NEED to be able to complete this lift kit and what else would be recommended to put in? thankyou!

scaifenater

I'm pretty new to this as well but I will tell you what I know, just take it with a grain of salt cause I may be wrong. At 3.5" that should be all you "need". It'll get her lifted and drivable. You may need some extensions for your brake lines but may be able to get away without. You'll need new tires (or what's the point on lifting it) and an alignment when all is said and done.

lukc22

Hello... I am new to xj lifting as well... I am going to get a 3.5 RE kit, plus extras... I plan on running 33's and trimming fenders... I would say that it depends on what you plan on doing with it... I only play in mud, so I dont need crazy flex/clearance like the rock crawlers do... im sure you would get better responses on here by telling us your goals for how you want to use it... its better to build it towards a goal than to throw stuff on it that wont help

NUHWELL

alright thanks a bunch bud! and yeah I have some 36 mickey thompson's off my brothers Bronco not sure if they'll fit though

lukc22

And congrats on the XJ buy... I am super impressed with these vehicles...

NUHWELL

yeah that makes sense... Im with you on that one im more in it for the mud and not as much for rock crawling... just looking to get it off the ground for somw begginer off roading, nothing crazy

lukc22

Cool... You can fit any size tire.... it just depends on how much you want to trim/cut/chop... you will need good/longer bumpstops for the front and rear to keep your big tires from smashing the wheel wells... will probably need longer rear brakeline... they are cheap from the hardware store, u just gota ask for a different vehicle... you may need a tcase drop or sye after you lift it depending on if you have bad vibrations or not... I just replaced all of my steering linkage, and man what a difference...

98XJ40K

Check out some of the stickies for more detailed reading.
Front brake lines from a YJ will add about 3" of length and are cheap. Rear brake line from a Dakota (not sure which year) will work for your height.
T Case drop or SYE may be necessary. Since you are low on funds and won't be on the rocks for a while, the t case drop may be your best bet.
You really need to do some research before you dive in. Those 36's aren't going to be easy to clear without a lot of cutting and proper bumpstops. Not to mention, your stock axles will likely suffer an early demise without proper preparation.
Welcome to the forum, there are some very experienced people here that have virtually unlimited experience that can help. But make sure you check all of the available resources before reposting a question that gets covered everyday.

aj2494

You might end up needing new LCA's as well. Just one thing to note though, RE stuff is notorious for providing more lift. Usually a good thing, but since you only have RE front coils, it will probably jack up the leveling of your XJ. I have an RE 3.5 lift on mine, and I ended up with about 4.5" in the front and 5" in the back. So I would encourage you to get some drop shackles for the rear to raise it up an inch or so. Not very expensive and easy to find.

#99cherokee

those 3.5 inch coil springs from rubicon express are known for having some extra lift to them and it would make sense to lift the back an inch to compensate. and at that point you would NEED an sye or a transfer case drop. and as far as what else I can think of that you would NEED...I think a drop pitman arm would be good, a new track bar(or you might be able to get away with drilling a new hole and relocating it), and longer brake lines (or brake line relocation brackets).

Eli15

I'm also new but I'm in the same boat you are, I am getting a 3 inch lift for my jeep and also new rims and tires but I need to know if 245/65r17 tires will fit on my jeep the way it sits? Which is stock as of right now

aj2494

The SYE or t-case drop definitely may be a necessity. But, the key word there is "may". You don't really know until you try. I've had my RE 3.5 kit on for over a year without either, and everything has been fine. I have some vibrations, but nothing too bad, and a little excessive wear on the front U-joints. An SYE is definitely on my list once the summer comes around and I have my Z28 out of storage. Since you aren't really looking to go rock crawling, the little bit of ground clearance you would lose from a t-case drop really isn't an issue. Personally, I would level out the rear when you install and see how it drives. A t-case drop really isn't a complicated thing to do and can be done using less then a foot of steel tube, or just washers if you're really strapped for cash.

Dumajones

I can give you this that Clown made up

cruiser54

Wow, that's nice Duma!! I'm gonna steal it.

Dumajones

I cant take credit for it, NewKindOfClown made it..

So Clown Cruiser is going to steal it..lol