You'll certainly need an alignment after both tasks.

I always do my own alignments in the driveway with a tape measure and a helper.

Takes about 10 minutes to get it dialed in.

 

Thanks, I will wait and do the alignment after I complete the lift and DPA install

 

I was in the same boat as you when I first started. I ended up buying a lift kit and installing it myself is how I learned what was what

 

If ur not looking to break the bank u have a few option, Rough Country, that seems to be either hit or miss, ppl either love them or hate them, also available is Iron Rock Offroad, everyone that has there kits seems to love them but it seems to get trashed talked by everyone one who doesn't have it, it has great articulation as well, as previously mentioned Zone Offroad usually leaves ppl pretty satisfied but I personally know little about It since I have been going all my research on 6.5 inch long arm kits, whatever you get make sure u do things right, Rubicon Express and Old Man Emu also have great reputations to my knowledge, keep in mind at 3-4.5" u will most likely need to correct ur driveline angle, a lot of kits come with TCase drops but I would recommend throwing those away since they can cause harm to the rest of ur rig (engine and tranny), a SYE (Slop Yoke Eliminator is ur best bet and I believe at that hight u can simply run the front driveshaft out of a cherokee, but Tom woods makes a decent SYE and custom length CV shaft for $500 plus S+H and taxes so assume $600 which is a good deal and will make a world of difference, and whatever u do get a full lift kit, if u plan to use mostly as an offroad rig go for long arms, they flex great but sacrifice some road stability, if it will see equal or more road time then the short arm option is probably best because it offers more stability at the cost of some flex

Another note, instead of paying full price for a kit at 3 inches and maybe even four u could make a bastard pack for the rear ended using either S-10 /blazer leafs, Dodge Durango leafs, or any other 2,5 inch wide leaf pack from the junkyard and then either buy lift springs or use bronco/f150 springs from certain year ranges and buy shocks, pitman arm drops, YJ brake lines and straightened brake brackets will give u enough for ur brake lines. A SYE and adjustable track bar are still recommended new along with at least adjustable lower control arms if not both upper and lower, a V8 tie rod out of a ZJ is a direct steering upgrade along with the power steering pump out of certain Durango's