Ok I'll check it out. My shocks are going out or already gone I think. There is also a lot of squeaking in the front suspension and it's super easy to bob the front. Don't know about the status of the suspension in the back but I need to check.
Yeah after seeing that I think I might not do a 3" for starters maybe one day but not for a while. What color is your jeep though? I like the color.
That's awesome that you used to race cars. What kind? And I will start with that but like I said above, shocks might need to be replaced regardless. My mechanic can help me figure out how much to trim. Should I get longer bump stops to stop the tires from Rubbing the top of the well? The suspension already nearly bottoms out (it does if I go down a street near my house that if I go over 35 it bottoms out and makes the loud banging noise) with 29" tires on

 

if you're bottoming out on 29's and have no bump stops, maybe my suggestion sucks lol.

Maybe you should skip the 31's, save your money, and get some cheap shocks. You can get 4 for like $100. Put some bump stops in there and then go from there.

Sometimes the things we want have to wait. At least if you put new shocks on, you'll break all the bolts now, and have fresh ones ready whenever your longer shocks get installed.

 

it's amethyst, here's a old pic from when it was clean and shiny

 

I would normally wait on the tires for reasons like you stated but the tires that are currently on my jeep are extremely worn as to they are overdue to be replaced and they are super old and have slow leaks in each tire. They need to be replaced anyways. And ok. I'll do that with the shocks. And my leafs are flat. ________ like that flat. What should I do about that? Or should I just replace the shocks and save the major replacements for later?
I love the color!

 

I hear everyone when they "Build it Once, Build it Right" and if you are on your 2nd, 3rd, 4th Jeep it makes complete sense, but sometimes when someone is building their first jeep, the jeep needs to grow as the driver skills do, the jeep needs to grow as the driver decides what they want, the jeep needs to grow as the budget allows.

Sometimes waiting until you have $5-15K to build the perfect jeep is not a fun option, a few lost dollars because of replacing things bought with better in exchange for some fun times while you both grow is OK.

So I say GO FOR IT, get the 31's, if your rear springs are in decent shape throw on a cheap lift kit (you can always recoup some of the expense selling it off), and have fun with your jeep now!!!!! instead of waiting a year or two until you can get the long term parts. I had a blast doing this with my first few jeeps, now I am trying to build a jeep that I plan on keeping and using for the long run.... and really this will be the first jeep I will lose my butt on if/when I sell it..... all the other jeeps I fixed on a budget, upgraded on a budget, wheeled on a budget, and sold them for a profit (it helps I buy jeeps with blown motors and stuff)

 

I like and share this sentiment. Have fun.

 

Damn. I started tearing up. That was beautiful. But my Jeep was bought new in 1989 by my grandparents, then passed down to my mom, then my dad, and now me. So I do actually want to keep my jeep for as long as I can and maybe even give it to my kid when I have one in the future. My jeep has a lot of sentimental value because it's something to remember my grandpa with. And I have also put a lot into just getting it working again because of that. So should I start of as doing the cheap and simple upgrades and then in the future when I can afford it do the big time upgrade that you are planning on doing?

 

Could you afford something like these?

http://www.quadratec.com/products/16300_804_07.htm

http://www.quadratec.com/products/16400_005X_A_PG.htm

 

Those packages are more of a possibility cost wise than what I've found. But what about the other things needed along side those packages like new U Bolts, extended brake line (for the rubicon one), the things that you bend around the leafs to keep them together, transfer case drop (because an SYE and new diff are out of the question for now), control arms, sway bar discos, track bar, etc? I know my first lift will be a simple one but won't I need at least some of those things also? I don't know what is necessary for a lift and what could wait

 

I'd go for the 2" but, This shows exactly what you need for 3".

However the kit I posted is meant to be installed and run with only those components as a budget version.
A complete 3" would/should include everything in the requied list except the sye and driveshaft kit.
IMO you should be able to get by with just the 3" simple kit, I would add track bar first when installing the lift kit, then work my way to the other things.
If you want to run those tires remember to keep it simple and do what you have to do.
P.S. if you looked it over, the rubicon express lift , first link, is only a 2" lift.
If was in your shoes, that'd be the one I'd buy, & do some trimming Bottom line.
The leaf spring alignment clamps,
I just ordered an AAL kit for my yukon and bought the clamps for about $9 a pair from summitracing.com
You can order u bolts from quadratec when you order the lift, shipping is free.
I trust BryWeb, he's helped me alot and is knowledgeable he says go for it and I give X2 on it.
Edit:
http://quadratec.com/products/product.php?pid=56009+05

http:// quadratec.com/products/produ...pid=16311+5220

 

I have 32x11.50x15 on a stock rim and I still have about an inch before I hit the leaf springs on my 98 xj.

 

So you want to keep it for your kids, How do you plan to wheel it?, just mild trails? or Rock Climbing?, or Mudding?, I mean if you plan on building it to put 33's or 35's and thinking of doing some off camber off roading, well then you something else to to think of - FRAME STIFFENERS, Big Tires and Wheeling tend to start tweaking the unibody.

Building a Jeep can have the Snowball effect..... The "well I am going to do this I then should really do that" gets expensive.

My belief when building a Jeep is you need to decide 1) How am I going to use it 2) What is my budget 3) What is my timeline to get the work done

If you can finance and build your "Idea Jeep" in 6 months to a year, maybe you are better just "Doing it Once", but if this will be a 3-5 year build..... then build it in Phases and enjoy it as you go.

For me, I got a great deal on a 2 wheel CLEAN 98 Cherokee, before it was ever wheeled I stripped it down and started building my Jeep - Starting with Frame Stiffeners so I can have a solid base to work off of, From there I am building it in Phases, Phase 1) Suspension, Frame Stiffening, Bumpers, Skids, Etc, ready to start wheeling Phase 2) Upgrade Axles add Roll Bar (Hybrid Skeleton) Phase 3) Turbo or Supercharge Motor.

My daughter also has a Cherokee, so I can always hand down my old parts to her, she never complains... (-:

Here is my current build, it is a build in progress - so I have yet to find my mistakes ... LOL

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f46/pr...-build-214635/

 

Ok. Will trim for now and then do the 2" one. And if I can get the money to do a 3" then maybe in a couple years I'll do that. I'm going to stop trying to rush myself on building up a jeep.

 

I'm going to do the phase thing as you suggested. My timeline is whenever I get the parts together for the next phase and then do it when i have a chance. I need to find a source of income in the first place (currently filling out the application for a job at a Jeep dealership near me). It's my daily driver and only way to get to school so stripping it down isn't something I can do right now. And I want to do more of a prerunner/dune racer/minor rock crawling hybrid jeep. More prerunner though. And I was thinking of in the future after I have a pretty good lift of welding some prerunner bumpers and some rock sliders. And eventually a build like the one you're doing with the hybrid skeleton and turbo etc. but the phase thing is a good idea

 

Funny, I swear I suggested a BB on page one, even remember posting a link. Only difference was that BB uses shackles, so no need for U-bolts or rebuilding leaf packs. Plus you can keep the shackles for when you buy another kit and want to go higher instead of having a couple extra leafs laying around. There are always shocks here in the classifieds, right now there are new JKU Rubicon take-offs for $80 shipped. Probably won't need a TC drop for 1.75-2" lift. You can keep the LCAs stock too for that height.