BrofessorXJ

96 XJ sport 4.0 all stock

I want to go with the Rough Country 4.5" and 33x12.5x15

I wont be doing anything crazy in it just to get to camp sites and surf spots since it is my dd.

I'm aware I will have to do some trimming and brake line extension but what else will I need to do sye? Transfer case drop? Steering? Anything else?

Next question any somewhat experienced XJ lifters in the Los Angeles area that would want to help assist me with the lift? I dont want to pay the shop and I want to learn how to do it myself and I'd rather use the money the shop would charge to buy tools. I'm not a complete noob so i guess just someone to help out if I get stuck. We can discuss pay or hey if you wanna just hang out with me on a Saturday and a Sunday, lift it, and drink some beer thats cool too!

DocOrng XJ

There are a lot of threads on lifts.
and what you have to do for each lift height.

there is a search function, and yes you may have to browse a few pages depending on the key words you use., but the info has been discussed already, i promise

i will give you a basic run down
this will not be all inclusive - but maybe help you realize what your looking at doing / spending

what you need to do will all depend on your particular vehicle, but with that said, at 4.5" of lift and 12.5" tires your talking alot of changes.

3" & 31's will do the same thing for some camping and fishing & will be alot cheaper and easier to maintain

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for instance i started with 2" lift for about 150 shipped & ran with stock tires for a few months
then moved to 3.5" lift by upgrading a few parts for maybe another 100
then got some new tires and rims off CL for another 100 and i didnt need to get anything extra
i work fire & Rescue & Recovery in this jeep, so im routinely on trails and it works great for me

now, i did buy extras just because, but it wasnt needed, im a safe than sorry type
so for 400 i have a nice lift gets me on the beach and over rocks and thru water;
compared to the 600 - 1000 starting price tag (ive seen them for upwards of 2500+) of the 4.5" lift plus the extras that would need to be bought
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let's start with tires - thats easiest - also most expensive as it can be / usually is more expensive than a lift

10.5 tire on a 15x7" rim needs about 4.5 backspacing, easier to find used but stock jeep rims wont work

a 12.5" tire on a 15x10" rim - you would need a rim (after maket) that has about 3-3.5" of backspacing

Jeep stock rim is about 15x7 or 15x8(if you can find it) and has 5-5.5 BS depending on the actual rim you have - if you dont have the right back spacing no amount of trimming will solve your rub problem
and dont even think about wheel spacers at this point - some debate on actual use - but you risk more by using them than just getting the right size rim

and since your going with 33's your going to need to re-gear, unless you are in the very few minority that jeep came with something better than D30/D35 & 3.07s
33 the minimum iirc you need to run will be 3.91
4.10 gears will be better
http://www.4lo.com/calc/geartable.htm

re-gearing can start costing upwards of $500 and thats if you piece it together on the cheap, then you have to hope you get lucky & they have the right pattern - that is a whole nother headache right there
If you just buy them brand new - carriers and matching gears will probably set you back about 1500 to start depending on how thrifty you get and what deal you can find at the right time of year/company

if you buy some d30/d44s with matching gears then you can just do a complete axel swap for maybe a grand and be all good
again this is assuming you do ALL the work yourself
if you have to get a shop involved you will be looking at starting price of $2000+

on to the lift
with 4.5" lift - your going to possibly need a new / advisable to get - ds, sye, tc drop, brake lines, LCAs, bump stops, adj trackbar, drop pitman, steering stabalizer and more, and most of this is not usually included in a kit those extras can add up quick to $500-800 or more, again depending on how thrifty you get with your stuff, if you do find a kit that has everything on here let us know, besides the fact you'll be talking 3000 + easily and then it comes to installing it if you do it yourself and have some buddies with a lift and all the right tools, may only take you a day or two depending on how much you work vs drink
if you get a shop, well there is a few more 1000s gone...

again this was not all inclusive and some things, depending on what you get, can be omitted
but this will give you a general idea and be a good starting place for you to start doing some more research.

So, unless you have the $6K to drop (im assuming you wouldnt be asking us how to do it) then just go to a specialty shop and just let them do it for you
here on the west coast i had a shop quote me about $5500 for a 4" and 31s

Xj88

If your looking to save some money consider a 3 inch lift with nice 31s. If you do go 4.5 you'll need at least a tc drop. Personally i wouldn't bother with a tc drop...id do it right with an sye. You'll want some new rims with around 3-3.5 backspacing. My 88 is on a 3 inch rustys lift with km2 mud tires. No tc drop nothing. 4 inch backspacing

DocOrng XJ

Chatanooga ey?

im from Ga originally
my buddy has a brother lives over there, had to drive thru there once to pick up his truck, crazy lil town that is lol

Xj88

Chattanooga is for sure a crazy town. I work in chatt. Where you at now?

Donnie_K

People make it sounds like the transfer case drop is something extra you gotta buy... no it isn't, it comes with the rough country 4.5" lift. The only thing extra you've gotta buy to make it work will be an adjustable track bar. Some people just relocate their stock track bar but I don't see the point with the mileage most of our jeeeps have. You'll eventually want to swap the t-case drop for an SYE, and add a nice 1 ton steering setup, but it'll work fine for a while if everything is in good shape.

DocOrng XJ

I went from Ga to Va
now im in Md

ericfx1984

relocating the track bar CAN work if you are willing to live with it's limitations

1.) it has a tie rod end

2.) at 3"+ of lift on the stock TB you you notice that your TB wears out pretty quickly

3.) the tb will have a very limited range of movment

BrofessorXJ

Thanks guys really really appreciate it especially @DocOrng XJ. I decided I'm going to go with the 3" Rustys aal for my first lift with some 31's. This is my daily driver for now and I think thats a smarter decison until this becomes my full-time trail rig so thanks for talking me out of it! One quick question tho.. would I have to re-gear to run 32's? Wondering if thats an option.

On a side note excited to check this out next weekend...http://www.offroadexpo.com/

Xj88

Wouldn't have to regear. Good decision with rustys. I love mine

sj2000xj

Dont have to regearing but 4.10 is preferable. You'll be happy with your set up