Couple Questions

[sinnaevd]

so where can I find a good kit?? Or is the better question, how the hell do I "build" a kit LOL!

[CWLONGSHOT]

Here is a link to RUBICON EXPRESS. this would be my first choice for a "kit".

 

http://www.rubiconexpress.com/dynamic/m ... lderid=346

 

Here is a link to TnT Customs. if I was going to go long arm and was piecing something together myself. I'd likely start here.

 

http://www.tntcustoms.com/webV3/xjylink.asp

 

As for rear springs, there really is only three choices.

 

1) A factory or factory replacement spring moved to the top of the axle. I.E. SPRING OVER. This would be my last choice as Spring Over has its own short list of down falls. These could be eliminated with longer perches and a good new spring pack.

 

2) Private leaf spring manufacturer. Have them make you a spring to your specfications. This is your best choice IMHO, but not the cheapest.

 

3) RUSTYS offers a 4" spring pack for the MJ. It is not manufactured by them, SO all you have to deal with is poor customer service. This is a good choice and the cheapest. (This is what I did. I am happy with the springs so far, they flex well and ride as stock.)

 

For front springs, just go with R.E. and be done with it.

 

Good luck,

CW

[DirtyComanche]

Alrightly fella's, I'm being told that buying from Rusty's is a big NO NO. I really want to buy just one kit though and not have to do much modding. I wanted the long arm kit for its superior flex. But if there has been some problems with Rusty's stuff (other then customer service) it makes me kind of nervous. I want at least 6 inches of lift, I want to put 33's under the MJ with basically no trimming (if possible, I'm also being told it will never happen LOL)

 

What kit should I be looking at?? I thought I had it all figured out but I'm starting to doubt myself.

 

Please help, websites, info on what I should be looking at, ANYTHING!!!!

 

 

Yeah, don't buy rusty's. It's not that great... To say the least.

 

 

And accept that a little trimming will be in order. The inner pinch seam will eat your tires otherwise. And you can cut a bunch out of the outer fender and have it still appear stock.

[Pete M]

Or just extend your bumpstops to keep the tall tires out of the sheetmetal.

[DirtyComanche]

Please no! I'm trying to get him to take a sledgehammer to his Jeep.

 

 

It's doing the world favour.

[jage]

Please no! I'm trying to get him to take a sledgehammer to his Jeep.

 

Actually that's what I did - I beat the inner pinch seam flat. It still holds and no tire cutting. Heh-heh I suppose that's not quite what you meant..

[DirtyComanche]

Nope, that was exactly what I wanted you to do. :clapping:

[sinnaevd]

So basically use a front end kit for an XJ and build ride height to match in the rearend?? It's all starting to make sense now lol!. SO I can use a long arm kit in the front and try to shoot for 6 inches of lift, then I should be able to do rusty's 4" springs in the back and then spring over to match it? I know it will be a little off, but I don't think it would matter much since I will be using an SYE.

 

I'm going on the assumption that when buying a long arm kit, nothing special come for the rear for the MJ

 

Do I have other options? Maybe different spring pack?

[DirtyComanche]

A spring over will give you upwards of 6".

 

 

That's with stock packs.

 

 

 

My slightly bastardized spring over gave me 8".

 

 

 

 

 

 

But, you're getting it figured out.

[sinnaevd]

MJADDICATION mentioned checking out claytons, or TNT (which i can't find TNT by the way) for there long arm kits. They can offer a 6.5 inch long arm lift kit (claytons).

 

I'm just still not sure about how I want to lift it. No one in the windsor area really runs MJ's, let alone Jeeps period. Kinda hard to figure out on my own. Is there any good books I could buy on the subject?

[Pete M]

Cross the border and swing by my house some day and I'll do my best to walk you through the details on your truck. Plus I'll let you thumb through the new "Jeep Cherokee builders guide" book. Pages 86-88 are the best, :D

[sinnaevd]

lol, I read those pages. Does look pretty sweet. Maybe one day I could do the same.

 

Is that book still purchaseable?? Or still on back order??

 

Where across the border??

[Pete M]

I'm 20 minutes south of Detroit.

I haven't a clue what the status of the book is. All I know is, I've got mine. :banana: :banana: :banana:

[sinnaevd]

I'd love to make a day trip over there, that means your only about 30 mins from me. I could even pop by work one day. I'll let you know when I can make it over for sure, then you can tell me what day works best for you. Building a garage this next month so will be pretty busy.

[jage]

So basically use a front end kit for an XJ and build ride height to match in the rearend?? It's all starting to make sense now lol!. SO I can use a long arm kit in the front (...)

 

Careful - some long arm kits fit over the Lower Control arm mount at the frame. If you look at an XJ this mount is just a 3 sided box attached to the frame. On some* MJs the box has thick metal down one side and down the back in a short and long bracing slope... which means all long arm kits might not "just fit" like the XJ.

 

*I'm no expert - one of those wiser want to chime in on whether it is "some MJs" or "all MJs" with the bracing? or some answer a lot more pedantic?

[pingpong]

The answer to the LCA mount is

 

 

 

 

 

 

:deal: Torch, sawzall, plasma cutter, cut off wheel :nuts: :nanner:

 

 

You have to do that on the Xj's as well.

 

As for which kit to use. They all will need some mods to work on the MJ. You will also have to mod the front cab mount on the fram to clear certian LA kits. The only person I have seen that didn't was Pete, but he used ford parts :huh???:

 

MAKE SURE YOU TALK TO A SALE'S REPRESENITVE BEFORE YOU BUT THE KIT YOU CHOOSE. Also ask them if their kit has been installed on a MJ before, if not... run the other way. I know TNT's kit has been installd on a MJ. I can also tell you so has Terra flexes *this is what I am running* and you can build a better one cheaper if you have the skills :brows:

 

 

My whole point is research it, then research it some more, before you pay good money for parts that you don't know if wil work. BTW you can buy custom Alcan springs for around 400 plus shipping

[DirtyComanche]

I'd personally say go with the TNT-customs kit if you have the cash and don't want to build. It seems nice. Haven't heard anything negative about it.

[jage]

The Skyjacker XJ kit I have is designed to work with the stock XJ mounts as an attachment point. I'll update you sometime in the next month as to how it fit on my MJ... :jump:

[DirtyComanche]

You should just be able to cut the outer bracing off it. Otherwise the mounts are identical. I think.

 

 

Some of the smarter XJ guys buy the comanche braces from collision repair suppliers and weld them on.

[jage]

Some of the smarter XJ guys buy the comanche braces from collision repair suppliers and weld them on.

 

And the smartest XJ guys just go to the full comanche? :D

[CWLONGSHOT]

MJADDICATION mentioned checking out claytons, or TNT (which i can't find TNT by the way) for there long arm kits. They can offer a 6.5 inch long arm lift kit (claytons).

 

I'm just still not sure about how I want to lift it. No one in the windsor area really runs MJ's, let alone Jeeps period. Kinda hard to figure out on my own. Is there any good books I could buy on the subject?

 

You cannot follow the links I posted for you?? :cry: :headpop:

 

 

This is from the bottom of the page, but there is a couple ways to find it from the companys cover page.

 

I did not mention Claytons. They are basically a bomb proof set up, but in my opinion, not worthwhile for what I read you want. Unless you are looking for a extreem lift and extreem durability. I am lucky, they are 20 min's away rom me here in Connecticut and a very good product, please do not get me wrong.

 

CW

[Pete M]

2 things,

-All MJs have the extra bracing on the lower control arm mounts.

-This bracing makes it, um, challenging to remove the lower control arm mounts.

[sinnaevd]

do you usually get new mounts when you buy a kit, or do you have to make them?

 

BTW, thanks to everyone, you guys are an enourmous help.

I tried to get help off another website that I am registered to, but a lot of the people there are kind of buttheads if you are new to jeeps and have a lot of questions.

[DirtyComanche]

Most kits (except skyjacker) simply have you cut the stock mount off and never worry about it again.

 

 

If you look at the TNT customs one, the LAs mount to the big assed skid plate/crossmember that they give you. And it bolts to the unibody. The rusty's one mounts to the tranny crossmemeber (well, a new one). The terraflex ones mount to a bracket which is bolted to the unbody after you cut off the stock mounts.

 

 

Personally I'd avoid the skyjacker kit just because of that...

[jage]

Specifically most Long Arm kits (except Skyjacker)....

 

Short arm kits use the existing mounts or even the stock arms. And some companies make a drop mount kit as an alternative to the long arm kits. (I don't know this company, it was just the first google hit: http://www.rubiconusa.com/store/product.asp?productnum=RE9900)

 

So... don't go hacking your mounts off just yet.

 

Anyway, I'm sure you're sitting at your desk going.. but why? Why use a long arm kit and why is a mount drop an option instead?

 

Sure you are! I'll pretend you asked!

 

If you look at a stock coil sprung Jeep the lower control arms (LCA) are supposed to be parallel to the ground. I know, it's startling when you're used to seeing all these lifted rigs. When I heard this after wheeling the XJ for a few years I had to go look at my TJ to see if it was true.

 

Anyway, the reason is the LCAs form the radius which the front axle moves around. If the wheel needs to move up, it is also moving back around the arc of the LCA (more or less).

 

Enter some 4" lift coils. Now your LCAs looks like this

/

more or less.

 

Now to go up the tire must also go forward as it follows the arc. You can pretend your fist is a tire and your elbow is attached to the frame. You can see how your fist makes a forward arc as it comes up from below horizontal.

 

Now imagine your (my) little D30 with those meaty 32" tires coming up to that boulder and now the tire has to go forward to go up while your Jeep is also trying to go forward.

 

So if you do the same fist/arm trick but use your shoulder instead, you'll see that the fist has to travel much less forward for the same amount of up-travel. Basically the drop mount or the long arms tend to restore the geometry closer to horizontal. The arc is less pronounced and crossing the same boulder the tire has to travel less forward.

 

See, and you didn't even know to ask yet.

 

Headache anyone? :cheers:

 

Now that I think about it this probably has something to do with IFS in race trucks.....hmmmm....