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Lift Question


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So I have a 2" bb on the manche and would like 4.5". I'm debating going with some V8 Grand coils for the front which I think should bump me up another 2" or so. Either that or just putting in some 4.5" lift coils. For the rear I'm thinking spring over. I measured and a spring over should give me 5.5" and then I was going to use an XJ shackle to drop it down 3/4". Theoretically that will give me 4.5" in the front and 4.75" in the rear. My question is, what all will I need to do to the front end to keep everything kosher? Will stock control arms be okay until I can get the control arm drop brackets? Will I need a drop pitman arm? New trackbar, or can I relocate the mounting point?

 

I don't have a ton of money so I'm trying to keep this as low budget as possible, but I am well aware that cheap and lift don't exactly go hand in hand. If I can't do it in a safe manner I will wait it out. Thanks in advance for your input.

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LCA's or Drop brackets will be a must, as well as a new Track bar, Sway bar links/disconnects... From you standpoint your pretty much in the same situation as i am, and for myself I'm gonna wait it out till the funds are avaiable to do the lift right the 1st time with every possible peice ill need. I want my truck lifted more as well but peicing kits together just doesnt sit well with myself. I vote on wait it out for yourself as well, itll save ya in the long run :thumbsup:

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I tried XJ shackles with stock springs after a SOA conversion and I strongly advice against it. When the axle is hanging at full droop, like after hitting a bump too fast, the shackle will be pointed 45 degrees forward. At that point if you put weight on it again, the shackle will flip up in the forward position instead of swinging back.

 

An XJ shackle is simply too short for the length variance in MJ leafs between loaded and unloaded.

 

I would do a SOA conversion using the stock MJ shackles, get a pair of 4.5" coils, and if you need to go up more in the front, put the 1.75" spacers back on.

 

But, lifting the front 4.5" or more, at the very least you need a control arm drop kit or longer lower control arms, as well as a longer track bar. Also longer shocks and brake lines. I would suggest longer upper control arms and longer sway bar links/quick disconnect as well. You could technically run without a front sway bar, but it's not safe. The stock links will not work at 4.5" or more lift.

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So with a control arm drop bracket kit, can I run stock control arms?

 

Yes. But if you wheel pretty hard, the stock CAs will bend very easily. When you have the funds, definately get adjustable uppers and lowers.

 

Also, depending on how much lift you end up with, the drop brackets might not bring your caster and pinion angles back in line. At 4.5" of lift, you will be pretty close with the stock arms and drop brackets, but still keep your eye out for adjustables.

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You have to wheel VERY hard to bend those drop brackets. I had the Trailmaster drop kit on the '88 MJ and a friend has them on his XJ. Never had a hint of bending. In fact, my friend ripped one out of the XJ on the Mohawk Trail in Massachusetts. Found a local welder with a mobile rig who came to the campsite and patched everything up. The brackets themselves were undamaged. In my case, I removed them because I just didn't like the 4" lift. Everything about it was wrong for my use of the truck, and I'm much happier at stock height.

 

As to the ZJ springs -- I doubt you'll get 2" out of them. The 2000 XJ Up Country front coils are the same part number as ZJ V8 front coils. The Up Country rides 1" higher than a stock XJ.

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The right thing to do is buy a proper kit with all the parts needed. If you are going to "try" to piece it together, you will need both upper and lower control arms, track bars, and sway bar links for the front. If you do an SOA in the rear, and only 4.5" in the front, you are going to have the front considerably lower than the rear, and to me, looking pretty silly. A lifted truck should be level. :cheers:

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  • 3 weeks later...

I haven't ran sway bars on any of my Jeeps, and I haven't had any problems. XJ on 8 1/2in. didn't like the stock pitman arm at all tho lol. I try to do everything I can on the cheap, don't see spending money where it isn't needed and personally can't afford to.

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I ran my Comanche (6.25 front, SOA rear) without a front sway bar on the freeway twice. 75 miles there, 75 miles back. Only did it because I ran out of time to put it back on after fixing my frame after the steering box decided to crack it and start ripping bolts through, and I had to go wheeling.

 

The experience was almost suicidal.

 

Put it back on and it's all acting nice again.

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I haven't ran sway bars on any of my Jeeps, and I haven't had any problems. XJ on 8 1/2in. didn't like the stock pitman arm at all tho lol. I try to do everything I can on the cheap, don't see spending money where it isn't needed and personally can't afford to.

I cannot recommend driving any Jeep, even at stock height, without a sway bar. Taking a lifted XJ or MJ (or YJ or TJ) on the road without a sway bar is exercising a death wish. There are documented cases of skilled off-road drivers rolling their Jeeps on pavement at 30 MPH in an evasive maneuver because they "didn't need" a sway bar.

 

Face it -- those bars cost the factory money. They would NOT put them there if they could possible justify leaving them off.

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Don't worry, I'm gonna run a swaybar. I've driven without one and it definitely takes getting use to in the turns, but as most of you say not worth it if you have to do an evasive move. I just got a new job making more money, so I think I'm gonna go with this kit and sell the rear springs and do my SOA.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/84-01-Je ... |72%3A1171

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  • 1 month later...

So I finally got the lift kit and have the front installed and am waiting for my mechanic to do the SOA for me. I have some pics of the front on my build page in the other forum. So far I like it, but I haven't wheeled it yet to see what it will really do. Follow the build and I'll post more pics when I get it back. Thanks for talking me into waiting for a complete kit. :clapping:

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