Yet Another Lift Kit Question......newbie Here

[skerriltj]

I know this has been over done and I have read many forums and posts but I still can't seem to get a straight answer so i'm hoping someone here can help. I have an 89 MJ 4cyl 4wd manual which is completely stock. I would like to lift it to fit 33s and do not want to trim the fenders. I've found a few lift kits (rough country, zone, rustys, rocky road outfitters, etc) but not sure what is good (everyone seems to have differing opinions on all). I'm looking for something decent priced but good quality as i'll be wheeling this one. I do plan on doing soa on the rear too. I've heard rough country is the best from a few people but to fit the 33s is to get the 6.5" lift which puts me really top heavy and off balance. Rocky road outfitters has a 5" kit which would probably work. Has anyone had any experience with them? Preference would go to getting a kit as this is my first build rather than piecing it together. Any advice would be much appreciated!! Thanks!

[87manche1]

Depends on how u wheel mud yea high is good, rocks lower and wider 4.5 inch and u will have to trim unless u bump stop correctly

[skerriltj]

It'll be mostly snow, mud, sand....you know the good ol Canadian weather...haha

[mnkyboy]

I ran the RRO lift with 33s for a while. As shipped 33s will barely bolt onto your truck, you will have to get adjustable arms and/or control arms drop brackets.

 

You will also need bump stopping if you don't want to cut.

 

Another thing to consider is our trucks are pretty low stock.I currently 6.5"-7" of lift on my truck with 33s and its reall not any taller then a body lifted Toyota on 33s.

[Eagle]

If you are going SOA in the rear, that's going to lift you more than 5". You will probably need a 6" to 6-1/2" front lift to even out with the rear. Plus, unless you plan to run either offset rims or 33x9.50 tires, you'll need wheel spacers on the back because a 31x10.50 is the widest tire you can run on factory rimes -- and even those make contact with the inner wheel well walls off-road.

 

Personally, I think 33-inch tires are too big for a 4-banger. Your life would be a whole lot simpler (and a whole lot less expensive_ if you were to run 31x10.50s. Then you could run a budget boost, or no lift at all. No problems of being top-heavy. Far fewer problems with tire clearance. No need for SOA in the rear.

[92tanMJ]

If you are going SOA in the rear, that's going to lift you more than 5". You will probably need a 6" to 6-1/2" front lift to even out with the rear. Plus, unless you plan to run either offset rims or 33x9.50 tires, you'll need wheel spacers on the back because a 31x10.50 is the widest tire you can run on factory rimes -- and even those make contact with the inner wheel well walls off-road.

 

Personally, I think 33-inch tires are too big for a 4-banger. Your life would be a whole lot simpler (and a whole lot less expensive_ if you were to run 31x10.50s. Then you could run a budget boost, or no lift at all. No problems of being top-heavy. Far fewer problems with tire clearance. No need for SOA in the rear.

:agree:

[mnkyboy]

5" up front with SOA will give you close to a factory rake, but yes to sit level you need 6-6.5".

 

I don't see an issue with 33s and a 2.5l.

[ftpiercecracker1]

5" up front with SOA will give you close to a factory rake, but yes to sit level you need 6-6.5".

 

I don't see an issue with 33s and a 2.5l.

 

Ya, so long as your running 4.88s. ;)

 

 

Check out the DIY section for a lift kit, 5.5in high quality, under 700 bones.

[mnkyboy]

I daily drove my truck for a few years on 33s with 3.55s.

 

It actually drove a lot better like that then you would think.

[ftpiercecracker1]

I daily drove my truck for a few years on 33s with 3.55s.

 

It actually drove a lot better like that then you would think.

 

Hmm, could have fooled me. :thumbsup:

[skerriltj]

Thanks everyone!! The gears in the ol brain are turning now!

[Eagle]

5" up front with SOA will give you close to a factory rake, but yes to sit level you need 6-6.5".

 

I don't see an issue with 33s and a 2.5l.

 

No, it won't ... it can't.

 

The truck starts off with a "factory rake." To keep the same rake, the front and the rear would have to be lifted by the same distance. Doing a rear SOA conversion lifts the rear by the diameter of the axle tube plus twice the offset from the tube to the spring perch (because that gets moved to the top) plus the full thickness of the spring pack. That's more than 5 inches, so using a 5-inch lift in the front will increase the rake.

[mnkyboy]

Here's SOA rear with stock front. You can't tell me that's 6.5" inches of lift.

 

Here's SOA with 5" front lift.

 

Here's SOA with 6.5" front. It actually sits high in the front.

 

SOA gives about 5" of lift so 5 in the front will sit stockish, our trucks are 1-1.5" taller In the rear stock so it takes 6-6.5" up front to sit level.

[Bmoore2]

Not to be off topic..... but those are some sweet racks MKNYBOY... I have an old town tripper we hit the river often.

[mnkyboy]

Thanks, the guy threw those in when I bought my 17' Grumman. He used them on a VW bug.

[Eagle]

Here's SOA rear with stock front. You can't tell me that's 6.5" inches of lift.

 

 

I can't tell you what it is. Why don't you measure it and tell us?

 

The official measurement, from the factory service manuals, is taken from the top of the axle tube straight up to the underside of the frame rail, inboard of the bump stop. The stock measurement is supposed to be 9.2 inches (+/- 1/2 inch) for 4WD trucks, and 8.2 inches (+/- 1/2 inch) for 2WD trucks.

 

Take that measurement on yours and then everyone will know exactly how much your SOA generated.

[mnkyboy]

My measurement doesnt matter since my frame has been altered changing the lift height.

 

My truck sits a lot higher then just an SOA.

 

[87manche1]

Hate to tell ya. But I'm at 6.5 in on the front soa gave me 6.3 rear it sits level. Rear I'm at 14.5 i was 2wd so thats 8.2 = 6.3 inches of lift

[mnkyboy]

So your saying your truck sat level stock? If you did 6.5" and 6.3" the rear would sit higher then the front because it sat higher to begin with.

 

For 6.5" to make it sit level the rear would only need to be lifted around 5-5.5"

[87manche1]

No level now i agree with ya

[Lee21490]

 

5" up front with SOA will give you close to a factory rake, but yes to sit level you need 6-6.5".

 

I don't see an issue with 33s and a 2.5l.

 

Ya, so long as your running 4.88s. ;)

 

 

Check out the DIY section for a lift kit, 5.5in high quality, under 700 bones.

 

Was looking at that actually. Think i'll start ordering parts from that list next month.

 

My one question about it though, Would the back re-use the stock shocks? Unsure how much the weld on shock tab changes the shock size needed..

[comanchedude]

not everybody will get the exact same lift.. the springs are not always going to be the same due to several factors.. I took off my 4x4 rear springs and used 2wd rear springs. but thats after in installed a factory AMC Comanche 20 rear axle and I did use after market pads that were 3x longer and bit over inch taller..so the 2wd springs still gave the MJ over 6" lift soa and I did 6.5 front springs to get level.  every truck will be different for various reasons.  with factory d35 and 4x4 springs that seem to be as good as new did give the MJ very high lift and at that point I had a 1.75 puck in front ..so it was like a 7"+ lift  that's why I ended up with 2wd springs..so if someone tells me they got 7" soa lift on their MJ I do not doubt them.

[Eagle]

Y'all made me break out the tape measure.

 

Dana 35 axle tube = 2-1/2"

 

Spring pack (3-leaf + overload) = 1-1/2"

 

Perch offset = 5/8" (x 2 = 1-1/4")

 

So a basic spring over using a Dana 35, and reusing the stock spring perches (or aftermarket replacements that aren't offset farther from the tube) will generate a lift of 2-1/2 + 1-1/2 + 1-1/4.= 5-1/4 inches ... that's less than I have generally seen quoted, but I think most people use a Dana 44 axle (larger tubes) and aftermarket perches that don't fit as tight to the tube as the factory perches.