ZJ springs

I have heard of using the ZJ v8 springs for around 1" of lift, though I have never personally verified this is possible. You can get 'em dirt cheap used. It might be easier to just throw a 3" coil spacer in there, unless you are planning on using the 3" spacer and the 1" ZJ coils. Let us know what you decide and if you get any lift (and how much!) from the ZJ coils.

Carl

If it's true, I'd love to do it, but looking around at various venders, they all seem to offer the same spring for both ZJ applications and XJs as well. Instead, I'm thinking about 2" lift ZJ springs from OME. It would definitely be more expensive, but at least I know I'd get the lift, hopefully more than 2" even. I wouldn't have to use coil spacers, either, which I'd rather not do if I can help it. Regardless of what I do, I don't really want more than maybe 4" of lift. If I need to fit tires past that, I'll just go to town with the sawzall. I don't know, I'll figure it out.

I might as well ask what you other guys with XJs have d> I have heard of using the ZJ v8 springs for around 1" of lift, though I have

I ran my 89 XJ with a 2" coil spacer up front and a 2" AAL in the rear. I don't reccomend the AAL. I would get the 2" spacers for the front, a 1.5" lift shackle and a .75" lift block and be done with it. You don't even have to replace the shocks right away if you get bar pin eliminators.

Coil spacers at 2" work fine, and the flex is still pretty good. IDK if I would buy the OME kit. I've 'heard' its is good, but you still use stock arms and ect. The aftermarket arms clear tires better, and despite what RRO says, they are stronger.

If I was going to do a spring lift on my XJ, I would get the 3.5" Rubicon Express lift. Super-ride version with full rear springs. $650 plus around $50 for shipping from

HTH

Carl

I forgot to mention that the 3.5" usually gives about 4". You will not need a SYE at 4". A degree shim or a 1" t-case drop will take away the vibes. I have installed that lift on an 91 XJ I used to have and it was great. Ride, flex, and stance were excellent. It's the red XJ at my photobucket. 31" tires fit perfectly, 32's will fit with a sawzall or bushwackers.

Once the rear springs were broken in, the ride was as good as or better than stock.

Carl

I used stock control arms with the spacers. The ride and flex were great. Making your own crossmember and control arms is a HUGE task, everything must be perfect. It's the sortof project where 'if you have to ask, you shouldn't do it'. By the time you get any lift from adding XJ leafs to your pack, the ride will be pretty stiff. Maybe add one leaf and a 1.5" shackle.

Blocks less than .75" don't substantially contribute to axle wrap.

Carl

From what I've read, adding just the XJ main leaf will gain about 1.5", obviously depending on the wear.

I think you underestimate my stubborness and self-delusion. The only thing holding me back is a lack of tools and the fact that I don't know how to weld, but both are relatively easy to fix. There's plenty of info around on the internet about the physics of building a linked suspension (link length, anti-squat, steering setups, etc.), my pops is a mechanical engineer, and I'm way too smart for my own good - all of these add up to me getting in way over my head. That's why I'm doing this stuff, though. I hate the idea of putting something on my Jeeps that I could've built myself and, mostly, I love a challenge. However, that stuff won't be for a little while - at least until my bank account gains some weight.

I'll look > I used stock control arms with the spacers. The ride and flex were great.

If you decide to build your own crossmember and arms, take a lot of pictures and notes and do a write up so we can do it to. If you aren't an experianced welder, start soon. Make lots and lots of quarters. Control arms aren't the best things to learn on. Suspension welds must be PERFECT.

Let me know what you decide what to do.

Carl

There's no way I'll teach myself to weld on the suspension links, there's plenty more I plan on doing before then - bumpers, rocker guards, maybe a cage. Who knows? My plans are way too grand, I know that much. It'll be a while before I start trying to link anything. FWIW, my brother-in-law's father is a master welder, so I'll have help learning. I also need to look into a class around here.

By the way, did you buy that YJ from Norfolk?

Carl S wrote:

Not as of yet. He's in a hurry to sell and I'm still cross country. I listed it on the Richmond Jeepers board for him. If he's still got it whenever I get back over there, I'll probably buy it from him, but at that price, it'll be gone. No matter, I'm happy to build my XJ a little. I'm thinking a 3.5" RE lift, lunchbox locker in the rear, and some 31" M/T's.

Eventually I'll boost it with a 3" coil spring spacer, 1.5" block and 1.5" shackle and a long arm kit. When the springs wear out, I'll replace them with 6 or 7" ones.

The trick is to build what you can upgrade and re-use as much as you can. I know a lot of people who buy a small lift, then a big lift, and ect. It's called 'incrementalism' and it is a huge waste of money.

Carl

I'd offer to take delivery of it for you, but my house is already a used car lot, I just don't know where I'd put it.

I don't see any reason to incrementalize my builds because I don't have the cash for it and redundant building of any kind bothers me. I'm all about stuff that I can reuse and like most Jeepers, I have no problem hitting the junkyards. And I definitely want to utilize the sawzall where I can as opposed to trying to put 10" of lift on.

I definitely like the way RE puts their kits together, it seems like you can buy one kit and then upgrade it as your truck progresses. In a way, it's incrementalism, but it seems like a more logical version. From what I've heard, they're pretty quality too.

What size tires are you running on the XJ now?

By the way, I think I'm going to Herculine the XJ, since I'm already gonna hit the two YJs. Should be sweet.

Carl S wrote:

Always avoid incrementalism whenever possible. I suppose I will be going the incremental route, but I will be able to sell the LCA's that come with the

One good thing about the way I will be doing is it that I don't have to do it all at once. I can do the initial lift, then the Long arms with the budget boost, then the SYE, then the springs. Helps to break up the cost and time.

Carl