Well it looks like I'm about to blow this concept. I scrounged all the free parts from here to put together a 9" with tracklok to replace my worn out 8.25" yesterday.

 

Thanks DFB! I did consider the OME, and their parts are top notch. Mine is 90% daily driver, I was keeping 235s, so I wanted to stay closer to stock height. My intention was to improve weight handling, increase front articulation and keep good ride quality. In the end, I accomplished exactly what I set out to do.

 

We should have a stock or close to stock Cherokee of the month award.

 

That's actually a great Idea Sir. Spread some love to the short guys too. lol

 

Yea seems like the stock ones never get voted for. Probably have a limit on lift, like no more than 2” or something.

 

No one ever pays attention to short guys. This is why short guys end up with personalities like mine. lol

 

Finally got all my parts for the upcountry front suspension. Will I need a front end alignment if I install them? Just had it done a couple months after my wreck. So it'll be like a 45min drive plus the cost. Got it all ready to go for winter and was thinking of just waiting until spring.

 

Thanks Tbone. I'm in a similar boat. I love the look of a (close to) stock XJ. My DD is a WRX, though I take the XJ when there's snow, or also skiing and backpacking in the Oregon/Washington mountains on weekends. I'm often on the highway at 80mph. Not sure I need more travel and discos, just yet. But my Jeep friends are trying to convince me otherwise.

I've loved XJs since I bought my first one in 1993. My 99 has 102k miles, no rust, and runs like a top. Maybe I'll pick up another XJ, with higher mileage, to add a few mods to.

Regardless, thanks for the great advice!!

 

I don't know how many have thought about this, but there is a huge safety factor in this concept. Blowing a tire at 80 with a tall lift and 37's is going to be a totally different experience than if it is stock or near stock, power steering or not, that is a long way for the wheel to drop on one corner in comparison with the other three.

 

...and so the stock master-race begins.

 

Physics win!

 

It was just a thought... I blew a tire on my lifted Bronco II one time and if I had been going any faster I would have been done for and in the ditch. What reminded me was just a couple days ago this happened to a Cherokee on the freeway out here and there were three fatalities out of the five in the vehicle.

Never that it should it be regulated or anything, but it is indeed a factor to consider...

 

Well... to quote myself helps to understand this post a little better.
Yesterday was very productive: new radiator, serpentine belt, antifreeze, shocks, front & rear gear oil change, all bad sway bar bushings.
What I don't have listed here I did in Oct.: new water pump, thermostat and all the front end rubber bushings.

Now you might not believe this but the shocks were factory stock!
Who the heck goes 194K on a set of shocks?

Anyway, with the way it sits and rides now, I shelved the idea going the UpCountry idea.

Next on the list is tires, then an Auburn LSD.

 

Smart man. Address the maintenance first.
A lifted Jeep is useless when broken down on the side of the road.

Which front end rubber bushings did you replace?

 

My Dad. They just never wore out. I think he actually went all 400k on the originals but I'd have to ask him.