JeepaholicNinja

Yes, I realize that there is a lift and tire thread. It has 1,200 pages and I don't know that I'd be able to find the page I need to look back upon in the future. Also, this question also has to do with visibility....

That said, what's the stock rake of an xj (year 2000)? I heard it sags towards the back brand new? I have a hard time believing that...

I have very saggy leaf springs, and that may be causing my problem. I am not tall (5'4-5'5.5) and I feel as though I can't tell where the front of the hood is. I can adjust the seats when I drive other cars, but I don't have an adjustable seat in the xj.

So I figured I'd kill two birds with one stone and replace the suspension. OME. I'd like to go only 2 inches because a. I don't off road heavily, b. I'm in high school and can't afford things like new tires, slightly more expensive springs, etc. and c. I'm new to driving and take turns fast, make mistakes, etc. and I want some practicality (My whole family is short, too)

Do you think that with new 2 inch OME medium duty suspension that I'd get enough rake to the front to improve visibility? I thought about 2 inch coils and 2.5 inch leaf springs in the back, but felt like the rake may be too much?

I'm just tired of looking at the sky while driving, and tired of looking at my stock saggy xj. Also, some people may say that I need more experience before a lift, but I need to replace the springs. One leaf has actually snapped. And I don't want to have to do this twice, especially as I have no tools or skills so I'd have to pay to have the lift installed.

I don't know whether or not shocks would be needed with a 2.5 inch lift? I think I'd be fine, but mine may be worn out...

Sorry again for not putting this in the other thread, but I felt that as I had a whole medley of interweaving questions that I should post here for fear of my question being abandoned for the next. Thanks in advance!

Demonoid369

Why not replace with stock springs?? Why do you need 2"? If money is tight then stick with replacing with stock , upgrade when you have the money. Adding higher lift in the rear will give a big rake to the front, your rear end will as the 2" suggest, 2" higher than stock/the front. And that doesn't even count for the break in period where there's a high chance you'll be actually at 3"-4" in the rear till the springs settle. If your worried about your short family/money/rake/etc... Just stick with stock springs. Plenty of places with the stock cheap or get some from a junk yard from a jeep that has low mileage/abuse.

JeepaholicNinja

Eh, I just can't justify spending the money on oem parts when about 2" of lift can be had for around the same price...I do sometimes need having sense talked into me, though. And I love the look of lifted Cherokees, stock they're okay. I also have 225s and 16's on it and don't want them to look too big (don't worry...the 16's aren't chrome. They're the Icon ones that came standard on some upper models and I love them)...And I have a flamboyant personality...I like things to stand out. I put stickers on my school-issued laptop (not exactly supposed to but nobody cared) and colored the name tag...I actually love the fact that my jeep is like a white-out because I just see too many reds, greens, silvers, etc. Do front coils sag, too? I can't see how they could have gone this long without doing so...

Demonoid369

This is what I'm seeing and from this, I would rather go stock or just 1" of lift(which if you buy jeep upcountry springs, will give you factory 1" lift) lifting pass 1" and you need to do more than springs ie: track bar relocation or adjustable. Longer shocks are needed if you go past 1"(I'm at 2.5" in the rear and that has my stock shocks extended to the max) possible T-case drop(some have known to have drive line vibes at 2" lifts, not common but it's a risk you will take by doing so) that right there will be some money spent let alone the prices of the springs to add to that, And that doesn't take in account that since you have no skills/tools and would have to pay a shop which depending on the condition of your jeep, could take longer(more money) to swap out parts.

XJGunny

Measure from the center of your hub to the bottom of your fender flare. The front should be 17 1/2 or 18" and the rear should be 17". Any less than that will let you know there's a sag issue front and or rear.

JeepaholicNinja

I measured 17 ish front and 16 ish rear, but it looks like more sag to me. I don't know how to add pictures from my iPod...also I couldn't find any upcountry springs so...I'll probably end up going with 2 inches...but maybe coil spacers front?

jebmccall

you know their are other companies out their that will provide the same amount of lift for less than OME. i think the 2 inch OME runs about 869 at quadratec which is stupid expensive... Rubicon express 3inch kit which is just as good and includes some more parts is only 600 at seriousoffroadproducts.com. if you are looking for just springs and no shocks etc... RE 3.5 coils will run 110 and RE 3.5 springs 101 each. but more than likely youre jeep really needs the shocks and some other components replaced which would be included in the RE kit.

Demonoid369

Are you thick headed? Anything above 1" and your going to need more than just springs... Be prepared for that when you realize you axle is shifted and you get instant death wobble.

jebmccall

demonoid thats a myth man it is recomended at 3 inchs for lower control arms and a trackbar but not enitrely neccesary.

my 99xj had around 4 inchs of lift with a stock trackbar and upper and lower control arms for several years. got daily driven for 3 yrs up until totaled. never once did it have deathwobble. worn suspension components are the main cause and once you get into the higher range of lifts the steering gets crucial because the the geometry becomes crap. at 2-3 icnhs the main thing would be shocks and maybe some lowers.

Demonoid369

Bullsh** remember how the track bar is connected by the frame. It's a tie rod, at stock height that track bar rod is dead center in itself, start lifting and not adjusting and that track bar rod is turned sideways, pulled to the side from the axle. Now add daily driving and off roading and that tie rod start seeing severe side to side movement. Doesn't matter how many times you grease it, it's going to wear out much quicker. By the time I had mine lefties to 2.5-3" my axle was shifted out about 1-2" to the driver side, mind you I had already replaced the track bar with a new stock track bar before lifting, 5 months down the road and I had death wobble. unhooked the bracket and track bar and I could wiggle it this way and that because it was so freakin worn down and loose.

Demonoid369

.
Do you See the irony?? What do you think a track bar is? An engine component?!? No! It's a STEERING component. Where it's geometry(not centered anymore because the axle is sitting further down) wears the tie roddown(oh my worn suspension?!) your steering does gets crucial and you get death wobble....
This kid admits he has no knowledge of tools nor the tools themselves, meaning he can't just drill in to his track bar mount, he has to have a mechanical do that also for him. As stated before he has to realize that springs are not the only thing he will have to do. If he went to 1" then ya, just springs will do(upcountry package comes to thought) but if he's going to 2"-2.5" he needs to realize there CAN and WILL be other things he needs to do. Front he can get away with on shocks since I'm at 3" and I'm still using my stock shocks. The rear he WILL have to get longer or bpe or he's going to be having the shocks at full extension. Track bar relocation or adjustable is Necessary. Don't be going half *** and wonder/complain later that you have death wobble or related issues


Ill call it now though, I can bullsh** on 4 years at 4" with a stock track bar and you didn't have death wobble or a bad shimming, your axle was probably a good 2"-3" out on your passenger side

PDXJ

Just because Your Jeep with 3 inches of lift needed something doesn't mean someone else's is Guaranteed to need the same with 2 inches. These vehicles are not all the same maybe your XJ had some maintenance issues that contributed to the need for a new track bar. People need to stop assuming they are experts just because they did the upgrade once on one jeep.

JeepaholicNinja

Ok, first of all, no, I'm not thick-headed. And when I say I have no tools I mean no specialized tools, such as jack stands, air tools, etc. I have drills, screwdrivers, wrenches, a garage, stuff like that. Second of all, I'm sure that jebmccall knows that a track bar is a steering component. He is just trying to help. I appreciate your input and will take it into account, but there is no need to get explicit and start to insult other peoples' intelligence over a question on an internet forum. It seems as though you look condescendingly upon jebmccall and upon me. I may have interpreted your messages wrong, so if I have, I apologize for that. Thanks, jebmccall, for your input, which is what I've been hearing mostly: Springs and possibly shocks for anything under 2.5." And redrilling for the track bar. And drive line vibrations aren't a big deal at the moment. I'm not one to complain about those types of things. I imagine that the vibrations can cause stress on the u joints and such, but my Jeep has had them at stock height (from sagging badly?) since I got it. It is at 180,000 miles and I expect things like this to happen. I deal with the windows only working from one switch. I wash the windshield by hand as the spray motor doesn't work. Lastly, the final decision is mine. I asked the question to ask opinions. I read demonoid39's, and it went against what I have learned. So I said something against it and he (you) called me thick-headed (asked if I was). I'm not sure whether or not I'll get a response telling me that I'm an arrogant kid who needs to go home to his parents or if someone here will back me up. I am still open to opinions if demonoid369 hasn't ruined the thread for people not looking to get into an argument. I did think that this was the friendliest forum and I had lurked here for about a year before creating my account, but demonoid369 may have tainted my viewpoint. That said, he is the rudest person I have found on here so far. And thanks for the support, PDXJ. I thought someone might have something to say...

hankthetank

go to the junkyard and find a cherokee with decent springs. clean them up and add another good leaf from your existing pack plus new bushings and hardware. get your hands dirty and experiment. its cheap and only requires really basic hand tools and some sweat equity...and pb blaster.

disregard demonoid's posts too. just another internet loud mouth easily ignored.

JeepaholicNinja

Thanks for the suggestion, hankthetank...one problem is that I don't have many junkyards around here (small town in Maine) and the other is that I'm afraid of another spring from my leaf pack snapping on me again...(Yes they are that bad, and I have no idea how it happened as it was a spring in the center of the pack that snapped...no gangsta lean yet though haha). Well I realized today that the rake isn't too bad from inside...though it is an eyesore from the outside...I have had friends ask if the tires were rubbing (they heard driveline/u joint vibrations haha) So I may just replace the rears or do as said before a tiny amount of lift and maybe coil spacers up front...So now does anyone know if I can get away with 2 inches of lift without many other mods...I realize rear shocks will be near max, but I've heard of people going 2.5" with stock shocks so I'm okay on those (I think) and I thought track bar adjustment didn't come in until 3.5" or so? From what I understand, all I need are springs, bumpstops, possibly shocks, and possibly a t-case drop...and redrilling my track bar into a new position...Am I missing anything?

I don't need too much lift, but I just think it'd be so cool to drive up my driveway at like 10-15 ish mph without worrying about bottoming out the belly on a rock...or just go fast enough to gain momentum for the bigger bumps near the top of the driveway (uphill)...Side story–Most people not in my family (and some who are) don't dare to go up because they don't know which side to stay to and their cars are too low. My mom's car bottoms out a lot, but not majorly...just often...Most of the time we can even make it up the driveway in the winter, since it's front-wheel-drive. Other times it's parked down by the mailbox....