Bought tires... Need lift.

[cometcyclonemk]

Just bought some new (to me) tires for the Cherokee, and I'm definitely going to be needing a lift.

Specs:

1991 Cherokee
AX-15
Stock gears / suspension
31x10.5x15 Duratracs on Ravine Wheels (these are the new ones...)
Stock everything else (except an Airaid cold air kit I got a smokin' deal on)

Driving will probably be 40/40/20 (City/Highway/Off-Road). With very little crawling, and mostly just forest service roads and such for the off-road portion.

Anyway, I'm looking to lift it so I can get them mounted up (without massive rubbing as they did for the little bit I had them on just for kicks). I'm thinking about a 3", I'm budget minded and not looking to do lots of trimming ( at least anything that will change the stockish look, inner fender is ok if needed).

My current top choice (mainly due to price for a full rear leaf kit) is this:
http://zoneoffroad.com/product?ki=436&gr=-1

Zone will sell this kit without the shocks for $372... Which seems like a steal for full rear leafs, new coils and such, especially with a lifetime warranty (for what that's worth). Any thoughts? Other similarly priced options?

Any recommended shocks? As much as I would LOVE to, I won't be going the Fox / Billstein etc. route - I'm cheap! I can get Edelbrocks at distributor pricing... Are any of theirs worth while?

*Edit* I should probably mention... I'm not planning on massively armoring, towing boats or otherwise weighing my Jeep down... So I don't want springs / shocks set up for a heavier rig.

Thanks for the help! (Sorry if these have been covered elsewhere... Couldn't find any reviews of the zone full leaf kit with a search... I'm a newb!)

(Not sure if the images will work...)

This picture makes the lack of clearance... quite clear
(This is before I got them mounted on the Ravines... Hopefully I won't regret that decision due to backspacing issues...)

 

[jeeptorino68]

just put them on and drive with no lift :roll: the tires will self clear the fenders

ps: a site you may find interesting: http://www.go.jeep-xj.info/

 

[chris420]

You could always try coil spacers and add a leaf. Check out this link they have a few different budget lifts as well as a Full Tracktion 3.5" kit that is well worth the money.

http://www.4wd.com/Jeep-Lift-Kits-J...odel=CHEROKEE+(XJ)&Engine=4.0L+L6+242+CID+GAS

 

[VAhasnoWAVES]

31s and stock backspacing is fine. the ravines are a beautiful rim.

i recommend the RE 3.5" super ride kit.
i have their 4.5" super flex hit. great quality. and you can stuff 31s on stock backspacing into your fenders without trimming.

 

[cometcyclonemk]

Does anyone have any experience with the zone full rear leaf kit? The main reason I'm looking at their route is price - $370 is quite a bit cheaper than many of the other kits...

 

[clean4drxj]

IMO zone stuff is not good, same your money for a good lift, if you really want some height for cheap go to the jack yrad or look around for ZJ V8 springs for the from and Dakota leafs or S10s for a bastard pack and and get some JK shocks on the cheap.

 

[Chrisp929]

I'm following this thread closely. I have some ebay ravines that came last week and i want 31x10.5 duratracs also. I have a up country lift on my 2001 sport but that, i doubt, is anywhere near enough for 31's. I also dont want to spend $1,000 + on a OME kit although its certainly not only what i would love but also rides the best. Sigh.

 

[cometcyclonemk]

Clean4drxj: Could you describe a bit more about what you don't like about zone products?

I'd prefer not to go the ZJ V8 springs / bastard pack route, because I'd like a spring rate designed with my lighter 4.0 Cherokee in mind, and I really can't stomach spending $1000 to lift a $2000 Cherokee...

 

[Alaskan89XJ]

Well, "is that a real poncho.., or is that a Sears poncho", F.Zappa. You get what you pay for. Your $2k XJ will be your $3k XJ and it will be real. OME is mentioned alot for a reason, i.e., they handle some really long stretches in Australia as their 'metal temper' has a quality control insuring their product is better than OEM. My setup is only good for my desired 2" lift, but the product is tuned together for the XJ; Leafs, coils, shocks. Our wheel wells are probably the same dimensions, and I am certain I can't stuff 31's without rubbing. I'll be happy soon with 29's-or-30's, (after ordering the brand of the winner of the mud tire contest), in conjunction with JKS discos already installed, with that rear sway bar tossed out last summer. I'm looking for steel wheels.., yours available? How far away from Fife Wa. are you?

 

[Porch951]

If you want to do it cheap and end up with a good product, making your own lift is the only option IMO.

My .02:
-used Rubicon OEM shocks (search it here)
-Buy front coils ($150 new, maybe something used?)
-Rear: shackles? Bastard pack? AAL? Or $200 for RE springs through seriousoffroad.com, $300 for OME springs elsewhere.
-Chevy 1500 front brake lines, Dakota rear brake line

I forget what else, but that'll get you started.

 

[Johnnie Walker]

If you want to do it cheap and end up with a good product, making your own lift is the only option IMO.

My .02:
-used Rubicon OEM shocks (search it here)
-Buy front coils ($150 new, maybe something used?)
-Rear: shackles? Bastard pack? AAL? Or $200 for RE springs through seriousoffroad.com, $300 for OME springs elsewhere.
-Chevy 1500 front brake lines, Dakota rear brake line

I forget what else, but that'll get you started.

x2 of DIY.
As for rear..OME leafs, Q-tec has them 119$/ea (over on cherokeeforum Q-tec is a vendor and offers free ship last I recalled), possibly MJ shackles or HDOffroad Shacklerelocation backet
http://www.quadratec.com/cart/cart.php?add0=16090+5054
Your LCA's will probably limit your droop in front, so Extended brakelines may not be necessary

 

[frankensteinxj]

If you want cheap, cut your fenders and put the tires on.

 

[Manic Mechanic]

As for rear..OME leafs, Q-tec has them 119$/ea (over on cherokeeforum Q-tec is a vendor and offers free ship last I recalled), possibly MJ shackles or HDOffroad Shacklerelocation backet
http://www.quadratec.com/cart/cart.php?add0=16090+5054

Another vote on the OME leafs from Quadratec. Just installed them this weekend, and very happy with the ride quality even with some cheap shocks in for now. Even with shipping I think it was only $260ish to have it shipped to Texas. You'll have to buy new bushings, but go ahead and splurge on some greasable bushing and extended/relocated shackle set ups. For the front I went with Rusty's 2in coils. Figure I'd give them a shot. So far not bad, see how it does come winter. Eventually I'll be making this a 2.5in+ set up with shackles and probably go to 3in springs in the front.

-Eric
-Eric

 

[jeeptorino68]

x2 of DIY.
As for rear..OME leafs, Q-tec has them 119$/ea (over on cherokeeforum Q-tec is a vendor and offers free ship last I recalled), possibly MJ shackles or HDOffroad Shacklerelocation backet
http://www.quadratec.com/cart/cart.php?add0=16090+5054
Your LCA's will probably limit your droop in front, so Extended brakelines may not be necessary

do the above...
small spacer plus ZJ coils... or new coils all together. small shackle and bastard pack is the way to go
JK shocks are usually pretty cheap.
relocate the front brake lines, get longer rear brake line.

 

[Vanimal]

xj's with ax15's have 3.06? gearing, and it's horrible with 31's. you pretty much have to stay in 4 low off road, and slip the crap out of the clutch to do any real crawling. it's a PITA to wheel. i'd change them out for 4.10's or 3.73's.
i have the exact same jeep as you, with a 4' lift and 31's, no lockers/lsd, and i dont think i want to wheel again until i get the gears swapped.

 

[cometcyclonemk]

So I have a connection to get a smoking deal on the same OME 2.5" kit found here:

http://www.4wheelparts.com/Lift-Kit...c=1&t_s=38&t_pt=5491&t_pl=101680&t_pn=ARB8401

I think I've convinced myself I'm ok with spending the money, so I'm going this route. The question is: I can get it for about the same price with Bilstein 5100 shocks instead of the OME ones. Would this be a good switch? Do 5100s have options in valving? I can't really find information on it...

I can also get the kit without shocks, for about $270 less. Anything in that price range you'd recommend over the Bilsteins or OME shocks?

One more question: Will I be able to get by with the 2.5" lift on and my 31" Duratracs, or should I go ahead and find some spacers / MJ shackles or something to get me an extra 1/2"?

I'm kinda needing to order the stuff today to get the discount, so... While not expected, quick replies would be awesome!

Thanks!

 

[Vanimal]

i dont know about ome, but bilsteins are damn good shocks. i like the ones on my xj.

 

[Johnnie Walker]

So I have a connection to get a smoking deal on the same OME 2.5" kit found here:

http://www.4wheelparts.com/Lift-Kit...c=1&t_s=38&t_pt=5491&t_pl=101680&t_pn=ARB8401

I think I've convinced myself I'm ok with spending the money, so I'm going this route. The question is: I can get it for about the same price with Bilstein 5100 shocks instead of the OME ones. Would this be a good switch? Do 5100s have options in valving? I can't really find information on it...

I can also get the kit without shocks, for about $270 less. Anything in that price range you'd recommend over the Bilsteins or OME shocks?

One more question: Will I be able to get by with the 2.5" lift on and my 31" Duratracs, or should I go ahead and find some spacers / MJ shackles or something to get me an extra 1/2"?

I'm kinda needing to order the stuff today to get the discount, so... While not expected, quick replies would be awesome!

Thanks!

Both OME and Bilstein are great shocks. Just go for the kit with the 5100s, you would most likely spend 300$+ on equivalent shocks. For the front, you can run an additional stock coil spring isolator or 2. When you get pit put together, flex it and bumpstop accordingly. Hockey pucks are a buck a piece and work well for the front bumps. If those are stock-type wheels they may rub the LCA's at full lock. But typically with stock back space wheels they stuff the fenderwells pretty good.

 

[VAhasnoWAVES]

Does anyone have any experience with the zone full rear leaf kit? The main reason I'm looking at their route is price - $370 is quite a bit cheaper than many of the other kits...

price isnt the only factor to look at... for X.X" lift kit. they arent all created equal. for instance, looking at what the zone kit and RE kit comes with, you get what you pay for. if i did it over again, id put together all the parts i want. but that tends to be more time and energy consuming.

 

[kcmudbug]

I got brand new ZJ coils from oreilly's for less than 100. I bought Crown HD leafs because I got them cheap locally, but the OMEs from quadratec would probably be better. I'd do that plus 2" spacer up front and an extended shackle or relo kit out back. If you did need any trimming at that point, it would be minor. All together, this might be just a touch more expensive than the zone kit, but this combo is kinda tried and true. I've not been able to find much about the zone kit.

One of my buddies had a set of those edelbrock IAS shocks, and they seemed to ride pretty well from what I remember. I wouldn't be afraid to give them a try.