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Just picked up a 1997 XJ (SE / Sport?) 5-speed

I will gladly do that but like i said above i work an hour from where i live plus its been hectic with buying the thing last night then driving it home later tonight so i will try and stop in there friday night to see their prices & stuff. If they have a good matching set i would be glad to
 
Searched online and the cheapest quality tires I could locate were the Pirelli Scorpion ATR in 235-75/15 for $119 each....
Tire prices have really gone up since the BP oil spills....
 
haha idk if they are related (and i dont mean that in a political way haha cause idk politics or read news) but regardless i will check out AfterHours tires which is a local place that has amazing prices, 119 for 235/75/R15's mounted, balanced, valves, disposal... out the door soo perhaps i just get General Grabber AT2 but ill see what they got in stock or some left overs & what nots.

Still just gotta level & hopefully raise it a bit then im good to go. maybe a battery cause he said if he were to keep it he was gunna do battery & tires but it hasnt caused issues yet
 
A little bit of lift on the cheap-
http://www.rocklizardfabrications.com/home_brew_budget_boost.htm

People give away stock springs, and you can probably score some ZJ V8 coils, or, if not coils, some coil spacers, for not much money. Make your own clamps, get some new Ubolts and centering pins. If you're worried about the shocks being too short (on a DD at 1.5-2", I wouldn't be), you could get some BPEs for relatively cheap, or make some using the rear sway bar parts and some new hardware. That gets you back about 3/4", and saves you having to fight with the shock mounting hardware again in the future.

I've been really happy with Bridgestone's Dueler ATs- ran the older style on my stock wheels for a few years, and am running 16" Revos now. I think they set me back about $100 per corner for 235/75/15s. A friend runs some Goodyears on his, which he got some right around $85 installed. But, tire prices vary widely, and IMO it's definitely worth hitting the smaller shops. A little independent outfit set me up with the Bridgestones for less than anyone else would have installed their generic passenger tires. And there's always the used/takeoff route. I know some people won't run used tires, but I've had good luck with all of mine.
 
yea im just tryin to do the whole JY thing for now only because it WILL have a RC 3" A.A.L. with shocks lift kit for dirty cheap but the dirty cheap is still outa my league for now. Thats why i figured i know some peeps are the JY & i usually give 10 dollars for whatever & im good. So i figured if i could come across ZJ V8s ill be happy & have a few spring isolators on hand incase. Bastardize the stock pack by slipping in either a cut main XJ or the 2nd leaf and maybe a overload from something to get it 1/2" back to level then 1.5" above stock. I will be getting new U bolts made tomororw. I thought registration was going to be more expensive but lets just say "i did something right & by right i mean wrong" hahaha. So i can afford to have 40$ in new crazy gauge Ubolts made. ill ask bout center pins too if i can get some. So your sayin ill be good on 2" which is perfect because that is my goal. I can get the fronts done easily i just dont want to have to "rebuild the pack" 4-5 times to get what i need even though its the smart bet. The tires im literally just looking for a set of 4 matching tires maybe even a 5th. they dont HAVE to be new but obviously i would be happier because of no cupping, anything like that. Like i said hopefully tomorrow after work I can head over & see what they have in stock & go from there. They have amazing prices so im sure i will find something. My friend mentioned MUD BRUTES but idk if i want them on a DD
 
Nice Jeep man! I love that color, it looks great with the black wheels. As for adding leaves to the rear packs, swap in the 2nd and 4th leaves from another cherokee pack and you should at about an inch over what you have now. Purchase some quality U-bolts, don't buy them from an autoparts store! You will also have to replace the center pin on the leaves. For the front, install a coil spacer and replace you're isolators with new ones. You should be fine on stock length shocks until you can upgrade. As for tires, do you have a pepboys store near you? They have a Futura brand A/T that is the same tread pattern as the BFG A/T, just cheaper, they are decent tires, not the best, but you get what you pay for. Again, nice Jeep, hope you enjoy it!
 
hubs97xj said:
A little bit of lift on the cheap-
http://www.rocklizardfabrications.com/home_brew_budget_boost.htm

People give away stock springs, and you can probably score some ZJ V8 coils, or, if not coils, some coil spacers, for not much money. Make your own clamps, get some new Ubolts and centering pins. If you're worried about the shocks being too short (on a DD at 1.5-2", I wouldn't be), you could get some BPEs for relatively cheap, or make some using the rear sway bar parts and some new hardware. That gets you back about 3/4", and saves you having to fight with the shock mounting hardware again in the future.

I've been really happy with Bridgestone's Dueler ATs- ran the older style on my stock wheels for a few years, and am running 16" Revos now. I think they set me back about $100 per corner for 235/75/15s. A friend runs some Goodyears on his, which he got some right around $85 installed. But, tire prices vary widely, and IMO it's definitely worth hitting the smaller shops. A little independent outfit set me up with the Bridgestones for less than anyone else would have installed their generic passenger tires. And there's always the used/takeoff route. I know some people won't run used tires, but I've had good luck with all of mine.
Click to expand...
X2, I love my bridgestone dueler APTs I have on my DD MJ. I have no idea what I'll run next as I tend to pick up full sets of stock tires on the classifieds + CL for cheap from guys who lifted their rig, but I'll be happy if I find another set.
 
YES FINALLY! LEAF ANSWERS YAY! haha thanks i appreciate it. soo if i were to add the 2nd & 4th that would get me 1" total. I am sagging around 1/2" prolly currently so that would put me 1/2" above stock. Would adding say the 1st & 3rd or 2nd & 3rd get my to around 2.5" total so im around 2" maybe a little less? I dont have a pepboys local but i rememberd a while back they had a buy 3 get 1 free & i was going to get some dakota A/Ts but that deal is long gone. I will get pricing from the local place & then call up pepboys & see what they can offer. I would prefer to go to the local place because A its local & B they love repeat customers & they sorta know me because although ive never gotten tires there ive sent quite a few peeps in their direction. maybe get a deal on their already deal prices one day. Thanks for all the jeep love because honestly after having 2 ive gotten a lot of sh*t from about everyone ive told because they think im dumb.

1996 XJ 5speed, 300K+ miles body rotted off but i coulda bet $$$ on the motor
1999 XJ Auto, 150k popped a piston skirt & then speed shop F'd the order of my rods so BOOM out the block it went

Each one i only owned for around 5 months before they were "done" so i need to prove them wrong & i appreciate your support haha
 
okay follow me here cause ive done a lot of reading while i should be working :P jk im rendering so i jsut sit & wait.

For my rear leafs i am thinking the following might net me 2.5" ish (remember compensating 1/2"+ for saggy mc leafs) i dont want to go beyond the height were i need to invest in new shocks)

(1) XJ Main original
(2) S10 2nd leaf or XJ main w/ cut off eyelits?
(3) XJ 2nd original
(4) XJ 3rd original
(5) XJ 4th original or S10 overload?

Sound anything close to say 2.5" ish in the rear?

From what i have read is that the S10 2nd leaf gives you about 2". I need another 1/2+ to fix the already level (not inverted) pack i have. I dont want it to ride like a dump truck though. So is that seem like it could be doable or if i just slipped a S10 2nd leaf in to my stock pack either below the main or 2nd (depeding on its length). shackles arent really an option because we have no comanchees in the yard and most wranglers are stripped before they even to down to the yard. I hear GM shackles but idk how much that will add plus i dont want to "S" my already flat stock pack
 
I'll second the Bridgestone Duelers. I have the Revos and love them. Not considered cheap though. If you want cheap take a look at these: http://www.treadwright.com/ I haven't run them myself but I have heard good things about them.

As far as the lift, why an RC AAL eventually? Its basically the same thing as a junk yard/bastard pack, you just pay more. Nothing special there.
 
I'm running treadwright ATs on my 96, they do decent offroad but I wish I'd sprung for the MTs instead. Would be fine on a DD though, and they sure are cheap, got my set of 4 33x11.5r16 (actually 285/75r16s) shipped to me for 550.
 
nice nice. im hoping to get to after hours tires today to check out their stock & see what i might try and get. Got the jeep last night i was extremely happy because it drove smooth, no "sudden CEL" haha, straight & every button in the thing worked. He was also a smart man & got the headlight relay upgrade too so i could see driving home late last night. It runs like a top just replaced the battery like he said he would have done had he kept it. Now today i am hoping to get to the spring place & have them make me a set of uber duty U-bolts maybe see if they have a spare leaf layin around too ;) Funny think my brother noticed was when i used my turnsignal left both rear lights would blink. I read about it & moved the emergency flashers quite fast a few times & now its occasional. Im going to remove the stearing column cover & either tighten things down or clean off the recepticals with a Q-tip & some contact cleaner. other than that its time to bastardize haha i want tires soon but it has to wait a week so ill look semi goof bastard'ed up
 
also im trying to find out where exactly is adjustable for the rear latch because it latches & works great but its loose. ive turned the stoppers out 3/4 turn but after that you hear wind noise so id rather not just use that as a fix. Also the rear bench obviously is squeaky because the rubber bushings are sh*t. what have people done so that the rear bench isnt flopping around inside the locking things? i know you can replace the bushing but i cant buy them & most in the junkyard were spent just like mine.
 
that was the question i was asking. all i knew was camaro spring isolators are like 1 1/2" ish thick. but i havent gotten any anwers yet. same with the ZJ swaybar if its an "upgrade" cause peeps say it is
 
good news gang the back has been bastardized :) beautiful results too :) went to the junkyard & did the damn thing haha took apart dakota rear leafs & ZJ V8 coils & isolators (it wasnt easy with a channellock tool set only by the way but i got it covered)

2..5" of total lift for the rear leafs.
heres my breakdown

(1) XJ main (obviously)
(2) XJ 2nd leaf
(3) dodge dakota 3rd leaf (just shorter than the XJ 2nd but almost as short as XJ 3rd)
(4) XJ 4th leaf (the "releaf leaf?)
(5) Dodge dakota overload leaf (its chubby & free height)

all that & boom 2.5" +/- in the rear so once the ZJ coils go in & the 2 spring isolators ill be sexy

grand total
leafs, centerpins = 25 dollars
springs, isolators, leafs = 25 dollars
lift = awesomesauce

ill post pictures if i can hopefully get the front done tomorrow youll notice :) dont knock the cheapo tires & the 1 missmatch im hopefully gunna get General Grabber AT2's next weekend at the tune of 530 out the door everything included & tax (if thats bad lemme know haha) oh he also said that falken High Country were nice. All in all i would like to know WHAT IS THE BEST IN SNOW!!! i have a paranoia after wrecking my car in the winter & i have to drive past that spot every day to work so even in a jeep im a baby :(

BETTER IN SNOW?!
Falken High Terrain (235/75/R15)
General Grabber AT2's (235/75/R15)

or if theres another tire thats good for a lot of driving & snow & doesnt look ehh im listening :)
 
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