piece by piece lift kit

[BobCSmith]

We were looking at purchasing RE6200 5.5" lift kit, but at the same time we keep reading that Clayton long arm kit is the way to go, JKS Disconnects are the best and RE's discos are crap, so and so's shocks are better than RE: that it almost seems that piecing a lift kit together is the way to go.
So the question is what suggestion would you have or what would you use if you were designing a good (doesn't have to be the best-but best is always good) sound 5.5" lift kit using pieces from different suppliers.
Thanks in advance for the input

 

[Weasel]

Often times when buying new the "kits" companies sell are the best route just because everything is cheaper then piece it out. So you buy the kit and the extra stuff you need and sell the junk. RE I belive will allow you to upgrade diffrent pieces of their kits though.

Full traction has a nice long arm kit out. The only thing you would be taking a chance on are the shocks and rear springs.

I built my 5" usign 3" rancho coils, 2" spacers, Tomken control arms, 4" Tomken leaves, 1" RE shackle, Bilstein shocks, JKS trackbar, and tera discos. I really like how my setup truned out. If I did it over I would use custom made rear leaves and longer bilsteins. I didn't do these the first time due to $$$$ and the shocks just being one set vavling not XJ specific.

 

[seanR]

I bought the whole RE4.5 kit with the add a leaf. I love the front springs, adjustible track bar, and the control arms. I get awesome artiulation on the front. The disconects are junk! Quick on the "dis" part horrible on the "re" part, I need a pipe wrench, hammer and a few choice words to reconnect them. The add a leaves are cheap (read flimsey). The spring clips are about the same gauge as an Old Style can, the spring packs are very confusing to put together and need a lot of drilling and cutting where they shouldn't.

That said if I were to do it again I would save money by buying the parts I need seperatly. JKS discos are definetly the way to go. I am still reserching the rear springs, probably will have mine custom made by a friend who owns a spring shop. That is not an option for everyone I know.

Good luck and ask a lot of questions. Do a search on rear springs. There is a lot of information on the internet some of it is true.

 

[BobCSmith]

Thanks for the feedback.
I'd be interested if others who are happy with their suspension system, and built it piece by piece, would list what individual parts and components they used.

 

[Locrdup]

You will be better off getting a kit, like the RE 5.5". You can upgrade to JKS discos and you can get any shocks that your heart desires or don't even have to order shocks. Plus their are a ton of people that can get you a great deal on RE stuff.

I've gone throught the same thing as you and in the end its much cheaper buying a kit especially like the RE 5.5.

 

[Yucca-Man]

You will be better off getting a kit, like the RE 5.5". You can upgrade to JKS discos and you can get any shocks that your heart desires or don't even have to order shocks.

That's one thing that RE doesn't advertise much; you can swap their parts around on most of your orders. JKS discos instead of RE discos? No prob... When I ordered my RE6130 4.5" kit I upgraded to the Adjustable LCA and the 'Extreme-Duty' trackbar.

RE has a new monotube shock, but as far as I know that's the only one with their name on it. They offer Old Man Emu, Doestch Tech, Explorer ProComp, Bilstein or Rancho though.

 

[Kevin]

what else?

I don't want to highjack this thread, but I'm facing a similar question and wanted to take it one step further. I've got a 3" superift on my 95 and am debating which manufacturer and/or kit or pieces and parts I want to use to make the jump to 6".

What items (in addition to the lift kit) are required when going up to 6"? And what of these items can be installed before the lift? I've been advised that I'll need a SYE, longer brake lines, longer drive shaft, and gears for starters. I'm hoping to spread my financial outlay over a 6 month period to minimize damage to my wallet.

 

[bbaker80]

My XJ is currently sitting in the driveway waiting for the contractor to get started on its new home (30'x40' metal building for Jeeps and our tractor) but once it's inside I'll be getting to work rebuilding it.

Right now my plan is as follows:

Front
RE 4.5" ZJ coils
ACOS
longarms
JKS Discos
Rusty's HD Track bar
Over the knuckle steering setup

Rear
National leaf springs
Rusty's Shackles (cut to clear the bumper bolts/spring hanger)

Bilstein 5100 or 7100 shocks (leaning twoard the 7100's since there's a good possibility as the XJ body rots I'll be hanging the sheetmetal on a tube frame and the weight will change)