Susp. ? And Fender ? Pic inside

JMOliver

JMOliver

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2008
Location
Winston-Salem
Ok i have a 99 xj with a 3 inch RC lift. Also installed some Rustys Adjustable control arms on the xj ( Lowers only ). I put on some 31x10.50 Firestone Dest. MTs.
last time i went 4x4ing my tires rub top and back of fender.
what would yall do?..
Thought about just cutting fenders, then i thought about cutting and moving the flares up about a inch or two.
Then agian i thought about getting longer bumpstops.
Im 50/50 on just cutting them but still like the stock look. With bumpstops i dont get as much flex.
Opinions?.
ai37.photobucket.com_albums_e82_JOnathanOliver85_IMG_3167.jpg
 
sounds like you know what you need to do. just take your time with the cut. fortunate for xj's there is that natural body line to kind of follow. just trim a little and see where your at along the line of the body clips for the stock flares. follow that line at all four corners. should free up some space. roll the cut lip back a little, file it down and hit it with rattle primer to stop rust and a little black paint to match and your good.
 
Back when I had an XJ I cut my fenders.... also eventually had to cut/fold the rear as well..

These are about 5-5.5" of lift w/ 36's and 37's... Only thing bad about cutting the fenders is you're going to want to buy larger tires :driver:

If you do cut it, do it w/ an angle grinder and a paper thin cut off wheel.... also since your jeep is 99 watch out for the water bottle and dont cut above the pinch seam in the rear... When you get to the pinch seam you can either just not cut any higher... OR cut slits in it and fold it back...

ai52.photobucket.com_albums_g18_CTFriel_XJ_pic001_1.jpg


ai52.photobucket.com_albums_g18_CTFriel_XJ_xj066.jpg


ai52.photobucket.com_albums_g18_CTFriel_DPG_144jpg.jpg


ai52.photobucket.com_albums_g18_CTFriel_DPG_DPP_0005.jpg
 
well my backs dont rub. so i dont wanna cut em. but then agian i dont want cut front and not cut rears.

there close but dont rub
 
Just cut the fronts. Leave that lip that flares out. It adds some strenth to the cut flare and looks good. Then get door molding from advance auto and put it on. I will throw pics of my mine up in a few min. Its at 4.5 with 31's and almost no rub in the front. I do't think it looks bad just cutting the front and not the rear.

Here is the best one i have showing it.....

ai380.photobucket.com_albums_oo248_98xjjeep_Custom_20Work_DSC_5276_011_005.jpg


ai380.photobucket.com_albums_oo248_98xjjeep_DSC_4351.jpg
 
89-wrangler-yj said:
man u rub with 4.5 inchs and 31s?.. could u not go bigger? just asking..
Click to expand...

It rubs in the rear still and it the front with the wheels turned while flexed. I know it seem like alot of lift for only 31s but i really like the way it works. If it was a trail rig i would go with 4.5" long arm with 33's.
 
89-wrangler-yj said:
man u rub with 4.5 inchs and 31s?.. could u not go bigger? just asking..
Click to expand...
I wondered the same thing. I'm on 33s and 4.5" I trimmed the front and rears but I've got plenty of room up front.

Out back I'm planning to comp cut when the chop-top time comes...

To the OP, don't mess around. Cut the fronts, cut and fold the rears. Why do this multiple times? Just take half a day and be ready for the big meats when the urge strikes you.

Edit: I can't recall how much, but when I replaced my rockers with 2x4 steel, I cut back the inside ends of the wheelwells and capped the 2x4 at a matching angle.... Somewhere around 1-2"
 
98xjjeep said:
Heres a old pic of stuffing the front tire. You can see how cutting that 1" out helped with the rubbing. You may have cut more. I know i would have to cut another inch to run 33"s
ai380.photobucket.com_albums_oo248_98xjjeep_DSC_0043_019.jpg
Click to expand...

Or you could do what most would do and bumpstop it accordingly... Why do you need so much uptravel? usable droop is where it's at :driver: IMO I think 3" of uptravel is plenty...
 
uncc civilengineer said:
Or you could do what most would do and bumpstop it accordingly... Why do you need so much uptravel? usable droop is where it's at :driver: IMO I think 3" of uptravel is plenty...
Click to expand...

Well I might as well get as much uptravel as possible out of my suspension setup. If i bumpstop then its not like it will give me more down travel so i will just end up with less flex. I went with the 4.5" because I figured why buy a 3inch then when I wanna step up to bigger tires have to buy a new lift. I definatly wouldn't go any bigger then 4.5 unless i went to 36s. I like a low COG too. I just cant afford gears and bigger tires at this point.
 
Well today i did a little cutting. ( well alot you cant see ) slit and rolled the pinch joints. beat everything flat. Moved the front fender flairs to the body line. There only about 1/2 under top edge of fender flair. Even rolled the remaing lip under flair. everything should be clearanced now.

On the driver side the fender is cut right to the washer reserve.
Before ( Hate mud, never agian. )
ai37.photobucket.com_albums_e82_JOnathanOliver85_101_0642.jpg


After
ai37.photobucket.com_albums_e82_JOnathanOliver85_101_0689.jpg
 
tested it out earlier.. i still need to do something with the bumpstops.. barley rub back of fender when turning. ( while flexed. )

can you take out bump stop and add some washers and a longer bolt on a xj?.. need about a inch longer.

i also had it flexed really good. probly be fine for DD and usual UNF riding but want it there just incase.. Especially with new tires
 
89-wrangler-yj said:
tested it out earlier.. i still need to do something with the bumpstops.. barley rub back of fender when turning. ( while flexed. )
can you take out bump stop and add some washers and a longer bolt on a xj?.. need about a inch longer.
i also had it flexed really good. probly be fine for DD and usual UNF riding but want it there just incase.. Especially with new tires
Click to expand...
Are you talking about the front or rear.
 
Rubicon Express makes these: http://www.rubiconexpress.com/JeepParts/Product.aspx?part=RE1396 I know they say 1" extension.. but it's more like 2" or so..

THey look just like this and you remove the factory upper bumpstop and install a harder poly one... (looks like this: http://www.rubiconexpress.com/JeepParts/Product.aspx?part=RE1395)

Another option is thier lower bumpstops: http://www.rubiconexpress.com/JeepParts/Product.aspx?part=RE1383

JKS Mfg. also makes some adjustable ones out of aluminum...
 
uncc civilengineer said:
usable droop is where it's at :driver: IMO I think 3" of uptravel is plenty...
Click to expand...

Uhhh, not really. especially if you like to go even moderately quick. I'm at 4-5" typically and would like a little more even.
 
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