zj lift

userbmx1315

userbmx1315

builds more then wheels
Joined
Feb 8, 2008
Location
Bessemer City, NC
my buddy is getting a 98 grand cherokee. hes wanting to put about 5-6 " lift on it as cheap as possible, and run 35's with minimal trimming and some bump stopping.

he was looking into the rough country 4.5 and adding spacers.
now i'm an xj guy and know the front pretty much same as an xj.

my question is, with that much lift is a SYE a "MUST" like an xj?
is there another way to lift it?
think i've herd of the front to rear swap, or something.
 
Yes, he will need a SYE. I've heard that putting front springs from a V-8 ZJ will help the rear.
 
I have a 4.5" RE lift and I ran it without a SYE but now I have one and the vibes are much better. If he is going to put 2" spacers in over a 4.5" lift, I would think he would defiantly need a SYE. Another thing to maybe consider is the transfer case, is it a NP242 or NP249? I have a 242 but I don't know what is available for the 249. The 242 is stronger than the 249 but still not as strong as a 231, as found in a Wrangler or XJ. The 249 also has a viscous coupler, allowes full time 4wd, that can wear out and it is $$$. These are usually found behind the V8's.
 
I've ran my zj with as much as 6" lift, and never needed an sye, I've got an ax15 and 231 tcase though. I'd never lift it that high without longarms again, rides like shit, and doesn't wheel much better. You've got very little down travel with that setup, the suspension is about maxed out. There is a reason nobody sells a ZJ kit with more than 4.5" lift unless it is a longarm setup.


BTW you can run 35's with about 4-4.5" of lift, a little trimming and bumpstops. that's what i have now, and it works great. you'll need adjustable arms at a minimum
 
Chris_M said:
I've ran my zj with as much as 6" lift, and never needed an sye, I've got an ax15 and 231 tcase though. I'd never lift it that high without longarms again, rides like shit, and doesn't wheel much better. You've got very little down travel with that setup, the suspension is about maxed out. There is a reason nobody sells a ZJ kit with more than 4.5" lift unless it is a longarm setup.
BTW you can run 35's with about 4-4.5" of lift, a little trimming and bumpstops. that's what i have now, and it works great. you'll need adjustable arms at a minimum
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same here! unless he wants to step up for long arms he should do 4" on 33's, he's prob running a turdy5 anyway.
 
it has the 4.0, 242, auto. he does plan on axle swaps in the future. also wants to keep the abs so thats going to be a little more difficult on my part.
 
you can keep the abs, run a hp d30 from an xj using abs parts, and run a 8.8 rear, and modify it's abs sensor to work with the zj. There is a write-up on it on Mallcrawlin.com

If you stay 35's and under those axles should handle them just fine.
 
For my 8.8 swap I went with Clayton's rear bracket kit.
 
A TJ axle has diffent locations for spring buckets and shock mounts.
 
TJ/ZJ Axle Bracket Kit - Rear part# RE-9969

Line it up as needed for application. if the shocks need to be mounted different, do it!
re-read the tittle of the part in the link
 
maybe, but after seeing their products on other ZJ's, I wouldn't buy anything from them.
I know they have a following for the xj's, but I personally wouldn't buy their crap
 
my wife's ZJ has 11" of lift running 37" 's.
She made longarms out of 2" solid bar stock, bored and tapped the ends for her Currie 2.5 johnny joints. She uses a np231HD from a Dakota. Still has the slip yoke; she cut the dakota driveshaft and welded her ZJ rear yoke to it, it works great.
She used 14" travel shocks from Summit ( $34.95), she made a 3" rear coil spacer with a 6" coil retainer on the Mazak quick turn 20 she operates at her shop.(CNC lathe). Coils are Skyjacker 8" XJ coils at all four corners.
She built it to run mud, but it's a crawler when I'm driving it.
 
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