Baystate Jeepers

So we got the extra lift installed in my xj ( front is about 4 3/4 -5 inches) and I never relized that going over 3.5 inches I would open up a can of worms like I did (i shoulda known LOL) Now my adjustable short arms are at a pretty nasty angle and it is a very uncomfortable ride (FYI I am fully aware that lifting a vehical will NOT improve but worsen the ride) I dont expect it to drive like a stocker, but it looks like I will need to upgrade to either long-arms or install the upper and lower drop brackets to improve both ride and flexibilty. Here are my options and I would love some of your opinions on the mattter.
1. Go with a long arm upgrade (wont really have the $ to do this for at least a few months)
2. Install the dropbrackets untill I have the time and $ to buy and install a long arm kit
3. Not do anything untill I have the $ to buy a long arm upgrade.
4. Any other options to fix this problem I am all ears?
I would love to just leave it alone until I can aford to buy the long arm kit but am curious about safety on the street, and the off road capabilties of it in its current state. Any tips or ideas to address the drivabilty on road and to improve the limited flex I now have due to my suspension binding up a little bit in the front are greatly apreciated.

Install the brackets. The should bring the CA angles closer to stock.

I ran drop brackets on my XJ with short arms and 7" of lift and it rode fine.

ACE wrote:Install the brackets. The should bring the CA angles closer to stock.

I ran drop brackets on my XJ with short arms and 7" of lift and it rode fine.

How many jeep have you owned?

The drop brackets from RE work really well. Ran them for several years then switched to Teraflex long lower arms. At times I wish I stayed with the drop brackets!

I've spent a fair amount of time looking at XJ long arm kits... I haven't really been able to pick one I like, for various reasons -- most kits have some features I like, but none of them have all the features.

I've got a ~4.5" lift and I'd like to step it up to ~5.5" (not this year though...<sigh>) and do the drop brackets (or long arm) at the same time.
I'm thinking of switching up to drop brackets, since it is significantly cheaper / easier than a full long arm kit... Can always go to long arms later, and sell the brackets to get back some of the $...

If you're not sure I'd do drop brackets... They're fairly inexpensive and will solve most of the problems you're looking to fix.

JW

O.K. just went through some old pics on photobucket.......

My XJ w/5.5" of lift and drop brackets (RE front coils, BDS 3" springs, revolver shackles, and 2" blocks in rear)

Look at how unmolested she was ! FjR68

Do i need to buy adjustable upper control arms or can I run the stock ones with the drop brackets? (I have RE adjustable lowers)

Chris wrote:

ACE wrote:Install the brackets. The should bring the CA angles closer to stock.

I ran drop brackets on my XJ with short arms and 7" of lift and it rode fine.

How many jeep have you owned?

85 CJ7
96 ZJ
95 YJ
98 XJ
82 CJ8
86 CJ7
84 CJ8
82 CJ8
96 XJ

Kelly...
98 TJ Sport
04 TJ Rubicon

I would make my own lower control arms and fab a mount.

This guys work looks pretty good: http://1997jeepcherokee.blogspot.com/20 ... e-1st.html

Northshore Jeeper wrote:Do i need to buy adjustable upper control arms or can I run the stock ones with the drop brackets? (I have RE adjustable lowers)

I have RE drop brackets on mine.
Ran fixed uppers and lowers with my D30 for a long time. I had to use caster shims on my lowers to adjust the pinion angle. You'll be fine with fixed uppers and adjustable lowers.

Northshore Jeeper wrote:Do i need to buy adjustable upper control arms or can I run the stock ones with the drop brackets? (I have RE adjustable lowers)

I'd think about adding adjustable uppers, but it is a "nice to have"... Fixed uppers can be made to work.

With adjustable uppers & lowers you can re-position the axle in the wheel opening. The benefit to being able to repositioning the axle is that you can minimize rubbing / maximize compression / tire clearance and still get a proper alignment. The adjustable uppers will probably be stronger than the stock ones as well. Adjusting caster during alignment is also easier.

I have a set of RE Superflex adjustable upper and lower control arms and I've been really happy with them. I've had to rebuild the superflex joints on all of them at one time or another (in ~7 yrs of wheeling), but it is pretty easy / inexpensive to do.

Whose springs & shocks are you using? A big part of ride quality is springs & shocks... I've got RE 4.5" springs w/ OME gas/nitrogen shocks which I've found ride pretty well (though the shocks I've got are mostly decorative at this point).

JW

I have 3.5 inch RE superflex springs (1.5 inch spacers on top of that in the front) With OME nitrochargers