Rough Country XJ lift

[YodasYota]

I'm looking to hopefully get an XJ this summer, and one of the first things I will want to do would be a 3in lift so I can get some 31s on there for extra clearance. I found this lift, and its def the cheapest for all the stuff included.
http://www.roughcountry.com/jeep_xj_suspension_lift_kits.html
There are 2 different 3in lifts which one do I want?
I'm not going to be rock crawling, maybe some trails but nothing hardcore, will this lift serve me well? Also how I have been looking around and was reading up on the SYE, will I need one?

Thanks guys.

 

[Waytec]

You do not have to put a SYE in with a 3 in. Get some wedges for the rear thou. You may need to shim the rear up in order to reduce the drive line angel.
The right lift for you is what you want and what you can afford. Personally I have a Rubicon Express 3.5 super flex kit in my 95 XJ and love it. I have 31’s and have no cleanse issues. I can run 33’s with some fender trimming. Also parked beside my buddy with a skyjacker 6” XJ lift I am almost the same height, on smaller tiers.

 

[ExpoMike]

An SYE will depend on what year you buy. Pre '97, you should be good without one but they changed the slip yoke/output housing in late '96. The housing is shorter and doesn't support the slip yoke as far out as the earlier ones. This causes more loading of the slip yoke since it is further out and at a greater angle then stock.

 

[Purple People Eater]

NOOOOO!!!!!

I had the Rough Country 3" lift on my Jeep, and I hated it. It was a horrible ride, and provided no more articulation than stock. In fact, I believe it took away some articulation. The add-a-leafs will fail fast, and the shocks will be shot within the year. I promise.

Save your money and get something at least halfway decent.

 

[herdnerd]

You do not have to put a SYE in with a 3 in. Get some wedges for the rear thou. You may need to shim the rear up in order to reduce the drive line angel.

I was under the impression that the only time shims were needed is with a CV driveshaft and an SYE. With a non-CV shaft, the angles front and rear need to match.

 

[Root Moose]

Adding new springs and shackles pretty much guarantees a new driveline angle. This is what you would use the shims to correct.

Don't get too excited about it till the lift is on. Then check to see how much of an angle change you need to add.

 

[herdnerd]

Adding new springs and shackles pretty much guarantees a new driveline angle. This is what you would use the shims to correct.

Of course the angle changes. My point is that the angle of the driveshaft relative to the transfer case should be the same as the angle of the driveshaft relative to the pinion. Adding shims makes these angles different. With an SYE and CV shaft that is what you want but not so with a non-CV shaft.

Tom Woods tech

 

[b jeepin]

wow

i figured i should chime in, as a current xj owner and having lifted 5 others in the past i want to leave you my .02 also. if you aren't looking to get into anything extreme 3-3.5 inch lift is where you want to be. i myself had a 1989 xj with the rough country 3 in kit on it, i installed this kit new. it will privide you with the height, and ride quality in my opinion is good, it doesn't improve flex much but you will gain the clearance and ability to run the tires you want. that said, sometimes you get what you pay for to some extent, i may try to look into a rubicon express kit. i never have run this kit but have heard only good things about it, also don't worry on a slip yoke for now you most likely will not need it just inspect everything when your finished with the install and after a few miles are driven. the only other thing i may mention if going on the cheap side is i myself have had better luck with the add a leaves than a block stay away from blocks, if you want a little more hieght change the shackles first.

good luck! heres what my 89 looked like with 32" ss tsl's and a rough country 3" kit

 

[tommudd]

I had a Rough Country on my 95 for two weeks, buddy bought it then wrecked his so I got it from him, yes it's a cheap lift and not worth the install time even. Save up and buy a good lift you will be a lot happier, thats one place I always try to get the best or at least about the best!

In Swahili they have a saying "Bure aghali" translated it basically means Cheap is expensive

 

[SixLug]

I would save up too and get something with a real rear leaf pack. Add a leaf kits sag after no time. I have one on mine and the rear is sittin low. How is one leaf supposed to rearch a stock set of leaves to gain 3" for any amount of time? Its not. Get real leaf packs.

 

[YodasYota]

After looking back at the lift again, it has an option of getting new leaf springs instead of the add a leafs, so from you guys have said I'm guessing it will defiantly be worth the extra money to do that? And it has an option of upgrading the shocks to so that would probably be a good move too since someone mentioned the shocks sucked.

Thanks for the advice guys! Keep it coming!

 

[FlexdXJ]

NOOOOO!!!!!

I had the Rough Country 3" lift on my Jeep, and I hated it. It was a horrible ride, and provided no more articulation than stock. In fact, I believe it took away some articulation. The add-a-leafs will fail fast, and the shocks will be shot within the year. I promise.

Save your money and get something at least halfway decent.

RC has been getting a lot better as of late. If he buys a lift with packs he'll be fine. Their shocks leave something to be desired but other than that he'll be good!

 

[GTABurnout]

Personal experence:

Avoid add-a-leafs, with a full load it will sag a lot. Not to mention the issue iof having a heavy bumper. I have a 2000 I needed a SYE at 3" thats right NEEDED. The truck would no take a proper drive line adj. Sorry nature of the truck.

I currently am rolling a custom oldman EMU that Purple had built for his last cherokee. Ride is better then stock and way better then the procomp lift.

 

[FlexdXJ]

Personal experence:

Avoid add-a-leafs, with a full load it will sag a lot. Not to mention the issue iof having a heavy bumper. I have a 2000 I needed a SYE at 3" thats right NEEDED. The truck would no take a proper drive line adj. Sorry nature of the truck.

I currently am rolling a custom oldman EMU that Purple had built for his last cherokee. Ride is better then stock and way better then the procomp lift.

That is normal with a Low pinion Axle. Unfortunately Jeep thought it was a good Idea to swap to the LP axle in the 00-01 models!

 

[YodasYota]

Was reading up, and saw this stuff, someone mentioned on another forum that this would work for 3in of lift,

http://rustysoffroad.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=RC-TCD1-XJ&Category_Code=SUS_ACC
or, this with the 1in drop
http://rustysoffroad.com/mm5/mercha...roduct_Code=RA-CM200-XJ&Category_Code=xj_skid