I have a conundrum....

[Maximus Ram]

My daughter wants a 2" lift for her 93 ZJ for Christmas. Now, when I put the 4.5 " on the XJ, I ran into all sorts of problems. I really don't want to put a 2" lift on her ZJ if it's going to cause more harm than good.
Will 2"'s have much of a negative effect as the 4.5" on the XJ did ?

Thanks for any insight....

 

[Smksignals]

I have a 94 ZJ Limited with the UpCountry suspension (from the factory), sway bar dis-connects, and 2" coil spacers. I have 31's on the factory rims and have no problems at all. Wheels tuck under the wheel wells when flexing. No death wobbles on the freeway. I really love my set up !!

 

[ExpoMike]

It can be completely hit and miss. If all the suspension parts are in good shape, a 2" lift won't cause any issues but it can only take one random worn out part and the minute you modify anything beyond stock, it can pop up to be a bigger project than you expected.

My motto, plan for the worse, wish for the best. Good luck.

 

[jagular7]

Better watch out. First it starts with a small lift, then new shocks, control arms, track bars, tires, wheels, lockers, doubler.....it never ends.


Putting a small lift can introduce gremlins due to normal wear and tear. Biggest issue, with a small lift such as spacers, you'll need to look into shocks as well. With coil spacers, track bars pull the axles sideways due to their configuration. Might want to recenter the axles under the frame with adjustable track bars.
Stock control arms should be fine, but look at the bushings. Putting lift on a link axle draws the axles towards the frame mounts on the links. So for her bd, you can toss her way a set of adjustable control arms to replace the stock ones.
Things to check out after installing the slight lift would be the cv's in the ds, tie rod ends, link bushings, since its a ZJ, look at the cv boots in the front axle.

 

[Maximus Ram]

Thats my biggest worry. We install the lift and then we'll need to throw more money at the small things that start to happen. And I am sure that since it is 17 years old, the bushings are not in the best of shape under there.....

 

[BIGdaddy]

It can be completely hit and miss. If all the suspension parts are in good shape, a 2" lift won't cause any issues but it can only take one random worn out part and the minute you modify anything beyond stock, it can pop up to be a bigger project than you expected.

My motto, plan for the worse, wish for the best. Good luck.

By the way, my xj never had any issues after the first few weeks. No wear, no noises. Yay!

 

[BIGCHUCKSTUD]

Issues are rare after a budget boost, check all suspension components and if something is worn it need attention anyway.

 

[Smksignals]

Issues are rare after a budget boost, check all suspension components and if something is worn it need attention anyway.

exactly !

 

[carlo muro]

:sombrero:

I did a 3" on my '98 XJ. Rusty's with Bilstein shocks.

First thing I noticed right off the bat: Transfer case howled like a banshee at anything over 50 mph. In goes a SYE and Tom Wood's driveshaft. Problem solved.

Then one day while rounding a turn I hit a bump and that was the day I met old man DW (death wobble). Not horrible DW but bad enough.

To stop DW I made some fairly thick spacers that I used to adjust my caster back into spec. It helped but DW stayed.

I then replaced the track-bar (the mounting bolt and nut were badly rusted anyway) with a new adjustable one. No dice.

Thinking the problem must be in the tie rod ends and seeing how I want to upgrade to a locker and even more lift in the future I sprung for a Currie Enterprises steering kit. This tie rod is MASSIVE. Got it all back together and took it for a ride. On the way out everything was fine. Coming back home on my way down a winding mountain road at about 50 mph, old man DW came back so violently I thought he would smash the glass out of every window. No joke. It was scary bad! It felt like I was inside a jack hammer and I had to slow to almost a stop before DW stopped! I limped it back home at about 25 mph.

Got on the net and read some more. Somebody said that alignment was the number 1 cause of DW. I put a tape measure on my tires and found that my alignment was WAY OFF. I put it back into spec as close as I could and DW is gone. In hindsight I should have one that first but live and learn.

No...small lifts are no problem

 

[BEVAN]

:sombrero:

Got on the net and read some more. Somebody said that alignment was the number 1 cause of DW. I put a tape measure on my tires and found that my alignment was WAY OFF. I put it back into spec as close as I could and DW is gone. In hindsight I should have one that first but live and learn.

No...small lifts are no problem

yup, I've come to learn this...alignment +wheel balance keep old man DW away !

 

[gary in ohio]

I had a 76 conundrum, Never buy another french car again..:smiley_drive::smiley_drive:

 

[BEVAN]

My daughter wants a 2" lift for her 93 ZJ for Christmas. Now, when I put the 4.5 " on the XJ, I ran into all sorts of problems. I really don't want to put a 2" lift on her ZJ if it's going to cause more harm than good.
Will 2"'s have much of a negative effect as the 4.5" on the XJ did ?

Thanks for any insight....

Go for it, is it a 4.0 ZJ or 5.2 ?

My roomate has done a BB to his ZJ and WJ and has never looked back...both are DD's

 

[KMV77]

I did a 2" lift on my 98 TJ, 96 zj and 02 WJ. THe only vehicle I had issues with was the TJ. I ended up needing a track bar relocator and that was it. Both the zj and wj were just install and go. No dw or anything. I even left the factory shocks on the wj. You should be fine.
Kevin

 

[alosix]

Thats my biggest worry. We install the lift and then we'll need to throw more money at the small things that start to happen. And I am sure that since it is 17 years old, the bushings are not in the best of shape under there.....

We put an RE one on my buddies wife's DD of a similar vintage. Mostly because we had it in stock (was selling RE @ the time) and needed to get rid of it. Her ZJ was also in BAD need of shocks.

It went on easy and drives normal. I think we put on 30x9.5s as well. She drives like a nut, 2 kids in the back and no suspension related issues that I know of.

Jason

 

[alosix]

I had a 76 conundrum, Never buy another french car again..:smiley_drive::smiley_drive:

Well, not that Fiat owns a good chunk of chrysler....