I've decided to build up an '89 XJ I have.

This will pretty much be for mudding only. I already have a daily driver.

Here's what i'm looking at getting:

Tires: (from cheapest to most expensive)
Super Swamper TRXUS MT Radial Tire 33x12.50R-15
http://www.4wd.com/productdetails.aspx?jeep-sid=165&plID=447&partID=14375

Maxxis Buckshot Radial Mudder Tire 33x12.50R-15
http://www.4wd.com/productdetails.aspx?jeep-sid=163&plID=0&partID=14746

Goodyear Wrangler MT/R Tire 33x12.50R15RWL
http://www.4wd.com/productdetails.aspx?jeep-sid=166&plID=0&partID=5856

Wheels (from cheapest to most expensive)
Pro Comp Series 51 Black Steel D Hole Wheel 15x7
http://www.4wd.com/productdetails.aspx?jeep-sid=168&plID=392&partID=7579

Dick Cepek DC-1 Black Wheel 15"x8"
http://www.4wd.com/productdetails.aspx?jeep-sid=171&plID=0&partID=12263

Lift Kit
Rusty's XJ Cherokee 4.5" Add-A-Leaf Kit
http://rustysoffroad.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=rustys&Product_Code=RK-405AL-XJ&Category_Code=sus_xj_kit

Rusty's XJ Cherokee 4.5" Spring Pack Kit
http://rustysoffroad.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=rustys&Product_Code=RK-405SP-XJ&Category_Code=sus_xj_kit

Anyone have any thoughts on these or recommend something better for not too much more $$$? (trying to keep this SEMI-budget...i'm a recent grad with lots of bills.) I'd love to get a Rubicon Express lift kit, but I cant justify putting that kind of money into a lift kit that I'll likely never use to its potential.

[Edited on January 28, 2008 at 11:27 AM. Reason : .]

1/28/2008 11:27:28 AM

I know rusty's is cheap but they used to break a lot , i don't know if they still do.

I'm planning on re-lifting my jeep soon all of my stuff from shocks to control arms are worn out
i'm going R.E. Long Arms, xd trac bar re 4.5" springs front 3.5" rear and a good set of shocks i haven't decided on cut fenders with modified bushwhacker flares and 34x 12.50 tires with 4.11 gearing front and rear (possibly new axles altogether)

if you're not going to rock crawl with it i would get something with rubber or urethane bushings instead of heim/johnny joints they'll be cheaper and quieter.
i would say just pro comp lift or something would be good.


[Edited on January 28, 2008 at 11:36 AM. Reason : .]

1/28/2008 11:34:43 AM

Pro Comp only makes a 3" lift for the XJ.

I'm thinking I really need at least 4.5" to clear 33" tires.

1/28/2008 11:43:20 AM

TRXUS+Steelies
3" and add some ACOS(google it)nevermind $200 so you get 4"+ and can make it sit level

[Edited on January 28, 2008 at 11:59 AM. Reason : .]

1/28/2008 11:57:59 AM

second on the trxus mt's good wear and fairly cheap, great traction, thats what i'm running, if your gonna go steel, check out us wheel, much cheaper and a good quality wheel

1/28/2008 12:28:10 PM

Quote :

"This will pretty much be for mudding only. I already have a daily driver. "

why not choose a more gnarly tire like LTB's or boggers?



friend has a skyjacker lift, ~4" with 33's and cut fenders - it performs well for beating around.

1/28/2008 12:34:23 PM

^ i was going to say the 34" ltbs also. is this xj going to be driven on the street a lot? or just for wheeling?

if you want to do it cheap you can get some front zj coils, that should give a 2 or 3 inch lift, get some shocks from wherever, or you could do a budget boost on top of that to get like 4 or 5 inches. once you start lifting it over 5 inches or so you might run into vibration problems.

how much are you wanting to spend? and how opposed to cutting sheetmetal are you?

1/28/2008 12:51:49 PM

Well, honestly the cheaper the better. Like I said, this is strictly for play.

As far as going for more aggressive tires, I'd still have to drive this thing to wherever I decide to go offroading, so I still want something that wears halfway decently and has a somewhat decent ride.

I'm also not afraid to cut sheet metal at all. I was planning on at least cutting the front wells out for the 33's

Quote :

"$200 so you get 4"+ and can make it sit level"

Can you explain more? I didnt follow.

I'm a jeep/offroad n00b.



[Edited on January 28, 2008 at 1:16 PM. Reason : .]

1/28/2008 1:15:02 PM

Also, how do I calculate how much offset i'll need on the wheels?

1/28/2008 1:30:07 PM

^^the ACOS is just an adjustable spacer that gives from 1.25-4" of lift. i was saying throw that on with some 3" springs then saw they were 200$ a pair or something(not cheap).

go with what jeepman(zj rear springs are long) said but in all honesty without longer/adjustable arms 4"-5" is pushing it

[Edited on January 28, 2008 at 5:11 PM. Reason : .]

1/28/2008 5:07:19 PM

mudding?

if you're not opposed to cutting, you can fit 33's (33x10.50 easier than a 33x12.50) or those 34x9.50's with just 2-3 inches. i say just go with stock zj springs up front and some longer shackles in the rear. then cut the hell out of it. see how that does, and if they happen to rub for some reason it means you haven't cut enough. or, if you don't want to cut any more you can do a small 1-2" spacer later. don't waste your money on any of those kits you listed. put it towards other practical things like lockers, bumpers, winch, etc. when/if you decide to go bigger, step up to a long arm kit of some sort.

i would definitely choose the 34x9.50 swamper ltb's personally. they're a sweet tire for a smaller rig. they give you a nice height without the added headache of fitment and weight that wider tires in that size have.

one thing to keep in mind also is that 89 was the last year that all xj's had the d35 rear axle. you'll be lucky if it lives very long with 33's or bigger. so, you'll want to start weighing your options for upgrading in the event it fails or reconsider your desired tire size.

1/28/2008 5:23:23 PM

I dont mind cutting a little bit of the front well off, but i'm not trying to hack it up too much I guess.

I'd be more inclined to just step down to a 32" tire rather than cutting too much off the front bumper.

By mudding, i meant that I'll never try to scale a crazy ass rock garden or something. Anything short of that though, i'm game for.

I dont think i'll be upgrading the rear end until I break this one, so for the moment, I'm probably not going to go with the 34's.



[Edited on January 28, 2008 at 6:03 PM. Reason : .]

1/28/2008 5:59:51 PM

cut that shit out. big tires, small lift, and a better rear axle.

1/28/2008 7:14:06 PM

15" steelies for <$40 each.

Is this the offset that I'll need though? I'm still thinking 4.5" lift with 33x10.5's.

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=CRR%2D3975812&N=700+4294923107+115&autoview=sku

I've been looking at other rigs with 4.5" lift and 33x10.50's and I really like the way they look.

1/28/2008 8:48:30 PM

careful cutting on the back wheel wells, the spot welds that hold the seam together are only like an inch above the factory wheel well lip......cut farther up and you have to reweld the seam

1/29/2008 12:19:59 AM

[dont do it]

1/29/2008 12:26:38 AM

^ don't cut it? why not. if it's not a daily driver and he's not worried about how it looks, why not keep it low and less likely to roll and cut some. the pinch weld can be rewelded if it's cut too far. he also hasn't said if it's a 4 door or 2 door. if it's a 2 door he can cut the crap out of it because the door isn't in the way.

cutting is the cheapest and easiest way to gain clearance

1/29/2008 12:43:37 AM

i was talking about the build up in general.

1/29/2008 12:56:41 AM

oh. so why not build it?

1/29/2008 1:45:55 AM

It's a 4 door Auto.

1/29/2008 8:21:26 AM

that auto is pretty strong (some other problems but mechanically strong)
and the 4 door chassis is slightly more rigid than the 2 door so thats good.

good luck man!

1/29/2008 11:00:10 AM

I thought this was about Jaguar.

1/29/2008 1:07:16 PM

Yeah, i've had this thing sitting at my shop for a while (needs a new oil pump). I'll have that fixed by next week though hopefully.

I had planned on fixing it up when I first got it, but when the oil pump went bad, I just let it sit for a while and scrapped the idea.

1/29/2008 1:22:45 PM

you can get tires much cheaper than the ones you listed...off brands are where its at. you don't need to be worried too much about sidewall thickness if all you're gonna be doin is mud. get the summit black wheels or check out the 4wheel parts on Glenwood for wheels..they'll prob. give you a deal on tires, wheels, and mounting. Rusty's is good stuff if you're not gonna be in the rocks. that or rough country suspension. try and get a new leaf pack or at least some AAL to keep the rear end from sagging and tossing around. some V8 ZJ coils and a 2 inch spacer would be great on the front and hella cheap. tall and skinny tires are the way to go on an XJ. they will stuff in the fender better and allow for less cutting of the rear wheel area...which is crucial for body strength. ~4 inches of lift is all you'll need for some 33s or the 34in. LTB. no need to worry about driveshafts or vibrations either.

1/29/2008 4:37:56 PM

Dont even buy a lift kit.

Spacers, AAL.

Sawzall.

Buying lift kits is a waste of money. There are so many ways to gain clearance that buying a kit when all you are gonna do it splash through shit puddles makes no sense. You arent worried about articulation, you arent worried about movement of suspension angles. You want the biggest tire and the smallest amount of lift you can get.

Save your money and spend it on what REALLY matters. Tires and Lockers.

1/29/2008 5:18:53 PM

Meh, I mean I'm not just planning on playing in mud puddles...I will definitely be going through some rutted shit, but probably wont be scaling any mountains or anything.


I'm liking the idea of the ZJ coils...anyone got any or know where I can find some cheap?

What else am I gonna need if I go this route? Will the V8 ZJ coils give me 4" or will I need to do a budget boost on top of that?

What about the rear?

I'm looking for 4"-4.5" at least.

1/29/2008 6:25:26 PM

V8 ZJ coils from a junkyard or the for sale posts on numerous jeep forums. this will get you a 1 to 1.5 inch lift, then get a 2 inch spacer on top of that. for the rear, either an AAL and a 1.5 inch shackle. this will get you about 3 to 3.5 inches. any higher than that and you'll need new coils and a full leaf pack. (for any type of comfortable ride on the street) you can go up to 4 or so inches without messing with the control arms, but anything over 3in. and i recommend an adjustable or relocated track bar. for real cheap, just drill out the stock mount and move the factory bar over to center the axle. with 3 inches of lift, 33x10.5 will fit just fine with a good trim of the front fender and a slight trim of the rear fender.

1/29/2008 8:37:49 PM

get rubican express shitt, its the best

2/10/2008 8:45:41 PM

RE stuff is not in the budget. This is a BUDGET build above all.

2/12/2008 1:27:56 PM

that....and RE isnt the best "shitt" ever.

2/12/2008 1:48:32 PM

Rubicon was ahead in the game when i lifted my jeep back in the day. Now, ^you're right, there are competitive alternatives out there.


goddamn i miss my XJ. I loved that thing. I could drive the wheels off of that thing. Even w/o sways and lifted I could put that thing anywhere.

T'was a sad day when i smashed it up on avent ferry

2/12/2008 2:52:50 PM

^^^^hey, i need the exhaust removed from my JEEP. can you halp??

2/12/2008 3:05:08 PM

http://www.full-traction.com/detail.php?MODELID=4&MAKEID=1&TYPEID=1&PRODUCTID=98&NOTES=9,10

thats what i want to toss under mine here shortly

with the RE Extreme duty track bar.

[Edited on February 12, 2008 at 3:26 PM. Reason : .]

2/12/2008 3:25:51 PM

^How much does that kit run?

Their 3.5" lift kit comes with add-a-leafs. I'm looking for spring packs.

2/12/2008 3:31:56 PM

you should invest in this kit.
but im not telling you where i got it from.

2/12/2008 3:34:39 PM

^ that is the shit right there!

It looks like it needs some lockers in it tho

[Edited on February 12, 2008 at 3:40 PM. Reason : lol]

2/12/2008 3:39:37 PM

I've got an '03 Accord that I could put that kit on...

Make me a custom kit

2/12/2008 3:40:42 PM

definitely go spring packs. I went AAL and regretted it. but i was 16 and on a budget when i first lifted.

2/12/2008 4:56:03 PM

Quote :

"http://www.full-traction.com/detail.php?MODELID=4&MAKEID=1&TYPEID=1&PRODUCTID=98&NOTES=9,10 thats what i want to toss under mine here shortly"

woo hoo, bolt on brackets on a unibody! should look killer on the street dude.

2/12/2008 6:01:41 PM

I really like the tnt customs stuff, for a higher end kit

2/13/2008 2:47:28 AM

HEY and the tig i have sitting in my friend's hanger has no chance at fixing that...
but you're probably right i'll probably end up fabricating my own true 4 link setup for the front.

2/13/2008 12:34:46 PM

bttt per op

9/25/2008 4:44:05 PM

I am aware this is old, but if you havent done this yet, i will chime in anyway. Fuck a lift, lockers and an aggressive tires will do way more for you at this stage. Especially considering that you werent going to be hitting any ultra deep mud with only 3 inches of lift to begin with. Best piece of advice is to stay the fuck outta the mud.

9/25/2008 5:02:33 PM

Quote :

"the 4 door chassis is slightly more rigid than the 2 door so thats good. "

??? how? that's kinda odd.



is the XJ being a uni-body a cause for concern when it comes to 'wheeling it?

Quote :

"Best piece of advice is to stay the fuck outta the mud. "

haha, true

[Edited on September 25, 2008 at 5:11 PM. Reason : asdfad]

9/25/2008 5:10:31 PM

^^says the man with like 6 inches or so and 35's


Shit
It
And
Get
IT

regardless

9/25/2008 7:42:26 PM

Thanks for the BTTT.

Project Update

I ended up having to do some engine work to the jeep which put me behind.

I've now decided on 6.5" of lift and 35" tires.

I have a set of tires, just working on getting the lift now. I want to have this thing sitting on the 35's in the next 3 weeks.

The plan is to completely gut the interior, Rhino-line the floorboards, possibly put racing seats/harnesses up front...

Decided to step the effort up a notch I guess.

9/25/2008 10:57:54 PM

Also, anyone know where to find some cheep 16x10" steel wheels?

5 on 4.5....I'll need 5.5" backspacing (I think)

9/26/2008 8:49:26 AM

you're in axle breaking territory now... good luck sir...

9/26/2008 9:14:44 AM

That's what i'm hoping for

I see new axles in my near future.

Any idea on the backspacing I'll need? Does 5.5" sound right?

[Edited on September 26, 2008 at 9:22 AM. Reason : .]

9/26/2008 9:21:16 AM

scour the 4x4 sites, but summit/jegS/etc. carry them for cheap


unless you're adam8778, who us so tight he shits nails

9/26/2008 9:22:50 AM