Is It Worth It

[dirty dykstra]

I am looking at putting a RE 5.5 lift on my 99 Xj. but what I want to know is, if it is worth the extra money for the long arm kit or not. And hows the flex on the rear? Do I need to add a set of teraflex revolvers?

[Dukes69]

RE makes some nice stuff. The reason for long arms is to do away with some of the odd quirks that go along with the short arms. I'm not sure about the flex in the rear.

[jmbrowning]

The wife has the XD 5.5 lift. It just clears 33" BFG MT with a very minimal amount of fender bending (accomplished on the trail with the aforementioned MT's, but you could do it with a rubber mallet too).

The kit is very streetable as it maintains the control arms very close to parallel to the OEM arms despite the taller springs. It does this by using drop brackets that lower the point of attachment to the unibody. Now I suppose this could theoretically get hung up, but the wife has yet to get stuck on her control arm brackets as they are tucked up near the front tires.

The rear flex is pretty good but she needs generous bumpstops to keep the Bilsteins from paying a visit to the rear cargo area. She needs limiting straps to keep the shocks from getting too beat up on droop. The wife's not had too much problem with getting contact/traction in the rear except in heavily rutted stuff and that's what the ARB's are for anyway.

All in all, it is very driveable (more so than my daily driver TJ with the SF2 4.5" kit) and I think this has to do with the front drop brackets. I haven't driven the long arm, but I am a bit skeptical that it would add that much to what the drop bracket kit provides considering the extra cost and effort to install.

[dirty dykstra]

Thanks For The Reply Guy. Igot Tell Feb. Before I Can Buy. I Think I'm Goinging With The Short Arm Kit. I Don't Realy Want To Start Cutting Up The Jeep For The Long Arms, I'm Still Paying On It. Any Other Mods You Recomend I Need?

[RangerRick]

Recommended: SYE fixed Yolk transfer case conversion will be in order & double cardan drive shaft (aka: CV driveshaft). These are pretty much required over 3 1/2-4" lift if you want to keep U joints in-tact. This has to do with the degree of pinion angle, as most U joints are designed to work over the long haul under 8 degrees constant. Exceed 15 degrees because of a radical lift and you will cut the life of your U joints by 75% or more (this is per the mfg. DanaSpicer and their recommendations on Spicer-Life Driveline parts). The link below is a great PDF about failures & the probable causes of damaged driveline parts. The website will also specify the proper lubricant types one should be using on universal joints and slip spline joints. There's also a table with lubrication service intervals & A how to, Checking your driveline condition.

http://www2.dana.com/pdf/3272.PDF

"It's never too late to learn until you've met your maker! ...."

"Don't ask me, I just work on em'......"

[jmbrowning]

Thanks For The Reply Guy. Igot Tell Feb. Before I Can Buy. I Think I'm Goinging With The Short Arm Kit. I Don't Realy Want To Start Cutting Up The Jeep For The Long Arms, I'm Still Paying On It. Any Other Mods You Recomend I Need?

Don't know what axle your XJ has...I suspect a Dana 35 or maybe a Chrysler 8.25. I'd recommend switching out the axles while you are working on this endeavor.

The Ford Explorer 8.8 is a popular swap and gets you disc brakes. Easiest upgrade is a 87-88 XJ Dana 44. It is my understanding that all USFS Cherokees had the Dana 44 by special order if you are snooping around the junkyards.

The Missus got a new old stock MJ Dana 44 housing with Yukon innards and ARB (Happy Valentines Day, baby!). The SUA spring perches were cut-off and anti-wrap RE perches were put on top. No problems, but the drum brakes are kinda wimpy for big rubber, so ZJ discs will have to go in sometime before Moab.

[cbremer]

the drum brakes are kinda wimpy for big rubber, so ZJ discs will have to go in sometime before Moab.

hi ted- i tried PMing you, but your inbox is full

i don't know which method you were planning on using to install disc brakes on the wife's XJ, but here's a link to the method i used (Rubicon retainer plates [$4 each at the dealer] and re-drilled the axle flange to match the ZJ backing plate): http://www.jeepsunlimited.com/forums...hreadid=418240

if you run into any problems, post them up- it should make for some good tech.

Chuck
:hat:

[dirty dykstra]

Ya my 99 xj started life as ether a cop or a borderpotral jeep so it came stock with a DANA in the rear and headers on it, I haven't check what modle dana I just seen the dana stamp on it one when I was working on the jeep.

[saki669]

Ya my 99 xj started life as ether a cop or a borderpotral jeep so it came stock with a DANA in the rear and headers on it, I haven't check what modle dana I just seen the dana stamp on it one when I was working on the jeep.

The late 99's had headers on all the 4.0L's. I have a 2000 with the factory headers. Do you have plug wires, or the electronic ignition?

The axle question is do you have ABS or not? If you do you have the Dana 35. If not you have the Chrysler 8.25. Pray you have the 8.25.....

[dirty dykstra]

yes I have ABS, and it sucks in the dirt. it never want to stop the tires will lock up going down hill, and you have to push the peddle to the floor just to slow down.