92 Cherokee Laredo.

DoverKJ · **Posted:** Thu Mar 08, 2007 6:39 pm

Just picked up a 92 Cherokee cheap. It needs a new rear axles or at least a new locker in the rear as the d35 spider gears broke. Probably going to look for a cheap 8.8 to replace the d35. The suspension has seen better days too, but that is coming out asap anyways.

I want to run 33 on it, so I am looking at either RE 4.5" lift or Rusty's 4.5" lift. Going to leave the KJ alone for awhile until it is paid off, then maybe do some serious mods to it.

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Thu Mar 08, 2007 8:22 pm

Sweet! Post up pics and tech as you make mods. We need more tech info and pics in here. :wink:

DoverKJ · **Posted:** Mon Mar 12, 2007 10:41 pm

Any ideas for a lift. I would like to run 33s. I have been looking at RE and Rusty's 4.5" lifts.

What lift is everyone running on their XJ's

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Mon Mar 12, 2007 11:32 pm

I think RE makes some of the best lifts and components for the XJ.

Rock Lizard · **Posted:** Tue Mar 13, 2007 12:56 am

The RE 3.5" Superflex kit with full leaf packs is one of my favorite kits for running 33's. I love most RE stuff, but I don't ever recommend the RE 4.5" kit. The RE kits sit a lot taller than advertised. The RE 4.5" kit sits 5.5-6.5" right out of the box, which is way too tall for short arms without drop brackets. Also, the RE1600 trackbar that comes with the kit is absolute garbage, and it mounts to the weak stock bracket. By the time you upgrade the trackbar to the RE1660 HD trackbar and HD trackbar bracket, then get the control arm drop brackets to bring the control arms down to better angles, you might as well get the RE 6200 5.5" XD short arm kit, then you will have enough lift to run 35-37's, then you have opened a whole new can of worms. Keep your center of gravity low for 33's with the 3.5" kit (sits 4.5" front and 5.5" rear right out of the box), trim your fenders, adjust your bumpstops properly, add some longer brakelines to the front (stock 1995 YJ Wrangler brakelines work fine along with straightening the hardlines parallel with the shocks), get a SYE/CV driveshaft and a quality adjustable trackbar, like the JKS or RE HD units (stay far away from any trackbar around the $100 range), and you will have a very capable rig that still has a good ride. The control arm angles on the 4.5" kit are so steep, the bumps get transferred up the arms into the unibody, instead of being absorbed by the arms that are closer to parallel with the ground and can swing upward sending the bumps into the coils/shocks. Did that make sense? Here are some tech articles I have written on fender trimming and adjusting your bumpstops:

http://www.rocklizardfabrications.com/f ... imming.htm
http://www.rocklizardfabrications.com/A ... pstops.htm

Here are some pictures of a rig I built for a customer with the RE 3.5" SF pack kit, trimmed the fenders, and threw on some 33's.

Before:

After:

I have built quite a few rigs with the RE kits, so let me know if you have any questions. My current rig has the RE 5.5" kit with the 4.5" springs with 35's. My last XJ had the RE 5.5" kit with 37's.

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Tue Mar 13, 2007 7:51 am

Ummm... Yeah, what Marty said. Sorry for my short answer. Thanks Marty for picking up the slack. That is some actual decent technical info there. We need more of that in here.

DoverKJ · **Posted:** Tue Mar 13, 2007 8:05 am

Thanks, that is some great info and I am now leaning in the direction of the RE 3.5" lift.

Seeing those pics, makes me wish I still had my 93 2-door XJ.

DoverKJ · **Posted:** Mon Mar 19, 2007 2:57 pm

Marty,

So, do I need an adjustable trackbar and SYE and CV driveshaft right a way?

Articles are very good/helpful.

Rock Lizard · **Posted:** Mon Mar 19, 2007 3:09 pm

DoverKJ wrote:

Marty,

So, do I need an adjustable trackbar and SYE and CV driveshaft right a way?

Articles are very good/helpful.

I would highly recommend them right away, atleast the adjustable trackbar, because a trackbar doesn't come with the RE 3.5" and since it sits closer to 4.5-5" right out of the box, your axle will be way off to the drivers side, between 1-2", which will cause alignment issues and premature wear. If money is tight, although I don't recommend them, a TCase drop would help the angles some to relieve vibes, but they cause a false sense of security and actually cause more wear and tear on the motor mounts and TCase, so get the SYE/CV driveshaft ASAP. Don't know where you plan to purchase your kit, but my buddy Jason and his wife Jen run www.jeepinoutfitters.com. Just tell them Marty from Rock Lizard sent you, they will get you a great price, and they have the HD SYE kits for under $200 shipped. CV driveshafts are the expensive part, at around $300+ shipped, however, the nice thing about the HD SYE they sell is the fixed yoke output, so you could grab a front driveshaft out of an XJ at the junkyard for a few bucks, and run that "temporarily" until you save funds for the HD CV driveshaft. I would only run the front shaft until then, then you have a spare for trail fixes. Although the front CV shaft in the rear is a temporary fix, atleast you will have the SYE/CV driveshaft setup, which takes a lot of stress off the driveline and expecially the output shaft/bearing on the TCase. Don't forget you will need shims for the rear axles when running the SYE/CV shaft. Anyways, give them a call, and see what they can do for you.

If you have anymore questions, please get ahold of me. I'm still learning the KJ stuff, but the XJ is still my baby.

DoverKJ · **Posted:** Mon Mar 19, 2007 8:00 pm

Well, I will probably do the HD trackbar and mount at the same time as the lift. The SYE and CV shaft will likely wait a few months unless the driveline vibs annoy me enough to get it.

Here is another question, I am looking at getting and 8.8 rear to replace the trashed 35. What spring pack should I use as RE only lists the 8.25, 35 and 44?

Rock Lizard · **Posted:** Mon Mar 19, 2007 8:13 pm

Spring pack is the same, it's the UBolts that are different. Just tell whoever you order from you have the 8.8, which should be the 3.25" ID UBolts.

DoverKJ · **Posted:** Mon Mar 19, 2007 8:47 pm

Thanks. I really want to get started on this jeep, just waiting for the weather to get a little warmer her on the east coast.

Also need to finish the m416 trailer that I started last fall. Should look pretty cool behind the Jeep.

DoverKJ · **Posted:** Wed Apr 04, 2007 8:15 pm

Scored a complete 87 XJ D44 to replace the blown d35. Now just got to get the Jeep home and start tearing it apart. Still havent decide what lift to get. The list of needed parts keeps grown. Lift, gears, driveshaft, sye, trackbar, skids, tires, locker(s) and on and on.

92 Cherokee Laredo.

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