I know that I'm to change the clutch rod, but am I to change anything else? From the way it looks, it looks like I've got to shorten the steering system? Anything else?"

How difficult the removal of the body lift is will depend on how well it was installed in the first place. If the steering shaft was lengthened for the body lift, then you'll need to either replace it with a stock unit (next to nothing at a junkyard) or shorten the one you have. If the radiator and fan shroud were lowered, they will need to raised back to their original position. You are already aware of the clutch linkage issue. All in all, the body lift should be easily removed in a day's work.

"I have a 1988 YJ, with a 99' 4.0/5spd 3000KM. What I was looking to do is add a BDS 3.5" lift and 4 Revolver shackles. Now I've gathered some info on this project, but I'm not too sure what I'm going to need to get done to maximize the performance of this setup.

The only common detail I can find is extended brake lines. But other than that everyone seems to have their own ideas of what I'll need. In final...the main thing to me is that it's done right...the first time (unlike the 3wk engine swap!)"

You will certainly need extended brake lines. You will also need a "dropped" steering arm to lower the drag link angle. I would also strongly recommend converting your transfer case to a short style fixed yoke and using a CV style driveshaft. This should prevent the need to lower the transfer case and reduce ground clearance, as well as cure any potential driveshaft vibration problems. Since you are using the Revolver shackles, I would not buy shocks until the springs and shackles were installed and measurements could be taken. The Revolver shackles will provide much more wheel travel than the designers of the kit could have predicted with their springs.

"I have a 1993 Jeep Cherokee Sport with a straight-six. I want to get a suspension lift and new tires. A 3" lift is the max I want. What would be the most affordable yet durable system for me to get? Should I go to a Jeep dealer to have it installed since there is not a 4x4 shop in my area?"

Just about every manufacturer produces a 3" kit for the Cherokee with little difference between them (the exception being the expensive kit from Old Man Emu). We are currently running the Rancho 3" kit on our Project '94 XJ and overall we are satisfied with it.

Nearly all Jeep dealers will refuse to install a suspension lift for you. If it's not a factory part, they don't want to have anything to do with it. Many smaller shops will install lift kits, even if they are not necessarily "4x4" shops. My advice would be to open up the phone book and start making some phone calls. You might also consider installing the kit yourself. Lifts of 3" or less on a Cherokee are really very easy to install and you can pocket the installation costs.

"I have a 1999 Cherokee, with a 4.0L Auto. I am looking to buy a 4.5" lift kit for my XJ. This is my daily driver so I still need a factory or better ride. I am wondering in addition to the lift itself what else would I need. I am looking at Rubicon Express's 4.5" lift. I want to run 32 x 10.5" tires. Can I do this on my stock rims? Would I need a new driveshaft for both axles? What about an X-Case drop? Slip yolk elimator? The kit I am looking at comes with a new track bar. Would I need a new longer pitman arm. I am new to off-roading but I want a nice lift while still keeping a good ride. Its this possibls. Thank you for any help!"

Call Rubicon Express and ask them what they'd recommend when installing their kit. They will know what works and what doesn't with their product. With that said, I would think a slip yoke eliminator kit would be mandatory. Installation of the eliminator kit would require a new rear driveshaft. The existing front shaft will probably be OK. With the new track bar, you will not need a dropped steering arm. With the track bar and drag link at the same angle, bumpsteer is eliminated.

10.5" wide tires will work on stock rims with some minor rubbing of the control arms in a sharp turn.

As for the ride quality, I don't believe any 4.5" kit will ride or handle close to stock. That may or may not be a bad thing depending on the ride you prefer. I can guarantee that the 4.5" lift will be at least a little stiffer than stock. It's just a trade you will have to make to run that much lift.

"I have a 1991 XJ compact Cherokee, with a 4.0/auto. I recently bought my Jeep Cherokee and unfortunantly it is not 4WD. The other day a guy at a tire place asked me if I wanted his almost new (2 months old) tires and rims from his TJ. Of coarse I said yes, I mean WHO WOULDN'T? The tires he put on were 30x9.5 Michilen XC LT4's. They looked like they fit perfect but of coarse as i drove it down the road the back wheel'srubbed if i hit a bump. I went every were tring to figure out how to make more room in my wheel wells. Finally I went to one off road center and they said not to waste the money putting a lift kit on since it wasn't 4WD. They said get rid of the tires and put smaller ones on. So I ended up doing that after much deliberation. I moved down to a considerably smaller tire (p235/70 R15). Now I figured that this was going to be much better. I was wrong, later that evening I was driving it with two other people in the Jeep and when we hit a big bump it would rub hard. So I ended up removing an inner peice from the outer fender that stoped the rubbing noise temporarily but I can't go down any rough roads or even go down the highway without it getting the tire dangerously close to the body. What do you recommend for this kind of problem? and its to late to take those tires back. I was thinking of putting adjustable air shocks in the back, do you think that would work for just a small amount more of clearence? I some what think that the leaf springs in the back sag a little do you think this might be the cause of my problem? The front is just fine and gets an exceptiopnal amount of clearence (I have recently replaced all of the shocks).

Thank you very much if you read this. You don't Know how much I need an answer on this complication of mine."

You have a couple of options. You could purchase a complete lift kit and reinstall the 30" tires. The counterman at your local parts store may not think it's needed, but hey, you're the guy with the tire rub. If you want to keep your existing tires, you could simply install a 50 dollar add-a-leaf kit in the rear springs to increase the ride height by an inch or so. You'll also need to buy longer leaf spring center bolts to compensate for the added width of the spring pack. The add-a-leaf kit will increase the spring rate and will ride a little stiffer than before. If you want to keep the spring rate the same and just get more clearance you could install a 1" lift block between the leaf spring and the axle, just be sure to purchase longer U-bolts.

"I have a 1999 Cherokee, with a 4.0L / Power Tech I-6 / 4 speed Auto. I recently bought a 1999 Cherokee Limited with the Up Country suspension group and trailer tow group (I've owned 2 other Cherokees in past years, never driven anything else). I would like to put larger tires (30" or preferably 31"). The Jeep is currently stock with 15x7.0 wheels and P225/75R15 Wrangler RT/S AT tires. What kind of mods do I need (lift and/or wheels)? Can you suggest a high quality kit (if required) and tire? The tire size is more for show than for off roading since the stock configuration currently meets my off road needs. An additional concern is with respect to highway performance. Will the larger tire size significantly compromise or affect handling characteristics at highway speeds and will such mods cause increased wear and tear on the vehicle in general? What effect does this have on gas mileage?"

To run a 30" tire on a Cherokee, you'll need a 2" suspension lift. For a 31" tire, you'll need a 3" lift. We've used both on our Project 1994 Cherokee and you can read the reviews of the kits at article2.htm and articleo.htm.

I personally like BFGoodrich All Terrain tires for a daily driver that occasionally sees some dirt. They make a great all around compromise. Increasing the tire size will affect the performance of your Cherokee on the highway. Basically, you'll feel like you have less power. To minimize this, I'd suggest sticking to the 30" tall tire. With 31" tires on our XJ, we've found it necessary to install lower gears in the axles. I've found the increased tire size has had no effect on mileage in town, and a slight drop on the highway.

"I have a 1990 YJ, with a 4.2L/5SPD.   I would like to know your feelings about the Warn coil-conversion kits. Just how big of a job is this? I am wondering if I should start looking for a later model Wrangler to get away from the leaf springs."

My understanding is that it's a huge job, at least when compared to installing your typical off the shelf leaf spring lift. There is a considerable amount of welding to be done on both axles to install the new bracketry, any mistakes here could become very expensive. Your entire exhaust system will also need to be redone as it will interfere with the conversion. I think it's safe to say that 99% of the people who purchase this kit should have it installed by a professional. However, once accomplished you'll have a suspension system considerably better than the TJ design. Whether to invest the money in a suspension system or put it toward a new TJ is up to you.

"I have a 1995 Jeep YJ, with a 4.0 HO. I have been considering a lift kit for my Jeep. A little background on how I use it. I drive 60 miles a day for work and drive about 70-80MPH on the highway.  I am interested in about a 4" lift with 33" BFG AT tires and 15" X 10" wheels.  I have heard that superlift makes a kit that is smooth, also from another store they said that using a procomp kit with rancho rs9000 shocks will give me a smooth ride.  Also I have heard different stories about rear driveshafts. What is the best bet for me to do.  Do I need a longer driveshaft, and what kind of ride should I experience.  I am open to any suggestions on brands that you recommend. Thanx."

The Superlift kit is pretty smooth when used with RS9000 shocks. I don't have any experience with the ProComp lifts so I cannot comment there. If you're ultimate concern is ride quality for your commute, I'd suggest using an Old Man Emu suspension system including their shocks. It's more expensive, but it's been my experience that the cost difference is well worth the money in terms of ride quality and off road performance. Driveshaft modifications will not be required with any of these lifts. Transfer case lowering brackets coupled with axle shims (all of which should be included with the kits) will eliminate any need for modification. Just as a word of warning, with your desired tire size your 70-80 mph highway travels are going to be done in 4th gear, 5th will be almost useless. You will need to consider a gear ratio swap to offset the increase in tire diameter. You may be able to find a shop that may cut you a discount for performing all of this work at once, shop around.

"I have a 1990 Wrangler YJ, with a 258 cu in/manual. I was wondering at what height you can raise your Jeep before you need to change your pitman arm?  For a 4in. lift you need to change it to the 4in. arm, but what about a 3in. lift.  Wouldn't a 1-inch difference one way be better than a 3-inch difference the other way.  Please help the dazed and confused, thanks!"

The purpose of the pitman arm is to lower the angle of the drag link to the axle/tie rod. In stock form, they are at or near parallel and no bump steer occurs.  When the suspension is lifted even as little as an inch, the angle of the drag link increases. This angle from the pitman arm to the axle causes bump steer. Bump steer is noticeable in lifts as small as two inches but just isn't severe enough for anyone to make a slightly dropped pitman arm for it. With lift heights of 3-4 inches, bump steer becomes dangerous and a dropped pitman arm is mandatory for safe driving. Every major manufacturer that makes a lift kit in this height range recommends or includes a dropped pitman arm with their kits.

"I have a 1978 CJ5, with a 304V8/Manual. Grant,I am doing a 'spring over' on my CJ5 and must replace the current factory springs. I am looking for new springs no more than 1" over stock height, very strong but not stiff, articulation is important, what aftermarket spring do you recommend using?"

Since you obviously don't mind a little fabricating, go with a set of YJ Wrangler springs. They are much softer and will flex much better than the CJ springs. For example, the Rancho #44091 1" lift front spring for your CJ has a spring rate of 300 lbs per inch. A Rancho #44047 1.5" YJ front spring has a rate of 174 lbs per inch. I realize you didn't want more than 1" of spring lift, but with the weight of the 304 the YJ spring likely will not produce 1.5" of lift on your CJ. The rear Rancho YJ spring #44147 will be a direct bolt in, no mods required. The front will require new spring mounts and U bolt plates. If you don't feel like fabricating them, JKS sells a complete conversion kit to mount YJ springs on a CJ. If you want to save a little money, purchase some used YJ springs from a junkyard.

"I have a shackle lift on my 92YJ.  This allows me to run 31' mud terrains.  The only problem I have experienced is front-end caster is off by 3 degrees which makes for wandering at speeds over 40mph.  I found out about the caster problem from Big O.  They said there is no way to adjust the caster.  I don't have the money to get a complete suspension lift and the tires are going to stay.  It took me a lot of time to convince my wife how much better the mud terrains would perform than the old stock road tires.  They really do.  Any suggestions?"

The reason the caster is off is due to the extended shackles. The shackles only "lift" one end of the spring. This results in the axle rotating slightly. You have two options to corect the caster. First, remove your shackles and install a small suspension lift with the stock (or stock length aftermarket) shackles. This will allow you to keep your 31 inch tires. The easiest method would be to simply place 3 degree axle shims between the front axle and spring to rotate the axle back to it's proper position. The shims are available at any 4wd shop. Make sure your U bolts are long enough to accomodate the minimal width of the shim.

"I have a 1999 Jeep TJ, with a 4.0 L Manual 5 speed. It has 15x8 stock rims with 30" GSA's. I would like to put 32- or 33-inch tires on, what would be your recommended rim backspacing (if any) and ring and pinion size once completed for both scenarios? Most of my driving is on the pavement."

I'd recommend wheels with 4 to 4.5 inch backspacing and 4.56:1 gears whetheryou run 32 or 33 inch tires.

"I have a 1999  Jeep TJ, with a 2.5 Manual transmission. I have a 1999 Jeep Wranger with the 2.5l four cylinder motor. I do a fair amount of off roading and want to gain more ground clearance. My Jeep is my primary commuting vehicle, and want to keep the car reliable, and the gas mileage good. I am running the 225R tires but considering a set of 30", but a little hesitant  because of the decrease in power (don't want to change gearing) and gas milage. I am not considering the lift for increased tire size so much but I am looking for increased ground clearance, and wheel travel. With a 2" lift, are you required to drop the transfer case? Does that cause any other parts on the car to wear prematurly? Can that be eliminated by  going with the 1-1/2" spacer lift? Is a 2" Lift going to look or drive poorly with 29 or 30 inch tires. Any reply would be helpful "

A 2" suspension lift on a TJ will require lowering the transfer case about an inch. The TJ rear driveshaft is just too short to accomodate the increased driveshaft angle caused by the suspension lift. The majority of aftermarket suspension lifts for your TJ will include lowering brackets for the transfer case. The lift will not cause any other parts to wear prematurely. In fact, the lowering brackets for the transfer case are designed to keep your U-joints alive as they would wear very quickly without them.

Using 1.5" coil spring spacers would most likely still cause enough of an increase in driveshaft angle to cause vibration. You would then have to purchase the transfer case lowering brackets separately. Another down side to spring spacers is that they will give little if any benefit in terms of wheel travel. Yes, you have moved the axle further from the bumpstops, but the amount of potential travel in the coil spring is still the same. The coil cannot stretch or compress any more than it did before you installed the spring spacer. You may have to lower the bumpstops in order to prevent coil bind during extreme situations with the spacers installed. The axle should hit the bumpstop before the spring is compressed to the point that it becomes a solid piece of metal or serious damage could occur. Regardless of the lift method you choose, you'll still need longer shocks.

Your TJ should ride, drive, and look very nice with 30" tires, though 29's may be a little small with the lift kit.

"I have a 1986 CJ7, with a 258 I6/Manual. I have a 4" lift kit in my CJ7 and the springs are very stiff, the guy at the local 4WD shop said that I could take out one of the bottom leaves on the leaf pack which would probably lower the truck about a 1"  but it would ride softer. How do you feel about this idea? "

Removing the lowest leaf spring will very likely smooth out the ride considerably. I doubt you will lose much ride height (if any) in the rear, but I suspect the front end will sag somewhat with the weight of the straight 6. A lot depends on the number of leaves left remaining in the spring pack and the length of the leaf removed. My concern would be that without the lowest spring in the pack that you would greatly accelerate spring fatigue causing even more sag. There's another thing to consider, the lower leaf spring typically is the one with the spring clamps attached to it. These clamps prevent the leafs from "fanning out" like a deck of cards. If this is the case with your springs, you'll need to purchase some new "disposable" type spring clamps from your local 4x4 shop to prevent this.

"I have a 1999 XJ with a 4.0/auto. I want to put a 3" lift on my 1999 XJ 4WD, but what concerns me is the drive train angle and vibration that will result.  Doing my homework, I have the Chrysler 8.25 rearend (is this a good rearend compared to the Dana 35?) I was told that with the 8.25, I'm going to have to drop the transfer case one inch, I don't want to start lifting then start dropping you know what I mean.  If using the 3" lift, it almost makes sense to run 30x9.5 instead of 31's, since it seems that it would articulate a lot better. I would prefer to run 31's, but what about gas mileage, power loss, etc. (I have 3.55 gears right now)?  It seems the '96 and under Cherokees had less chain-reaction problems.  I'm just a perfectionist and for 20 grand, I don't want a bunch of stress just trying to get more clearance for surfing remote spots in Baja. HELP!!!!! Talk to me grant!  Or, should I settle for the 2" lift from old man emu you brag about?

I would just like to have the clearance of the 3" Thanks for the reply!
Mr. Paranoid."

Yes I'm guilty of bragging about the OME 2" lift, I think it is a huge improvement in articulation and ride over stock with zero drawbacks. However, yours truly just removed the OME lift in favor of a 3" kit for the same reasons you're suggesting. There isn't quite enough room to run 31's, articulation is somewhat limited due to tire and fender contact.

Even with the Dana 35 rear in our project 94 Cherokee, we had to lower the transfer case to minimize driveshaft vibration with a Rancho 3" lift. This could be avoided with a custom CV driveshaft conversion, but those don't come cheap. The OME kit did not require lowering of the transfer case.

If I had it to do all over again, (and I just might do it over again...) I'd stick with the OME kit, and add their 10mm spring spacer to the front so the Jeep would sit level. I'd purchase some 16" wheels with stock backspacing and some 245/75/R16 or 255/70/R16 tires. You'd still have the tire height of a 30 or 31" tall tire but without the rub on the lower control arms since the tire would be considerably more narrow.

The gas mileage has not noticeably suffered during around town driving in our Cherokee w/3.55 gears. The big drawback is on the highway. The Cherokee will downshift to 3rd on flat ground in a head wind to maintain 70 mph. It is extremely annoying and a 4.10 gear swap is priority one for our Cherokee right now.

"I have a 1981 Jeep CJ5, with a 258 6 cylinder with 4 speed manual trans. I want to put 35x12.50 tires on the above Jeep. Will a one inch body lift combined with a 2-1/2-inch suspension lift work or do I need to go to a four-inch suspension lift? Thanks for your time and assistance."

You'll need a 4" suspension lift combined with a 1" body lift to avoid tire to fender contact, particularly off road. You may be able to forego the body lift and live with some tire rub on the fenders, it really depends on the specific tire and wheel combination and how much time off road you intend to spend.

"I have a 1984 CJ-7, with a 258/Standard 5 spd. I always hear about the spring-over axle conversion for Jeeps, yet I never hear how it is done.  I have the basic idea but I don't know what has to be done with the steering components, will the springs interfere with any of the steering components? What about pinion angles, do you just weld tilted spring perches onto the axle housing? And if so, do you fabricate them yourself or is there some company you can get them from?"

First, check out www.dirtroad.com/springo.htm. Yes, you do have to weld new spring perches on top of your existing axles. Before welding, you must carefully take into consideration the proper placement of the new perches. Caster and u-joint operating angle should be your primary concerns prior to welding. Custom axle builders such as Currie or Dynatrac should be able to supply new spring perches to save you the time of fabricating your own.

"I have a 1985 Jeep CJ7, with a 304/Auto. I work in the office for a welding and machine shop in Springfield Mo. I am tring to come up with a way to create disconnects for trackbars. My question is this (please do not laugh to hard) What are track bars, I am a fairly new Jeep owner and all the books and manuals I have and have come across mention nothing about this part please help:) Thanks Jay"

I think I can understand some of your confusion. Your CJ doesn't use track bars. Track bars are used on the front axles of Comanches and Cherokees, and both axles on Grand Cherokees and '97+ Wranglers. Their purpose is to prevent side to side movement of the axle. One end of the bar will be mounted solidly to the axle, the other to the frame.

"I have a 1990 Jeep YJ, with a 258c.i./5spd. I recently had my springs re-arched and lift shackles put on.  All told, I have about 4" of lift.  I installed Black Diamond AT shocks at the same time. The sway bars were lengthened and axle shims put in place.  What is the maximum driveshaft angle for this vehicle?  Should I lower the t-case or find a longer driveshaft?  Are there any problems I should be aware of? And lastly, what is the largest size tire I can install with this lift without worrying about my rearend gears?  Thanks Grant, You're a lifesaver!"

The smaller you can make the U-joint operating angle the better. I would suggest less than a 8 degree operating angle to alleviate any worries of U-joint bind throughout the travel of the axle and insure some longevity of the joint. Obviously, the greater the U-joint operating angle, the shorter the joints life will be. Fortunately, U-joints are pretty cheap and very easy to replace.  The important thing is that the operating angles on both sides of the driveshaft are equal on a conventional driveshaft. You may need to lower the transfer case and/or use shims under the axle to achieve the correct U-joint angles.

A 4" suspension lift should be plenty to run a 33" tall tire. I'd strongly suggest swapping to 4.56 axle gears if you install 33's.  You can install any size tire (that will fit) without swapping your axle gears. Just know that the larger the tire that you install, the higher (numerically lower) effective axle ratio you'll have. Installing 33's without a gear swap will probably mean most of your highway driving will be done in 4th gear instead of overdrive, and a lot more slipping of the clutch to get your jeep rolling.

"I have a 1997 TJ, with a 2.5/5speed. My Jeep has a 2.5" Rancho lift and 32x11.50 BFG's. I'm wanting to add a .78" teraflex spring spacer. What will have to be changed to make this possible."

The only problems I can foresee would be the length of your existing shocks. Most likely they will work fine, you'll just have to make sure you still have enough travel in the shocks to accomodate the spacers. Be sure to check your brake lines while the suspension is at full droop for adequate length, then I'd recommend having your Jeep realigned.

"I have a 1998 Jeep  Cherokee, with a 4.0/Auto. I just purchased an OME lift kit for my Cherokee. Will I have any problems with 31x10.50's?  If so, how much more lift do I need to fit this size tire?"

The OME 2" lift will clear 31" tires, sort of.  If you intend to use the original wheels, or aftermarket wheels with the same offset and width as stock, you can clear 31" tires with only occasional rub when the suspension is near it's maximum travel. If you're going to use a wheel with less backspacing than the OEM wheels, I'd strongly recommend running a 30" tire instead. The reason for this is the rear tires will tuck neatly underneath the fender flares with the stock offset wheels. If the tires are pushed farther out with non-OEM wheels, contact with the fender flares will occur much sooner and greatly reduce available travel. The downside to using the factory wheels (or wheels with the same offset) is a reduced turning radius due to tire rub on the lower control arms. All in all, I think 30" tires on stock wheels would be a much better choice since they would allow full suspension travel and little or no loss in turning radius. You'll need a full 3" lift to properly clear 31" tires.

"I have a 1998 cherokee XJ, with a 4.0/Auto. I would like to upgrade my suspension system to the OME 2 inch suspension system.  My only concern is that lifting the vehicle 2 inches will cause vibration problems.  Are there any other issues that I will have to address when installing the OME 2-inch suspension system?"

I know three people with the same suspension lift you're considering, none have complained about driveshaft vibration. In fact, the rear U-joint angles are within one degree of parallel to each other after the lift is installed. You will not have vibration problems. The lift is not great enough to necessitate any steering corrections other than an alignment once the installation is finished. The stock brake lines are also long enough for the minimal lift. The OME lift is a fantastic kit and will not require any other modifications once installed.

"I have a 1994 Grand Cherokee, with a 5.2/Auto. I plan on installing a 1.5" lift (Teraflex Budget Boost).  What shock would be better: Edelbrock IAS or Old Man Emu Nitrocharger??"

Both of the shocks you listed are very good choices. The OME shocks are valved to match OME springs, not necessarily the stock springs. If I were installing an OME lift, I'd use the OME shocks. Since the Teraflex 1.5" lift retains the stock springs, the Edelbrocks may be a better choice. Whether you choose Edelbrock or OME, I think you'll be very happy with the results. Before purchasing any shock, make sure they are long enough to accomodate your new lift.

"I have a 1994 Jeep Wrangler YJ, with a 4.0/Standard. I have just installed a Dick Cepek 4" Lift with 32X11.5/15 BF Goodrich Mud Terain tires.  I expected the same ride...rough, but what I got was a lot rougher.  The dealer who I got the lift kit said there is a reverse shackle kit which will put the CG of the axles further aft thereby softening the ride.  The kit is over $200.  My question to you is...Does it work? and would it be worth it?  Thanks"

A reverse shackle kit will improve the ride somewhat, just don't expect too much. When you're Jeep hits a bump, the springs absorb the impact by bending or "flexing". When the springs flex on your Jeep, they momentarily lose some of their arch and flatten out. As the spring arch decreases when you hit a bump, the spring flattens and becomes longer. The purpose of a shackle is to allow for this temporary change in spring length. The problem with having the shackle in the front of the Jeep is that when you hit a bump, the spring pushes the shackle forward and against the force of the obstacle, creating a binding situation where the shackle and the obstacle are pushing against each other. The result is that your Jeep moves in the only way it can, usually straight up. This, as you already know, creates a very rough ride. When the shackle is moved to the rear with the conversion, the shackle will move rearward when hitting a bump. This allows the spring to flex freely without having to force the shackle forward and against the obstacle as it would with the shackle in front. What concerns me in your situation is that your springs may be too stiff, period. If the springs are not flexing because of their too high spring rate, then the shackles are not moving. If that's the case, a reverse shackle setup would be of no benefit.

You're springs may not be entirely at fault, your shocks may be partly to blame too. Many companies will sell the exact same shock for a heavy full size 4x4 for use in a light Jeep. Believe it or not, I've found that the dirt cheap Rancho RS1000's work very well on CJ's and YJ's because of the light dampening. You may want to consider changing your shocks to less aggressive units.

"I have a 1998 Jeep XJ, with a 4.0/Auto. I want to put a 2" Old Man Emu lift on my Jeep, but I am concerned about the new angle of the control arms and anything else that may keep the new front suspension from from functioning as intended by Jeep.  What should I be made aware of in adding new longer springs in front.  And do you suggest a drop down bracket for the control arm mounts?"

The minimum change of angle in the control arms with a 2" lift is not worth worrying about.  Not only is lowering the control arms unnecessary, there are no drop brackets available to lower them. I can personally testify that this suspension system works extremely well and does not require any further modification of your Jeep once installed.

"I have a 1979 CJ-7, with a 258 with 3 speed manual. I recently put a 2 inch soft ride lift on my CJ-7. I was told that I would not have to lower my trnsfer case but I would get alot of vibration in the rear end on take off so I lowered it about an inch using spacers on the cross member.  I still get some vibration on take off and my gear shift is very close to the body and some times gets kicked out of 3rd gear.  I want to know if I need to purchase degree wedges to change the angle of my rear end or is there any thing I can do to correct this problem?  I would appreciate any suggestions! Thanks!!!"

A 2" suspension lift on a CJ-7 should not have required lowering the transfer case. My advice would be too remove the spacers and raise the transfer case to it's original position to eliminate the shifter problem. With that done, use an angle finder to measure the U-joint operating angles at both ends of the driveshaft. The output of the transfer case and the yoke on the rear axle should be parallel to each other on a non-CV driveshaft. If the angles are off, use the appropriate wedge on the rear axle to compensate. For more information, take a look at articleb.htm

---

Dirt Road Magazine is sponsored by Turner 4WD Parts Co.