Installing 4.5" Zone lift on '98 XJ - Anything I should know beforehand?

[Jason4x4]

So as I've posted on the site many, many times I own an '06 TJ that is currently running a 4" suspension/1.25" body lift and too many odds and ends and different components for me to bother going into here. Suffice it to say, it's kind of a piecemeal suspension but it turned out great and works very well on the terrain we have here on the east coast.

Anyway, the reason I'm posting in the Cherokee forum for the first time is that I work with a guy that owns a '98 XJ. It has something like 250,000 miles on it, but he put a fresh 4.0L engine in it a few years ago. Anyway, the suspension is beyond beat and so he hasn't been able to go wheeling with me. He's been talking about putting a new suspension on it for a few years and took it to a couple shops a year or so ago and got quotes of $1500-2000 for a 4" lift. He couldn't afford it.

So I've been telling him for the last year that I was sure he could get some sort of 'budget' lift for $400-500 and that for a case of beer I'd help him put it on. He finally broke down and bought a 4.5" lift kit from Zone Offroad a couple weeks ago, and Saturday morning I'm meeting him at his place to install it. It's only going to be the two of us. Just wondered if anybody had any advice or things to look out for. I already told him to start soaking everything in PB Blaster and he said he's already sprayed everything down twice. I've never messed with leaf springs (nor has he) so I'm a bit nervous about how to do the add-a-leaf. He does have air tools (impact gun and ratchet) so that should help.

Any tips would be appreciated!

I'll try to post before/after pics so you can see how it went.

 

[54cj3b]

funny you ask read this tread all the way down than you may be thankful

http://www.jeepz.com/forum/cherokee-commander-wagoneer-liberty/35258-death-wooble.html

title may say death wobble but it s related

John

 

[Jason4x4]

Well, we got the front end done in about 4 1/2 hours (including the steering stabilizer). No real problems other than it took some ingenuity with a ratchet strap to get the axle to move forward so the lower control arm bolts would line up. Front end looks great.

Rear end...first step was to remove the brake lines from the clip on the frame which took about 5 minutes. Next step per the instructions is to remove the shocks. Both lower bolts (one on the drivers one on passenger) sheared off when we tried to break them loose. So we had to cut them off and drill the holes out which took a couple hours between the actual work and running to the hardware store. Then we got to the upper bolts and they are so rusted/corroded we couldn't find a socket that fit right (what size are they supposed to be anyway?), so after trying a bunch of different ideas we finally gave up for the day and are going to try again today. If we can get the shocks off the rest of it shouldn't be too bad...

 

[saar]

Hi,
Before starting such a job (few days before) you should spray the all area with wd40 (PBBlaster in your place?)
The bolt is 21 or 22 mm (I don't remember exactly)
try to spray it now and give it few days. then try again.
You may try to hit the place - but be careful with the fuel tank...
Update if you succeeded, if not, we will move to the next level...
Good luck,
Saar.

 

[Jason4x4]

Thanks for the advice.

So as I said, we had problems with the shock bolts in the rear. Sheared off the bolts in the bottom, couldn't get the upper bolts to turn. So we ended up cutting the shocks off with a combination of Dremel tool and angle grinder last Sunday. We ordered shock relocation brackets from Detour Offroad (I think that's the name of it). Yesterday we were at it again for 12 hours. We got the new relocation brackets installed, took the rear swaybar off, took the leaf springs apart, added the new leafs. Had our first problem with the center bolt in the passenger side leaf spring pack. We were having trouble lining it up but finally got the bolt through only to find that the threads were damaged. So we had to cut that bolt off and made a trip to the hardware store for a new bolt. Got that fixed, put the leaf springs back on, got the new U-bolts and stuff on, last thing before bolting on the shocks was the new shackles.

We got the driver's side shackle off with no issue, put the new shackle on and were down to the passenger side shackle, bolt the shocks on, put the wheels on it and then do a quick T-case drop and go wheelin'.

Well, we got the lower shackle bolt (shackle to leaf spring bolt) off, but the weld nut apparently broke on the upper bolt after it was about an inch out, so we gave up as we had been at it for nearly 12 hours. From what I understand we now have to take the rear bumper off to get at the weld nut. That's where we are.

 

[Phuckin XJ]

jason its tim, glad to see your talking about my shit son, lets get er done fuker

 

[Jason4x4]

jason its tim, glad to see your talking about my shit son, lets get er done fuker

Tim, I hate your XJ. Get that shackle bolt and we'll be (almost) done!.

In case anyone was wondering, it turns out the weld nut did NOT break off, but the bolt was hosed. So we ended up cutting the bolt off and got the old shackle off, problem was that we couldn't find any place open on a Sunday that had a 14mm grade 8 bolt to replace it with. So Tim's going to the junkyard tomorrow to try and pull the bolt off of an XJ so we can finish.

 

[Jason4x4]

Finally got the XJ finished last night. Once we had the right bolts for the rear shackles the rest of it went together in short order.