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[dxmedia]

I'm looking at importing a kit from the states (probably the RE) to give the ZJ about 4 1/2 inch lift (I say about since it might go up a little).

$650 dollars give or take for the kit, $400 for postage   Which works out in real money to about £750 <>

Are there any companies in Britain who do kits?  I've seen LA superripofmerchants do a 1/2 lift for about £3000 which is just silly, but anyone who does closer to the £400 of the RE kit?

That's shocks, springs, control arms, track bars, brakets, pretty much everything.

[Jeepthang]

Don't forget that the RE kit doesn't include shocks so you'll have to add those on too. And if you are going upto 4.5" you'll probably need an SYE and CV driveshaft to get rid of those vibes.

$650 seems very cheap for an RE kit! Who has quoted you that figure? My RE 4.5" kit cost around $1,250 before the shocks, SYE and CV were added.

RE do great lift kits but the only guy that I know who imports them into the UK is Steve Fagioli at www.fte.co.uk.

For other makes you could try Specialist Leisure at www.specialist-leisure.co.uk.

[Bishops Finger]

Try Llama 4x4 as well

[dxmedia]

Try Llama 4x4 as well

Just come off the phone to David at llama - sound guy. Looks like he's got a sale

[dxmedia]

Don't forget that the RE kit doesn't include shocks so you'll have to add those on too. And if you are going upto 4.5" you'll probably need an SYE and CV driveshaft to get rid of those vibes.

$650 seems very cheap for an RE kit! Who has quoted you that figure? My RE 4.5" kit cost around $1,250 before the shocks, SYE and CV were added.

RE do great lift kits but the only guy that I know who imports them into the UK is Steve Fagioli at www.fte.co.uk.

For other makes you could try Specialist Leisure at www.specialist-leisure.co.uk.

My bad, meant rough country.

I've spoken with a few people who are just touching 6" with no drive line issues, that's something I'm going to look at if it happens. The rough country kit comes with adjustable control arms so I can play with the caster to sort a lot of it, and a transfer case drop can then be added if there is anything still causing issues.

Would be nice to get the zj off the ground though, it looks like a bit of a low rider at the moment  

[scrw]

You taking note Stew!

[xjlee]

My lift kit come from David @ Llama and i can recommend the rough country stuff, and his after sales care is excellent  

[dxmedia]

Thanks for that, after talking to him he seems really clued up, good to hear that it's not just talk and then sod it all off once money has changed hands.

I've a bit of a plan hatching using spacers and coils, with longer shocks. Since the top of the coils can't compress anyway due to the bump stops, have the coils lower through spacers and then try and work out some dislocation cones using longer shocks.  Don't know if that make sence but I've kinda got a picture in my head.



As a matter of interest has anyone on here mounted a rear winch? Front one I was going to hack a winch mounting plate off the front of the chassis rails and cut the bumper to suit, but not sure about the back end yet  

[Dave69]

I've spoken with a few people who are just touching 6" with no drive line issues,

every jeep is different when it comes to lifting, just because no-one else has any issues remember that might not apply to you. What you might have with 6" is a good looking road driver but when you go off road and articulate the prop drops out of the transfer box.

one option that is popular with big lifts is fitting the 8.8 axle out of the ford explorer, this has disc brakes and the same wheel bolt pattern and only slightly narrower than the xj's dana 35. Altering the output shaft of the transfer box to fit the R.E ahck and tap the gives you the option of fitting a front xj drive shaft (not done this but read alot on it on NAXJA and pirate 4x4). Unfortunately this axle isn't a bolt on affair

[dxmedia]

I'm not to fussed about height, as long as I can get my tyres under the arches on compression. anything after that is false economy since the low spots are going to be the diffs anyway.

[Panic mechanic!]

maybe its just me but i doubt there is anything here in the UK that would justify  having a 6" lift. Unless you are after a trailer queen

[isle of man]

maybe its just me but i doubt there is anything here in the UK that would justify  having a 6" lift. Unless you are after a trailer queen

that's only because you have a 30" inside leg SHORT ARSE!!!!!

[Dave69]

maybe its just me but i doubt there is anything here in the UK that would justify  having a 6" lift. Unless you are after a trailer queen

only if you want to fit 35's with hardly any trimming, but then you would need to replace the axles for something stronger

[wazza]

TJ front coils give the rear of a ZJ 3 inchs of lift

[Bishops Finger]

Interesting...

[dxmedia]

maybe its just me but i doubt there is anything here in the UK that would justify  having a 6" lift. Unless you are after a trailer queen

Can't really agree with that, my old MU was on 7" and would catch, a mates lwb frontera is on 11" (although that does clear most stuff) Depends if you're driving across fields or pay and play / playing on rock...

[Panic mechanic!]

maybe its just me but i doubt there is anything here in the UK that would justify  having a 6" lift. Unless you are after a trailer queen

that's only because you have a 30" inside leg SHORT ARSE!!!!!

what you doing measuring my inside leg (whats worse is your right!!!!!)

sorry what i was trying to say was that if you do a 6" lift you should really go with wider axles and wheel combination down to the fact you are making the vehicle unstable,also with a monocoque frame, you are putting a lot more stresses on the all the spot welds within the body, you could literally rip things apart....I may be wrong but thats the way I see it

[dxmedia]

I know what your saying, but I've also been around trucks long enough to for people to be saying you can't do that even when standing next to said impossible thing

[Panic mechanic!]

I have seen some terrible lifts done here in the UK, theres a few running round where someone has simply got another chassis and spaced it above  the original and mounted everything to that and then welded rsj type material between them!
the other thing to remember is if you go that tall and get stuck, sometimes you will need another similar vehicle to get close to where you are,to retrieve you and it can also ruin challenges for other vehicles cos once you have gone into say a mud hole and dig yourself in, no one else has got a chance in hell of getting thru it! lol
I have been in some highly modified 4x4 and at teh end of the day if you don't get stuck you get bored instead and move on!

[dxmedia]

LoL, I'm only planning on just over 4" anyway, enough to get the 33's under and I'll be happy

[tartanzj]

You still might need to trim a little with 33's. I run 235/85 in the mud on a 4 1/2" lift and can still catch slightly at the front on full compression. I have a slight vibe from the rear axle on hard acceleration but I am happy to live with it for now.

[dxmedia]

Reet, the monterey has gone and I'm about ready to put an order in with llama for some bits.

I 'think' I'm going for >

Rough country 4" lift kit, which is adjustable control arms top and bottom for the arse end, lower adjustables for the front, springs, shocks, hardware...

With the adjustable control arms in the back I don't need to worry about a transfer case drop for the rear prop (touch wood) due to adjusting the castor back into place.

Also a set of 2" coil spacers (just over an inch if I can get them) which I'll run down on a lathe to about 30 - 35mm, fit a transfer case drop and touch wood just over 5" of lift. Fix the coil spacers and springs in place and look at dislocation cones all round (extended brake lines and over length gas shocks in the order, hence using the spacers to move the initial points of compression down)

Oh bin the rear anti roll, and make a set of disconnects up for the front.



I know I'm missing or forgetting something (nothing is ever right first time), so does this all sound plausable?

If the prop causes too many vibrations, I'll have to get a custom one made

[tim_aka_tim]

Don't spoil a good job by using coil spacers.

[dxmedia]

Don't spoil a good job by using coil spacers.

The coil spacers aren't for suspension travel, there are going to be used for lowering the point of maximum compression so lowing the bump stops if that makes sence? I'm planning on the longest shocks which I can possibly get so dislocation comes into play, a poor mans body lift so to speak :S

Or this a bad idea?

[tim_aka_tim]

Never heard of anyone using dislocation on a Jeep. Having the springs thuding into the top of the wheel well doesn't sound like a good idea. The top of the wheel well is a week point ona a Jeep - just try jumping one