Lift suggestions

yOozahOe519

New member
I have a 97 TJ and it's overdue for some changes...I bought the jeep stock and came with 30x9.5x15 tires. I'm looking into doing a 2"-2.5" lift and probably going with 33" tires. I am not working with much money but any suggestions to a affordable lifts, tires, and wheels that will not break the bank but still reliable and durable? thanks!
 

I realize you are seeking information specific to your rig but if you do a Search you will find tons of '97-'06 TJ lift info/suggestions.

Obviously, you are in the ballpark for something along the lines of a "budget boost" and/or maybe a 1" body lift. Other than that...give us some more information to work with.

  • What is your long-range goal for the Jeep (i.e.: rock crawler, desert blaster, mud bogger, trail runner, mall cruiser)?
  • Do you think you will eventually go with a taller suspension lift or a highline kit?
  • How hard do you wheel?
  • Is this a Daily Driver?
  • What's your upper dollar limit for this project?
Armed with this kind of info we now have a better idea how to steer you and your money. Typically when someone goes this route first there will be a bit of "do over" later as a lot of the "budget boost" kits are not readily upgradeable to full suspension kits. But if you do this smart, you can keep costs down and waste to a minimum.
 
Rough Country has a few inexpensive lifts that work well for the average person.Budget boost is the cheapest,but if your 97 is anything like mine you may need new springs.RC has a 2.5" lift with new springs for around $300-$400 depending on sales.I also think RC is sponsor here and gives some discounts.

Jeep TJ Suspension Lift Kits
 

I mainly use the jeep as my daily driver and have never taken it off-road. I don't plan on doing any major lifts but slightly modify it so I can take it on an easy off-road trail without any problems. I've noticed you guys mentioning "budget boost" what does this entail? As far as budget go, I'm probably able to shell out $3500-$4000. Hopefully it'll suffice but if not, I might need to re-evaluate what i'd like to modify...
 
$3500 will get you one nice lift.6" long arm for that price.Budget boost is spacers on top of your springs will cost about $200-400 depending on what type of shocks you get.
 
Give me $4000, your Jeep and a week and you'll be happy. I keep the change! You said budget boost right? Hey man, if your willing to spend that kind of money the skys the limit. Forget the budget boost. You'll gain a couple inches, and that's it. Get a good long arm kit, and never look back. You'll even have money left over for a winch a bumper I bet.
 

Well, it looks like budget is not going to be a problem for you. As explained by xt master, a "budget boost" is an entry level suspension lift consisting of coil spring spacers and extended length shock absorbers, in the $200-$400 neighborhood. However, I think you'll be happier in the long run with the next option...

For a bit more money the next step to this is the addition of taller coil springs instead of the spacers. Ideally you want a progressive rate spring in the rear that will compensate for Varying load rates and consistently provide a smoother ride. I don't what to make a specific Brand recommendation because I don't have personal experience with these kits but for a good idea take a look at something like the Rough Country 2.5" Suspension for $299.00...
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4x4ROCKSHOP.com - (877) 4x4-ROCK

Add an adjustable trackbar($220), a good steering stabilizer ($50) and a 1" body lift ($150) (http://www.4x4rockshop.com/scripts/prodList.asp?idCategory=107) and you'll easily clear 33" tires. For the kind of driving it sounds like you plan on doing I'd go with a good "AT" (All Terrain) tread that will perform well both on and off road, yet be relatively quiet on the road and get good mileage (Tire & Wheel pkg. mounted and balanced = $1600).

So, you could do a real nice lift for right around $2,320 +tax, license & gift wrapping.

Shop around. Deals are there if you look for 'em. Check out our vendors here at Jeepz.com.

One other thing to keep in mind is the effect taller tires will have on your overall gearing. You didn't mention what gear ratio you have in your axles but the following chart will give you an idea of where your engine rpm will be with new tires.

YELLOW = Highway Driving, Good Fuel Economy​
GREEN = Daily Driver, Best Overall Performance
BLUE = Most Power and Towing, Reduced Fuel Economy

gearchart1-1.jpg


As you engine rpm drops you generally can cruise easier at freeway speeds but the trade off is no low end towing or take-off power. And if your lugging your Jeep just to get it up to speed, this will have a negative impact on mileage; it's got to work to hard just to get up to speed.

The other end of the scale is running to high rpm's. Sure, you can pull a tank and burn rubber all day long but maintaining freeway speed with the engine screamin' like a banshee will kill you mpg and could shorten engine life as well.
 
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I'm leaning more towards Phil and XT's suggestions as far as getting the 2.5" RC kit. Since I mentioned before that the Jeep is my daily driver, off-road trails will probably be infrequent. I'll probably stick with 31x10.5 tires for the time being. I'll keep you all on the progress once I start buying all the mods! thanks everyone for the suggestions/comments!
 

As you engine rpm drops you generally can cruise easier at freeway speeds but the trade off is no low end towing or take-off power. And if your lugging your Jeep just to get it up to speed, this will have a negative impact on mileage; it's got to work to hard just to get up to speed.

since I have a 2.5L TJ, it's obviously not capable of high speeds (especially on the interstate going 65-75mph), do you have any suggestions on what I can do in terms of getting more HP (cold air intake, upgraded exhaust, etc.)?
 
I have a 2.5l 5 speed with a CAI and I run 70mph on the highway all day.Some hills slow me down and it takes a mile or so to get it up to 70 but it will do it.If you have an auto it may be different with the gearing.
 

i have a 2.5l 5 speed with a cai and i run 70mph on the highway all day.some hills slow me down and it takes a mile or so to get it up to 70 but it will do it.if you have an auto it may be different with the gearing.


cai?:?|
 
My jeep is 5-speed too and I do notice some slowing down when driving uphill or even on the slightest incline. Just need something to boost my HP...suggestions?
 
Guys, correct me here if I'm wrong but if yOozahOe519 got a 4-banger didn't it come with 4.11 gears? If that's the case and looking at the chart I posted going even up to 33" tires isn't going to make that drastic of a difference.

Do some real good research on before investing much into engine performance modifications. Typically the rate of return, or how much performance gain you get for each dollar spent, isn't too great. Not knocking anyone for what they wheel but a 4-banger is always gonna be a 4-banger. I'm not saying don't do any performance mods, just know what to realistically expect.
 

ahhhh got ya brain fart it happins ya know
 
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