Lifting a WJ
 

Hey everyone, I'm going to be lifting my wj, and I'm looking to start with 2 inches...I was wondering what size tires I can fit without having to trim or having any rubbing? If anyone has a few 2 inch spacers and shocks for sale, that would be great too! Thanks!




2002 Grand Cherokee Overland
stock 16 inch steel wheels from 2008 wrangler

Re: Lifting a WJ
 

Here you go, this should answer some of your questions.
Jack up the Jeep and check the full extension of your shocks, If they are between 21-22" long eye to eye in the rear and eye to top of wheelwell in the front you won't have to change your shocks right away but they will wear out faster than normal.

Dan

Re: Lifting a WJ
 

This is great info! Thanks Buddy!

If I can fit 265/70r16s without lifting it, I would still have the same clearancethat I would have with a 2" lift and 265/70r16s....therefore, do I really need to lift? Or will the tires be tight?

Re: Lifting a WJ
 

great post

Re: Lifting a WJ
 

Hey Ulric,
The UpCountry springs will give you between 1/2"- 1" of lift by themselves but "moderate trim" usually means cutting out a good portion of the trailing edge of the front plastic bumper and possibly removing the plastic liner in the wheel well. Even at 3" of lift there is a possibility that you will have to do some "minor trimming " with 265/70-16's.
Stiffer shocks, worn bushings, stuff like that all affect your height. That's why you can put the identical 4" lift into 2 different WJ's and they will be at different heights afterwards.
The one thing that isn't on the chart is bumpstops. If your going to start lifting so you can go wheeling then it's a good idea to extend them because they will limit how far into the wheel well the tire will tuck inside.

Re: Lifting a WJ
 

Ulric,
Don't confuse tire size with clearance. The lift gives you the clearance to fit larger tires but it also gives it the articulation to use them. Tires by themselves are a small percentage of the whole lift package.

Dan

Re: Lifting a WJ
 

Well, for or my off-roading needs, I mostly just need a little more clearance under the differentials, so wether or not I lift a couple inches shouldn't make much difference on articulation, seeing as all I would be adding are 2" spring spacers...The other reason is that I mostly play on rocks, so I want to keep it low, but I want to be able to fit good tires..Anywho, thanks for the info, I'm still a pretty novice off-roader, so I appreciate any tips and tricks! oh and I do have the Up Country susp. package, but its still pretty low, would changing the shocks alone make any differance?

Re: Lifting a WJ
 

Shocks will help stabilize you more and don't sell a 2" BB short that's what's going to raise your diff's up, an extra 2" with 1"- 1.5" from the tires can get you a lot of places. But as you lift the Jeep higher your still only get 1-1.5" from the tires, if your going to be playing in the rocks that's when you need articulation the most. Your also going to need rocker protection so your not beating the undercarraige and bottom's of the doors. Nothing like coming off a rock or crossing a crack and hitting hard enough that you can't open the door anymore.

Dan

Re: Lifting a WJ
 

Thanks! and I already have sliders, they've been really handy so far! My buddy has a 2004 Rubicon and so far I've been able to follow him everywhere, except mudd, Wj's too heavy, it just sinks (especially with no lift) and Quuadra-Drive is amazing! I had a 2000 with Quadra-Drive, but it had the trac-lok diffs, my 2002's vari-lok make a hell of a difference, especially when I only have one or two wheels on the ground, my buddy always has to run his Rubicon with his lockers on..but I do admit, I wish my WJ was convertable!

Re: Lifting a WJ
 

A little trick if you don't know it, if your wheels off the ground are spinning and your loosing momentum pull your e-brake on 1-2 clicks (or very lightly ride the brake pedal) and it will create drag which the TC sees as needing more torque on the other wheels and it will send power to the wheels on the ground.
Do you disconnect your front swaybar at all? Definately helps keep the tires planted on the ground.

Dan

Re: Lifting a WJ
 

I've got myself in a couple of situations where I only had one wheel that was on solid ground, and it pulled me out, my vari-loks are working beautifully, for now that is ;-) what I love about it, is that torque is being sent all over the place, from wheel to wheel...and thanks for the tip for the sway bar, i know i need to get some quick disconnects, but if i do that, is there any chance of my springs shooting out if i flex too much?

Re: Lifting a WJ
 

No your springs will be ok. The suspension will only flex as far as your shock will extend so you'll still be good.
When you start going 3.5"+ then you need to start looking into spring retainers.
In your case even if the spring/BB were to come out it wouldn't have any weight on it so it would just fall out.

Dan

Re: Lifting a WJ
 

Good to know! I have another question...I have some wobble when a brake, tires are balanced, rotors and pads are new..just wondering if it had anything to do with my steering stabilizer? (it doesn't always wobble)

Re: Lifting a WJ
 

Can sometimes be a u-joint that is starting to go. Vibration is caused by the sudden change in RPM's.
Check your track bar bushings, sometimes if they start to get old you'll get some vibration through them too. If the steering stabalizer is starting to go you can tell if it really starts to pull in ruts on the pavement, if it looks like it's seem better days then it won't hurt to replace it anyways.

Dan

Re: Lifting a WJ
 

that break trick sounds cool , i never heard that b4 .

Re: Lifting a WJ
 

It's common to see a 4x4 with open diffs with the wheel up in the air spinning and the one on the ground isn't going anywhere. A light touch of the brake and the TC transfer some power back to the stationary wheel and off you go. Does take some practice if you've never done it before but can be the difference of getting out of a hole or over a rock.

Dan

Re: Lifting a WJ
 

Yup, but I don't have open diffs, so its kind of useless for me...Thanks anyways! Do you have a grand cherokee?

Re: Lifting a WJ
 

still bad ass , so go out and get ur jeep stuck and do the break trick and make a video of it so i can see first hand . lol

Re: Lifting a WJ
 

I'm no expert, but if you do the brake thing with vari-lok diffs, won't it...oh what the hell, I'll go play in some mad mud and let you know how it goes! any reason to get stuck in mud is a good one!

Re: Lifting a WJ
 

Just as a side note...the bigger your tires, the less the effect of the Veri-Lok...SO don't expect the same results with 33's as the stock tires...

The brake trick works well sometimes...sometimes though, I need a buddy, a shovel and a tow strap to get me out..:D

Later.

Re: Lifting a WJ
 

You stepped on the brake to hard to huh? :)
Thank god for buddy's with Jeep's.

Dan