Sounds great Justin! Feel free to call me if you have any questions...

Sounds great! You'll love it...

Thanks!

Thanks! Been building XJ's for over 20 years now with lifts from 1" to 8" and everything in between. Definitely come to some conclusions as to what I prefer for the best all around suspension set ups...

Sounds great. These jeeps are getting cheap enough that we might as well have both!

DPG Off-Road my thoughts exactly!

Thanks!

Thanks!

Thanks! These low COG jeeps will run circles around those big behemoths we used to build.

Thanks!

Thanks! After building these newer low COG rigs like this, I would not build one of mine with a big lift again.

Sounds great! Talk to you soon...

It's a 2000 XJ with '97 axles, 4.56 gears, 3.5" Super Ultimate kit, Ion Alloy wheels, 35" Cooper STT Pro's, SYE/Shaft upgrades, ARB Bull Bar Bumper w/ Warn 9000 winch, fenders trimmed, rear cut & fold with OR Fab rear bumper, Wilderness special edition roof rack, nice stereo and probably some more stuff I can't remember!

Thanks!

Thanks David!

Lotta guys still going big out there. After running lifts big and small, I am completely sold on low COG suspension systems for the true dual purpose rig.

Thanks!

Overall travel is one thing. The upper bottoming point and the lower extension point will be what they are. How much lift you have just determines the ratio of up vs down travel. On a crawler, you typically want more down travel than up, which comes with a low COG suspension. A taller suspension only makes the rig more top heavy, which is very undesirable in off-camber situations and steep climbs. On a custom built buggy, you can engineer lot's of up travel and a low COG, as you don't have fenders in the way. On an XJ, you are much more limited-without doing really extensive body/fender mods. Lift heights, overall width, spring rates, fender clearance and tire diameter are all crucial elements in determining an individual jeeps performance characteristics. On a baja rig, longer uptravel is needed to absorb large bumps and whoops at speed. Very different set of parameters from the average daily driven/weekend warrior trail rig. Running 60mph through the desert on stock Cherokee axles is a recipe for disaster! My XJ on 35's drives great on the road, but does not take a backseat on the trail either! Excellent combination of on and off-road capability.

Thanks!

More details on this jeep here: dpgoffroad.com/dpg-rigs-2/

They are great vehicles!

Thanks!

Well said!

These kits will not work on the MJ Comanche, as the leaf springs in the XJ are not the same as the leafs in the MJ. A 3.5" kit would be nice, but...

Please feel free to call me at (316) 776-9900 and I'd be glad to discuss your jeep in more detail. I drive my XJ daily and it's just as happy at 80MPH as it is on the trail. Our Ultimate or Super Ultimate kits would make a really nice difference!

That kit comes with adjustable lower control arms, so I make them slightly longer (maybe 5/16" to 3/8") to add some caster to the alignment settings. With a 3.5" lift, you could do a SYE/ DC shaft conversion, but since it's not a 4.5" to 6" lift, most guys just do a t-case drop if they get a driveline vibe.

Thanks! I prefer a backspacing range from 3.25" to 3.75" in that application. My wheels are 3.5" backspacing.

Hi Todd, the Super Ultimate adds lower adjustable control arms and longer brakelines all around. We also have another kit that has become our most popular that is not on the website. It uses CORE 4x4 Tier 3 upper and lower control arms and their front adj trackbar with double shear bracket. Please call me at (316) 776-9900 to discuss details or place an order. Thanks!

'95 and older XJ's are much less sensitive to driveline vibes than '96 or newer models, so you could run a 2" to 3.5" lift and shouldn't have any drivetrain issues. Feel free to contact me if you'd like to discuss options and details. For a great smaller lift, I'd consider our 2.5" Ultimate kit here: dpgoffroad.com/product/2-5-ultimate-xj-old-man-emu-hybrid-kit/

That is the '97+ bumper, but it's been cut to match the fender trimming.

ARB Bull Bar.

Both 2.5" and 3.5" kits offer ran excellent combination of ride and handling. The 2.5" kit rides just a little bit smoother than the 3.5", but hard to go wrong either way.

The CS033RB is appx 3.5" lift. CS033RA is appx 4.5" lift. You can remove the 3rd leaf from either pack and have a slightly softer pack that nets about an inch less lift. Official specs here: view.publitas.com/arb-4x4-accessories-1/old-man-emu-international-application-catalogue-edition-36/page/184-185

In short- YES. The OME leafs are some of the strongest on the market. They also have that overload on the bottom for heavier weights. In those rare occasions where someone has extreme added weight, we use the 4.5" leafs in the 3.5" kits. One customer of ours is a musician and carries a LOT of heavyweight in back of her XJ. That set up works well for her and her jeep is heavy. OME also has specific extra leafs for these packs that would make these HD packs really heavy. Never had to use those yet...

@@dpgoff-road1737 awsome, ill be calling to talk to you guys tmrw.

Different strokes for different folks. 35's and "minimum" trimming aren't 2 things that go together. 35's just require more trimming. Unfortunately, the Safari snorkels have been discontinued for the XJ's.

The OME leafs have that flat overload on the bottom, which adds some substantial backbone over the stock leaf capabilities. I don't know any official towing ratings though.

I believe the Up Country Cherokees were about an inch taller than the other XJ's from the factory. Our advertised lift heights are based on a non- Up Country jeep. Of course, after all these years, none of these jeeps are sitting at the same height they did when they were new, so it's common to get more lift than advertised because most Cherokees are no longer sitting at "stock" ride height.

33" to 35" tires are possible with this kit, depending on fender trim/bumper options. I do like to cut & fold that rear lower quarter panel for extra room if running 35's.

Hi Scott, most everything we have is on our website at www.dpgoffroad.com Feel free to call me if you have any questions at (316) 776-9900. Thanks!

Yes, 35's. Thanks!

They are a cheaper way to get a wider stance that is needed for a lifted jeep with larger tires. I prefer a wheel with the right backspacing to start with, but for guys who are really married to a certain wheel (factory or JK wheels usually) and want the wider stance as well, a wheel spacer is the only option.

Hack & tap is a SYE- just a different version than an AA style. This is always an option, but at 3.5", a lot of our customers just do a t-case drop if needed. If running taller than the 3.5" kit, I would recommend the SYE/CV shaft conversion, as operating angles are excessive. The good news is that the '95 and older XJ's are less susceptible to driveline vibes than the '96 and newer models.

@@dpgoff-road1737 Thanks!

@@dpgoff-road1737 From what i can see the only SYE/CV parts that are available are the parts from Rough Country. Are these any good? Or should i try to get a oversea delivery with better brands?

@@silboersma4774 There are multiple options out there for SYE's. Advanced Adapters has been around forever and is the go-to for those who want a full replacement SYE that requires splitting the t-case. I've been running hack & tap style SYE's for 20 years with zero issues. The biggest problems people have with those units is generally installer error...

@@dpgoff-road1737 Thank you! Would i be able to run a Stock drive shaft with a hack&tap style SYE?

That is an ARB BullBar bumper. It comes with the guard already welded on. The one I have is for the '97 and newer body style, so you'll have to trim it if trimming the fenders for bigger tires. They also have one available for the older body styles that will work on the newer one's and won't require trimming. We carry those at DPG Off-Road. If you have any questions or would like to order one, please call (316) 776-9900.

The common backspacing for A 15X8 rim is 3.25" to 3.75". Factory is a 15x7 with a 5.25" backspacing, so you'd gain 1.5" to 2" of extra width from the backspacing, plus the rim is an inch wider. I wouldn't go wider than that. I've never seen any rims with less backspacing than 3.25" and they would be hard on ball joints if you had them. Steering function gets wonky if you go too wide with wheels as well...

@@dpgoff-road1737 so to have my tire poke out just past my fender flares. You’d recommend a 15x8 with 3.75? Just to be sure so I can place and order/ Thank you! I would send pics of I could

Hi Jay, I have been a fan of the Old Man Emu shocks for a long time. A lot depends on spring rates, mounting locations, etc, but they are my favorite...especially with low COG packages running Old Man Emu springs.

@@dpgoff-road1737 Appreciate the response bud. I'm just using the stock spring mounting location. Can you tell me what model of the D man emu shocks would be best for that application or what ones you used? Thanks

@@dpgoff-road1737 I am not seeing the old man emu available for a 6.5" lift on a Cherokee xj. What would be your next pick?

@@jaybourbon8608 please call me on this. There are a number of variables that come into play at 6.5" of lift that can affect shock lengths and needs.

@@jaybourbon8608 I have the OME long travel shocks in front and the shorter shocks in back with the JKS weld-on shock mounts.

Depends on whether the fenders are trimmed and how big your tire is. Nonetheless, I am a BIG fan of going wider whenever going taller. I'm running 3.5" backspacing with 35's on my 3.5" kit.

Website is up and running. I did see a technical issue a day or 2 ago, but I think it's fixed now. Feel free to call us if you have any questions. Thanks!

Hard to say for sure without seeing the jeep, but I wonder if you're experiencing bump steer. There are multiple "kits" on the market that alter the operating geometry between the trackbar and the steering drag link. Those 2 linkages need to stay parallel with each other. If you do a drop pitman arm but don't relocate the trackbar the same amount, you will get bump steer. If you relocate the trackbar and don't drop the pitman arm the same amount, the same thing can happen. Trackbars swing in an arc, so technically speaking, all jeep axles move side to side slightly as you drive. You shouldn't have tracking or sway issues based on that. If your issue is actually more SWAY related, that's usually any combination of a lift that's too tall, softer springs or shocks and/or no front swaybar. If it's a wandering issue, it could be related to the steering box or other bad/loose front end suspension or steering components.

@@dpgoff-road1737 great detail...gives me a few points to check. Thanks for your response.

@@davesnothereman7250 You're welcome! Hope you get it figured out soon.

We've done a bunch of them regarding the front suspension, (Old Man Emu springs & shocks, JKS disconnects and trackbar, etc) but we don't have the rear leaf springs for the MJ. Only 2 or 3 places making those any more...

@@dpgoff-road1737 Ok. I’ll call in the coming weeks. I’m getting some engine work done early next week.

@@luispinedo965 Sounds good!

Really depends on your view. Some would argue that their jeeps value isn't much more than a good suspension and they can't justify it. For the rest of us, our jeeps are keepers and we have no problem spending the money to do it right. Tags, taxes and insurance are cheap and these jeeps are so reliable that it makes sense. I have WAY more money tied up in my Cherokee than it books out for, but it's so much fun to drive that I'm perfectly happy with it.

Hi Parker, the front suspension is no problem for the MJ, but the rear leafs are a problem. The Commanche trucks have been out of production for so long that there's not a lot of options available for good leaf springs, since they are different than the Cherokees. We could do a custom built set of leaf springs, but they would be expensive. I think there may still be a couple of aftermarket leafs available for the MJ, but not sure...

There are multiple winches that will fit these bumpers. I've always preferred Warn myself.

@@dpgoff-road1737 thanks I’ll look into them, I just know some winches might be hard to get at the release and what not. My buddy’s jeep you can hardly fit your fingers in to move the switch 😜

4.56 gears

I've built many jeeps over the last 20 some years with everything from 2" to 8" lifts. I'm completely sold on smaller, low COG suspensions with trimming to fit bigger tires. MUCH more stable and driveable all around! Give me a shout if you want to discuss details, options, etc...

DPG Off-Road appreciate that man I will check out the website and see what y’all have to offer

3.5" for 33s and 35s

Depending on usage and whether you plan to trim or not, you can run anywhere from 3" to 6" of lift. Obviously, we prefer to keep them lower these days. Feel free to contact me if you have questions...

Many options for SYE's out there. Advanced Adapters is used a lot, as are some of the lower cost options. RE "Hack & Tap" is a lower cost (and controversial) SYE, but I like them. Problems with those are usually related to installer error more than anything else...

It's an ARB BullBar bumper. We have them or you can get them at different off-road stores. Mine is for the '97-'01 models and has been trimmed along with the fenders to fit bigger tires.

I had the stock axles in my 2000, which had stock gears and a low pinion Dana 30 up front. Picked up a '97 XJ parts rig that a customer had a few years back. It had 4.56 gears F&R and a high pinion Dana 30, so I just swapped them into my rig. The HP 30 has better clearance for off-road use and allows a little better front driveshaft operating angle on a lifted XJ, compared to the LP so that came in the '00-01 models.

That is our 3.5" Super Ultimate Hybrid kit- tuned to about 4". Link: dpgoffroad.com/product/3-5-or-4-5-super-ultimate-xj-old-man-emu-hybrid-kit/

That jeep runs a 4.56 gear ratio. I might normally run a 4.88 or deeper, but I actually drive this jeep at 80mph+ on the freeway, so the 4.56 spins the motor a little slower at those speeds.

@@dpgoff-road1737 so the 4.56 gears would be better for doing 80 on the highway? I don’t want to get 4.88 and have the rpm too high at higher speeds. Also, what locker setup do you recommend? Have you used e lockers?

Long arms are a requirement with big lifts. At 3.5", you can run a long arm, but it's not required. Our Ultimate kit uses either stock control arms or the customers choice of short or long arms, so it's the perfect choice for those who want to go long arm and still have all the rest of this package.

That is an ARB BullBar bumper. They have 2 styles for the XJ- Pre '97 and '97-01. Mine is the newer version, which had to be trimmed along with the fenders to fit 35" tires.

@@dpgoff-road1737 I like that one more streamline than some of the others I saw.

@@garykarczewski6678 ARB makes really nice stuff...

We can ship you the kit, but you'll have to find someone to install it if you don't want to tackle it yourself. Any decent mechanic can do it and we're a phone call away if they have any questions. Thanks!

Hiya: curious if you got one, if you found someone in Dallas, and your experience. Thx

Low COG systems are shorter and therefore do not require long arms for good control arm geometry. Long arms were developed when lift kits got big as the control arm operating angles are excessive with big lifts. Our Super Ultimate kit comes with your choice of JKS, Currie or CORE 4x4 control arms. Our Ultimate kit doesn't come with control arms, so you can use stock arms or your choice of aftermarket short arms or long arms easily.

@@dpgoff-road1737 at what height is it necessary to do a long arm kit ?

@@ninofajardo1288 Some still run short arms on taller lifts, but if running 4.5" and above, I would definitely run long arms or drop brackets.

@@ninofajardo1288 we now also offer these hybrid kits in a long arm version as well!

Later model XJ's ('97+) just don't have as much room in the fenderwell as the older models had. I'd rather trim and run a lower COG suspension, but to each their own on that.