While this isn't a Jeep related question, it may soon be. God forbid Jeep from using torsion bars on a 4x4, but it will probably happen sooner or later. With that in mind (and the fact that likely more than a few of you drive these twisty bar trucks to work during the week), the answer is yes. "Cranking" up the preload on the torsion bars increases the lift, but also increases ride harshness and decreases or completely eliminates any suspension droop. Bottom line, don't do it.

"I have a 1999 Jeep TJ, with a 4.0/Standard. With a 4" Dick Cepek Series I Lift, and was wondering if there is any way to calculate the correct length of Shocks to use for the front? As the last time I was offroad with the swaybar disconnected, the Coil springs came out of the mount on the bottom. And with the Jeep jacked up, and the tire still touching, the ground there was over 2-inches of slop in the coil (up and down). Any help would be appreciated."

This doesn't really sound like a problem with your shocks. Rear axle articulation on ZJ's and TJ's can easily cause the coil spring to literally fall out of its seat and go rolling off in the dirt. What you need is a way to limit the amount of droop in the axle to prevent the spring from falling out. Buying a shorter shock is not the answer as they should never be used as a way to limit suspension travel. The easy solution is to purchase some limiting straps in the length you need from your local 4x4 shop to keep the axle from dropping and spitting out your coil spring.

"I have a 1995 Jeep ZJ, with a 4.0/auto. will a 3'' Skyjacker lift along with coil spacers effect the castor angles on my ZJ? I was wondering because I would like to run a 33-inch tire, articulation and light fender trimming are not a major concern."

A 3" lift from any manufacturer isn't going to get you anywhere close to running 33" tires on a Grand Cherokee. A 31" tire would probably rub a little when off roading with this lift. Adding 1" or higher spacers is going to destroy the caster angle and make driveability a very big issue in your GC. If you want 33's, look into a much taller lift kit.

"I have a 1983 cj7, with a 4.2 t177. It was advertised as having a 6 inch lift. Im trying to determine if it is in fact a 6-inch lift or a 4 inch lift. Any idea how to figure this out????"

A 4 inch leaf spring lift is as high as any manufacturer has offered for the CJ's. A 6" lift would only be possible by adding a 2" body lift to an existing 4" suspension lift. If you see 2" spacers between the body bushings and the frame, then you may have a total of 6 inches of lift. If not, you probably have a 4" suspension lift.

"I have a 1982 Jeep CJ 7, with a Chevy 350 / TH350. I am going to be replacing the body with a new fiberglass tub, I want to put on a body lift and go up to 35in. tires. I am currently running 33in. tires, a 2in. suspension lift and 1/2in shackle lift. I want to know what other mod's I will need to do to the drive train and the steering to facilitate the larger tires. Thank You!!"

The nice thing about body lifts is that the usual steering corrections are not necessary. You aren't moving the axle any farther away from the frame, therefore you are not changing any of the suspension geometry. You may need to purchase a longer steering shaft (column to steering box) and you will have to relocate your radiator two inches downward to compensate for the body lift. Other than those minor things, the body lift should allow you to run 35's very easily.

"I have a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo, with a 4.0/auto. I have a warranty issue and I would like to change my stock springs to the 'Up Country' suspension that is offered by Jeep. I was wondering how much of a lift is achieved with the 'Up Country' if any. I am hoping to put on 31x10.5 and will I be able to achieve this with the 'Up Country' springs. Thanks for your help. "

It's not going to happen. The Up Country suspension package adds about an inch over stock. 30" tires would be the absolute max.

"I have a 1989 Jeep YJ, with a 258-I6/man. I have a 4in ProComp lift and no travel. Should I go to a Skyjacker?? Will a 4in Skyjacker give me more travel and a better ride?? Please help...What should I buy?"

Let's look into why you have "no travel" first. Are the springs too stiff? Are the shocks too short? Do you still have the swaybars connected when off road? If the springs are just too stiff, I'd recommend either a custom set made specifically for your application by any reputable spring maker or one of the coil conversion systems out on the market. Installing a skyjacker lift kit in place of your ProComp will probably not make enough (if any) difference to justify the cost and labor.

"I have a 1999 TJ, with a 2.5. I would like to lower the front suspention of my Jeep TJ. I do not go off road and I would like to have a leaning frontward kind of hot rod look."

Are you serious? A "hot rod look" on a 4x4 with a four cylinder engine? May I suggest that you actually venture off road with your Jeep and find the joy of four wheeling in a vehicle that was designed to do so. If that doesn't sound appealing, trade in your Jeep for a "hot rod" and spare it the misery of years of pavement use.

"I have a 1995 Jeep YJ, with a 4.0. I read some of the other questions posted by people and I have to say that I am not educated in the know-all on vehicles so you will have to excuse me. Actually, I know nothing. I really need help though on advice for tires. I've been wanting to buy bigger tires for my YJ (the Jeep currently has what it came with...factory 225's, and OEM rims). I want an aggressive, wider and larger tire for all season driving. I've been told to get 31-inch tires which have a width of 9-1/2. A friend told me that he thinks that would be too big of a tire and that maybe I should look into 265's (would those even fit on my rims? I dont know). He mentioned about the gas mileage and also thought that I would need a lift for the Jeep. I don't want to do that at this time. I just want something that looks really good and doesn't overpower the Jeep. A larger tire, but not a monsterous tire. How big a tire is allowed for a Jeep and what do you recommend? Any help would be great, 'cause like I said, I'm not educated in this and i dont want to fork out a lot of money for something that is not going to be right."

31" tires are too big for a stock YJ. 30" tires will clear the wheelwells, but without new rims they will rub the leaf springs in a sharp turn. You may or may not decide to live with that nuisance in order to run taller tires. If you intend to keep the original rims, I'd suggest purchasing only slightly larger 235/75R15's until you are ready for a suspension lift.

"I have a 1981 Subaru GL, with a 1800cc 4speed 4x4. Do you have any info on lift kits for my vehicle? Where I can order one, and how much?"

Lift kits for Subaru's are easy to find. Just drive to your local Jeep dealer and buy a cherokee, then slap a subaru badge on it (if you must). Seriously though, Subaru's are not considered "real" 4x4's and the aftermarket has ignored them accordingly.

"I have a 89 XJ Cherokee, with a 4.0/auto. I would like to raise my Cherokee up slightly, enough to put slightly larger tires on it - maybe 30-inchers. I don't want to spend a fortune, hoping instead to save for a while and get a newer one. I am aware of the blocks which lift the rear end; is there anything which will lift the front coil springs 1 1/2 or 2 inches? I am hoping to get a little lift without having to change shocks, etc."

You can use coil spring spacers in the front to gain an inch or so of lift, but the odds are still very good that you will need to replace your shocks. There simply isn't any way to know until you measure them with the spacers installed. You can get the spacers from Teraflex www.teraflx.com or Rubicon Express, www.rubiconexpress.com.

"I have a 1999 Wrangler SE, with a 4 cylinder / 5-speed. Man...Grant, I've read that stock 99 TJ's can use 31" tires, but what about wheels? What is the best backspacing/offset combination? I'd like to fit 31's without rubbing, but keep as much of the tire under the flare as possible. What wheel width works best, 7" or 8"? How are backspacing and offset number effected by wheel width?"

A stock TJ can run 31's with some minor rub when off road. As you already know, wheel backspacing is critical for proper clearance. A 15x7 wheel with 4" backspacing will work perfectly with a 10.5" wide tire on a YJ/TJ.

The backspacing is completely unaffected by wheel width. Backspacing is simply a measurement from the mounting flange of the wheel to the inside edge of the wheel. Offset is another way to measure the same thing. A zero offset wheel would have the mounting flange in the exact center of the wheel. On a 15x7 wheel with an offset of zero, the backspacing would be 3.5 inches. A positive offset wheel would mean more backspacing, and vice versa.

Take a look at our new wheel backspacing chart for proper fitment on the most common Jeeps. tires.htm

"I have a 1989 Jeep YJ, with a 4cyl. and I am not going to be offroad any, but for looks I was wondering if I could put 33" tires on it with a body lift only. If this is true, what size body lift would I need? Also what brand would you use?"

Taller tires may look good on Jeeps, but if that's your only justification for installing them then don't do it. Your 4 cylinder engine is not up to the task of turning 33" tires without changing your axle ratios. Without the $1000+ dollar gear swap, you will be driving down the highway in 4th gear and your clutch is not going to be your friend. If you are not going to use your Jeep off road, then don't sacrifice the streetability of your Jeep for the sake of looks. You can run 33's with a 3" body lift, then add wheels and tires and new gears for the axles and you'll wind up with a 2500 dollar price tag and an underpowered Jeep. This may be a cost acceptable for off roaders, but for strictly street use it just doesn't make sense.

"I have a 1991 jeep cherokee limited, with a 4.0/auto. I am impressed with what you have to say about the 2" lift from OME. However, I have just purchased 31x11.00x15 Thornbirds, and I am wondering whether I will have a problem fitting them on the Jeep. I just take the Jeep onto the beaches. Will it work? Any advice if not?"

Cherokees are extremely picky about wheel fitment. Proper backspacing is everything. The 31" height of the tires is not really a problem with the OME kit unless you intend to do some rock crawling. The 11" width of the Thornbirds is going to be a problem though. With stock wheels (or stock offset wheels), the tires will clear the fenders fine, but will rub on the lower control arms in a sharp turn. If you switch to a wheel with less backspacing than stock, then you will eliminate the control arm rub but your tires will rub the fender flares every time you turn. Cherokee's do not like wide tires. My suggestion would be to purchase the OME 10mm coil spring spacer with your OME kit for a little extra front end height and use stock offset wheels. It's easier to live with the lower control arm rub than it is to risk damage to the fenders.

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