camera_man's 1997 Jeep Cherokee Sport

[AHTOXA]

Yeah, Cherokee is not a candidate for a body lift because it's unibody.

However, a body lift is the most effective way to clearance large tires. Check this out. By doing a suspension lift, generally (unless it's a ground-up custom design and fab) the suspension geometry stays similar to stock. What is increased is travel and preload. So if you were to stuff the tire in the wheel well, it would still travel a similar arch (only longer) as stock and stuff in the same place in the well. The issue with this, is that at normal ride height this will allow bigger meats but during suspension flex you are still running into rubbing issues. In fact, your 31s will rub. With the body lift you are are avoiding this issue to begin with because you are actually changing how the tire fits in the well without cutting the fender.

I am actually looking to trade my Teg on a Cherokee. I like yours a lot!

[theholycow]

Well, I learned something today. I never knew that there were functional reasons for a body lift, I thought they were entirely aesthetic.

[AHTOXA]

There are more. A body lift does not raise the center of gravity as much as suspension lift does. Suspension lift raises everything that is suspended in the car, including the frame, engine and trans. A body lift simply raises the cabin. The frame and everything that is bolted to it stay. Relative to the frame and drivetrain the cab does not weigh much.

When you are setting up a good rig you want good articulation of suspension, the largest tire as you need based on the type of wheeling you do and as low CoG as possible to avoid tipping over.

Body lift accomplishes:

- larger tire fitment
- does not significantly raise CoG
- gives more clearance at the rocker panels and other parts of the body

However, body lifts are limited to 3". Even then, I would always advise strongly against going anything bigger than 2". Fist, there is too much leverage on mounting hardware during off-camber flex when the lift is 3", second, there is too much physical work that needs to be done. Most trucks will take 2" with no to small mods, but a 3" requires gas tank filler extension, driveshaft loop replacement, brake line extension and relocation of the mounting. The brackets that hold the brake lines to the frame will not reach and also you have to deal with a large 3" gap all around. You also need to extended the shifters as well. The extra inch isn't worth it for the most part.

[camera_man]

Whether it's lifting the body or lifting the suspension, at ride height there will be no difference in the ability to fit larger tires in the wheel well. As you stated, the difference is under articulation, where a lifted suspension will travel further, thereby creating more rubbing issues. With lifting the suspension, that additional articulation will allow better off-road performance. That's what I was going for.

You were correct, my 31s DO rub, and I had to trim some of the plastic fenders out. I still need to do more, but when I first lifted it I couldn't turn more than a quarter turn to the left w/o it rubbing. Now it rubs while i'm turning under articulation and braking, but i will have that taken care of soon enough.

[AHTOXA]

Yes, better articulation does mean better offroad performance but if you are rubbing, then that increase in performance is reduced a considerable amount depending on the rubbing.

Did you change the offset of the wheels from stock as well? This also affects rubbing.

[watkins]

Tony likes this thread.

[camera_man]

Tony likes this thread.

I don't blame him, this stuff is addicting (as I've found out).

I'm running a 3.75" backspacing with a 19 mm offset. Stock wheels were 15x7, and my new ones are 15x8. The tires are 31x10.5 R15. They stick out past the fenders a bit, but I don't mind. Just means that the Jeep doesn't stay clean, because EVERYTHING on the road gets kicked up on the body.

[camera_man]

Just out of curiosity... what were you running on your Xterra?

[AHTOXA]

My memory is getting hazy for some of the minor stuff but here's the list of mods to my best rememberance:

- 2.5" suspension lift. Pieced together from Calmini and SLP racing kits. I felt it gave me what I needed
- 2" body lift
- 33 x 12.5" Kumho MT tires on Cragar Soft 8 wheels 4.75 offset. tires also stuck out and shooting rooster tails all over when rained
- Shrockworks front winch bumper
- Shrockworks full set of skid plates underneath (gas tank, oil pan, transfer case, trans and radiator).
- SLR reinforced steering, beefier center link and an idler arm brace
- custom fame mounted rear recovery points (hooks)
- safari type gear basket on roof (forget brand - discontinued) with custom shovel, axe and hi-lift mounts. Believe it or not, I ran the shovel and the hi-lift there at all times, however the ax was only placed up there while going camping. Never got stolen or messed with. I also ran a spare 33" tire up there.
- Cobra CB in cab
- trans cooler

Whatever else I can't remember. I should have never sold her.

[watkins]

But if you never sold her you never would have had the pleasure of meeting me, your favorite person in the entire world

[ElectroGhandi]

Oh, was his Xterra automatic?

[watkins]

Its nearly impossible to find a manual Xterra. They exist, but theyre rare.

[camera_man]

Manual Cherokees are the same way... very hard to find, especially with the 4.0 L

[AHTOXA]

I thought Cherokees only came with a 4.0 though aside from Grand Cherokees that had other, bigger engine variations as an option. I can't think of them all now. Am I right?

Manual Cherokee is rare but there are always 2-3 on CL when I go look. Finding a manual V6 Xterra is like taking a shovel to your back yard, digging and hitting oil 3 feet under.

Gah, thread is derailed again! My sincere apologies.

[ElectroGhandi]

I've seen many manual Xterras. Don't know if they were V6's though.