The suspension on our '97 Jeep Cherokee Sport had seen better days. In fact, it was so sacked out that it almost looked as if we had lowered it. Hitting dips in the highway at speed would make the front end of the Cherokee bounce for a block or more as if it was on hydraulics. The effects were amplified on even the tamest of trails, and after some time our fun-to-drive Cherokee had become anything but. Eager to regain that factory feel while also gaining a bit of stature, we looked to suspension manufacturer Rubicon Express and its selection of very complete off-the-shelf suspension systems.
The Rubicon Express Extreme-Duty long-arm suspension system is designed as a complete replacement of the factory suspension. The rear retains use of the Cherokee's leaf-spring configuration but gains new 5.5-inch lifted leaf packs to create clearance for larger tires. The front four-link suspension is replaced with taller coil springs and long control arms equipped with RE's Super-Flex spherical ball joints. The control arms are supported by a new three-piece crossmember that replaces the factory transmission/T-case crossmember and also ties into the sides of the Cherokee's unibody for extra support.
Overall, the RE system provides excellent vehicle stability and performance on- and off-road with reduced common negative effects associated with lifted 4x4s, such as bumpsteer and suspension jacking upon acceleration and braking. This is achieved through the design of the system in that the proper steering and suspension geometry are maintained.
To carry out the installation of the Rubicon Express Extreme-Duty long-arm suspension system, we looked to the crew at Off Road Evolution in Fullerton, California. With rusted nuts and bolts to deal with every step of the way, the crew tackled the disassembly of the stock suspension in stride before very rapidly completing the installation of the new RE components. We also had Fantasy Muffler in Buena Park, California, complete the necessary exhaust modifications.
With all in place, along with a set of 33x12.50R15 BFGoodrich Baja T/A tires mounted to American Racing Chamber wheels equipped with Champion beadlocks, our Cherokee was back in step with the 4x4 crowd and ready to take on pretty much any obstacle we could set in its way.
Our '97 Jeep Cherokee Sport...
Our '97 Jeep Cherokee Sport is like a brand-new 4x4 with the Rubicon Express 5.5-inch Extreme-Duty long-arm suspension system in place. The Teflon-coated, one-piece American Racing Chamber alloy wheels fitted with Champion beadlocks and BFG Baja T/A tires further complement the look and also effectively improve off-road performance.
Is it a 2WD? Nope. But the...
Is it a 2WD? Nope. But the suspension was sacked out enough that it almost played the part. Even with stock-size tires we would rub the fenders at big dips in the road, and off-road ability was greatly affected.
The Rubicon Express 5.5-inch...
The Rubicon Express 5.5-inch Extreme-Duty long-arm suspension system is a complete suspension-replacement kit. In addition to new lifted leaf springs for the rear, the system uses new, longer upper and lower control arms up front, which bolt to a new three-piece transmission crossmember.
Before we began disassembly...
Before we began disassembly of the Cherokee's stock suspension components, we took some measurements to see how much lift we'd actually gain from the installation of the Rubicon Express system. Measuring the distance from the ground to the bottom of the fender flare, we found that the stock setup offered just 30 inches - barely enough space to fit even the stock-size tires.
The crew at Off Road Evolution...
The crew at Off Road Evolution had plenty of work ahead in removing the stock suspension components. Nearly every nut and bolt was thoroughly rusted solid and required cutting or torching to remove. This is common practice for a lot of shops in areas that receive heavy snowfall, attributed mostly to the fact that salt is spread on roads to melt ice and snow and keep it from refreezing. With the constant bathing of saltwater the undercarriage receives, rust develops and spreads very rapidly.
Since we were lifting the...
Since we were lifting the Cherokee more than 3.5 inches, we needed to address some issues with the stock NP231 transfer case. The long slip-yoke at the rear of the NP231 would force the rear driveshaft to operate at too steep an angle and would also create excessive vibration. We'll alleviate the issue with the installation of a slip-yoke eliminator (SYE) kit and rear CV driveshaft. We'll detail the installation of an SYE kit and other NP231 upgrades in an upcoming issue.
Installation of the RE long-arm...
Installation of the RE long-arm system means that the factory control-arm mounts on the unibody are no longer necessary.
To create room for the new...
To create room for the new long control arms, ORE cut off the factory control-arm mounts on the unibody and ground the area smooth. The exhaust was cut to clear the new control arms. Fantasy Muffler in Buena Park, California completed the exhaust modifications.
The transmission was supported,...
The transmission was supported, and the transfer case and crossmember were removed. Here, the transmission adapter bracket is shown installed.
The new three-piece crossmember...
The new three-piece crossmember was then bolted up to the transmission adapter bracket and the factory bolt holes in the unibody. The two control-arm mounts bolt directly to the unibody, and the centersection bolts to the side braces and the trans adapter bracket. This permits removal of the centersection of the crossmember so that the transmission can be serviced and/or removed without removing suspension components.
With the control-arm mounts...
With the control-arm mounts and crossmember in place, the new long control arms were installed. Here, the driver-side lower control arm is secured to the mount using the provided hardware.
The new upper control arms...
The new upper control arms were installed in the lower arms and to the factory axle mounts.
With the new long control...
With the new long control arms installed, you can see where the factory mounts would have interfered with the new arms as the suspension cycles.
Side braces are included with...
Side braces are included with the crossmember to create more rigidity and tie it into the unibody. Here, the braces are bolted to the control arm mounts using the provided hardware.
The side brace was then used...
The side brace was then used as a guide to drill mounting holes. With the necessary holes drilled, the provided nut strips were used to secure the side braces to the vertical pinch weld on the unibody sides.
With the stock track-bar mount...
With the stock track-bar mount removed, the RE track-bar frame bracket and bracket brace were installed, along with a dropped pitman arm.
The Rubicon Express Gen II...
The Rubicon Express Gen II sway-bar disconnects offer a quick and easy method of disconnecting the front sway bar. Once the pins are removed, the sway bar can be positioned up out of the way and secured to a stowage mount on the unibody.
The final lift components,...
The final lift components, including the coil springs, shocks, sway-bar disconnects, and brake lines, were then installed. With the front complete, the ORE crew moved to the rear of the Cherokee to finish the installation.
Remember what we said about...
Remember what we said about the rust on our Cherokee's underbody? The leaf springs appeared to have received the worst of the damage and reflected every bit of it in their stubbornness in being removed.
We were lucky to not have...
We were lucky to not have damaged too many of the threads in the factory nut tabs in the unibody. Those that were damaged we were able to salvage by tapping the threads, and only one required alternative measures. Here, the new lifted leaf spring is installed in the forward mount on the unibody.
The new longer shackles were...
The new longer shackles were secured to the unibody mount, and the leaf spring was bolted to the shackle. Note that the shackle bushing features a grease fitting. The leaf springs use preinstalled rubber bushings.
J.E. Reel Drive Line Specialists...
J.E. Reel Drive Line Specialists provided new CV driveshafts to accommodate our rebuilt NP231 T-case.
With the leaf springs in place,...
With the leaf springs in place, the rear RE monotube shocks were installed. We also installed the new rear-brake hard-line section from Metro Fluid Connectors to replace the rusted and leaking factory line that we discovered after beginning the installation. The new rear RE brake hose was also installed, as were the rear sway-bar drop brackets.
With the new wheels and tires...
With the new wheels and tires in place, the vehicle was set on the ground so the new adjustable track bar could be installed.
The RE Extreme-Duty long-arm...
The RE Extreme-Duty long-arm system permits fitment of 33x12.50 tires. We elected to use BFG Baja T/A tires mounted to a set of 15x8 American Racing Chamber Teflon-coated wheels with 3-3/4 inches of backspacing. The Baja T/A offers a classic and proven tread pattern and compound to ensure durability and longevity in the harshest of conditions. The American Racing Chamber wheels were modified to accept Champion beadlocks. The wheel/tire combo is a perfect fit to the new suspension and will provide good crossover ability as the vehicle is used to tackle varying types of terrain.
Though the RE kit is called...
Though the RE kit is called a 5.5-inch system, it afforded our sacked Cherokee an increase in elevation of more than 10 inches. This created a lot of space under the fenders for the 33x12.50R15 BFGs and required very little fender-shaving to achieve full articulation of the springs.