By: Berkeley Johnston - 7/2000

Lift Intro | Rear Lift | Front Lift | Quick Disconnects | Side Effects

Cherokee 3.5" OME & TeraFlex Lift - Introduction

Installed Old Man Emu leaf spring.

The finished front.

This kit, originally spec'd by Chet Szymecki at the Cherokee Connection, is a custom combination of selected parts from Old Man Emu (OME) and TeraFlex, with new original equipment (OEM) rear leaf spring bushings. Although the Cherokee Connection is no longer a distributor, all these parts are still available. Chet did a great job putting together a top-quality, balanced 3.5" kit suitable for 31" tires. With this kit, my XJ is tackling some really tough trails and impressing folks. Any higher (like a 6" lift) and the installer will have to start addressing other problems, like significant steering and suspension geometry changes.

If you're thinking about going higher someday, remember this: on spring packs, especially OME, it's not recommended to use blocks (between the spring and axle). When the spring is counter-flexed it loses its shape quickly, thus losing lift. If you want a taller lift, get a taller spring pack.

The lift kit and TeraFlex quick disconnects arrived minus the u-bolts for the rear. I was anxious to get started and decided that I could reuse the stock u-bolts. There was enough thread left on the u-bolts to accept the thicker leaf spring pack... as long as I didn't break them getting the nuts off.

I have divided the lift installation into four parts:

• Lifting the rear
• Lifting the front
• Installing the quick disconnects
• Dealing with side-effects

Navigate between each part of the write-up using the menu bar at the top or bottom of the pages.

Here is the list of parts used. OME is Old Man Emu. OE is Original Equipment (factory original). Let's get started!

• 2 front OME coil springs - #OME 930
• 2 front TeraFlex coil spacers - 2" spacers #SSTXZ, part of #BB1X
• 2 complete OME rear leaf springs - #JC1B
• 2 greasable rear TeraFlex shackles - 6.5" shackles #RSX, part of #BB1X
• 4 OME Nitrocharger shock absorbers
  #N35 front (15.25" min - 23.75" max)
  #N36 rear (13.50" min - 22.25" max)
• 4 new OME U-bolts for rear leafs - #OME U57
• 2 OE large leaf spring bushings
• 2 OE small leaf spring bushings

Lift Intro | Rear Lift | Front Lift | Quick Disconnects | Side Effects