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Specs are compiled from manufacturer listings and verified buyer reviews and can change over time — please confirm the key details on the product page before buying.
If you own a Jeep Cherokee XJ (1984-2001), swapping your short factory control arms for a long arm kit gives you much better off-road wheel travel (articulation) and a smoother ride on pavement. The catch: these kits are heavy, expensive, and tough to install — choose poorly and you will deal with sagging springs or a crossmember that requires pulling the whole front end apart to fit.
I’m Mo Maruf — the founder and writer behind GoCarLife. This guide is built by comparing the manufacturers’ published specifications and the patterns across verified customer reviews, so you get each pick’s real strengths and trade-offs instead of marketing spin.
After digging through the specs and real owner feedback, three Rough Country kits rise to the top — here is what you need to know before you choose your best xj long arm kit.
Our Picks at a Glance
How To Choose The Best XJ Long Arm Kit
Long arm kits replace your short factory control arms with longer arms that pivot farther, so your XJ gets more wheel travel and keeps its wheels aligned better as the suspension moves up and down. To pick the right kit, you need to decide three things: how much lift height you want, if you need a full kit or just an arm upgrade, and how durable the parts really are.
Lift Height and What It Changes
The lift height — usually 4 to 6.5 inches — determines how big a tire you can fit and how steep your driveshaft angles get. A 6-inch kit clears 33-inch tires comfortably, while a 6.5-inch kit pushes toward 35s. Higher lifts mean you will likely need a slip-yoke eliminator or a double-cardan driveshaft to keep the rear u-joint from vibrating at highway speed.
Full Kit vs. Upgrade Kit
A full long arm kit includes new coil springs, leaf springs, shocks, sway-bar disconnects, and a track bar. An upgrade kit gives you only the long arms, crossmember, and skid plate — you reuse your existing springs and shocks. Choose an upgrade if you already have a short-arm lift you are happy with and just want better articulation. Go full if you are starting from stock.
Quick Comparison
| Model | Best For | Lift Height | Weight | Shocks Included | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rough Country Upgrade Kit (68900U)★ Best Overall | Articulation on a budget upgrade | 6 inches | 110 lb | No | Amazon |
| Rough Country Upgrade Kit (61600U) | Perfect bolt-on swap from short arms | 6 inches | 112.5 lb | No | Amazon |
| Rough Country 6.5″ Full Lift Kit (67222) | Maximum ground clearance, full overhaul | 6.5 inches | 314.6 lb | Yes — 4 N3 shocks | Amazon |
In‑Depth Reviews
1. Rough Country Long Arm Upgrade Kit (68900U)
Our pick — 4.5★ from 20+ verified ratings; the strongest balance of quality and price.
The upgrade kit that gives your XJ the flex it was missing without replacing everything you already own.
This kit is designed for XJs that already have a 4 to 6-inch short-arm lift and just need the arms and crossmember to open up real articulation. The lower control arms use a high-clearance design with Clevite-brand OEM-style rubber bushings, and the flex joints are massive — a 2.5-inch diameter body with 1.25-inch thread that is fully greasable. The crossmember is a serious piece: 0.25-inch thick steel.
Buyers report they “got awesome flex out of it” and praise how the kit transforms the ride when paired with Bilstein shocks. The recurring praise here is ride quality — the long arms keep alignment through the travel cycle so the Jeep tracks straighter than a short-arm setup ever could. Some owners wish the arms came in black rather than grey, and one noted the crossmember install requires pulling the front end apart if you ever need to remove it. But the consensus is that for the money, this is a beefy, well-engineered upgrade.
At 110 pounds, this kit is noticeably easier to manage in a home garage than the 314.6-pound full kit. You get adjustable upper and lower control arms, the long-arm crossmember, a transfer-case skid plate, and hardware — everything except the shocks and springs.
The articulation payoff: Owners consistently highlight the flex improvement — “great flex” is the top refrain. The long arms let the front axle drop farther than short arms, which matters when you are crawling over rocks or through ditches where keeping tire contact is everything.
Reach for this kit if: You already have a 4 to 6-inch lifted XJ and want to swap your short arms for long arms at a reasonable cost without buying new springs or shocks.
Look elsewhere if: You want a complete system with shocks and leaf springs, or you need the tallest possible 6.5-inch lift.
2. Rough Country Long Arm Upgrade Kit (61600U)
The simplest bolt-on path from a 4.5-inch short-arm lift to smooth long-arm travel.
This is the near-identical sibling to the 68900U, with the same components: adjustable upper and lower control arms, a 0.25-inch thick long-arm crossmember, a transfer-case skid plate, and all hardware. It shares the same 2.5-inch diameter flex joints with 1.25-inch threads that are fully greasable, and the same Clevite OEM-style rubber bushings on the lower arms. The weight is nearly identical at 112.5 pounds.
Every owner review here is a straight five-star rating. Owners mention: “I swapped my short arm 4.5 for this and it all went on smoothly!” The big selling point is the install — this kit works with your existing springs and shocks, so you unbolt your short arms and bolt these long arms in without cutting or welding. Rough Country backs it with a limited lifetime warranty.
One-caveat install: Like its counterpart, this upgrade kit relies on your existing leaf springs and coils. If your current springs are tired, the ride quality will still be limited by sagging rear leaves rather than the long arms themselves.
Go with this kit if: You want the smoothest possible swap from a 4.5-inch short-arm lift — a pure bolt-on that owners confirm goes smoothly.
Think twice if: You are starting from a stock-height Cherokee and need springs, shocks, and leaf packs — you need the full kit instead.
3. Rough Country 6.5″ Long Arm Lift Kit (67222)
The do-everything full system for owners who want the tallest bolt-on lift under one part number.
This is the full package — you get every component: rear lifted leaf springs, a pitman arm (a steering arm that connects the steering box to the linkage), lift shackles, four Premium N3 shocks, lifted high-flex coil springs, adjustable upper and lower control arms, crossmembers, stainless steel braided brake lines, u-bolts, a transfer-case skid plate, sway-bar disconnects, and an adjustable track bar. At 314.6 pounds, the full kit weighs 314.6 pounds, while the upgrade kits weigh 110 pounds, because it replaces your entire suspension.
The 6.5-inch lift is the tallest of the three kits, giving you 6.5 inches of lift versus the 6-inch kits. That extra half-inch is what you need to clear 35-inch tires and crawl over bigger obstacles. However, the real buyer feedback tells a tough story: some customers note that the rear leaf-spring bushings wore out within six months and the leaf springs sagged nearly 2 inches within a year. “I cannot recommend this to anyone,” one owner wrote bluntly. Others say the ride is not as comfortable as expected.
For the money — it sits at the premium end of the tier — this kit gives you everything in one box, which saves you from piecing together parts. But the durability concerns around the leaf springs are real and recurring, not a one-off complaint.
The honest verdict: If you need a turnkey 6.5-inch long arm system and are willing to budget for upgraded rear leaf springs down the line, the included crossmember, shocks, arms, and track bar are solid components. If you want long-term reliability without spring sag, the upgrade kits above have better owner satisfaction.
Buy this if: You want one box with everything for the tallest bolt-on long arm lift — coil springs, shocks, leaf packs, brake lines, and all.
skip it if: Dependable leaf-spring durability matters most to you, or you already have good springs and just want the arm upgrade.
Understanding the Specs
Lift Height
This is the vertical clearance you gain between your axle and the frame. A 6-inch lift is standard for 33-inch tires, while 6.5 inches gives room for 35s. The bigger the lift, the more you need to address driveline angles — longer lifts often require a transfer-case drop or a slip-yoke eliminator to prevent driveline vibration. These Rough Country kits offer a 6-inch or 6.5-inch height, so choose based on the tire size you plan to run.
Arm Design and Joints
The control arms in a long arm kit are longer than factory short arms, which lets the axle travel farther in a straighter arc. Look for fully greasable joints with a large body diameter — these kits use a 2.5-inch body with 1.25-inch threads — because greaseable joints last longer and can be rebuilt. The pivot angle of the joints (20 degrees upper, 35 degrees lower on these kits) determines how much articulation you can get before the joint binds.
FAQ
Will a long arm kit fit my 1984-2001 Jeep Cherokee XJ?
Can I install a long arm upgrade kit without new springs?
Do I need to weld anything for these long arm kits?
What is the difference between the 68900U and the 61600U?
Will a 6.5-inch lift require a slip-yoke eliminator?
What size tires fit with a 6-inch long arm lift?
Do these kits come with new shocks?
Are the control arms adjustable?
What is the Rough Country Limited Lifetime Replacement Warranty?
Final Thoughts: The Verdict
For most XJ owners looking for the best xj long arm kit, the winner is the Rough Country Upgrade Kit (68900U) because it delivers excellent flex at a fair price with strong owner satisfaction. If you want the simplest bolt-on swap from a 4.5-inch short arm lift, grab the 61600U. And for those who need the tallest 6.5-inch full system with everything in one box, the 67222 is the option to reach for — just budget for potential leaf-spring upgrades down the road.
How We Picked
We do not accept paid placement. Every pick is matched to a real buyer and a real use-case; we do not hands-on test units.
Sources & Methodology
Specifications: manufacturer listings and product documentation. Review insights: verified customer reviews, as of July 2026. Pricing: not shown on this page (it changes often); check the current price via the retailer link.
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