To Lift or not to Lift...???

[thndrstrm1]

Hey y'all -
I just began looking into the idea of lifting my 1993 Cherokee 2WD Sport. Not because I do a whole lot of off-roadin' (I'm currently stationed in Sicily w/US Navy) - but I often haul stuff - mostly equipment for hiking, skiing, fishing & all the equipment for every sport my two sons play (and I coach 'em).
Basically all I want is a beefier look to my ride (she's a real work horse & I love her) and a bit of lift for the hauling. She's never left me on the side of the road yet - got 156k miles on her 4.0L A/T, has taken me deer hunting with chase dogs in NW Florida & Southern Alabama, fishing everywhere from Palm Beach county Fla to the everglades to Key West, cruising on the sand in Daytona, and flying down the highways, and now from one end of sicily to the other - including daily climbs up Mt Etna to our villa where we live in Nicolosi on the south side of the volcano.
I figure she deserves a face lift & was looking at maybe a 2" suspension lift - which from what I've found could be done as easily as coil spring spacers & some shackles. Does that sound about right?
Also - saw these neat little wheel spacers that shove your wheel out into the road about 1" on each tire giving that beefier look.
Any advice?
ps Sorry for the ramble...newbie & all

[comp]

get h.d. /longer coils and have 1 or 2 leafs added to rear... spacers& shackels DO NOT increase load cap. also add a posi if you don't have so
you'll have the best traction you can with 2wd doing same to son-inlaws
92 may do a 4.0 head swap to

[MagicRat]

Aviod those wheel spacers. They allow the wheel to exert too much lateral force on the wheel studs and make them more likely to sheer off under load. They also affect handling as the effect of the caster built into the steering geometry of the jeep changes.

Also, don't lift it too much. An inch should be plenty. I lifted mine 3 inches and the centre of gravity is now higher, its less safe and the handling has suffered a bit.

[thndrstrm1]

Thanks for the quick responses! Appreciate it - although I don't know if I'll be needin' that posi rear.
But thanks for the insight on the shackles and wheel spacers and lifting idea.
Ciao from Sicily