Choosing a lift

[Pescatoral Pursuit]

Well ,totally changed my plans here . Was trying to get the updated steering gear put on at dealer before i lift it , then was going to pick up the mopar kit when i picked up the jeep . Got jerked around big time {see poor dealer service post} .
So ive built a kit out of parts on ebay as i got a couple items and great deals i couldn't pass up . I want the falcon 3.3 shocks but i need to wait for my wallet to recover . This is what i've got coming .
Rock krawler 3 inch front springs
Synergy 2 inch rear springs
Front and rear lower control arms Teraflex Alpine IR's
Synergy front track bar
Synergy steering stabilizer relocation kit
Rock Krawler pro x triangulated rear control arms and bracket { gets rid of rear trac bar}
Synergy sector shaft/ track bar brace
Rock krawler bump stop kit .
Plus a cheap kit with extended sway bay links / shock mounts just until i can spend some more money on Falcon 3.3 .
Am i missing anything else i might want to consider ?
Im in about 2300 for all this .

Looks to me like you're overpaying for a hodge podge unless... You've done research and those are the specific parts you want.
Otherwise, you can get a complete Clayton kit for that, or a complete skyjacker kit and put a lot back in your pocket.

Sponsored

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

Looks to me like you're overpaying for a hodge podge unless... You've done research and those are the specific parts you want.
Otherwise, you can get a complete Clayton kit for that, or a complete skyjacker kit and put a lot back in your pocket.

Those are all nice parts.

Skyjacker is junk.

 

[Pescatoral Pursuit]

Those are all nice parts.

Skyjacker is junk.

Okay, it looks like a hodgepodge of nice parts. Better?

I find that virtually the only people referring to Skyjacker as junk are those who aren't using Skyjacker products. Curious what you mean by "junk." I recently installed a used Skyjacker kit on my Rubicon. No cracks in the rubber bushings. Fixed LCAs provide a solid ride. (Correct caster.) Nothing bent. A lot of the parts look like what you'd find on more expensive kits.

But there's not much brand ID bragging I'll give you that. Just a solid, well made lift kit doing its job, part of which is not emptying my wallet.

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

Okay, it looks like a hodgepodge of nice parts. Better?

I find that virtually the only people referring to Skyjacker as junk are those who aren't using Skyjacker products. Curious what you mean by "junk." I recently installed a used Skyjacker kit on my Rubicon. No cracks in the rubber bushings. Fixed LCAs provide a solid ride. (Correct caster.) Nothing bent. A lot of the parts look like what you'd find on more expensive kits.

But there's not much brand ID bragging I'll give you that. Just a solid, well made lift kit doing its job, part of which is not emptying my wallet.

I have used Skyjacker in the past.

Skyjacker has put out a lot of junk. Long arm kits with short uppers. Short arm kits with bushings that either wear out or tear brackets off.

Maybe they figured it out by now, but I'm not taking chances on any of their stuff anymore.

 

[Pescatoral Pursuit]

I have used Skyjacker in the past.

Skyjacker has put out a lot of junk. Long arm kits with short uppers. Short arm kits with bushings that either wear out or tear brackets off.

Maybe they figured it out by now

Wow I've heard a couple of these stories before and some who've told them mentioned how they've improved, but once bitten twice shy right?

I have confidence in the kit I bought. I can't vouch for the metallurgy but the welds, fit, and bushings appear sufficient.

 

[Swampman]

Looks to me like you're overpaying for a hodge podge unless... You've done research and those are the specific parts you want.
Otherwise, you can get a complete Clayton kit for that, or a complete skyjacker kit and put a lot back in your pocket.

A couple of reasons why i did this , i wanted the rock krawler triangulated rear to get rid of the track bar . but i do not particularly care for the joints in their links from a long term maintenace free standpoint .
i am not willing to downgrade my fox shocks to any lift kit house brands , i will stick with them until i can afford the extra expense of the falcon 3.3's . After looking at all the link arms available , i really like the teraflex . Maintenance free o.e type bushing . but with a sleeve that can rotate freely . I dont want to be rebuilding johnny joints every couple years and want to minimize potential for any noise or vibrations some of the links might develop.
my other option was the mopar kit with shocks , plus track bar , plus rock krawler rear kit , which would have pushed me well over 2.5k .
So i have put together a comprehensive kit with alot of high quality stuff , sacrificing new shocks for the moment , for 2300.
I feel pretty good about it .
I know clayton makes good stuff , but to me those square control arms imitate something an amateur might make in his back yard . I flat out do not like the looks of them and there's no getting around it for me .

 

[21WhiteRubi]

Will be interested to hear how this goes for you, ride quality etc. My thinking in going with the AEV DualSport kit was that AEV did all the engineering and R&D on the kit. Especially matching the shock valving etc to work well with their progressive rate springs. Just learned they now offer a high capacity spring option as well if you plan to regularly carry excess weight. For my application, the standard coil is just fine. From what I have learned over the years (and I by no means am an expert), matching the coil spring rate and the shock valving is the key to a good ride etc. Some shock manufacturers will re-valve your shocks based on your application, but it's an added cost. Off the shelf shocks I would assume are set up middle of the road etc., but I may be wrong on that one. Just seems to me you might be better off in the long run by sticking with one manufacturer that has tested all the pieces together.

 

[Swampman]

Will be interested to hear how this goes for you, ride quality etc. My thinking in going with the AEV DualSport kit was that AEV did all the engineering and R&D on the kit. Especially matching the shock valving etc to work well with their progressive rate springs. Just learned they now offer a high capacity spring option as well if you plan to regularly carry excess weight. For my application, the standard coil is just fine. From what I have learned over the years (and I by no means am an expert), matching the coil spring rate and the shock valving is the key to a good ride etc. Some shock manufacturers will re-valve your shocks based on your application, but it's an added cost. Off the shelf shocks I would assume are set up middle of the road etc., but I may be wrong on that one. Just seems to me you might be better off in the long run by sticking with one manufacturer that has tested all the pieces together.

i do agree i would have liked to stick with one brand in a kit , but the more i looked the more i decided no one offered the complete package i wanted . My hangup is i was sold on the rock krawler triagulated rear upper , and the teraflex control arms . At that point it was gonna be a mix and match no matter what .

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

A couple of reasons why i did this , i wanted the rock krawler triangulated rear to get rid of the track bar . but i do not particularly care for the joints in their links from a long term maintenace free standpoint .
i am not willing to downgrade my fox shocks to any lift kit house brands , i will stick with them until i can afford the extra expense of the falcon 3.3's . After looking at all the link arms available , i really like the teraflex . Maintenance free o.e type bushing . but with a sleeve that can rotate freely . I dont want to be rebuilding johnny joints every couple years and want to minimize potential for any noise or vibrations some of the links might develop.
my other option was the mopar kit with shocks , plus track bar , plus rock krawler rear kit , which would have pushed me well over 2.5k .
So i have put together a comprehensive kit with alot of high quality stuff , sacrificing new shocks for the moment , for 2300.
I feel pretty good about it .
I know clayton makes good stuff , but to me those square control arms imitate something an amateur might make in his back yard . I flat out do not like the looks of them and there's no getting around it for me .

Johnny Joints do not need rebuilt every couple years. They typically outlast any rubber bushing.

They do not cause vibrations or noise either.

 

[Swampman]

Johnny Joints do not need rebuilt every couple years. They typically outlast any rubber bushing.

They do not cause vibrations or noise either.

there is plenty of cases on these forums of johnny joints getting noisy in less than a year. im sure that is not always the case , but just looking at the design tells a logical person they may need frequent service as compared to o.e bushings.

 

[Pescatoral Pursuit]

A couple of reasons why i did this ,

unless... You've done research and those are the specific parts you want.

It's always nice to get everything you want under one label but picking and choosing components for specific properties, there's nothing wrong with that and I would say is a little savvy.

 

[shrinkhead]

The mopar 2 inch lift is great bang for your buck if sticking to 37s or smaller or 38s with fender chop. I have it for 14 months now including a year of pretty robust wheeling and no issues at all. In fact it works so well I will sell my FALCON 3.3 shocks and full rock crawler no limits lift if they ever get delivered

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

there is plenty of cases on these forums of johnny joints getting noisy in less than a year. im sure that is not always the case , but just looking at the design tells a logical person they may need frequent service as compared to o.e bushings.

I’ve been on Jeep forums since 2004 and been around Jeeps since 1995.

I haven’t heard of many short lived JJs. I’ve heard many of them going 5-6 or even 8 years without being touched. I used them on a TJ for 60k miles and didn’t do anything to them.

I’ll take JJs over OE bushings any day. The design is brilliant. They are tight and do a great job of keeping the front end in check and not wobbling. They allow for more misalignment than you’ll ever need. The downside is they’re a little expensive.

 

[Swampman]

I’ve been on Jeep forums since 2004 and been around Jeeps since 1995.

I haven’t heard of many short lived JJs. I’ve heard many of them going 5-6 or even 8 years without being touched. I used them on a TJ for 60k miles and didn’t do anything to them.

I’ll take JJs over OE bushings any day. The design is brilliant. They are tight and do a great job of keeping the front end in check and not wobbling. They allow for more misalignment than you’ll ever need. The downside is they’re a little expensive.

Tend not to find what you don't look for . I've spent every spare minute of the last couple months reading all the experiences i could find .
i have been around jeeps since 1972 .
I have been driving the same Yj for 32 years , 3 restorations . restored a couple cj7's and a 48 cj2a i still have and drive . your experience does not impress me . ive been chasing oil leaks on t90's longer than you've been around i'd bet .
Wasn't hard at all to stumble across threads speaking of JJ's being noisy in 6 months . id assume it depends on what you do , especially in regards to sinking them is silty mudholes .

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

Tend not to find what you don't look for . I've spent every spare minute of the last couple months reading all the experiences i could find .
i have been around jeeps since 1972 .
I have been driving the same Yj for 32 years , 3 restorations . restored a couple cj7's and a 48 cj2a i still have and drive . your experience does not impress me . ive been chasing oil leaks on t90's longer than you've been around i'd bet .
Wasn't hard at all to stumble across threads speaking of JJ's being noisy in 6 months . id assume it depends on what you do , especially in regards to sinking them is silty mudholes .

Look hard enough and you'll find failures for anything. If there were common issues with JJs, it'd be all over the forums and it's not.

I'm also in Michigan, so mine were subject to all kinds of crap. Never made any noise.

Sponsored