Final Decision...Which Lift Kit...Buying This Weekend

[aldo98229]

I wouldn't waste my money on a Mopar lift.

I had the Mopar lift on my 2018 JL Sahara.

This is my experience:

Pros:

1. I got over 3 inches of lift; amazing articulation
2. Excellent, smooth ride

Cons:

1. I got over 3 inches of lift. My dad and aunt had trouble getting in and out of the Jeep. Worse, my steering went to shit: it started pulling to the right and wandering all over the road. The longer control arms included in the kit are clearly insufficient
2. The Mopar kit didn't include an adjustable track bar; my front axle was 1.5 inch off center. I had to fork an additional $750 for a YETI adjustable track bar
3. I was able to restore some of the steering feel by having the steering box TSB done, replacing the weak OE damper with a beefier Fox 2.0 (+$180), and getting an alignment (+$120)
4. Speaking of the steering box TSB: I got the Mopar lift and had the dealer install it under the expectation that everything would be covered under warranty. Sadly, when I went to get the TSB done two weeks later, the dealer tells me that they "...cannot touch the vehicle because it has been modified..." They wanted me to bring it all back to factory spec before working on the TSB. I told them to eat shit; found another dealer 30 miles farther away to do the work
5. I got da Death Wobble one time. I drive over a set of diagonal train tracks when the steering wheel starts pulling violently side to side. Thankfully I was doing only 35 MPH, so I was able to bring the vehicle to a complete stop without incident. The experience was quite startling, to put it mildly. I believe the issue is that the steering geometry on these trucks comes from the factory stretched to the very limit, so it doesn't take much to push it over the edge

Years ago I would have recommended the Mopar lift without hesitation, but this Mopar lift is half-baked at best.

My buddy had an AEV 2.5 DualSport lift on his 2013 JKUR; it was a high quality lift.

If I were to do it all over again, I would go with AEV instead of Mopar. Period.

Good luck.

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[Wheelin98TJ]

Northridge just upped the ante with what appears to be a 10% off offer on the lift because it has been sitting in my cart for probably a month now. That gets this thing down to about $1,620, which makes it even more of a bargain.

I wonder how much the Mopar kit would be if the parts were purchased individually instead of as a kit?

I just checked my receipt for my Clayton 2.5" Ride Right and I paid $1,164 for the lift, $339 for Bilstein 5100 shocks, $89 shipping, total price $1,592. That was 2.5 years ago though.

This post here provides all the Mopar lift part #s:

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...-of-the-mopar-diesel-lift.61215/#post-1008503

 

[BunkieJeeper75]

I am down to two kits...Mopar vs. AEV. I am leaning strongly to AEV, but have a soft spot for the Mopar because it has performed so well on my JLUR (35´s, F/R adjustable track bars)

AEV:
Pros...

• Cost. $1800 + front adjustable track bar. I can sell the Pro-Cal as I already have a Taser and I can sell the LCA drop kit. I already have a Rancho kit. Mopar is over $2k and I would add front/rear adjustable track bars.
• Only needs a front adjustable track bar (maybe not). Rear bracket takes care of centering the rear on AEV.
• AEV comes with an $80 jack base. (Nice!)
• Tighter handling, better load carrying dynamics (less sag in the rear.)
• Tight dynamics will be better for towing.
• Includes drive shaft carrier bearing lowering parts.

Cons...

• Rougher ride, especially off-road with Bilstein 5100 shocks.

Mopar:
Pros:

• Plush ride. Especially off-road, with Fox shocks.
• Bilstein shocks with reservoirs are an unknown quantity in terms of ride, but I really like that they have reservoirs.
• I can sell or get rid of the LCA´s with the kit because I would use my Rancho LCA drop kit.
• Cool wooden box. (I really don´t care about this.)
• Did I say smooth ride? My brother´s 2020 JT with Fox shocks/Mopar was the smoothest riding Jeep I´ve ever experienced, on and off-road. It was wonderful.

Cons:

• Cost...Significantly more after tax and track bars than the AEV.
• Needs both front and rear adjustable track bars.
• Would need to get part to lower the drive shaft carrier bearing.
• Handling won´t be as crisp as AEV.
• Will sag more under load, (Not a huge issue.)
• Probably a little less stable when towing.
• I really don´t need the big box. (But it is cool)

I´d love to hear final feedback from folks with either of these lifts. I really think I´d be happy either way. I would especially love to hear from someone with the latest version of the Mopar with the Bilstein reservoir shocks.

My budget is about $2k, so the more expensive lifts are out. Plus, the Mopar has handled EVERYTHING I have thrown at it on my JL, including 3 trips to Moab and the hardest trail I´ve ever run in a Jeep, which was in Vermont. The AEV on my JK also handled that trail, with flying colors. Both were outstanding on the JK/JL.

I´m looking forward to making the purchase and getting this Gladiator lifted up and ready for the trail! I have a set of 35¨ Kenda Klever AT3´s waiting in the wings.

Thanks in advance for your expertise and advice! Love this forum!!!

I have a 2023 rubicon .. I went with a Clayton 3-1/2” overland performance kit, installed it myself, …. It is great and Clayton’s customer service and assistance is great! It is more than your budget but they offer various levels of kits and you may be able to find something to fit your budget !

 

[Northridge4x4]

Northridge just upped the ante with what appears to be a 10% off offer on the lift because it has been sitting in my cart for probably a month now. That gets this thing down to about $1,620, which makes it even more of a bargain.

 

[chorky]

Edit: removed link, not sure how it got there was supposed to be for a different post




Just seeing this one and OOOOOoooooo let's make waves.

100% AEV all the way. For two reasons. 1) it is one of the two options you posed about and specifically seeking opinions on, and 2) it is better IMO than the MOPAR. And bonus #3) you have experienced it already and seem to not have anything negative to say.

MOPAR is fine in certain situations. Many people love it, and many hate it. Same with any lift option. AEV is the only (well, there are other brackets out there) lift that will actually adjust geometry correctly for lifting your truck (minus a track bar). Adjustable control arms only account for one aspect and do not fully account for other aspects of geometry. You could get adjustable arms, and brackets and pair them together. And consider the rear geo correction brackets from Teraflex as well. Under $200 I believe.

Lots of people will hate on AEV because "ooo drop brackets bad". For some of them that is a very very valid concern. HOWEVER, in your initial post you showed interest in only MOPAR and AEV. The critical thing here is ONLY YOU can advocate for YOUR needs. People giving opinions will, 9 times out of 10, not consider YOUR specific use case. They will only tell you what their opinion is based on THEIR use case. Now, this is still very valid and useful information but at the end of the day, your use case and their use case might be 100% opposite of each other. So when choosing a lift, you must concentrate hard on YOUR use case, and forget everything else because it does not apply. This is not to devalue the input of the community at all - but dozens of threads here have repeatedly shown a lot of unjust dislike Bottom line is if you actually are in 4x4 situations a lot, and that is your primary use, then yes you will damage geo brackets. But if your primary use is daily driving, exploring and camping, with the occasional potential to be in a true 4x4 situation, then you likely will have no issue with brackets. Another bit of insight is there is a failure to understand that, most of the time those who are smacking hard on geo correction brackets, will smack just as hard on their factory brackets had the geo brackets been removed. I would much rather destroy a replicable bolt on part than have to cut and weld a damaged factory bracket. Or get bracket skid's.

I have had the AEV with SD springs and Steer Smarts adjustable track bars for about a year. I am heavy. It has performed thus far flawless. I have had no concerns, no noise, no clunks. For ME, I wanted a lift that would handle extra weight of 'overland' vehicles, have optimum reduction in NVH, and give a couple extra inches of clearance. I do NOT rock crawl, nor do I take hard 4x4 dedicated trails - they don't exist where I live. Therefore, a crazy tall lift with maximum articulation had zero interest from me. My desire was a little lift, primarily handling heavier weights, and optimum comfort. AEV delivers.

Again - I am not in any way devaluing what is said by those who prefer adjustable control arms. They are great. Johnny Joints are absolutely fantastic for articulation and reduced tension while articulating. But, they don't account for all aspects of geometry, and they are not targeted for those who want to keep a low NVH operation like stock arms. But if you are out wheeling hard every weekend, then arms is probably a better way to go - which also means more cost. At the end of the day, almost every lift has good things and bad things to say about it, and you can expect to hear positives and negatives from every single option out there. Weigh your pros and const and make a list to discern what is right for YOU. One last thing to consider as well. If you do know that a JJ style lift (like Clayton, metal cloak, etc) is, at the end of the day, a better lift option for you it might be worth considering a cheap spacer lift at the moment, while saving up for what you truly want. It would be a shame to spend the money on a AEV lift, as nice as it is, if what you truly want is a 6" lift and JJ's. It would also be a shame to spend 5-8K on a crazy awesome tall articulating lift when at the end of the day your true need is good daily driving and weight capacity.

 

[Caspien]

Went with the newer Bilstein Mopar kit, myself.. couldn't be happier.

I've posted a few photos and such about it back when it was installed last year, and it's been fantastic this winter.

One thing to note, having used both Fox and Bilstein.. the Bilstein is definitely a more stiff ride. For faster speed, and DD driving, the Bilstein is my preference.

Couldn't be happier.



~ Casp

 

[DanW]

Went with the newer Bilstein Mopar kit, myself.. couldn't be happier.

I've posted a few photos and such about it back when it was installed last year, and it's been fantastic this winter.

One thing to note, having used both Fox and Bilstein.. the Bilstein is definitely a more stiff ride. For faster speed, and DD driving, the Bilstein is my preference.

Couldn't be happier.



~ Casp

How stiff are the Bilstein´s with the reservoirs? Similar to the 5100?

I do have the Mopar on my JL. I added F/R adjustable track bars and a Fox steering stabilizer and it has been great. So I´m not worried about the Mopar not being good. That is why it is a tough decision. But I am still leaning strongly toward the AEV just because it is more thoroughly thought out.

With my JK, I felt that even though the ride was stiffer, the articulation appeared to be every bit as good as my JLUR with the Mopar. I did not see anywhere that it got a tire off the ground where the JLUR did not. I was pleasantl surprised. I have a couple videos where the articulation on that JK is surprisingly VERY good, in fact. Both Jeeps performed brilliantly on the toughest and most technical trails. But man, that JLUR certainly rode better. Lol.

 

[DanW]

I´m ticked at myself for missing the double reward points. Is Northridge going to do that again anytime soon?

 

[Scott L]

February has Presidents day. Just saying there’s always another sale.but seriously doubt it’ll be better than the current ten percent.

 

[Caspien]

How stiff are the Bilstein´s with the reservoirs? Similar to the 5100?

General consensus, based on diameter and length is they're rebadged 5160s.

They were incredibly stiff to start with.. but after a month or so, they softened up slightly

Still much stiffer than the fox shocks were.. it's especially noticable on back roads when curving at 50mph+.. no more crazy sway.




~ Casp

 

[Northridge4x4]

I´m ticked at myself for missing the double reward points. Is Northridge going to do that again anytime soon?

No current plans that I've heard, but I'm sure we'll be doing it a few times during 2024.

That's the kind of deal that gets dropped on us out of the blue.

 

[SoCalJeeper]

I have the AEV KIT. ITS AWESOME! I love the ride. I would purchase it again. No issues at all.

 

[Bullitt5244]

AEV for my vote.

 

[Tommyd]

What is a good vendor for Clayton. I looked at them awhile back and can´t remember what steered me away from them, maybe cost for what I wanted? Not sure. But I´d be open to taking another look. What shocks come with them?

I want 2 to 2.5 inches of lift for the kind of off-roading I do. Mopar usually gives 2.5-ish. It gave almost 3 on my JLUR. AEV gives what they say, which is 2.5.

They’re better quality and value than mopar. The mopar kit used to be 1300$ now it’s ridiculous for what you get

 

[brookie0907]

I have the Mopar 2" lift and plan to switch to AEV dual sport with HD springs. I have a GFC now, but plan to go to a Scout plus Bowens Custom bed replacement. The Mopar lift was $1200 when I purchased 2 years ago, but is too bouncy and swaying. I have replacement track bars and Helwig track in the back. I have experienced AEV lift in rented jeeps and they are top in most all the produce. I have most all their items already. Thx

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