Finally got all the parts and installed the RockKrawler 3.0 Adventure Series Lift!

[jnack]

So I know a lot of folks were waiting for me to install the RK lift and to let them know the results. My hubby and I installed it on the weekend. It took a while as we don't have a vehicle lift, so we used jackstands on the frame and two regular car jacks.

We are no strangers to doing a lift. We have done our 3 other Jeeps. One MetalCloak 4.5" lift on my other half's 2007 Rubi, one metalcloak 3.5" lift on my 13' Rubi, one RK 2.5" adventure series on our 2021 JL Rubi overlander.....I also had a gas JT for a short period of time with the Mopar 2.5" lift (until the dealer wanted it back).

Here is a link to the system we ordered: https://rockkrawler.com/jt-3-0-inch-diesel-adventure-no-limits-system-stage-1/

The system listed above shows bump stops, but you have to buy them separately.......I was able to purchase this system for a lot less by using a discount code......

Installation was pretty straight forward.....although their instructions cover all their lifts....so you have to go through and re-read and verify, to make sure you are installing everything correctly.

The only thing I couldn't verify was the pucks they use to level out the JT. The front are the same. The backs have different heights. It said to install the taller of the two on the rear passenger's side.....now on my 2021 JL, it is a gasser and that's how we installed it, but there was no indication to install these any other way for the diesel......being a diesel I would think you would want the taller of the two on the driver's side because of the fuel tank.
We decided to follow the instructions and installed the taller one on the pass side. Can Rock Krawler chime in and confirm? @Rockkrawler

Other than that, everything else went smoothly.

Measurements before and after the lift:
Front: Before: 25" on both sides. After 28.5"
Rear: Before: 25" on both sides. After 29"

We adjusted the front track bar, checked the toe, and moved the steering wheel back to center.
The nose of the JT is now actually up, instead of the nose dive it did have.

Took the JTR out for the first test drive. It took a little bit for the new RK shocks to get pumped up.
Overall, the ride is really nice. It drives just as straight as it did when it was stock. The triple rate coils give a firm, yet non bone jarring ride. The shocks take the bumps great. Hitting dips in the roads no longer make the truck bounce up and down twice in the back end. It makes it drive with a lot more control.
We did some testing as if we were going side to side like we were trying to miss the orange cones in the middle of the road. It actually surprised both of us at how responsive the truck was and how the body roll handled. It was much better than expected.

Very happy with the results so far.

We will check the track bar again once we get home, just to make sure it didn't move....sometimes they do once they settle in. (We did use a steer smarts track bar that we had, instead of the RK track bar. No reason other than we had that one out of the box and why not use it.)

I will be posting a video on our YouTube channel about this JTR build. You can check out our page Crawlzone207 at: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=crawlzone207

curious if you've had a chance to see how to does flexed out a bit even if just a driveway test? I had an issue with Rusty diesel springs bowing into the lip of the bump stop holder on both sides of the front (they're going to send me a new pair to see if it was a 1 off issue). would be really curious to see what the RK front springs look at full compression and full extension

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[crawlzone207]

curious if you've had a chance to see how to does flexed out a bit even if just a driveway test? I had an issue with Rusty diesel springs bowing into the lip of the bump stop holder on both sides of the front (they're going to send me a new pair to see if it was a 1 off issue). would be really curious to see what the RK front springs look at full compression and full extension

I have not tried to flex it out yet....just mainly road driving back and forth to work.......
Just got our first snow fall of the season, so it's probably gonna stay in the garage till spring now...

 

[crawlzone207]

Kit ordered, can't wait to get it installed. How's your been now that it's been a while?

So far so good!
I did have a really bad lean to the driver's side installing the larger rear puck on the passenger's side, per instructions. After talking to RK and they told me it was right and it was supposed to lean, I ended up switching out the pucks, putting the larger one on the driver's side and now the truck sits almost perfect in the back.
You'll see why once you get your kit. Gas tank is on driver's side and it needs the extra height in the puck to keep it even in the back.

 

[rharr]

Got mine installed this weekend, haven't had a chance to drive it yet.

Man getting those springs in was fun......

 

[rharr]

A few notes from my install.
3.25 turns clock wise looking at passenger wheel will get the steering wheel about center.
front RRD shocks, top of shock long side of spacer toward the engine. The bottom shock mount offset toward motor, the bulk of the aluminum lug facing toward motor.

The rear shocks, mount the shock nitrogen valve facing forward, there is more clearance in that direction.

A spring compressor or three ratchet straps to compress the springs as small as possible.
alternatively remove brakes and drive lines form axles to droop axles even more to clear springs.

zip tie the top spring pad of the rear springs in place and indexed to spring end. Use a paint pen and mark where the rubber nipple of the pad is from bottom, mark the spring mount to locate hole. This helps a ton when you are fighting the spring and need things indexed.

Use a C-clamp to hold the rear passenger bottom spring pad down and rotated correctly while mounting the spring.

2 bump stop pads per side up front when using the RRD shocks leaves about 1.5" of exposed shock shaft before shock touches it's bump pad on full compression (axle to frame pad contact)

Use a few c-clamps to mount the rear track bar relocation bracket to axle before marking for center when you drill. The brackets can be a little warped/out of square. C-clamps make everything nice and snug and flush.

Double check all wires/hoses to axle connection at full droop to make sure nothing is pulled. These/shocks/ springs have lots of droop.

I also added spacers to drop my transmission pan skid plate cross bar thing. The cross bar that is shaped like a 2" D. My front drive shaft was rubbing on full contact. I used a 1/2" worth of washers temporally until I can get to the metal store and buy a bar of alum to drill.

Now that i am thinking about stuff, if I have to pull my front kit supplied bump stops for what ever reason, I will throw some washers into the bottom puck to fill the void and reduce the risk of pulling the bolt threw the bolt hole when it's compressed.

Take the time and make relief cuts in the front axle LCA mounts, at full droop the control arms do contact. The instructions make it sound like it's only needed for taller lifts, not true.

KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THE GREASE ZERTS FOR THE REAR SWAY BAR LINKS AND TAPE THEM TO THE END LINK OR INSTALL ASAP. These get lost super easy, and are uncommon size (10-32) to find local, RK will send you replacements but shipping is expensive.

Lined up the rear bump stops with 2 bolts, marked a line on axle mount where inner edge of bump stop was, used painters tape attached to the rear bump stop bracket flange, cut out holes in the tape, then removed the tape and applied it to the axle mount, lining up the existing hole, and the line i drew and tape edge. This give a very close location where the new hole needs to be drilled and you can use your center punch to eye ball really close to where it needs to be.

A fresh step drill bit is your friend.

If i think of more stuff I will update.

 

[crawlzone207]

update:
Instead of a long sleep in the garage for the winter months, I ended up driving it this winter. Just how things worked out.
It still rides nice, but I have developed a clunk in the left front and right rear when hitting a bump. Nothing is loose. Wondering if the shocks don't have the right amount of nitrogen in them.....
But other than that everything has been going smooth with the lift.

 

[rharr]

Interesting, everything there is almost all preloaded, so rule springs out. Maybe shock bushing are failing? or control are bushing, I assume you loosened all the control arm bushing bolts (upper and lower) when you did the lift then retorqued all those bolts once the axles were reloaded with the vehicle weight?

Only thing left would be track bars and drag link. sounds like you need to do some crawling around on your back.

If shocks had no or low nitrogen it would just cause the shock to under perform, mostly on the compression stroke and you would have more shock fade. A shock should not clunk internally that is a mechanical issue, i suspect it's something else.

 

[crawlzone207]

Interesting, everything there is almost all preloaded, so rule springs out. Maybe shock bushing are failing? or control are bushing, I assume you loosened all the control arm bushing bolts (upper and lower) when you did the lift then retorqued all those bolts once the axles were reloaded with the vehicle weight?

Only thing left would be track bars and drag link. sounds like you need to do some crawling around on your back.

If shocks had no or low nitrogen it would just cause the shock to under perform, mostly on the compression stroke and you would have more shock fade. A shock should not clunk internally that is a mechanical issue, i suspect it's something else.

We have crawled around on our backs.....we don't see anything that would be causing it. We have done many lifts and never had this before, We have the same lift on our JL and it's perfectly quiet. Only difference is the shocks.

 

[Mjolnir]

Springs are most likely not seated correctly or one of your suspension components is not tight and is popping in and out.

 

[rharr]

drag links and track bars like to pop if not tight.

Can you get it to pop by bouncing on the corner of the bumper?

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