Lift kit? - man , I’m overwhelmed

[professorkx]

Another vote for the AEV Dual Sport lift, but I went with the 2.5” system instead of the 3”. I wanted to keep the stock rims without spacers, which meant most of the lifts wouldn’t work because of the shape of the front lower control arms. I also added a 1” spacer up front to level out the Jeep, an adjustable track bar to center the front axle, and a Clayton rear track bar to fit the MT 37” AT spare under the Jeep.

I normally go all out on my Jeep builds for serious rock crawling, but decided to take a different approach with the Gladiator since we are more into overlanding now instead of rock crawling. We will still spend a few weeks each winter in Moab doing our normal trails like Metal Masher, Poison Spider, etc (sad to see that the Mash Potato trail has been removed for no good reason, as that was a favorite as well), and the Gladiator will do just fine with the AEV lift and 37” tires.

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[Stan H]

I went with this kit and am very happy. My Mojave rode too soft IMO and this stiffened it up just enough to keep me from bouncing off the front bumpstops all day on the trail. Still running 35x11.5’s. 37’s will fit but I don’t wanna regear yet.
https://jksmfg.com/products/3-lift-kit-j-kontrol-jeep-gladiator-jt-mojave-20-24

FYI, the springs lift 3 front, 2 rear so I left the Daystar 3/4 spacers in the rear.

Love that little teardrop !

 

[ericw.]

I'm a staunch supporter of the Metal Cloak game changer lift.

I had lesser lifts before going to Metal Cloak and ended up paying 2-3x to change parts and chase annoying driving characteristics.

The Metal Cloak lift on my JKU rides great, tracks straight, and it's smooth on the road so that's what I'm getting installed on my JTRD soon also.

"Soon" and not already because I promised myself that I wouldn't modify the JTRD until I stripped my electronics from the old jeep and put it up on the market place. lol

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

Do you want to keep your stock shocks?

If so, I'd just use some coil spacers. AEV makes a nice spacer kit specific for the Mojave.

If you are ok with ditching your stock shocks, I'd use a coil lift from Clayton, AEV, Rock Krawler, Currie/RockJock, Evo, or Metalcloak to name a few.

 

[Orange01z28]

I'm a staunch supporter of the Metal Cloak game changer lift.

I had lesser lifts before going to Metal Cloak and ended up paying 2-3x to change parts and chase annoying driving characteristics.

The Metal Cloak lift on my JKU rides great, tracks straight, and it's smooth on the road so that's what I'm getting installed on my JTRD soon also.

"Soon" and not already because I promised myself that I wouldn't modify the JTRD until I stripped my electronics from the old jeep and put it up on the market place. lol

I'm another Metalcloak fan.

There's a Mojave-specific Gamechanger lift in both 2.5" and 3.5" as well as a Long Arm 4 Link in 3.5" and 4.5"

https://metalcloak.com/jt-mojave-gl...CogODReBiAbrGpPiDZLdkx2AO_iMkoYVydH-GUJF3nDRW

https://metalcloak.com/jt-gladiator-3-5-mojave-four-link-long-arm-system.html

 

[TRUKEMAN]

So we do moderate to difficult trails around Colorado. Stock Mojave has handled everything I’ve throwon at it , but we have drug more than I would like. About due for tires anyway , so thinking 35x11.50 Falkans. Decided a 2 to 2 1/2” lift would be a good idea. Problem is , the choices are almost mind boggling. I would like to retain as close to the original ride quality as possible. No welding if possible. Anywhere from $2-5k for the complete kit. Any ideas from the brain trust here?
Thanks , Charlie F

I have two jeeps. One is a 2005 LJ with a low priced lift kit that I bought already on it. Horrible ride and zero adjustments almost. Spent a fortune getting rid of "death wobble" before I discovered it was because of the cheapo lift kit. The other is a 2022 Gladiator with a high end lift kit with 37" tires, professionally installed. Rides like a car at 75MPH and handles as rough as you want with a Gladiator. Spend near the top of your budget I would suggest. As the old saying goes: "quality remains long after the price is forgotten" . I am a believer now. Goodluck. Enjoy your jeep. I have owned several over the years and enjoyed them all.

 

[ericw.]

I'm another Metalcloak fan.

There's a Mojave-specific Gamechanger lift in both 2.5" and 3.5" as well as a Long Arm 4 Link in 3.5" and 4.5"

https://metalcloak.com/jt-mojave-gl...CogODReBiAbrGpPiDZLdkx2AO_iMkoYVydH-GUJF3nDRW

https://metalcloak.com/jt-gladiator-3-5-mojave-four-link-long-arm-system.html

Yeah I've been using their lift with Teraflex falcon adjustable shocks and it rides like a Cadillac on the soft setting. Lots of flex offroad also.

This time around, I'm going to use the Metal Cloak black series shocks though. They have a pretty convincing video which tests the adjustability settings of their black series shocks against the Falcons, and it sold me at least.


They're also local, so I'm going to let their partner installer do the labor. I'm getting too old and lazy to be under the jeep for a weekend. lol

 

[Caspien]

Another vote, here, for the Mopar kit.

We started with the standard Fox Rubicon setup, and once we upgraded to the Bilstein Mopar lift, the ride feels much less soft, and more akin to the Mojave's I've driven.

Wound up getting about 3" initially, over the stock Rubicon, but it's settled in around 2.75 or so.

We also went with the Toyo 35s, which got us a little more on top of that. Haven't found anything to scrape on, yet, but we're also not out west, nor do we go completely overboard with our wheeling... probably closer to an overland setup, tbh, than a rock setup.

 

[Zachanadandy]

Any kit that ditches the mojave shocks is a downgrade. Short of $4k bypass shocks you won't find better than the stock shocks on the mojave. Even fox 2.5" elites or rocksport blacks aren't bypass. Yes you can gain travel with them and that makes them a lateral move at best. I'd go with the metalcloak kit that includes shock extensions unless your stock shocks are already worn out. The AEV 2" spacer kit was good but with the winch I was in to the bump stops too often. Now with the metalcloak 3.5" springs is great.

 

[imallcrawl]

So we do moderate to difficult trails around Colorado. Stock Mojave has handled everything I’ve throwon at it , but we have drug more than I would like. About due for tires anyway , so thinking 35x11.50 Falkans. Decided a 2 to 2 1/2” lift would be a good idea. Problem is , the choices are almost mind boggling. I would like to retain as close to the original ride quality as possible. No welding if possible. Anywhere from $2-5k for the complete kit. Any ideas from the brain trust here?
Thanks , Charlie F

A lot of the brands suggested are awesome but if you reduce the $2 - $5k for a 2-2.5" lift you wouldn't have that much options.

The problem is, a lot of Jeep owners I know say they'll stay with a certain lift then end up upgrading anyway. Whether it be a taller lift or larger tires it will happen, its a disease we all suffer from My 2 cents would be, you can either save your money now and get a coil spacer lift which in my experience is the best if you want to keep that factory ride, or spend the money for a complete lift with coils, shocks, upper and lower CAs, steering components, etc. only to spend more later for upgrades.

 

[Jteakus]

@Metalcloak just fired up their Labor Day sale. Go check out their website and look through the Mojave section.

 

[Stan H]

@Metalcloak just fired up their Labor Day sale. Go check out their website and look through the Mojave section.

I know they sent me a text .

 

[Pliny]

Does that teardrop trailer have Timbren suspension? If so, @azmojave could you DM me? I have a couple of questions.

 

[John in the Woods]

There’s a lot of great intel here. If you work from the list of the half dozen focused in here you really can’t go wrong.

I’ll add a vote for the Mopar lift. I’ve been running the diesel version with Fox shocks on my 21 JTRD for almost 130K miles, and it’s never let me down. I’ve done cross country highway treks and weeks on logging road. I’ve run both with RTT, rack, awning and gear loading it up, and done some technical trails stripped down. I’ve been running 37s for the last 80k, with no rubbing even flexed out.

Choose one and get out there and put it to work. Mud, dirt, rock and miles. That’s the best choice.

 

[WILDHOBO]

I took my 23 Willys diesel to The Edge 4x4 in Englewood and they put on the Clayton 2.5 Ride Right. I netted about 3.5" out of it.

The edge has a great reputation. They’re also a large metalcloak shop.

Personally I’m partial to teraflex for control arms especially. For springs, so many have good stuff. It depends on what you want out of them. My needs are weird and specific to a rock crawling overlanding monster-kenstein, so I’ve got springs from two vendors and parts from every vendor listed above.

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