Rough Country Lift Kit?... Do or Don't??

[Scott0700]

To me, every one of those cars screams “I’m spending my Dad’s money”.

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[Green_Gladiator]

That 6 wheeler looks awesome!

Some of the set ups are overkill and some are just right! Next time I am in SF I want to swing by.

 

[tom.mary.glad]

There is a reason for this!

Awesome profile pic.

 

[MudderNuker]

Some of the set ups are overkill and some are just right! Next time I am in SF I want to swing by.

The Conqueror Gladiator looks like the perfect rig for an apocalypse.

 

[Green_Gladiator]

The Conqueror Gladiator looks like the perfect rig for an apocalypse.

Yes it is! they way things are going, I might need one of those before the end of this year ?

 

[KevinC]

I will be nice.

@Heavy D, I see you are in Live Oak. As a native of Florida I am familiar with the area as I once worked for the infamous Badcock Furniture.

Based on your area and demographics, what type of vehicles do your off-road friends drive? Do you not want to trust in their recommendations? Are you trying to be different?

As others have said, 4WP pushes RC for many reasons, the most being a huge profit margin.

 

[Heavy D]

Im not dogging on ur build, just saying what the style is. I didn't pay for your truck, idc what ya do with it. one step up from means its missing the squat but has everything else usually associated with southern pavement princess builds. I don't mean anything with the naming, its just what is generally accepted as a description.

I've got thick skin and will make more fun of myself than any of yall will ever try... I often call my Jeep a hooptie cause of the current look.

You can have at me as hard as you like. You can even make it personal and I will laugh right along with the rest of yall but dont ever, EVAH EVAH, refer to my Jeep as squatted.

 

[PuddleJumper]

I've got thick skin and will make more fun of myself than any of yall will ever try... I often call my Jeep a hooptie cause of the current look.

You can have at me as hard as you like. You can even make it personal and I will laugh right along with the rest of yall but dont ever, EVAH EVAH, refer to my Jeep as squatted.

I said it was a step above brother. I would never lump you in there, unless you start asking for only a front lift.

 

[Heavy D]

Not trying to be a D*@K, but (proceeds to be a D*@K) I don't understand the point of doing that to a gladiator. A Ram, F150, or Silverado will all be a much more comfortable ride for about the same amount of money and will give you the look your going for at a lower price than a gladiator. I'm not a fan of the look but that doesn't matter. The solid Axle and 3.6 engine and gear ratio of the gladiator is aimed at people to off-road and the people who don't but like the overland rock crawler look. The full size trucks ride a lot better with the IFS and are less expensive and a lot easier to lift the 6" required for the goofy wheels. You might be better off trading in for something like that.

I've got an F 2-Fitty but would never think of doing the horrid things to it that I plan on doing to me Jeep... I actually like the 250.

 

[Heavy D]

I will be nice.

@Heavy D, I see you are in Live Oak. As a native of Florida I am familiar with the area as I once worked for the infamous Badcock Furniture.

Based on your area and demographics, what type of vehicles do your off-road friends drive? Do you not want to trust in their recommendations? Are you trying to be different?

As others have said, 4WP pushes RC for many reasons, the most being a huge profit margin.

Correct. I'm in Suwannee County just outside Live Oak.
The Jeep guys I know, mostly out of Lake City, have got Wranglers for wheeling and many of em have JTs as their daily.
They are absolute hard-core and get off on the recovery stuff.

I'm old school and back in the day I had a CJ with 35 Swampers on chrome Barts then a little later had a TJ with 38 Swampers on 15x12 MTs.

The plan for my JT is 35x14.5 Super Swamper IROKs on my current 20x10 Fuels.
I am the guy that would like to tag along on some trail rides but would stay on the 'spectator trail' to watch the other Jeeps do the stunts.
Don't wanna scratch or ding my paint and I'll never unhook my sway-bar.

Even though I don't plan on rock jumping, I do want my Jeep to have functional clearance and steering.
I want to achieve this with as little lift as possible and no trimming if possible.

 

[Heavy D]

If you are willing to drive .. I have had work done at this shop and extremely satisfied!

Twisted Pro | Twisted Pro All-Terrain – TwistedProAllTerrain

Thanks. I'm in SA all the time. Will check em out.

 

[JT1]

Correct. I'm in Suwannee County just outside Live Oak.
The Jeep guys I know, mostly out of Lake City, have got Wranglers for wheeling and many of em have JTs as their daily.
They are absolute hard-core and get off on the recovery stuff.

I'm old school and back in the day I had a CJ with 35 Swampers on chrome Barts then a little later had a TJ with 38 Swampers on 15x12 MTs.

The plan for my JT is 35x14.5 Super Swamper IROKs on my current 20x10 Fuels.
I am the guy that would like to tag along on some trail rides but would stay on the 'spectator trail' to watch the other Jeeps do the stunts.
Don't wanna scratch or ding my paint and I'll never unhook my sway-bar.

Even though I don't plan on rock jumping, I do want my Jeep to have functional clearance and steering.
I want to achieve this with as little lift as possible and no trimming if possible.

What tire size are you currently running?

Try reading through this thread. I think he was running a stock XR Wrangler, but was running some 20x12 and wide tires too.

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/does-anybody-ever-go-down-in-tire-diameter.109130/

If you are happy with the ride, put an appropriate size spacer lift on and replace the shock with something that can handle the additional weight of that tire/wheel package.

Or you can do a fender chop and a stubby bumper to minimize possible clearance issues.

 

[Heavy D]

And for clarification: I'm not looking to cram these fat tires under my Jeep and then be limited to only driving in straight lines while white-knuckling it at highway speeds.

I want it set up right with quality parts without going extreme.

Already have a good foundation for what I wanna do.
Put Dana 4.56s in it.
Put a Detroit Tru-Trac in it.
And I got a mini Tazer in it so the factory stuff is working in conjunction with the mods.

Even though cost is a factor in what I'm doing.. this is not a budget build.
If I gotta spend 6 grand on a lift kit. Thats what will happen but if I can get away with not spending MetalCloak money, thats my preference.

 

[Heavy D]

What tire size are you currently running?

Try reading through this thread. I think he was running a stock XR Wrangler, but was running some 20x12 and wide tires too.

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/does-anybody-ever-go-down-in-tire-diameter.109130/

If you are happy with the ride, put an appropriate size spacer lift on and replace the shock with something that can handle the additional weight of that tire/wheel package.

Or you can do a fender chop and a stubby bumper to minimize possible clearance issues.

33x12.5x20 BFGs
They ride great but I just don't like the look of the 33 on a 20" rim... Not enough sidewall for my liking... or maybe just too much rim.
Either way I aint satisfied with hooptieness of the current set-up.

 

[JT1]

33x12.5x20 BFGs
They ride great but I just don't like the look of the 33 on a 20" rim... Not enough sidewall for my liking... or maybe just too much rim.
Either way I aint satisfied with hooptieness of the current set-up.

So an inch more to the inside and an inch bigger front and back. How close to rubbing are the current tires and where? Rear of the fender at full lock and the front bumper?

I bet a 1.5" lift and some minor trimming gets you close.

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