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Teach me your ways: lift research & questions

Eccracer104

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Hello all,

I need some help getting steered in the right direction here. I’m too uniformed to know if I’m reading BS or fact.
I have loads of IFS knowledge from Toyotas, but yesterday my fiancée got herself a JT and it needs some love.

To get started: if any of y’all have some great threads to read on JT suspension, solid axle suspension tech, etc… I would greatly appreciate it. I’d like to know more about what I’ll be working with before I’m elbow deep and over my head.

A question I’m currently stumped on out of sheer ignorance:
What constitutes needing a new front drive shaft? And what other components come into play that could need a replacement with a lift?
Ex
Mopar 2” lift is just open the box, install the parts, and good to go.
Superlift 4” lift. Same thing, install and be on your way.
Now I’ve heard a lot about Metal Cloak being the shit - so obviously I checked them out - but they require a new front driveshaft for the added travel their kit offers. Love that, a lift with real results. Obviously comes at a cost though.

So here’s my confusion: how is it that superlift can offer a 4” lift without driveshaft modification and metal cloak 2” does. Does the super lift kit essentially limit down travel by 4” and retain stock overall travel numbers? You’re basically riding 4” higher in your travel?

Hope that makes sense so someone can help it make some sense to me. And if there are threads available for me to read you would recommend please send them my way! I’d love to search and learn, just need that ground floor knowledge to get the ball rolling.

Appreciate y’all in advance! :beer:
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sass JT

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well… the MC lifts can attain more down travel. I have a MC 3.5” lift myself and can attest to that. The oem front driveshaft is very wide and has a plastic boot that can touch the exhaust crossover in an excessive down travel instance. If look at most of the major brands; ie MC, EVO rockKrawler all recommend a aftermarket driveshaft to eliminate the contact the oem can have.
As far as superlift or other mfg’s not stating needing a front driveshaft, dunno… In my experience with Jeeps… mine is different from yours and each lift is different what they do.
 

bakobobby

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Was recently in the same investigation. Did you see this forum thread? I am going with a teraflex st4 lift and their sp2 3.x shocks. I really couldn't find the info on their site(s) about the total travel said shock. Fingers crossed they have made sure that front driveline isn't and issue. I have faith they do include spacers for the rear driveline so...

EDIT: to save you the reader having to read that thread, the magic number for shock travel from thread

If your front shocks extend further than 28.5”, you will need a new front driveshaft if you plan on off-roading and flexing the vehicle
 
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sass JT

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Was recently in the same investigation. Did you see this forum thread? I am going with a teraflex st4 lift and their sp2 3.x shocks. I really couldn't find the info on their site(s) about the total travel said shock. Fingers crossed they have made sure that front driveline isn't and issue. I have faith they do include spacers for the rear driveline so...

EDIT: to save you the reader having to read that thread, the magic number for shock travel from thread
I have specs of their shocks… and now you do too

49BD9BE5-7BF6-45C9-B8DD-D0F2E087255B.jpeg
 

bakobobby

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I have specs of their shocks… and now you do too
Your awesome! Wow so literally just two tenths off of being in the red zone for driveshaft issues. Looks like teraflex are well aware of the issues. I guess it kinda sucks if a person wants the maximum flex, but in my case seems good enough I'm mostly street and trail so uh ST really is what I'm looking for :)
 

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Eccracer104

Eccracer104

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@bakobobby & @sass JT
Thanks for the replies and info! So a shock length over 28.5” (specifically for drivers side) requires a new front driveshaft. Got it.

Now if I’m understanding this (and that chartcorrectly:
Stock travel is likely right around 8”, and can safely be increased to about 10.5” with a longer shock before driveshaft issues. (And the appropriate coils so the coil doesn’t drop out).

In theory lifts like Mopar or Skyjacker with the right shocks and coils can increase travel by about 2” before driveshaft issues. But to achieve more = new driveshaft.

This clears up a lot of confusion I had prior. Thank you!
 

sass JT

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Also another thing you can do is get a new y pipe… it will move your exhaust crossover point… but it’s $$$$ and most people will go to a aftermarket driveshaft to get rid of the cv joint on the transfer case. That cv is known to go out at anytime after you do a lift. It can go out within days or years depending on lift and usage.

https://afepower.com/afe-power-48-4...pipe-2-1-4-409-stainless-steel-exhaust-system
 
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Eccracer104

Eccracer104

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