pman4040

New jeeper, 2014 JKU, and did not do my research. Installed 4in TF lift and 35s at the dealership then realized there was so many more factors and components that go into a correct lift. Very happy with the lift and driving quality but want to make sure I prolong the life of certain parts. There is so much info on parts, ideas, ways to correct and ways to prevent issues. Where do I start as far as upgrades? Maybe a lil bump steer, and looser steering but have nothing to compare to.

I'm worried about C's and front axle bending(rear axle?) should gussets and truss be my first priority? Don't think I'm going to torque shafts but I guess possible, so sleeves? Drag link and track bar not parallel so adjust them to get parallel, relocate bracket, drop pitman? Also should i be looking into CA, still running stock. Should i leave those and focus on other areas? Stock SS and have heard mixed views on them.

I know there is tons of info on all this and I have read most of it, just seeing what first course of action should be to keep my jeep happy so it will continue keep me happy. Thanks in advance

TheDirtman

What are you going to do with your jeep? Daily driver with maybe a couple of mild off road runs?
IF you are not out there abusing the jeep I would not worry about upgrading anything but a high steer kit with a drag link flip and raised track bar both front and back. My advise if you are really concerned about all the stuff that goes along with a 4" lift is to swap the coils out for a 2" lift. You can sell the 4" and cost would be minimal and your suspension and steering geometry will be better as well as the ride.

jknit

Which TF lift did you go with, is it the long arm? If you went long arm you're starting in a MUcH better position to prolong the life...4 years ago I went with a shitty superlift 4 inch lift, and I'm starting to pay the price now

pman4040

Not a daily driver but do drive a bit on road, enjoy off road and have put it thru the paces and plan on pushing it so I would like to keep the lift and continue building. I have looked at high steering, just not sure if I understand the process of it, will look more into that. I think rear track bar is raised!?! Has a bracket that moved from stock.
Not long arm, has disconnects, bump stops, and front track bar. Should I get long arms?

pman4040

TheDirtman

Are you an experienced off roader? You say you are new to the jeep. What does "pushing" mean to you in your off road driving? Many new owners get too hung up building right off the bat like you did with 4" of lift without knowing what they are doing. Most that do that end up building a vehicle that is worse off then the stock and tend to waste money correcting problems and doing things over 2-3 times.

Go out and drive your jeep, enjoy it and over time you will learn about it and what limitations your jeep may have as you develop your driving skills. Go on some group drives, watch how others drive and talk with them about their jeeps and what they have done.

There is lots of hype and product marketing on the forums to sell products. You will see a lot about driveshafts and axle upgrades, some need them but most do not if they properly set up their jeeps. People make way too much a deal about lifts, shocks, coils and brands. Learn about the components on your jeep and it will become clear to you what you may or may not need. Remember most guys out here on the forums are relitively new to jeeping as well and only have limitied knowledge of suspension and components other then the brand they purchased or have read and reguritated from others on the forums.

TheDirtman

The rear track bar bracket is raised and at least has the u bolt for reinforcement. I would not worry too much about it but would inspect it after wheeling trips to look for crack in welds. The front looks like you have too much bump stop and only aobut 3" of up travel (stock is around 5")

Around here the dealers install a lot of lifts and they do a poor job of doing it. I would really expect that from most dealers as they are just installing parts as instructed and not optimising the actual suspension. Most propblems are with high steer, proper shock length, and proper bump stop length.

From the limited information and looking at your jeep and being new I would not even think you should be considering a long arm set up.

pman4040

Thanks for the info, thats why I'm asking. Not to many rides I can join in on bc of my work. I agree with all the hype of products and regurgitated info on all platforms. Thanks

nthinuf

That is what jumped out at me when I read the original post. Are you sure the control arms are stock? Did they install drop brackets instead? Did they happen to give you an alignment printout that you could post the numbers from?

If you decide to stay with the 4" coils, it doesn't hurt to go ahead and research and price the various replacement items so you have a better idea. High steers/flips are nice, but it comes down to personal preference and not must-have. The trackbar is raised with a bracket, (some kits lower from the frame, so do the research) and the axle end of the drag link is moved up on top of the steering knuckle, keeping them roughly parallel. Drop pitmans don't have the best reputation here, so look past the lower cost and search and read reviews on them.
Price an aftermarket front driveshaft for if/when. It may not be needed, but it may, just depends. You might want to flex the corners and crawl underneath to look for clearance issues, and as part of regular maintenance (after trail runs) check the joints for grease splatter.
Gussets/Sleeves/Truss are debated all the time, you will find plenty of reading material to decide which, if any, meet your needs. (You could end up not spending a dime on the front axle and just replacing it). As with the other items, go ahead and price out the parts + install. Putting a price to all of the options along with getting reviews and feedback can help you decide what is right for your budget/build.

Surprisingly it hasn't been mentioned yet, but there is a thread stuck right to the top of this modified area that gives a lot of good information, and is well worth spending a few minutes on. You might even find it stuck in the Sig line of another posters posts...

Rob 12B1P

If you are ok with the way it drives and are just looking for things to increase longevity some of the things I would look at are:
1. Steering Stabilizer Relocation Kit- Just a cheap bracket but will keep it from getting smashed and bent.
2. C-Gussets-Requires welding but is good insurance as the stock C's are a bad design.
3. Chromoly tie rod- You can go a while without but if you wheel you will eventually bend the stock one.