Hello all just got on the forum and my goals are unclear. I’ll start by saying im
not loaded lol. Also I tend to like the best .... so right there I’m in trouble Anyway I’m looking for suggestions on where to start with my 2015 Willy’s wheeler. Of course I am looking to lift her and I have an idea of what I want but I don’t have the experience that some of you have. I believe for my lifestyle I would like to do a 3 inch lift. I was looking at a terraflex kit with either falcon shocks or fox. However I do not have the experience to make this decision It’s simple I wanna drive it on the road and off-road. I don’t plan on being the biggest and baddest but I would like a little wow factor I obviously like the appearance of bigger tires and a lift but would like it to be a well put together kit and a smart decision. I fish and I hunt and I would like to begin to meet with others and do some courses. I’m not one who wants water in my truck or to beat the hell out of it however I do want to have fun in it. So please ask questions or direct me because I wasn’t really sure where to start. My truck is factory stock right now Thank u

 

Suggestions will vary but based on limited budget, I'd suggest you go with flat flares and bigger tires. If you still want more "wow" factor then go with 2.5" lift as 3+" gets expensive.

 

Ok so I do expect to spend 2500-3000 for the lift so I get that I’m probably looking at early spring time for a lift wheels and tires...... with the terraflex I read it’s a harsh ride but handles great on the road. I hear that the evo springs give a good ride I guess what I meant was I’m not willing to go above that 3000 for a lift. But I do want a quality product ..... I always spend more for a quality name that’s proven. I’m an electrician I make decent money my point was I can’t soend all my money and make the truck a full blown rock crawler. Just looking to get into the sport to have some fun and for the courses I would like to tackle I’d like my truck to be over qualified with clearance because I don’t want to beat her up ya know.

 

The falcon shocks you're exploring come in an adjustable option. I'd look less at price and more at amount of components. Teraflex makes a decent product as does Metalcloak. Stay away from the Rock Krawler brand, Rough Country, Skyjacker, and whatever you can find on Amazon. Read some reviews here from people that have them. $2000 shouldn't be out of the question for a well executed lift kit and fenders can be economical as well. They give the optical illusion of a lift for very low cost.

 

I need to look around the site and search a bit I’m just unfamiliar with it at the moment. I appreciate your feedback. Thanks

 

I'll 2nd everything that Karl has said above.

I would not get enamored with height, which does not necessarily translate to capability. 2 - 2.5" and 35s is a really nice build and extremely capable without going overbored. The higher you go, the more you're just raising your center of gravity. I think the Teraflex Falcons are sexy looking shocks, but they are overkill for the most part IMO. I'd rather get a less expensive set of shocks and put funds into upgrading all steering components which are often overlooked. You're gonna need ball joints at some point. A beefy tie rod is nice as well. Things like adding gussets or even relocating steering stabilizer brackets....all those little things tend to add up in the end. That doesn't even scratch the other less functional mods you might want to do to make it your own.

 

Ok can I ask what kit you would suggest?

 

I think it's really hard to say cuz everyone has a different use. We could all tell you that Metalcloak is about the gold standard, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's the best thing for you. Their springs are meant for heavily armored rigs so their 2.5" lift will likely net you 3.5". That may sound great, hey, a free 1"....but it's not necessarily. Again, higher you go the more you're combating caster and COG. I think more than pinpointing what lift to get, I'd tell you stay away from the cheap offerings Karl already highlighted. Anything that looks budget friendly really isn't at the end of the day. Keep in mind, all the effort in a lifted jeep is really keeping nice on-road manners. People sometimes thing it's really all about off road ability. I also don't think there's anything wrong with just a spacer puck/boost for the time being. The nice thing about those is if you throw in a 2.5" puck, you are dang going to see 2.5" extra lift instead of all this guess work you get when swapping coils. What I would do is take a look at a complete lift kit on Metalcloak's website and observe all the components it comes with. Ask yourself why you need each component and if you don't understand why, ask questions here. What you'll find is that most kits aren't truly complete. They leave out this or that to make that sticker price look better.

Metalcloak, Synergy would be top of my list. Teraflex is ok....can do better, can do worse. I never hear many positive comments about Evo springs myself. Bottom of barrel is the Skyjacker, Rough Country, Rubicon Express, and a host of others that are literally shocks and springs. A lot of middle of the pack things. It's terribly difficult to really pick one to be honest. Lots of consternation goes in to it. Take a look at each manufacturer's components. Look at the types of joints they use, the ways in which they adjust, etc. I know you'd probably like it to be a simple answer, but modified jeeps aren't as simple as people like to think.

Sometimes just sifting through the threads in the "modified" sub-forum is a good place to start reading and soaking up information. You see issues others are asking about and you start adding to your knowledge base one nugget at a time.

 

I have to agree with many of the things said above, I will add a few other points however.

1: all suspension companies have their strengths and weaknesses.

2: You get what you pay for. (Most of the time).

3: consider not only what you might do with the Jeep, but also what you might do to the Jeep. Some companies springs handle weight better than others. Metal Cloak, Rock Krawler, and quite a few others are set up for heavier Jeeps as mentioned above, where Teraflex considers a hard top and a full size spare tire as additional weight over stock (their words, not mine, when I enquired why my stock Jeep was lower than advertised lift height). As you add weight, bumper and winches and things, you will loose height, some springs handle it better than others. So, I always think it is better to make your decisions about bumpers, winches, and armor type stuff before going full steam into the lift. My Jeep is about 800lbs over stock now, and if you count the factory set, I am on my fourth set of coils, as the weight goes up, the Jeep gets lower.

3: Jeep Jk suspension is pretty straightforward as far as suspension goes, so even if you have to buy/borrow tools to get it done, doing it yourself is the best option. Also, when installing it yourself, you can build as you go, and pick the parts you like the best for the features you are looking for on your rig. I'm running Rock Krawler Springs, with mostly Synergy hard parts, with a little Teraflex here and there, ( I like some of their stuff, just not their springs), and Bilstein 5100 shocks. I am very happy. A lot of people say to avoid mismatching, I say develop a plan, research as much as possible, and then research a little more, and then learn as you go.


EDIT: also, read the stickies at the top of the modified page: "My Thoughts on Lifts." Some of the most solid info on the forum is contained in that sticky.


Happy Jeeping!

 

I disagree with the mismatch- it's an awesome way to combine the strengths that you're looking for. Folks who seek out to match everything, good on them, but it doesn't make it any better than our mashes of various vendors. And to spiral back around- each company does some things better than others. Teraflex makes a good ball joint. Synergy has revised theirs lately but I had them in the past and I won't have them again. That's part of the upgraded steering Russ mentioned when you decide to move to a larger tire.