A little background:

I have an Unlimited Rubicon. It's currently got a 3" BDS lift kit and 35's on it. I love this car, but I hate the kit. We got out of the car last week after parking next to stock JK, and my wife says, "wow, your jeep is the same height as stock. It needs to be bigger." I agree with her. This is a 99.99999% street car, rarely sees the trail, but I hope for that to change as the kids get a little older. I just like the look and feel of a BIG Jeep. I need it to compensate for my small penis.

So I have two options (as I see it)...

4" Teraflex lift kit w/shocks
Pros

• Less expensive
• Fits 37's
• Might not need to replace drive shafts
• Might still fit in some garages.

Cons

• Not as tall as I could be
• No option for larger tires later on without buying another whole kit
• Still a short-arm kit

6" Teraflex Long Arm Kit
Pros

• Fits 37s, but can fit up to 40" tires, if I wanted
• More capable on trails
• Bigger and badder

Cons

• Will need to purchase drive shafts
• Will not fit in any garages
• kit is far more expensive

Yes, I have money for this, but there are other obligations that I should be considering. I could be putting the money into my house, or investing it for my kids, or solid gold nunchucks.

Fellow Jeep folks, which one should I get? Why? Can you think of any more relevant pros or cons?

 

I believe there's a huge price difference between 37s and 40s, and that's probably what you should consider. 37s are taxing enough on the drivetrain and brakes; I imagine that 40s almost require new alloy axleshafts, larger brakes, etc. I might be wrong on that though.

The nice thing about the JKs is that the length of the stock control arms is pretty decent. Upgrading to a long arm system is nice, but I'm not sure that the benefits outweigh the cons of the more expensive kit price and much more involved install if you're going with tires that a normal lift will run well.

So my suggestion is to really think about what tire size you want, plan for all the support items they require, and then choose your lift based on that. That's what I did, and I ended up going with 37s and a 4.5" lift and I love it.

Micah

 

Teraflex has a 4" long arm kit, so you can remove that one from the "con" list. The kits are basically the same price, as I recall. (meaning the 4" long arm compared to the 6" long arm)

 

If I do a 4", it would be a short-arm. I already have two of the pair of TF control arms. Just need two more to complete the set. If I could get a 6" short arm, I would.

 

With a family and they way you describe driving 99% on road I think 37s would be plenty. Not only would you save money, but you have many of the benefits of a daily driver, like potentially fitting in garages.

I have 37s and very confident that my jeep is more capable Offroad then I will ever need. It is a enjoyable daily driver that I can park in the garage (which means I can go topless and doorless all summer).

A 6" long arm is a great setup, but it is really for people who wheel hard and often.

Good luck

 

just remember the higher the lift ...................the higher center of gravity you end up with. If you plan on swapping axles, gears,driveshafts and run 40's or bigger then go for the 6" but IMHO I wouldn't go over around a 4" lift but it is your dime bro and this is my .02

 

I'll throw out a vote for re-evaluating the priorities.

Rubicon. 6" Long Arm. Both driveshafts. 40" tires. (going for some expensive, and utterly useless onroad, beadlocks also?) And then there is the re-gear for the new tires. The gussets/sleeves/etc to run those tires semi-safely. And ... ZERO offroad!! And after that, there is of course the supercharger or hemi when you realize you have no power. Soooo, why ???

In general, TF coils give an extra inch of lift. Haven't seen the confirmed actual height of the 6" coils, but judging by the 2.5"/3"/4" coils, plan on 7"? You will also be dealing with the caster/pinion/exploding tcase issue. So look into pricing on cutting and turning those front C's, and/or a PR44 Unlimited, and/or a spyntec kit to try to deal with the vibes on the new front driveshaft.



Hell, if you have that much disposable income, go for it!! Just be sure to research it before hand to get a better idea of any gotchas you might expect along the way and the final cost of your project.

 

Hey Rev, I would go with the 4" if it were me.(My opinion) Marvin has a 3" TF lift and is running 37" procomps and it wheels great. He does have trimmed fenders though. 6" to me seems like overkill on lift but like the others have said its your cash and decision. Good luck!

When you coming out to wheel ? Jeepstock is in September at SMORR

 

This thread basically has all the reasons I've decided for myself to recently upgrade to the 4" TF lift. The 6" was on my plate but the amount of work involved with upgrading every single component and dealing with numerous high $$$ modifications just didn't seem wise in something that's supposed to get me to and from work on a daily basis and have some off roading on the weekends. Would it look awesome HELL YEA but looks aren't everything yah know.

 

YOOU SAID CAR just sayin