AEV really that good?
JK Junkie
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,262
Likes: 1
From: Des Moines, Iowa
I am assuming that most of you guys are referring to Dave Yegge since he was the engineer on the rolling chassis of the JK. If you own a Rubicon model he is the one you can personally thank since he took on the Jeep accountants, engineers, etc... to get the original Rubicon built.
On the stock chassis there are definitely a lot of things that he did well, since the bones of it are good. At the same time I think that there is a lot of stuff that Jeep accountants did to ensure that a home user can't service the product, ensuring that their service and parts departments would stay busy. Also he can give them the best designed chassis in the world, and they will look for ways to cut a few pennies by reducing the size of the steel, reducing welds, etc... and then Jeep will claim that they made it for the average person which technically most of us on here aren't.
I know that Jim Frens was a Jeep engineer for many years, and seemed to really head up the design of the AEV lift, and I have oftentimes wondered how some of those back room conversations went with Jim telling Dave that he put a trackbar mount in the wrong place, or the springs are wrong, etc...
AEV isn't the only lift out there, and each person will have their own prefrence of looks, ride firmness, etc... and that is why there are so many companies in the business. Most of the items we put on our Jeeps are because we are of the opinion at the time that it will help the Jeep perform better, and we also believe at the time it is a quality product.
On the stock chassis there are definitely a lot of things that he did well, since the bones of it are good. At the same time I think that there is a lot of stuff that Jeep accountants did to ensure that a home user can't service the product, ensuring that their service and parts departments would stay busy. Also he can give them the best designed chassis in the world, and they will look for ways to cut a few pennies by reducing the size of the steel, reducing welds, etc... and then Jeep will claim that they made it for the average person which technically most of us on here aren't.
I know that Jim Frens was a Jeep engineer for many years, and seemed to really head up the design of the AEV lift, and I have oftentimes wondered how some of those back room conversations went with Jim telling Dave that he put a trackbar mount in the wrong place, or the springs are wrong, etc...
AEV isn't the only lift out there, and each person will have their own prefrence of looks, ride firmness, etc... and that is why there are so many companies in the business. Most of the items we put on our Jeeps are because we are of the opinion at the time that it will help the Jeep perform better, and we also believe at the time it is a quality product.
JK-Forum Founder
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 36,534
Likes: 16
From: Laguna Niguel, CA
Well you seem to be driving a JK so you can’t think too poorly of it. Would you disagree that it is probably the best factory produced off road vehicle available? Unfortunately the engineers don’t get the last word in design; in the end the accountants have a LOT to say about the final product and what it looks like when it goes to market. But I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know. We can all slant the rhetoric to favor our point of view but to get to the heart of the matter; and this is a generalization but; an engineer that is responsible for a platform as high profile as the JK chassis is going to be well respected in his field; what some might even call “the cream of the crop”.
yeah, that sure is one hell of a generalization. ALL the engineers i know are just regular people with a talent for making stuff and to the best of their ability and i'd hardly elevate one over another to mythical status just by virtue of who they last worked for. while i love my 2 JK's and all the other jeeps i've owned in the past, i'd be a liar or delusional to suggest that it's anything more than a vehicle that looks great, is fun to drive and is a great platform to start building on. 
You know all too well; having installed and tested so many of these lifts as you say; that many of them have been pieced together by trial and error with little or no actual engineering involved. (that is not to say that there aren't many quality products out there; of course there are; there are also many poor quality products out there too though)
Enough of that though I’d rather benefit from your experience; you seemed to indicate that there is no need for a compromise in lift engineering. That said if you have the answer why hold back; please share which is the perfect lift. The one that does it ALL; perfect on road manners and able to leap tall boulders in a single bound? At the very least if you can’t tell us which lift you could at least tell us which technology is the best; which method.
unless i'm mistaken, you're the jeep engineering expert here and one who's been declairing that your beloved lift kit is the best thing around. and, since you've chosen not to read it, i do believe i said that most of the lift kits available today are "all pretty good and all have their pluses and minuses". but, if you're gonna tell me that a 4.5" short arm lift and 37" tires is gonna ride and handle better than a jeep with the same setup but with long arms and just because it was made by a former jeep engineer, i don't think there's anything i can say to change your mind nor would i want to try.
JK-Forum Founder
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 36,534
Likes: 16
From: Laguna Niguel, CA
for me, If I had a lot of $. I'd tap the experience and knowledge of Mel from ORE to install a nice coilover suspension system in my JK.. he basically threw out everything Jeep supplies as far as suspension goes, and installs a SWEET awesome riding/flexing setup... But, I dont have the $ to spend on my JK which is a bad investment to begin with..
I chose to go another route to economically "repair" the poor geometry of a lifted JK with AEV's solution, which does the job.. just like other manufacturers do (Teraflex, Rock Krawler).
I love the fit and finish of all of AEV's products... to me they look the closest to OEM you can get.
I chose to go another route to economically "repair" the poor geometry of a lifted JK with AEV's solution, which does the job.. just like other manufacturers do (Teraflex, Rock Krawler).
I love the fit and finish of all of AEV's products... to me they look the closest to OEM you can get.
Sponsoring Manufacturer
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 6,824
Likes: 3
From: Utah
You know all too well; having installed and tested so many of these lifts as you say; that many of them have been pieced together by trial and error with little or no actual engineering involved. (that is not to say that there aren't many quality products out there; of course there are; there are also many poor quality products out there too though)
TeraFlex lifts are designed in Solidworks 3D from files from Jeep of the frames/axles and other parts as needed. TeraFlex has a excellent friendship with Jeep, did you see the TeraFlex SEMA JK? Our engineers spend countless hours designing every product. Maybe some companies design suspension kits as you suggest, but not TeraFlex.
JK-Forum Founder
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 36,534
Likes: 16
From: Laguna Niguel, CA
TeraFlex lifts are designed in Solidworks 3D from files from Jeep of the frames/axles and other parts as needed. TeraFlex has a excellent friendship with Jeep, did you see the TeraFlex SEMA JK? Our engineers spend countless hours designing every product. Maybe some companies design suspension kits as you suggest, but not TeraFlex.
Sponsoring Manufacturer
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 6,824
Likes: 3
From: Utah
Don't let everyone know our secret way of doing R&D!!!
Sponsoring Manufacturer
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 6,824
Likes: 3
From: Utah
Teraflex as a company and a product is one of the best of breed; I never said anything negative about Teraflex nor did I ever imply that AEV was the only worthy product out there. As a matter of fact I would be running a Teraflex lift right now if Teraflex had a product to meet my needs. I need a 2" nominal yeild on a 2 door. I truthfully can't find anyone in the industry that even designs a 2 door lift anymore (AEV did at one time). They all seem to be rated for 4 doors and 2 doors get whatever they end up with. I've called Teraflex and was told that your 2.5" lift would yeild more like 4 inches on my 2 door Rubi. The lack of industry support in the 2" spring lifts is forcing me toward a frankenstien setup with TJ springs.
JK Jedi Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 15,665
Likes: 4
From: Hammond Louisiana
Teraflex as a company and a product is one of the best of breed; I never said anything negative about Teraflex nor did I ever imply that AEV was the only worthy product out there. As a matter of fact I would be running a Teraflex lift right now if Teraflex had a product to meet my needs. I need a 2" nominal yeild on a 2 door. I truthfully can't find anyone in the industry that even designs a 2 door lift anymore (AEV did at one time). They all seem to be rated for 4 doors and 2 doors get whatever they end up with. I've called Teraflex and was told that your 2.5" lift would yeild more like 4 inches on my 2 door Rubi. The lack of industry support in the 2" spring lifts is forcing me toward a frankenstien setup with TJ springs.
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 364
Likes: 0
From: Gauteng, South Africa
Sure there are better products out there. There's always something better in every walk of life. But it's about what's right for you and what works for you.