The Age Old Which lift should i get question?
 

So i've had my 2010 jk for about 5 months now and it's time for a lift...well soon anyways. I've been diving into every thread i can find that is like this one, and i keep seeing sort of the same things pointing me to either a AEV, Teraflex, or Rancho. Now the question is I've got about $500 saved and now i'm trying to figure out which is the best route to go. This is my DD as I drive around a 50 mile round trip to work around 4-7 times a week. I intended on getting 35s in the future but just from what i've been reading 35s and say a 3-4 inch lift, without a quick regear, seems to put a great deal of stress on the drive shafts and such. Being that I just had a kid and my wife absolutely loves the idea of me spending all of our extra money on my Jeep, you could say I'm on a budget. Therefore, I obviously don't want to spend $800 on a lift and $1000 on tires just to have a drive shaft fail or something of that nature. So i'm now wondering instead of going with the amazing deal that Rancho has going on now, should i go with something cheaper such as a budget boost (not because budget is in the name!)? Or is there a kit out there that is a quality kit that doesn't have the horror stories of the Rough Country spring sag and stuff like that? I don't do much off roading as i live in a 1,000 square mile radius of cornfields (Illinois), although i do hit the woods and the aforementioned corn fields from time to time. In the end I need some advice on 1.) Should i get the 35s like i want or go with 33s? 2.) Which quality kit could i get to fit my budget so i don't come home and receive domestic abuse? (she's strong) 3.) How high of a lift should i aim for in my budget so i don't have to worry about mechanical issues?

Any and all input is greatly appreciated. And I have no problem saving more if need be the case or i would have already ordered the Rough country 3.5 kit without even seeking my fellow jk forumites expertise.

I just installed my rock krawler 2.5 max travel kit Saturday and man I've gotta say that thing is beefy as hell and the ride didn't change from stock at all. I don't know if that kit would fit your budget but I know they make a 2.5 stock mod kit that is cheaper priced. It is the same lift height with not as many components. I also got the bilstein 5100s and couldn't be happier. You can also build on the kit as budget allows too. Good luck with your build!!!

I should get my rock krawler 2.5 max travel tomorrow. I think it will be well worth the money. I compared different lifts and what they included, rk seemed to be pretty complete.

Based on your description, it seems your mostly a daily driver with some light trails. I would look into a 2.5 kit from RK or Teraflex and 33s. That won't kill your gas mileage and you won't have to worry about extras like gears, driveshafts, etc. If you wanted to go 35s down the road, throw some flat fenders on, do some trimming and you're good to go.

Good luck with your build!

Anyone else have any other input?

I have been doing a lot of reading like you trying to decide which one to go with so I don't have to deal with problems later and can continue to improve upon it as I go. So far I really like the Full Traction 3.0" Jeep JK Premium Plus 0% Maintenance SRS System. It comes with adjustable front & rear track bars for proper axle alignment (and I believe I read this helps with the wear and tear on a drive shaft) and adjustable front and rear upper control arms. FT also sells the front and rear adjustable lower control arms separate so that you can add them later if you find it necessary.

Just ordered the new 3" mopar lift with fox shocks. The dealer that I bought the jeep from gave the parts for cost. I had questions about warranty with aftermarket kit from another shop. They hooked me up to keep my business. I can't believe a dealer would work so hard to keep me happy. They also did the same for the tires and rims. Can't wait to get it all installed! My 2012 rubicon is going to be sick!

I picked up a set of RK 2.5" springs and a set of shock extenders on here for $150 total. It works great for me as a DD with 33's. I used the extra cash for a front currie antirock. I travel about 50 miles a day with this set up.

so you're just running new springs and adapters? no new bump stops or brake line extentions or anything of that nature?

Love my RK Max Travel. Rides nice, beefy, and real flexy. Can't go wrong with RK.