leveling kit build questions
Thread Starter
JK Newbie
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Whiteland, Indiana
leveling kit build questions
2012 jk sport 2dr, daily driver, moderate off roading. I'm wanting to go to 35s soon and I'm thinking off going with the evo leveling kit, new shocks, wheel spacers and flat fenders. My questions are what brand and length of shocks, bump stop lengths and what else should be considered. Secondary question benefits of 2.5 budget boost, spring lift, over a leveling kit? I assume ground clearance and flex.
JK Junkie
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 3,213
Likes: 21
From: Grand falls, Newfoundland
I have the teraflex leveling kit, with Monroe reflex monotube shocks, I also added teraflex lower control arms (sport model) to get my caster back. I only run 33s as going to 35s you need to regear etc then. Running 33s you only loose very little height under the axle but you gain a lot in drivability. I also went with the teraflex steering stabilizer and tie rod and drag link as well. All in all my system works very well off road and its better than stock on road. I have 185,000 now on my setup, I think springs are in need of replacement now and I am going to get 19/60s That would give you a good boost as well since your on a light 2 door.
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 195
Likes: 9
From: Tijeras, NM
I myself did a 2008 JKUX build with 4” Rockroller lift, with most of the Tie rod and drag link accessories. I also ran 33” With 2.5 Back spacers all the time.
This ended up costing me about 1500+ a year in replacement parts maintenance IE: ball joints, tie ends, power steering gear box etc. And I wore out those fancy $600+ rebuild-able ball joints twice and once with the Moog ends. Just driving around town normally.
My Jeep is a DD 99.5% of the time.
I decided to trade my 2008 X for a 2015 JKUR. I kept my front and rear bumpers with dueling wenches. Then I put armor on the differentials, Full Synergy armor plates from gas tank to oil pan. That lowered my stock hight about 1” in from and 1.25” in rear so I put 1.75” Synergy spacers on the stock coils. Then I bought a second set of Rims with 5” back spacing and put 35” Kevlars for off road use only and a set of cheep thin fender flares to clear the 35’s (to be upgraded later.)
Basically with the 35” and spacers on I got a real lift of around 4” (from stock) with one of the best under armor kits out there. I’m not sure why I get that much lift my speculation is that the 35” tires are holding their roundness better then the stock tires. And if stock parts ware out they are very cheep to replace compared to aftermarket kits. One of my mechanics told me that driving with large tires and back spacing all the time put tones of extra ware on the system. Even though 33” is only 1 inch size bigger than stock the back spacing really stressed out the axles.
So I DD with the stock Robi Tires. They seem to work better in the snow anyway and I live on the side of a mountain. Either set of tires I get a factory style ride all the time and when I deflate the 35”s down to say 15 LBS I get the same cushy ride I got with the 4” lift and 33” tires.
Of course this limits me to intermediate trails but I’m not looking to do a lot of body damage repairs.
My 2 Cents
PS I spent about $4000 with tires, armor and labor. Keep in mind I already had the bumpers and wenches from the old jeep witch is probably another $2000+. I need to get better rock sliders and fender flares ... have to save for now.
This ended up costing me about 1500+ a year in replacement parts maintenance IE: ball joints, tie ends, power steering gear box etc. And I wore out those fancy $600+ rebuild-able ball joints twice and once with the Moog ends. Just driving around town normally.
My Jeep is a DD 99.5% of the time.
I decided to trade my 2008 X for a 2015 JKUR. I kept my front and rear bumpers with dueling wenches. Then I put armor on the differentials, Full Synergy armor plates from gas tank to oil pan. That lowered my stock hight about 1” in from and 1.25” in rear so I put 1.75” Synergy spacers on the stock coils. Then I bought a second set of Rims with 5” back spacing and put 35” Kevlars for off road use only and a set of cheep thin fender flares to clear the 35’s (to be upgraded later.)
Basically with the 35” and spacers on I got a real lift of around 4” (from stock) with one of the best under armor kits out there. I’m not sure why I get that much lift my speculation is that the 35” tires are holding their roundness better then the stock tires. And if stock parts ware out they are very cheep to replace compared to aftermarket kits. One of my mechanics told me that driving with large tires and back spacing all the time put tones of extra ware on the system. Even though 33” is only 1 inch size bigger than stock the back spacing really stressed out the axles.
So I DD with the stock Robi Tires. They seem to work better in the snow anyway and I live on the side of a mountain. Either set of tires I get a factory style ride all the time and when I deflate the 35”s down to say 15 LBS I get the same cushy ride I got with the 4” lift and 33” tires.
Of course this limits me to intermediate trails but I’m not looking to do a lot of body damage repairs.
My 2 Cents
PS I spent about $4000 with tires, armor and labor. Keep in mind I already had the bumpers and wenches from the old jeep witch is probably another $2000+. I need to get better rock sliders and fender flares ... have to save for now.
JK Junkie
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 3,213
Likes: 21
From: Grand falls, Newfoundland
I myself did a 2008 JKUX build with 4” Rockroller lift, with most of the Tie rod and drag link accessories. I also ran 33” With 2.5 Back spacers all the time.
This ended up costing me about 1500+ a year in replacement parts maintenance IE: ball joints, tie ends, power steering gear box etc. And I wore out those fancy $600+ rebuild-able ball joints twice and once with the Moog ends. Just driving around town normally.
My Jeep is a DD 99.5% of the time.
I decided to trade my 2008 X for a 2015 JKUR. I kept my front and rear bumpers with dueling wenches. Then I put armor on the differentials, Full Synergy armor plates from gas tank to oil pan. That lowered my stock hight about 1” in from and 1.25” in rear so I put 1.75” Synergy spacers on the stock coils. Then I bought a second set of Rims with 5” back spacing and put 35” Kevlars for off road use only and a set of cheep thin fender flares to clear the 35’s (to be upgraded later.)
Basically with the 35” and spacers on I got a real lift of around 4” (from stock) with one of the best under armor kits out there. I’m not sure why I get that much lift my speculation is that the 35” tires are holding their roundness better then the stock tires. And if stock parts ware out they are very cheep to replace compared to aftermarket kits. One of my mechanics told me that driving with large tires and back spacing all the time put tones of extra ware on the system. Even though 33” is only 1 inch size bigger than stock the back spacing really stressed out the axles.
So I DD with the stock Robi Tires. They seem to work better in the snow anyway and I live on the side of a mountain. Either set of tires I get a factory style ride all the time and when I deflate the 35”s down to say 15 LBS I get the same cushy ride I got with the 4” lift and 33” tires.
Of course this limits me to intermediate trails but I’m not looking to do a lot of body damage repairs.
My 2 Cents
PS I spent about $4000 with tires, armor and labor. Keep in mind I already had the bumpers and wenches from the old jeep witch is probably another $2000+. I need to get better rock sliders and fender flares ... have to save for now.
This ended up costing me about 1500+ a year in replacement parts maintenance IE: ball joints, tie ends, power steering gear box etc. And I wore out those fancy $600+ rebuild-able ball joints twice and once with the Moog ends. Just driving around town normally.
My Jeep is a DD 99.5% of the time.
I decided to trade my 2008 X for a 2015 JKUR. I kept my front and rear bumpers with dueling wenches. Then I put armor on the differentials, Full Synergy armor plates from gas tank to oil pan. That lowered my stock hight about 1” in from and 1.25” in rear so I put 1.75” Synergy spacers on the stock coils. Then I bought a second set of Rims with 5” back spacing and put 35” Kevlars for off road use only and a set of cheep thin fender flares to clear the 35’s (to be upgraded later.)
Basically with the 35” and spacers on I got a real lift of around 4” (from stock) with one of the best under armor kits out there. I’m not sure why I get that much lift my speculation is that the 35” tires are holding their roundness better then the stock tires. And if stock parts ware out they are very cheep to replace compared to aftermarket kits. One of my mechanics told me that driving with large tires and back spacing all the time put tones of extra ware on the system. Even though 33” is only 1 inch size bigger than stock the back spacing really stressed out the axles.
So I DD with the stock Robi Tires. They seem to work better in the snow anyway and I live on the side of a mountain. Either set of tires I get a factory style ride all the time and when I deflate the 35”s down to say 15 LBS I get the same cushy ride I got with the 4” lift and 33” tires.
Of course this limits me to intermediate trails but I’m not looking to do a lot of body damage repairs.
My 2 Cents
PS I spent about $4000 with tires, armor and labor. Keep in mind I already had the bumpers and wenches from the old jeep witch is probably another $2000+. I need to get better rock sliders and fender flares ... have to save for now.
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 195
Likes: 9
From: Tijeras, NM
There was something obviously wrong with your install, if you used the control arms, drag link, tie rod, etc with a full system DW is for some other reason, as well as wearing out all those parts. I know of hundreds of 4" lifts around here with 35/37/ and beyond with no death wobble or wearing out parts daily driving or heavy off road usage.