Lifting a Wrangler Unlimited
 

Looking to put 35’s on my Wrangler and need some help. There are so many companies out there that advertise lifts so now I’m confused. Need to know what brand to have installed. Want one that is going to last and provide a good ride. I don’t do extreme off road driving. Thanks in advance.

Do a search on this forum George, or Google even. Start reading and make a decision based off of that.

I would recommend this kit for what you describe you are going to do in the 2.5" lift height.ITs a high quality kit that will give you a very good ride on the road. Do your research on your 35" tires as many people buy the wrong type and get poor results from the tires.
https://metalcloak.com/jeep-jk-wrang...t-edition.html

I agree with Dirtman on his suggestion. MC is one of the better companies for lift kits, their stuff is great quality and they stand behind their products. Dont cheap out he first time, spend the money and get the good stuff, alot of us cheaped out and now we are buying the more expensive kits :rotflmao2:. Tire selection is another hard part there are pros and cons to every tire. So it will be a matter of deciding what is best for you. I run Nitto Trail Grapplers, they work great for the trails i run, they have an aggressive look that i like, and probably one of the quieter tires in its "class". But they dry rot quicker then other tires, have a stiff sidewall and they are heavy.

Keep in mind that all the effort is really about keeping a nice ride on the pavement. You can build a pure trail rig with crappy parts pretty easily since you don't have to worry about pavement manners at all. A lot of people have the misconception that if they don't offroad, they don't need all that fancy stuff, and instead end up with something that appears more budget friendly.

What Dirtman alludes to in regards to tires is don't haul off and buy a 35 that is "E" rated as those sidewalls get very stiff and you get a more harsh ride. For your purpose, even a "D" rated tire is probably stiff. If an AT tire is isn't the look you want, there are some hybrids as well that perform nicely and have a little more of an aggressive look. The Nitto Ridge Grappler is nice. If you want an MT tire, I'd read up a bit and focus on something that isn't roaring loud. There is a very wide variance in what MT tires sound like on the pavement.

Wholeheartedly agree.....great tire for us Texas guys, but dang they sure to show rot more than other tires. Mine look like crap coming up on 4 years of wheelin and ~45k miles. The general pavement wear has been acceptable, and I don't mind chunks out of the lugs given how I use em, but the dry rot has not been acceptable to me. I think I'm moving to the good ole standard Open Country MTs next.

Ya the set i just took off where almost 6 years old and had 70k miles on them, they where pretty rough. The guy at Discount laughed when he saw them, as i bought a new set :rotflmao2:, im to loyal, love them to death and i have always wondered if they Toyos dry rot the same since they are basically the same manufacture. But then again i remember what the TGs are mostly used for and that kind of racing you go through tires so fast you dont have to worry about dry rot :drunk:

Agree on Metalcloak. I run their dual rates and have never been happier. The cheaper springs in lifts will start sagging almost immediately and over time you will lose a chunk of your lift height. MC has held up really well. When I got my first Wrangler 15 years ago, I went the cheap route. Wanted to get the look, without the expense. Ended up replacing everything cheap with quality stuff. You get over a certain price point and it's install and forget it. Enough quality for the long run and you can move onto the next modification on the list.

Just a heads-up, MetalCloak isn't a name you will see at the local 4 Wheel Parts store. Go in there, and Rubicon Express will likely be the first name pushed at you. If you decide on MC, get on their mailing list and watch for the next sale or free shipping event.

That said, I'm running their 3.5" coils. Great setup for me. But before deciding, do yourself a favor and read through the threads stuck to the very top of this Modified area. Get a handle on what problems are caused by lifting, and what the various components actually do. There is even a lot of good info on MC's website about their coils and shocks and other components.

For good on road ride quality, as well as lasting the test of time I'ld recommend the following lifts for 35s, depending on what you're comfortable with spending.

1. MetalCloak Game Changer 2.5"
2. MetalCloak Rocksport Edition 2.5"
3. Mopar 2in lift w/Fox shocks
4. AEV DualSport XT 2.5" w/Bilstein shocks

Don't let the height names fool you, all the above kits will provide at least 3 inches of actual lift. The MC Game Changer is one of the most complete, best quality kits but also one of the most expensive. Personally, I feel the Mopar 2in lift is one of the best value lifts out there in regards to price while providing good ride quality, performance and uses good quality parts. I've been very satisfied with my Mopar 2in lift and feel I made a pretty solid value purchase with it.

Both MC lifts include preferred caster correction thus one of the reasons they cost more than the AEV and Mopar where you will need to add a couple of components to the Mopar and AEV lifts for caster correction. The Mopar actually includes caster correction in the form of CAM bolts which many don't prefer to use and is one of least expensive solutions for caster correction but it works. The Mopar lift also includes a replacement front drive shaft for 2012+ models which can be beneficial.