Do you like the quality of your ride now? If so, I would highly recommend that you get a TeraFlex 2.5" BB with shock extensions instead. I guarantee that this setup will keep your ride the same and it is by far the most complete BB you can buy on the market today. And, I think you will find that you will not need a BL on top of it.

Now, if you do go with the Black Diamond kit, I would highly recommend that you get rear brake line extensions and new longer rear sway bar links. Then, you can take your factory rear links and install them up front. Without doing this, you may run into problems with your sway bar e-disco.

 

pick up a adjustable trac bar.


How was the ride stiffness changed with a BB? It doesn't change anyhting to the coils excpet the height. Doesn't affect spring rate at all! As for the jolty ride, it is swb vehicle, not a corvette. If your that concerned bout he handling add some arms and bam! I never though mine handled exceptionally well, but its cause its a Jeep.

 

On a 2 door, rides great (just like stock), and I'd do it again...

Cheers.

 

x2 on the TF BB, if you keep the factory shocks with it there is now way it will ride different.

 

That is just way too much of a blanket statement. I have driven performance sports cars over the last 10 years so I am very in tune with handling and am "sensitive." Yes, my 2" FT w/M-Force raised the center of gravity, thus changing the way it drives. But, with the setup I have and shocks, there are no annoying vibrations, bouncy and jolts. It handles better and the shocks level out much better than the stock (can't compare to Rubi.) Even the wifey who hates climbing the extra inches to get in (only 5'1") likes the ride better.

 

I agree and would like to add that the rear drive shaft on a JK has CV joints and are designed to be vibration free even at steeper angles. Are you sure that you weren't talking about a TJ with a BB? Because, that would make a bit more sense to me.

 

Ha, the driveshafts on the JK are junk, a pure junk design. If the stock shaft was so great then why are the aftermarkets converting them to different types?

 

Ummm, are you really trying to suggest that the factory drive lines are "pure junk" solely based on the fact that aftermarkets are converting them to different types? Is there any chance that I could get you to qualify your reasons for making this statement.... maybe based on real science or even experience?

Seriously, on a 2-door with a tall lift, you should consider changing out your drive shaft with a one that is of a double cardin U-joint design because the steep angle will cause your CV boots to wear out prematurely and ultimately cause problems to the joint itself. On a 4-door, it's not as necessary but it is something to consider as well. As far as strenght goes, I have yet to hear of a single factory driveline break, have you?

Now, I'm not suggesting that factory drive shafts are better per se or that I wouldn't recommend installing an aftermarket shaft on some applications. However, I hardly think that they are "pure junk". I should also point out that you are more likely to have vibrations or breaks with a U-joint style shaft but they are easy to service and can be done for cheap.

For whatever it's worth, I do intend on installing a set of new drive shafts as soon as I can afford to but not because the factory shafts are junk

 

It is impossible for your ride to be exactly as before. Let me explain how:

First, you have to understand what springs and shocks do. Springs govern how much weight can be transfered for a given cornering force...the stiffer the spring, the less weight can be transfered to the wheel it supports. A shock limits the rate of transfer, which also has the effect of limiting bounce. So a really soft shock will allow really rapid weight transfer and be bouncy, and a stiff shock will limit the speed of weight transfer and control bounce.

Think of it like this...if you try to push the jeep down by it's hood, the spring will determine how far down you can get it, the shock will determine how fast you can push. So if you have a really soft spring and no shock, you can push the front down as fast as your muscles allow up to what the spring will allow...the softer the spring, the further down you can push. If you add a really stiff shock, you can still push it down the same distance for the strength you have, but you will have to do it slowly...any force you use to move it faster than the shock will allow will be wasted, and this is how a shock dampens bouncing over bumps.

Second, let's look at what governs weight transfer...first, it's the weight of the vehicle, second, the cornering force, and third, the vehicle's center of gravity. The higher the center of gravity, the more force is transmitted for a given body weight and cornering force. So a 4000lb Jeep with X" center of gravity will transfer less weight in the same corner as a 4000lb Jeep with X + 2" center of gravity.

A vehicle's springs and shocks are calibrated for the vehicle's weight and center of gravity...the ride is "tuned" based on how much force this vehicle transfers while cornering, accelerating, braking, etc. This tuning goes a long way in determining ride quality.

When you add a 2" spacer, you are raising your center of gravity, which substantially increases the weight transfer for a given cornering/braking/acceleration force. Your springs and shocks are calibrated for a much lower load, which will not only cause more weight to transfer from one side to another (or front to back or vice versa), but the rate of transfer is also affected, as the shock cannot deal as well with the increased forces. Your ride will get bouncier and you will notice other adverse effects (or you should, anyway, if you're perceptive enough).

Add to that all of the wheel alignment issues that cannot be resolved without adjustable track bars and control arms, such as the dartiness and wandering that comes with the lack of adjustable caster. Then there's the fact that your shocks are too short and may top out, causing a jarring sensation. If you have extended bump stops, as Superlift does, these may bottom out when you hit bumps. I had my kit on for a few days and never experienced toping out (at least that I noticed) but I did experience bump stops bottoming out in very tight parking lot turns.

You can alleviate SOME of these problems by adding shocks tuned for a lift, but not most of them. You can alleviate some more of these problems by adding springs, as long as these sprigns are tuned for the increased forces (which they should be), but not all of them. You can alleviate some more by adding adjustable arms and track bars and new driveshafts. At that point, you ride will still be a little worse than stock because of the higher center of gravity (if you compensate for it your ride becomes progressivly stiffer to deal with increased forces...the higher you go, the stiffer you need to be). However, as you can see, we've long since left the BB world behind and are in the full lift kit mode.

In my opinion, the only lift worth puting on a JK is a full fledged kit with tuned springs and shocks, adjustablce control arms and track bars, sway bar links if necessary, brake lines, drive shafts if necessary, etc. Or, use spacers that are so small, something like the Daystar 3/4" front and rear spacers, that the effects are either barely noticeable or non-existent.

Like I said...2 door or 4, you will/do have issues because of your lift. Whether you notice them or care about them, that's up to you.

 

Not trying to hijack, but as the thread has turned to this direction...

WayOfLife: Can you elaborate a bit more on the driveshaft issues with 2 doors? At what point (inches of lift, perhaps?) does a 2 door owner really have to worry about the increased driveline angle?

As I come closer and closer to convincing the 5' wife that a lift is needed and a good use of my discretionary funds (LOL!), this is becoming a bit of a concern... I don't want to fork out the bucks for a lift and bigger tires, only to have to come up with additional hundreds for driveline mods... thoughts?