steering questions.
 

What's up jeepers, ok I'm going to be purchasing the rock krawler 2.5" max flex kit for my 2 door jk. I'm going to be using the 3.5" coils with Rancho long travel shocks. The kit comes with an adjustable track bars, lower control arms and a steering stabilizer. All the steering components are confusing me. Can I leave it be? Do I need a high steer kit? Any cheaper but reliable options? I do dd her and wheel once a month on pretty dicey trails. Forgive my lack of knowledge. I'm new to the jeep game, just traded my fj in for her.

with 3.5" of lift you don't NEED a drag link flip, although countless people will tell you that you do. I've had a 3.5" lift with the synergy drag link and artec track bar bracket for a while and haven't flipped because my steering is fine.

another thing to consider is you might have to go up higher with a drag link flip to get frame clearance, or notch the frame.

You can leave it be, it will work, but if you want better steering geometry I would flip it. Keep in mind that a 3.5" coil spring will give you more than 3.5" of lift. If you decided to go with a flip kit you don't have to notch your frame or lift higher, you would just need to add more bump stop. Most flip kits require a 3" bump stop or custom frame notching is always a option.

A Drop Pitman is the cheap route, it lowers the frame end of the draglink. Some people are ok with them, but they generally don't get very favorable reviews. Do some reading before going this route.

A draglink flip moves the axle end of the draglink up to the top of the knuckle. This will require drilling the knuckle and reaming or using an adapter.

Since both of these options relocate the draglink, you also need to relocate the trackbar to keep them parallel. A drop pitman may use a bracket at the frame to lower that end. Most draglink flips will use a bracket on the axle to raise that end of the trackbar. (raising from the axle seems to be the better approach)

Some kits use stock draglinks from RHD JK's. If you are beefing up your steering components, do you want to buy another stock component?

If you add a raised trackbar bracket up front, be sure to raise the rear also.

Check into any other components you might want in the future for compatibility. (ex. the synergy sector shaft brace which may or may not work with various trackbars)

Not true on the "most give more than 3.5"....if they are designed around having full armor and you don't then it will give you more lift, otherwise that's incorrect.

yes, you don't need to notch the frame if you put in huge bumpstops that you don't need (meaning your tires don't warrant them), then you have less uptravel - if you don't have the exactly correct shocks or shock location (ie new brackets) you're killing uptravel without adding downtravel. Regardless, you're still going to be riding towards the top of your travel, which isn't ideal - hence why the right way to do it is to actually notch the frame at 3.5" to account for the track bar hitting the frame.

The point is, it's not a simple "put on bigger bumps" or other nonsense. yea, you can do that but everything effects everything else. and like someone else said you have to raise the rear trackbar as well.

Somebody got their panties in a bunch. Lol You miss quoted I didn't say most Lifts I was referring to all. What do you consider full armor? Well, if your tires don't warrant 3" of bump stop then you don't need a 3.5" lift. "Track bar hitting frame"? Lol Actually, you don't have to notch the frame at all with 3.5" of lift. I run 37" tires, flip kit, 3" of bump stops, flat fenders & a right handed draglink on King Coilovers. Tires rub at full bump. Please due tell what is the "everything effects everything else" effecting? We're talking about steering here, a rear raised track bar to correct roll center is a givin & included in most kits. . Didn't mean to step on your toes with my statement that notching the frame isn't required.

thanks for the input guys

If I'm not mistaken notching the frame is so the draglink doesn't hit right. Hmmmmm.

Also I agree with you Nick. The best 2 options would be notch the frame or the easiest is to add 3" bumpstops and it is that easy as a lot of kits that high will use 3" of bumpstop anyways to keep shocks from bottoming out or larger tires from getting into the fender flare.

Bumpstops isn't just about tire size unless you have the correct shocks that allow the proper amount of up travel and down travel (shock that is close to bottoming out at full stuff and has enough to down to get the full droop of the coil without unseating it- would still recommend limiting straps as you don't want the shock fully extending holding the weight of the axle)

Those bump recommendations and lift heights for flips are just guidelines. Way to many variables to give a dead on answer. Just a ballpark a call it good which is what most people do for there while lift/build.

No panties in a bunch, just correcting your misinformation. Not all lift manufacturers specify 3.5" and then knowingly make their kits to give you more lift, that's just silly - I'm not talking about coilovers since you mentioned you have those, but I suspect you weren't talking about those.

full armor is full armor, as in full skids sliders bumpers winch...usually recovery gear, no idea what mine weighs but nothing close to stock.

I don't get the whole bump stop lift height thing...I have a 3.5" lift on 35s...do I need that much lift for my tires, nope, can I run bigger, yep....but my bumps are set up correctly and I have that lift height because I have a 4 door and need a better breakover angle. I'm using all my travel and I based my lift height on increasing breakover angle not fitting tires. You can fit 37s on a 2.5" lift.

As for the trackbar hitting the frame, what front TB mount are you using?

Everything effects everything else - raising the rear TB, raising the front TB, messing with bumpstops, possibly notching the frame...not sure what part of that is confusing.