I have been looking at several 2-2.5 inch suspension lift. Some include sway extensions, some not. What are you guys feelings on the need for these. Also same question on brake line brackets.

 

It boils down to the angle of your sway bar when you put on the lift, so it's not so much of "what are our feelings on needing them". If your sway bar is angled either higher towards the hood, or lower aiming at the ground - you will need to make sure it's even with your frame the best you can.

The swaybar links come in varying lengths depending on lifts, and some are adjustable. They allow you to get your sway bar in line with the frame of your jeep.

 

Ideally you want both front and rear sway bars parallel to the ground or actually pointed up a bit.

If you have a rubicon you absolutely need to lengthen the front sway links if you plan on using the e-diconnect.

At that lift height, you can put the 10" rear factory sway links up front, and put longer aftermarket rear links in.

For brake lines, if you use the factory shocks you dont need to extend them. If you use the factory shocks with sxtensions, you need to run a drop bracket equivalent to the extension. Aftermarket shocks and you should either run an extension bracket or start looking at longer braided lines.

 

It seemed necessary to me as we'll.. Just seemed odd that some kit come with some don't. I sent messages to some of the companies asking why and the ones without the extensions advised that at that small amount of lift, it wasn't necessary.

 

The degree of angle doesn't have to be within a fraction of a hair, that's a good reason why that maybe said company did not include them or say it was needed. Or, in fact, they just don't include them in their kit. While it's ideal to have it parallel, it doesn't need to be EXACT. Respectively, you also don't want it at 30 degrees up or down. I forget the exact "window" for degree that is usually acceptable.

 

I don't agree with that. Saying that is just a general assumption.

For instance with 2.5" bump stops and flat fenders you can run 37" tires and a 11.5-12" travel shock at 2-2.5" of lift. With that setup you will have significantly more travel than stock sway links and brake lines can handle.

Obviously thats an extreme example. I can only assume mfgs are sying "it's not needed" for an otherwise stock jeep running only the contents of that lift.

 

Actually, the front sway bar needs to be level and the rear needs to have a 3 degree down

 

Flex it and then decide what you need.

If the shocks are short enough to max out before the swaybars flip around and/or the brake lines rip off the frame, you're good.

If the shocks are long enough to cause issues, then add longer links and unclip the lines/add extension brackets/add longer lines.

Swaybars have been known to flip around on lifts at the shop, so don't think you'll be safe just because you aren't 'hard-core'. My new front shocks are long enough that I needed to lengthen the adj links well above 'level with the frame' to keep it from flipping.

 

Where do you get these numbers? What's your source?

If your suspension, either front or rear, has more gross up travel than down travel, then yes the sway bar may need to be pointed down a few degrees. If you have more down travel than up, then you may need to angle the bar up a few degrees. There is no set number.

For example:
My front axle has 4.5" uptravel at the shock, 6.5" down, so my sway bar is angled up a few degrees. I set up a custom suspesnsion on a friends jeep, 3" uptravel, 11" down. His sway bar needs to be angled up significantly.

There is no golden rule. nthinuf is spot on.