tmac834

Thanks for all that info! This is the kit that I have been looking at.

https://www.northridge4x4.com/part/s...nsion-lift-kit

I am totally open to suggestions on shocks and springs, my budget right now is around $1000. I was trying to save a few bucks for the tire fund as well! Would I need a front and rear track bar or just one? Any other advice you have I'll take, thanks!

resharp001

Besides what is pictured in that specific lift, I would add some geo correction brackets to help correct your caster after you lift. Rancho makes a really nice 1-piece design, but it costs a little more than the 2-piece designs that AEV and Rubicon Express have for ~$100 +/-. I've helped slap some RE brackets on for someone before and had some fitment issues....bolts didn't line up perfectly. All in all it worked, but was bit of a pain in the rear. Those brackets reposition your frame side control arm mounts and help bring your caster closer back to factory spec. The drawback of those brackets is you lose some ground clearance.....and if you start playing in the rocks at all, you will be scrapping em across things.

I would also add an adjustable front track bar. If the new springs don't really net you more than 2.5", you could PROBABLY scoot by without one, but you're front axle will not be completely dead center. The issue is with a new spring, and depending on weight, your jeep may net MORE THAN 2.5". That just depends on weight and mods. Unmodded jeep obviously doesn't put as much weight on the spring as one with steel bumper, winch, sliders, skids. I'd plan a front TB if it were me. All brands out there at various prices. Typically you will pay a premium for one that is adjustable while installed....a la Synergy or Teraflex. Rock Krawler is one of the cheapest ones it seems (~$160), bud admittedly is a bit of a pain in the @ss to adjust as you have to torque the jam nuts down on your workbench.

You do not need a rear track bar. You will add a raised bracket on the rear axle and re-use the factory TB.

BTW.....if it seems like it, I'm not totally bashing Rancho. People have good things to say about those RS9000 shocks, their new knuckles look really nice, and their 1-piece drop brackets look nice too. I just would look elsewhere for a spring....personal opinion. If you want TF springs, go for it....I've obviously stated my opinion earlier

Don't trust the bump stops in the kit just because they came with the kit. Those may or may not be sufficient. You want to prevent the following from happening: 1) compressing the shock completely, and/or 2) stuffing the tire completely in to the wheel well. Since people run different size tires, and different length shocks, you can’t ALWAYS rely on the bumps in the kit to be correct. I’m not a fan of TF bumps, but just personal opinion. If this is confusing at all….think of this kit for someone running 37s vs 33s. The 37 is going to have a lot less uptravel before it’s completely stuffed and rubbing on the inside of the wheel well. With the same lift and 33s, the shock might fully compress before the 33 comes close to being fully stuffed….this limiting your uptravel and …… some would argue potentially damaging your shock….some would argue this is fine and harm it. If you spend decent money on shocks, I’d try to avoid that myself.

I like Northridge for parts. Be sure to use JKFORUM or another discount code to save some $$. Oh, also, realize that this $1k is just getting you in the door. This isn't $1k and done forever. As previously stated, bigger tires add wear. Steering component wear down. Even on 2.5" lifts sometimes you'll have driveline issues as well (front DS likes to fail at the TC side). Not to mention all the other crap you might just want for interior/lighting/you name it.

tmac834

Yeah for sure, this is just the first step until good old tax season rolls around!

What's your preference on springs? Thanks for all the info, super helpful.

Rancho

Just a heads up we have recently switched from a linear style spring to a progressive coil. The ride has changed. The linear were "soft" while the new ones are a bit "firmer". I noticed the difference mainly on the trail in Moab this past spring. Mine are the old style linear, and were "squisher" than the progressive. Good luck in your hunt.

resharp001

I really don’t like to offer up specific lifts...or in this case springs. It’s just typically a zero sum game, and outside of people all throwing out what they are running and thinking it’s the snizzle, it doesn’t offer a whole lot of useful advice for the OP. I will say this to start……I have various brands in my build, and am not loyal to just one. I have RK springs and track bar, metalcloak arms, Synergy TR, Steersmart DL, FOX shocks, Crawler Conceptz rear bumper paired with Poison Spyder armor and Smitty front bumper….LOL, I have a real mix and match. I’ll readily say when I’ve had a problem with a brand before too…..like my luck with Synergy ball joints is pretty crappy….and I had a problem with the previous version of their TB. My jeep build was a tough road…..starting with a cheap pos lift and then replacing everything. It was costly, both financially and with my time. That is why I’d push to just buy quality once, and not worry about those parts again. I also always urge that it’s going to cost more than you think.

Having said that, if you want a real suggestion, I’d throw out the Metalcloak 2.5” lift.

JK Wrangler Lift Kit 2.5" True Dual-Rate

First off, those springs will last you….you won’t be looking for new ones in a couple years. Second, they include some front upper arms to adjust the caster back to a suitable level. They include new brake lines up front rather than just using extension brackets, and they include nice adjustable bump stops……cuz the amount of bump you use might change over time….due to tires or different shocks. Metalcloak is a reputable company that will stand behind their stuff. One thing I see when looking at this kit is that outside of shock extension brackets being replaced by better shocks in the future……there’s nothing in here you’re going to be pulling off to “upgrade” again. If anything, you might add additional arms to help round out the build.

What are the drawbacks? Price as it’s close to $1k. It does not include a raised rear TB bracket or a front adjustable TB…..and their springs will most likely net you MORE than 2.5” lift which is gonna require those areas to be addressed. You could realistically get 3-3.5” out of that if your jeep isn’t heavy….which would make 33s look small. They give you shock brackets to re-use factory shocks……so for $1k you’re not getting new shocks. That said, could save up and add whatever shocks you’d like in the next wave. Finally, their shipping costs sux, but you can wait till they run a free shipping special…..or sometimes they run a flash sale with 10% discount.

Well, anyhow, it’s food for thought. I’d just suggest you look at a dual rate coil as you might like the ride better. Even Rancho highlights they’ve moved to progressive rate coils. Buy quality the first time and you won’t be looking to replace them in a few years. As noted, I'm on RK springs myself. I would have preferred MC, but it's hard to argue with a discount sometimes.

Also, keep in mind that we all have different builds and different uses. If you think the TF is the best way for you to go, it may be. You are the only one that can really make that determination. I'm just throwing opinions out there that may or may not spark further thought.

tmac834

I have it pretty much stock right now, if I was to get a lift kit should I wait until I have the front TB and the rear brackets before putting it on? I hope 33s don't look too dumb, I'll have to run them for a bit!

Really appreciate the info, it's slowly but surely helping me narrow down the product search! I think I will look for a better equipped kit than the Teraflex.

resharp001

Personally, I'd replace that front TB with an adjustable one regardless of what lift you put on. That is just my 2c, and others might disagree or say it's not necessary for 2.5". There is no denying that as you lift it, the axle is going to pull a bit driver's side if the TB length doesn't change. It could be as little as 1/4"....it's hard to tell. With a stock jeep, and no extra weight (heavy bumpers, winch, skids...) you are more than likely going to net more than 2.5" with any 2.5" spring. It is d@mn near guaranteed if you go with something like an RK or MC spring as they are made for rigs that are weighed down. That said, if bumpers and such are in your future plans....these are things to think about upfront. If they are or are not in your plans could help dictate your direction.

Anyhow, I digress.....any 2.5" lift, you will want to raise that rear TB bracket. I'm surprised that MC doesn't include that with their kit. Probably cuz it's another $99 and throws their kit over $1k...and that being a mental threshold. idk.

Would have hoped some others would chime in on this thread just so you'd have some different opinions than mine. Maybe I should have just shut up, said buy the TF with Rancho shocks.....you would have just moved down the line and been plenty happy.

tmac834

I had my eyes on the JKS adjustable. A bumper and winch are definitely in the plans, would it be optimal to grab tires before those or vise versa?

You're probably right But this way I'll get a little more bang for my buck and better quality products.

Sorry to bombard with one question after another each reply!

resharp001

If it were me, I'd get tires and wheels if necessary before bumpers. I'd reason it like this....you can run 35s with factory bumpers just fine and it doesn't look dumb. If you wanted, you could also do the budget job on the front bumper, cutting it to a stubby and sticking some end caps on for a cheap yet passable look. If you put a lift on with bumpers, you may or may not be happy with the look with the tires. Hard to tell as it all depends on how much lift you really net. Maybe that is a decision to make once you have a lift on. Winch really depends on your use. I will say this.....once you get in a couple precarious situations, by yourself or even with others, you realize the value of recovery equipment. That said, you can also get a winch plate for the factory bumper.

I don't mind fielding questions at all. There are so many things that get addressed with what seems like every little change. Touch one thing and you need to address 3 more. Sometimes it's hard to think through and capture all thoughts in one post. Also, threads and thoughts are dynamic and change directions. As long as you find it useful, I'll keep posting.

There are threads every day about "what lift should i get" or "between lift X and lift Y, which should I choose". Dirtman is the resident expert opinion on all things lift related. Since not many have chimmed in on this thread, if you just use the search feature on his username, you can see all his posts. You can see the thread names he's posted in and maybe it would be useful to just read through some of those recent ones. If nothing else, you might see some other's opinions. Unfortunately, there's so much to read on this stuff that I know it can be overwhelming when trying to figure out a plan. At some point it's jumping in the water with the sharks and learning to swim.

tmac834

I guess one of the last things that I'm not too sure about is regearing. I've looked at a couple different charts and have seen 4.11, 4.56, or 4.88 with 35s. Is there a specific ratio that will work better or is that more preference too?