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Posted: 6/25/2008 9:26:30 AM EDT
Jeep in question is an 04 Rubicon TJ.
I want to get a 3"suspension lift, but I'm getting conflicting answers. Around here "Rough Country" seems to be quite popular, but I've heard of other brands as well. I've been told I'll have to replace my drive shaft and that I won't have to replace it. I've been told I'll need a new shaft that goes to the transfer case and I've been told that rubicons don't require it. I've been told I'll have to spend at least $2k to purchase and have one installed. I've been told it shouldn't cost any more than $800. This will be used for trail riding (light to med. use) and some mudding. Nothing too terribly hardcore (don't have a trailer yet). So Jeep gurus, what should I be looking at and what kind of costs are associated with it. Thanks fellas. |
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I have rough country 2" lift on my Blazer. The springs are fine, but not thrilled with their shocks. I got the nitrogen filled ones and had one blow out and they rust pretty easily (i guess all shocks may). The lift itself went on pretty well (diff. design than your truck) and the ride was good, not too harsh. It did sux on tight washboard type terrain. Im running leaf springs, not sure if yours is just shock and coil setup. If so, than your ride will be way better than mine.
A simple 3" lift on a jeep should not cost 2K , unless the shop your going to is really screwing you on labor. 3" lifts are borderline on weather you need to lower the Transfer case, length the drive shafts and put longer brake lines. 4" you need to do those things, 2" you dont. 3" is kind of inbetween and hard to say. I would get the 3" lift and put the truck on a lift and let the suspension come to full droop and see how the driveshaft angles and how far out the slip yokes the come and see how your brake lines are, also turn the wheels lock to lock to make sure there isnt any binding or pinching of the brake lines and if you have issues, replace as needed. I got longer brake lines on my truck,but I was mainly upgrading to Stainless steel. |
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Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I'm coil sprung solid axle. It sounds like you're not entirely pleased with the Rough Country setup. Are there any alternatives you might suggest? |
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Join up over Here were a great bunch of guys....
I'm not up on TJ lifts as I'm in a JK, but plenty of people over there can help and are glad too do it...... |
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I hear skyjacker is kind of ruff but good setup
Old Man Emu is suppose to be a really good Jeep lift. If i had a jeep Id go with a long trailing arm lift. I know it requires more work, but the ride is suppose to be better and articulation is suppose to improve. I would stay away from rough country and tough country (basically the same). I personally would invest in some KING coil over shocks and basically 4 link your suspension. I dont know how involved you want to get or how long you plan to keep your jeep. I plan to 4 link my stuff, but its going to be really involved. |
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BDS suspension
Big Dicks Suspension I run the 3" w/ a 1" BL, great kit & check out the warranty, hard to beat. No Fine Print Warranty This unique warranty proves our commitment to the quality and reliability of every productwe make.The No Fine Print warranty does not include shock and stabilizer cylinders. If you are the original purchaser of any BDS product and it breaks, we will give you a new part. Period. |
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I intend to keep my jeep as it's freshly paid off. I'd rather not get involved in a 4-link suspension as I'll be making use of the local mechanic (fiance's brother) and myself as installers. The closes "wheeling" shop is 45 minutes away and while they do good work they also charge an arm and a leg (remember the $2k quote I mentioned). The Old Man Emu is another I've read about. Haven't heard anything bad. My Jeep is a toy. I don't intend to go crawling in competitions, probably won't hit the trails EVERY weekend (biweekly is realistic). Keeping that in mind, I want to keep the cost reasonable. |
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at 3" I've got to drop the transfer case and purchase lower control arms. total kit cost is ~$1k. The damn thing better come with hookers. Or is this about what I can expect if I buy quality? |
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The kit used to come w/ a t-case drop (stack some washers under the skid) & at 3" new CA's are not needed. I did mine myself, the only real pita was the drop pitman arm, had to cut it off w/ a cut off wheel. Here's a link :
link Ya your going to pay for something decent, Rubicon Express makes some nice kits as well but a bit more expensive. |
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I put a 2.5 Inch BDS lift on my YJ. Even with the rear axle shims in.....I had driveline vibes. About a month later, my transfer case grenaded itself.
So, I would recommend, since you're spending the money and are going to have all this installed, just go ahead and install the upgraded lengthened drive shaft, SYE kit, etc. It's one of those 'Do It Once-Do It Right' kind of deals. It was a major bummer to have to put the Jeep back up on stands, and shell out the money for the new t-case, shaft, and SYE kit (about $1500).... (For those wondering, I went with a custom t-case from JB Conversions, a super-short SYE, and a Tom Wood's shaft) Oh, and yeah, get your extended brake lines installed while you're getting every thing else done.... |
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I'm a firm beleiver of do it once do it right mantra. I'm trying to balance budget with that in mind. I need to find a mid-priced lift (that doesn't suck) that will perform as I need it to, as well as be able to purchase the necessary additions to ensure I dont end up in the same boat you did. I tend to look at things as an investment (guns, knives, stock). Considering that I'll never get the money back I put into this Jeep, I kinda have to weigh my options. I don't need a "pro" level rig as my Jeep won't see much heavy duty rock crawling (Turkey Bay in Kentucky is as wild as I'll get)...at the same time, I'm not sliding hockey pucks under the mounts to save cash. I'd say my max budget including installation would be $1500. |
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And, each Jeep is different. You might be just fine with a t-case drop and play around with the axle angles. Plus, I have little experience with TJ lifts, the angles and such might not be as radical as with the YJ's. I think the secret is to just really look those drive line angles over before you decide you're finished. AND, if you feel any little vibes, don't assume they'll 'go away when the springs settle' like I did. |
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I run BDS on my S10 ZR2. Good stuff. |
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Gonna be tough to decerne which vibes are which. My tires are dying, the death wobble kicks in 50-55mph. Maybe the vibes will cancel each other out? thanks for the help. |
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I'm gonna give it a look. Old man emu will get a thorough look as well. |
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Rubicon Express. Many feels it is hte best. Go to Jeepforums.com. Alot of answers to your questions. If you go with 3 in lift you should have to replace drive shaft or go with a slip yoke eliminator. Anything larger and these need to be replaced. I have the Rubicon Express 4.5" lift and love it.
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so I should? or should not have to? |
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I have a BDS 3.5 on my 94. I am not happy with it. I do not know if its a weak lift by BDS, or the shop that installed screwed me, but less than 2 years after getting the "Hard Top" lift my rear leaf springs are flat again.
I got the lift installed right before I moved to NOVA, and the only off roading I have done is dirt/gravel roads on Quantico, so its not like I rode it hard and put it up wet. |
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My son put a Rubicon Express kit on his YJ over a year ago and loves it. It came with and transfer case drop kit and rear axle shims and he gets along fine without any vibrations.
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so you're saying I'd have to get a different spring rate if I choose to put my hardtop on? ok, so now BDS is off the list. |
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I've been hearing about it and the Old Man Emu lifts. Damn, I was trying not to break the bank... |
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Mine does that as well any time the tires are worn/unbalanced. Good lookin' jeep, I'm going to give Rubicon Express a look. Thanks for the help. |
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If you stay with a 3" or less you won't ahve to replace driveshaft or get a SYE. Really checkout jeepforums.com. They have all the answers and lots of pics of jeeps with different lift and tire combinations for you to look at. Just a warning...Rubicon Express is one of the pricier brands on the market....but you get what you pay for...love mine. WHat size tire are you wanting to run? |
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35s ideally, but I'm not sure I can shoehorn those under a 3" lift. I need a wide footprint for the trail hills. Around here under the topsoil, you'll find copious amounts of clay...I mean tons of it (thats how the small towns around here have stayed afloat...producing porcelain for toilets). Problem is, when it gets just the slightest bit wet it gets really slick and has a tendency to clog tirelugs. Really ups the pucker factor trying to hit a steep grade on a 7' wide trail only to find yourself moving sideways. ETA: as to the rubicon express being the priciest. I'd prefer to spend less of course, but I'd like to do it once and be able to forget it. Not constantly having to replace parts due to poor or cheap manufacture. I've been on JeepForums, but it's like talking ARs here. I don't mind discussing minutia concerning barrel steel or chromelining methods, but it'd take me too damn long to figure out who's a parrot and who really knows their stuff over there. |
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Dont get me wrong, Ive had easily a half dozen jeeps over the years but a 4.0L rubi isnt an ideal mudder, Mud and clay need power, wheel speed, and clearence. You have the beginnings of a nice crawler, It'll take more than 3" to clear 35x12.50's, More like 4" + some body lift.
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I agree with you. I won't be doing much mudding. Strictly jeep trails and some mild crawling. I'm saying if the trails get wet, they can be slick. I need the additional clearance for ruts and for whatever crawling we get into. 33s might do the trick. |
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You won't need an SYE (slip yoke eliminator), because Rubicons don't have a slip yoke to eliminate. When I finally do a real lift on my TJ, I will be going with Rubicon Express or Old Man Emu. I have heard nothing but good about both of these companies. I have heard from more than one person that "Rough" Country really lives up to its name.
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Honestly? Skip the lift. A 3" lift isn't going to buy you much in terms of larger meats or more articulation. |
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Thanks for the heads up. We just bought a new washer and dryer so it looks like I've got a bit more time to look the available kits over. |
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I'm also looking for more ground clearance and a wider tire. Unpossible without a lift. The reason 3" was decided upon was to offer some increased offroad performance as well as as retaining some DD practicality. I do take it to work on occasion when the weather's nice (14 miles one way commute). Another thought I had considered was replacement cost on the larger tires. A bigger lift would necessitate bigger tires resulting in more money per tire. |
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If you want a lift for really cheap, get some V8 Grand Cherokee springs for the front and Crown Vic springs for the rear. Cost for the springs should be less than $60 for the pair and net you about 3" of lift. The front may sit slightly lower than the rear but if needed, some spring spacers will boost you another inch or 2.
www.jeepforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=276656 |
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Wow! Very nice articulation. $750 is damn cheap too. I'll look into 'em. |
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yep. This could get nasty. |
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I used to spend all my online time at jeep forums, because I was looking for all info possible on a similar setup to what you want. Based on that (I never got around to buying anything before I wrecked my Jeep), I'd get nothing other than Rubicon Express. You should not need to screw with the driveline, as the Rubicon model comes with a CV tailshaft. Get a couple of wrench handy buddies and a case of beer and install it yourself. Make sure you get the thing aligned at an alingment shop before driving anywhere else. Enjoy! |
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Thanks for the information. We just sold our house and have to find a new one so the lift has been put on hold for a bit. |
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Never lower your T case. It's backwards.
As for tires, you can fit 33 inch tires if you get wider flares and use around 2 inches of lift. You may have to limit up travel. Once you get around 4 inches you are going to want long control arms to do it right. My advice is decide how serious you are and cut off a corresponding amount of body. Get a flat skidplate and a winch with the difference. The close you stay to stock the happier you'll be. |
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I skimmed the replies and have a few comments:
TJ's are four link suspension systems from the factory. Cure the death wobble BEFORE installing any kind of lift - the lift & bigger tires will make it worse. Check out AEV Highline Hood/fender set-up and skip the suspension lift Brian |
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I wish I'd done that! |
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