School me on lift kits

[Jason4x4]

I've recently been looking at mild lift kits for my '06 TJ and have been toying with the idea of a 2-2.5" lift kit and 31" tires. Seeing as how I'm very inexperienced with this type of thing, I thought I'd come to you guys for suggestions. I've been looking through Quadratec and 4WD Hardware's catalogs and see there are tons of options. What brands are considered to be the "best"?? I get the impression that Skyjacker is pretty well thought of, as well as Fabtech but of course their stuff is a lot more expensive. Are there any brands to avoid??

To clarify further what I'm looking for, I'm looking for something in the 2-2.5" range, and I would like to keep the ride as close to stock as possible. Before I bought my TJ I test drove an '00 Wrangler that had like a 3-4" lift that was bouncy as hell - no matter how small the bump in the road was the Jeep bounced all over the place and I didnt feel like I could control it. I should like to avoid a kit that will produce results like that. Also, I would like a lift that is more substantial than just spacers or springs. I want something that is going to perform well on the trail for the occasions when I actually do make it out there. So what do you guys suggest??

Thanks in advance!

 

[Wrangl3r93]

I just went through the same thing myself and i went with RubiconExpress. Don't know about tj suspension but i'd think they're quality would carry over. The brands you mentioned i've also heard alot of good things for. Maybe someone with a tj could help you out a little bit better than my yj owning self.

 

[TwistedCU]

If keeping the stock ride is #1, then consider a 2" 'budget boost'. It uses coil spacers that raise the Jeep 2" while keeping the stock suspension. Much better looking than a body lift and the ride remains unchanged. The offroad performance and articulation will also stay the same. Adding a set of swaybar disconnects will help offroad, allowing better wheel travel.

Any short arm suspension lift that uses replacement coils will stiffen up your ride somewhat. Some worse than others. The 2-3" lifts shouldn't be bad, while the ones that replace your control arms and have good quality shocks will be your best bet. Rubicon Express is one of the better ones.

If you want the best of both worlds then go all out and get a good long arm kit. You'll have a great ride, be able to fit at least 33" tires, and get awesome performance offroad... but it'll cost ya.

 

[currupt4130]

Arm+Leg=Long Arm

 

[kendrick_d]

If you just want 2" I think the Rubicon Express budget boost is the way to go. I used it as a temporary measure on my XJ and have no complaints, especially for the price. If you wanted a full 3" I'd go with a full kit, but I think the 2" was like a hundred bucks or so and included shocks. Just my 2 cents.

Kendrick

 

[droopey]

Arm+Leg=Long Arm

:agree:

 

[JeepMonkey]

I have an '01 TJ w/ 4" (short arm) and it's pretty twitchy. If you don't do serious rock crawling then a 2" coil spacer with better then stock shocks will be more then adequate. Especially if you disconnect the front sway bar. If you haven't done so already I'd take it out in it's stock form and wheel it on some of the trails. You'll probably be quite surprised at the "out-of-the-box" performance. I know I was and so were all my friends with their heavily modified trucks. I wheeled mine for two years stock and by the time I had the lift on I knew how to drive well enough that I walked over everything relatively easily.

 

[Utah_jeepster]

Any lift over factory is going to start to get twitchy.
First crawl under your jeep and look at your lower control arms, place a jack and lift it 2-2.5 inches. With the short arms (factory) the angle increases drasticly with every inch you lift. This transfers the bumps directly into the frame, thus you.

They only way to retain a factory to a better than factory is to go to a long arm kit.

To explain this...take a basketball and with your arm held at a 45 degree angle bounce the ball without bending your elbow (short arm)
now change the angle to about 75 degrees (arm held out about diaphram high) bounce...thus a long arm ride.

I have friends who ride in my jeep and say there stock ride isnt as good as my lift jeeps ride is. (around 4.5)

 

[Dorivin]

www.rocky-road.com has some good budget lifts and right now they are working on a 6.5 inch lift :0
But yea that website has some of the best prices I've seen all around.
Pirate4x4.com has alot of good do it yourself things.

 

[southtj]

If you are looking to just fit 31s on there you could probably do that without a lift. I did. But I will probably add a couple inches later.

 

[TwistedCU]

www.rocky-road.com has some good budget lifts and right now t

Rocky road sells a 4" lift that keeps the stock control arms:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/4-Je...ItemQQcategoryZ33585QQihZ019QQitemZ8000205945

Almost as bad as poor quality springs nowadays are some of the "long arm" kits. Most of these kits do not allow your front axle to cycle up and down in the manner it was designed, which is why they ride so terrible at highway speeds. Long arm kits are fine for vehicles trailered to the trails. If you want to keep your vehicle and passenger's safe though, stay away from this latest fad as the rotating castor on these systems makes for screwy handling and you will curse the day you wasted money on it.

No hocus pocus parts that are unnecessary (such as control arms)

:shock: :???:

 

[pilgrimninja17]

if you intend on off roading later, add more than just 2"...so that way you have clearance and also have something to work with, cause down the road if you decide you want monster bigger tires, you can just add a couple of things and fit 35's if thats what pleases you...i went straight to 4", i was pondering 2 or 2.5 for a while and just decided to go with a 4", more room to play with, just as long as you have fun!!