Before you ask the "What lift should I get" please read.
May 11, 2015 16:09:07 GMT -8
jchappy, Man Solo, and 3 more like this
Post by SidiousJK on May 11, 2015 16:09:07 GMT -8
One of the most common question we at SDJC, and any other group of Jeepers will hear from those that are just starting the Jeep life is "what lift should I get." To answer that question is nearly impossible without knowing a great deal of information. Because Jeeps can be run from stock to $100,000 builds, you need to start with figuring out what type of wheeling you enjoy and will likely do most of the time. If you are never going to take your Jeep off road, but love the look of a lifted Jeep, then it is finding the right combination spring and shock that is not too harsh for daily driving. If you are going to primarily be playing in the mud, then the old school big lift, big mud tires may be best. If you are Jeeping in Southern California, there is a great deal of variety in what kind of trails to go on. For fire roads, "truck trails," other trails that are rated easy to moderate, a stock Jeep is more than capable. If you are going to be playing on rocks that are smaller than 2 feet high, a stock Jeep can handle it. For those that are looking at hitting the more difficult trails, a lift kit is likely your best option. We always suggest someone new to the Jeep world to run their stock suspension for a while, to get better experience, see what others are running that works, and doesn't work, to ultimately help you in finding what YOU enjoy doing.
The next question that needs to be asked is what size tire you plan on running. Depending on the size, there could be a significant amount of other upgrades that should be completed to safely and reliably run it. A Stock JK Rubicon with Dana 44s front and rear, cannot handle a 40" tire reliably. You need to factor in axle upgrades, up to and including axle replacement, built up shafts, after market ball joints, etc. These all add up additional $$$ that needs to be spent.
The final question will be budget. To run larger tires, you should determine how much you can budget on the lift. Can you do the work yourself, or do you need to pay a shop a couple of thousand dollars to put everything on? Lift kits start with the puck style leveling kits, then go to basic lifts with springs and shocks only. You then move up to kits that have 2-4 control arms to adjust the axles, up to all 8 control arm kits. From there you can get in to 3 link rear ends. The most expensive bolt on kits will be those that are coil over suspensions. For those that are either great designers, mechanics, engineers, or just have loads of money to pay for those people, you can have custom built suspension. There are so many variables, that it is impossible to answer "what lift you should get."
Once you work out for yourself, what type of wheeling you enjoy, what size tires you plan on running, and what your overall budget is, then you can start narrowing down choices for yourself. After getting the choices narrowed down, that is the time to ask specific questions on each lift such as pro and cons. Remember when asking, those that answer may or may not have run that particular lift. Most will love whatever it is that they currently have. No one wants to admit that they made a bad choice. Some will have ridden in other Jeeps that may have had what you are considering, and have a basis of comparison. There will be others that started with one lift, hated it, switched to a different lift and now love it. These are the best at answering specific questions as they have real world experience. With that, how a Jeep handles and rides is a very personal preference. What some may call harsh, others may call soft. What some may feel is just right, others may say it is vague and floaty. The key to all of the decisions is to try and narrow it down to one or two choices. If you rush based on one person's opinion, one shop's opinion, or just rush to stick a lift on your Jeep, you will likely not be happy and will have to replace all of it later, costing you double the money.
The next question that needs to be asked is what size tire you plan on running. Depending on the size, there could be a significant amount of other upgrades that should be completed to safely and reliably run it. A Stock JK Rubicon with Dana 44s front and rear, cannot handle a 40" tire reliably. You need to factor in axle upgrades, up to and including axle replacement, built up shafts, after market ball joints, etc. These all add up additional $$$ that needs to be spent.
The final question will be budget. To run larger tires, you should determine how much you can budget on the lift. Can you do the work yourself, or do you need to pay a shop a couple of thousand dollars to put everything on? Lift kits start with the puck style leveling kits, then go to basic lifts with springs and shocks only. You then move up to kits that have 2-4 control arms to adjust the axles, up to all 8 control arm kits. From there you can get in to 3 link rear ends. The most expensive bolt on kits will be those that are coil over suspensions. For those that are either great designers, mechanics, engineers, or just have loads of money to pay for those people, you can have custom built suspension. There are so many variables, that it is impossible to answer "what lift you should get."
Once you work out for yourself, what type of wheeling you enjoy, what size tires you plan on running, and what your overall budget is, then you can start narrowing down choices for yourself. After getting the choices narrowed down, that is the time to ask specific questions on each lift such as pro and cons. Remember when asking, those that answer may or may not have run that particular lift. Most will love whatever it is that they currently have. No one wants to admit that they made a bad choice. Some will have ridden in other Jeeps that may have had what you are considering, and have a basis of comparison. There will be others that started with one lift, hated it, switched to a different lift and now love it. These are the best at answering specific questions as they have real world experience. With that, how a Jeep handles and rides is a very personal preference. What some may call harsh, others may call soft. What some may feel is just right, others may say it is vague and floaty. The key to all of the decisions is to try and narrow it down to one or two choices. If you rush based on one person's opinion, one shop's opinion, or just rush to stick a lift on your Jeep, you will likely not be happy and will have to replace all of it later, costing you double the money.
