lifts for Kbo

[kevin]

OK guys, its time for me to get a lift. After giving it much thought i think that my driving abilities are experenced enough to get a lift and take off roading to a new level. Flipping my jeep slowed down the lifting progress due to my parents being afraid for my safety, but after some new driving habits and a or-fab sprots cage my parents have gotten off my back regarding lifting the jeep. I am intersted in the superlift 4 inch kit from quadratec. and i guess my question is has anyone lifted a daily driver, work vehicle(i have to tow a 10ft, 2000lbs max weight trailer daily), and weekend off roader, and been successfull??? I like the looks and anount of flex you get from the 4 inch superlift kit, also it is semi affordable. The thing i am having difficulty with is what size tires to put on.. I know the kit will easily fit 33x12.5's but with my dana 30, 35 and 3.07 gearing(which sucks!!) i am having problems desiding what size to go for.. I have been satisfied with the diff clearence from my 31x10.5's so here is my list of chooses: 31x14.4's ,, 32x12.5 ,,32x14.5,, ..Will the extra with slow me down? I would like to beable to use 5th gear on the highway. I also really need to get a wide stance to make up for the center of gravity being raised so i was thinking rims with 2.5 inches of back spaceing.. Is that to much? Will it kill my bearings? If anyone has gone through what i am please help me it would be much appresiated. I know how to build up a off-roading jeep via looking at the forums everyday but i cant quite figure out what would work for my situation. thanks

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dance.gifkbo
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dance.gif

[jdwerner]

If you go any bigger with your tires, your going to lose 5th gear on the highway. I have an 02 TJ, stock D30/D35 with 3.07's. I have a 4" lift and 33x12.50 Procomp tires on 15x10 with 3.75" backspacing. I wouldn't go with anymore backspacing then that or any tires wider then a 12.50. My Jeep is my DD, but I've never pulled a trailer. With the gear ratio you have, you will lose 5th gear most likely. I would imagine the wider the tire you get, the more drag it will create, slowing you down more. The setup I have is ok for a DD, I am going to regear this summer to regain some lost power. I am very pleased with the flex I get and the way it handles on the road. I hope some of this helps. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tu.gif

[Don]

Hey Kevin: My TJ has become my DD. I have the R.E. 3.5 Super Flex lift with 33x12:50 tires _AND_ 3.07 gears. Yes the 3.07 SUCK big time. The lift will NOT change your power, and probably won't make a major difference in the way your Jeep handles.... it will just sit higher. When you go with bigger tires, that is when you will lose the power.

Here are my opinions after I did research just like you are doing now. Again, this is only my opinion.

3.5 - 4 inches of lift with 33's is at the peak for a DD.
If you are going to spend the $$ on the lift, you might as well go with the biggest tires available. Going with 32's versus 33's isn't going to make enough difference to talk about. Stay with 3.75 to 4 inches of BS and stay with the 8 inch wheel, not the 10 inch. The Jeep will be approximately 4 to 5 inches wider than stock and will NOT feel like it is going to tip over UNLESS you go out and get stupid. If you want to drive like your friends drive their cars, you need to trade the Jeep for a car (IMHO). With 33's and 3.07 gears, you will have limited use for 5th gear. However, offroad isn't as bad as you might think, I just run in 4lo to get a slow crawl when I need it,, or at least as slow of a crawl as I can get. Plan on changing gears to 4.56's if you go with the 33's. A buddy has 4.56 gears and he has more power at his wheels while a idle that I can dream about. I run 18 lbs of air in my tires on pavement... this gives me better tire wear and also helps with the bouncing tire feel that big tires can give you. I have never pulled or attempted to pull anything with my TJ... However, I suspect that you won't keep those 3.07's long once you go to bigger tires. I ran 30x9.50's with my lift for several months. I don't think it looked bad with the 30 inch tires. However, it looks much better with the 33's. There are photos in my gallery under 33 tires or something like this, that show my Jeep with 30 inch tires and the 33's.

[Hipee]

Kevin -

Here is my two cents:

I agree w/ Don that 4" of lift and 33's are plenty fine for a DD. I have an '03 TJ w/ 31's and the 3.07 gears. I agree they do suck. I can barley use 5th gear now, so w/ 33's and towing a trailer I think you'll be lucky to use 4th effectivly.

Personally, if I were gonna do a 4" lift and couldn't re-do the gearing right away, then I'd go w/ 32x11.50x15 on 15x8 wheels w/ 3.75" of BS. One size smaller tire can make a noticable difference on your power, especially w/ pulling a trailer. Also, I'm sure you are aware, the TJ has a 2k lb MAX towing capacity.

You might consider an inexpensive 2" Budget Boost ($200 - RubiconExpress) and/or a 1" body lift to give you a little more clearance and to hold you over until you get all the $$$ to do the 4", 33s and 4.56 setup. That's the boat I'm in right now. I want more lift/flex but don't have the pennies to foot the bill.


I say if you're going to do anything then do it right. It'll save you money in the end and you'll be much happier with the final outcome.

Enjoy and good luck.

[Paul E]

My daily driver is a bit different - mine is a 4 cyl. That said, I DO have the 4.10 gearing. I'm ordering an OME 2.5" lift and suspect I will get that or just a bit more of lift on my TJ. With the D35/30 combination and the 4cyl lack of high end power for highway, I know I won't go over 32's on this. Highway driving is okay right now with the 30x9.5's I have now, so going up to 31's or 32's will not affect me TOO bad, though it will have an impact. I'll be running my 30's for a while until either they 1) wear out 2) I find a good trade-in 3) wife says they look too small for my lift and I need bigger tires. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

OME's reputation for a great riding and great flexing suspension is what drew me to it. They do have 4" springs available now too. They are a bit pricey though, but I believe you get what you pay more (most of the time).

[kevin]

cool thanks for the input it really helps. I am in a sticky situation because in order for me to use 5th gear ever again i will need to regear, but i don't feel like investing $ into dana 30, 35's. What i have planed on doing is getting either the superlift 4 inch or black diamond 3 inch. I have to do a little more resurch on the 4 inch because i am worried that i might need longer brake lines which i don't have $ for. so what i am going to do is install the lift within the next month or two. I have to drive on my 31x10.5's for the next year or so because they are only 6 months old, but in the meen time one of my friends who also has a lifted jeep is willing to let me barrow his tires (33x12.5) and drive around town to see how the gearing and power is. This should give me an idea of what size tire to get. I am thinking with my cold air intake and soon to be side exit exshaust (via taking off the old exhaust system and fabing a small side exit system. THat way i can unbolt the side exit deal and put on the stock exhaust when ever i need to take the jeep to the dealer for worenty repairs) i should have anogh ponies under the hood to pull a trailer but the gearing is still going to come back to bend me over. Plus it can't hurt having to much lift ,, lol it will look good!

thanks again,

kbo

[Don]

Kevin, here is a photo of my Jeep with the R.E. 3.5 lift and 30x9:50 tires. I don't think it looked stupid. I drove it this way for a couple months and would have continued driving it this way if need be. The R.E. lift is advertised as a 3.5 inch lift. However, I actually ended up with a hair over 4 inches. 2,000 lbs is a lot to pull with a TJ. The more I think about this, I don't think a 4.0L with 3.07 gears and 32's or 33's is going to have enough ponies to pull that trailer. I would suggest that you take your buddy up on his offer and try to pull that trailer while you have his tires.

http://www.itsajeep.org/PhotoPost/data/15308/438Dsc03231-E1.jpg

[Teddy]

I've got 3.07's, 33's and a 3" Teraflex lift, which actually lands me over 4" as well. IMO, the lift greatly improved my handling both on and offroad. I don't have use of 5th, but I have pulled a 16' trailer several times. Pulling the trailer was not the issue, it was stopping./ubbthreads/images/graemlins/woot.gif Also with a short wheel base the trailer will control the jeep a little, so you just have to go slow.

[jdwerner]

Kevin, I didn't have any problems with my stock brake lines and my 4" lift on my 02. There is enough extra slack there. I have been to TB a few times and flexed it pretty good and they have been fine.

[Fred]

I have also pulled my 16' Trailer with my TJ, granted it was empty except for a load of steel, a few axles, some fence, and junk, maybe 1500lbs, and I only towed a few miles, But she did it. I have 3.07's and 32's (265/75/16) Now don't get me wrong I would not want to tow a trailer with ANY wiehgt ANY distance, that is NOT what the TJ is made for. If money is really tight, do what was suggested earlier, go with a fairly inexpensive 2" lift, and call it quits for now. I know you have "inchitis" but consider what is smartest for your situation first. **** you can get an EASY 2" lift for under $150, and even 3" for under $200. Look into 3/4" spacers and a 1" BL and you get 2" lift for around $125(thats what I am running now) no other mods needed. Or get 1.75 or 2" coil spacers, with new shocks and bump stops, and a 1" BL and you get 3" lift for around $200! Look into your options. Alot of folks HATE Body Lifts, but I have wheeled mine a few times with NO PROBLEM. Just keep it at 1 inch. I would recommend if you get BL trash the grade 5 bolts that come with it and get all grade 8 hardware.

[BillM]

I have the Superlift 4" lift and the 33x12.50's on 15x10's. If you want to air down much on the trail you will want to go with 15x8's. 5th will be pretty much out the door with 3.07's. I did not have to lengthen the brake lines at all and I disco the front. I personally would not buy the Black Diamond over the Superlift. I got the lower front arms, springs, shocks, and extended sway bar ends for $650 from my local shop. You can get it a lil cheaper off ebay. One piece of advice I could give you is go ahead and get the JKS quick disconnects. Will make a world of difference for ya. Just my .02

[AppYJ]

If you really like the jeep, then decide what you want to end up with. Then figure out what it will take to accomplish your goal. I collected/purchased parts for about 2 years until I had almost everything I needed to build my jeep like I wanted it. In that time, I changed my mind several times about what tires, lift, gearing etc. You will just waste money building it a piece at a time. You don't want to purchase 3 different lift kits just because you couldn't "afford" the one you wanted originally. If it has to be a DD, then you don't want to get frustrated and sell it just because it looks good but won't perform because of the 3.07's and 33" tires. It is cheaper to do it all at once and have it done right the first time, even though it may mean waiting a while. Even a stock jeep is a blast to wheel with. It teaches you how to drive with limited ground clearance, making you a better driver when the project is done. My jeep isn't a daily driver, but it could be. I still drive it to and from the trails and around town all the time. You can drive it at 65 to 70 mph on the highway and even turn the steering wheel loose. Done correctly, even a jeep with larger than 33" tires will drive great. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tu.gif

[kevin]

Yeah with towing the trialer right now i have no problem with getting up to speed, but like what teddy said the trailer does controls the jeep and the only real problem is stoping. The brakes are stong anough which is good but in an emergency (which i've only been in one in the last year) the brakes will lock up REAlly quick. So far i only need to tow a lawn equiptment trailer for my bizzness around town with speed limits less than 45mph so if needs be for safted reasons i could go 35mph if i was really screwed with braking and power. well anyway my dad and i are going to finalize the rest of the ordering stuff tonight hopefully and i should be ready for windrock this summer. I'm going to have a rench-a-thon with one of my friends 3 weeks from now(3 day weekend from school) to install: superlift 4 inch lift, warn engine skid, streemer bars for my or-fab rollcage, hood mount for hi-jack, radiator gaurd, ahhh fun!!!

thanks for the helpful input !!!

kbo

[kevin]

billM- will the quick discos make a difforence in handling or just make it easer to disco on the trail? can you disco with the extended sway bar conections included in the superlift 4 inch kit?

thanks

kbo

[Paul E]

You can disconnect anything, it is just a question of ease.

Quick disconnects, when connected, behave just like regular sway bar links. When disconnected easily, allow more flex for your front suspension. Putting them back on is usually a lot easier and rarely requires extra tools.

[Hipee]

Kevin -

You know what Jeep stands for right?

J ust
E mpty
E very
P ocket

because that's what you end up doing to build what you want.

[Don]

Hipee, my favorite is: "What the Jeep wants.... the Jeep gets". I just have to figure out ways to make my Wife think the current modification was her idea /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Paul E]

I suspect my wife will feel that same way when she sees my lift with 30's. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Hopefully, I won't get stuck at TB because I know she doesn't want me to get a winch. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[BillM]

[ QUOTE ]
billM- will the quick discos make a difforence in handling or just make it easer to disco on the trail? can you disco with the extended sway bar conections included in the superlift 4 inch kit?

thanks

kbo

[/ QUOTE ]

I sold my 4" extended end links to a guy that drives a LR Discovery. He bought some pins for them to slid over on the bottom and some lynch pins to keep them on while on-road. He made quick discos out of them. I have the JKS Quicker disconnects. They come with a pin so that you can put them up and out of the way when you are disconnected on the trail. They run about $129. Maybe cheaper on Ebay.

[Don]

[ QUOTE ]
billM- will the quick discos make a difforence in handling or just make it easer to disco on the trail? can you disco with the extended sway bar conections included in the superlift 4 inch kit?

thanks

kbo

[/ QUOTE ]

On road and connected, they won't change a thing. However, offroad they will be worth every penny you pay for them. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dance.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dance.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dance.gif