Need Your HELP!!!!!!!!

[rw1023]

I am looking to purchase a 3.5 - 4 inch lift for my 2002 TJ. I am on a very limited budget. I would love to buy a rubicon express lift but can not afford one. Can you give you opinion on lifts made by rough country, tuff country, pro comp, etc. Help me find a decent lift for a decent price. I am not going to be doing much offroading. Thanks.

[rick]

I'd suggest purchasing the components that will serve you best... Is the Jeep to be mostly street driven, or will it see heavy trail use? If it is mostly street driven, make sure you select components that will allow proper axle geometry (don't cut yourself short and keep the stock control arms and track bars for example)... You will regret it when you have various alignment and potential death wobble issues. If it is a weekend play thing and you don't drive it on the highway a whole lot, I'd still say you should save for the best components and system you can. There are plenty of folks around here that have bought components multiple times due to short changing their setup to begin with. It's not cheaper if you buy cheap and end up buying the right stuff later to correct problems.

rick

[blkTJ]

I'd suggest purchasing the components that will serve you best... Is the Jeep to be mostly street driven, or will it see heavy trail use? If it is mostly street driven, make sure you select components that will allow proper axle geometry (don't cut yourself short and keep the stock control arms and track bars for example)... You will regret it when you have various alignment and potential death wobble issues. If it is a weekend play thing and you don't drive it on the highway a whole lot, I'd still say you should save for the best components and system you can. There are plenty of folks around here that have bought components multiple times due to short changing their setup to begin with. It's not cheaper if you buy cheap and end up buying the right stuff later to correct problems.

rick

agreed.

[goodtimes]

Yes. It is cheaper to get the right stuff the first time than it is to get the wrong stuff the first time and the right stuff the second time.

[rick]

Yes. It is cheaper to get the right stuff the first time than it is to get the wrong stuff the first time and the right stuff the second time.

or the third or fourth time as the case may be for some people...

[Patriot]

Can't speak to the other brands, however I bought a 4" Rough Country for my '00 TJ and although the initial price was right (approx$500), I have already spent another grand in stuff to make it "better"....adjustable control arms, better shocks, longer brake lines, sway-bar disconnects, etc. Even if you do not plan on wheelin' much the street manners with the 4" RC leave alot to be desired. You might want to look at Superlift and Skyjacker as well - not too much more than some of the "cheaper" lift kits but might have some more of the parts who would end up buying to get what you want.

[aston]

If you are driving down to Safeway any lift will work.

However, if you are going to play on the rocks don't waste your money on the cheap lift kits.

[blkTJ]

If you are driving down to Safeway any lift will work.

However, if you are going to play on the rocks don't waste your money on the cheap lift kits.

that's really what it all comes down to. although, you could also hit many other popular chain stores with sub par/cheap lifts. :yay:

[rick]

If you are driving down to Safeway any lift will work.

However, if you are going to play on the rocks don't waste your money on the cheap lift kits.

I disagree. If you do a 1" spring, 1" spacer lift (doesn't get much cheaper than that) and do not at least install an adjustable front trackbar and possibly adjustable lower control arms, the death wobble beast may be upon you. My point is that improperly designed/cheaply built systems *may* make you susceptible to problems even on the street. The first time you have a tire slightly out of balance and you're going down the freeway at 75 mph and death wobble sets in, you'll wish like hell you had that extra 2 degrees of caster. Sarah's wobble quit altogether once we (finally) bought a decent front adjustable track bar and adjusted the LCA's to impart a bit more caster.

[king4wd]

Take a look at Superlift. Admittedly, their control arms aren't as beefy as R.E., but they work well. We had no death wobble troubles for almost a year, and then the problem was the OEM cam bolt not part of the liftkit. We went with it because we wanted a kit that would excel ON the road and still do pretty well off-road. Most importantly we saved several hundred$$ over equivalent set-ups from R.E. or Skyjacker and over a grand less than similar performing long-arm kits.
However, look at where you want to be eventually. 4"-4.5" is all the suspension lift we ever wanted. If you think you will go for 5"-6" or more, then put your cash away. Get an inexpensive lunchbox locker to hold you over until you can afford to get the lift that suits your needs best.

[rw1023]

Thanks for all the help guys!!!