Can't decide on lift kit - help please!

[jkilday4]

I’m lifting my DD no more than 3-3.5” and will run 32x11.5x15’s for now and may go to bigger tires, springs, etc in future (’03 TJ w/ D44 rear & 3.73’s). I’m comparing the OME Ultimate 2.5” lift kit to the Rusty’s 3” Advanced kit with the fixed lower and adj upper control arms, front adj trackbar, rear sway bar links, brake lines, etc. The OME Super-Ultimate has an extra rear adj trackbar and the lower control arms are adjustable (when would I adjust lowers – I read somewhere that they just shorten/lengthen the wheelbase)

A guy told me OME was good equipment but when I add it all up is it really worth all the extra loot? The OME Ultimate with an extra front adj trackbar is ~$1025.00; the Rusty's w/ all the extras is $1100.00. Do any of you have experience with both an OME lift and something comparable to this Rusty’s kit? I’m really interested in seeing what you all think – want to make a decision and get started! I’ve been researching this for about six weeks now and the variables are driving me nuts…

Here are links to the kits if it helps:
OME - http://www.dpgoffroad.com/TJ_LJ_OME_Kits.htm
Rusty’s - http://rustysoffroad.com/Merchant2/m...ode=sus_tj_kit

[FRMNJJ]

Look into the RE 3.5 kit or the 4.5 kit with the 3.5 springs. You can usually get a great deal on RE kits. i saved a little over $500.00 from Dave at Northridge4x4.com. And if you ever want to upgrade to a long arm, you just buy the kit instead of a whole new package. theres a handfull that use RE and love it.

[Jeep Thing]

Re makes a 3.5 that is very good both on and of road. i just upgraded to re 4.5 super flex w/ome shocks runs good on road with very little drive line vibration, and has great articulation off road. is also very easy to install yourself with some help from a friend it took me about 8 hrs to do and this was my first install.

[Navy-Jeepster]

We have the RE 3.5 Super Flex. Love the way it makes the jeep look, and handle on and off road.

I do wish that we had bought the 4.5 kit and then swapped in the 3.5 springs. There are more parts in the 4.5 kit that we will need for later on when we put a SYE and DS on the jeep.

As far as cost, we paid $1100.00 for the 3.5 kit.

It took us about 4 hours to install. We had a place we could put the jeep on a lift, and use air tools. We had a friend help us, so it went really fast. It was done long before we even figured it would be.

Navy-Jeepster

[RangerRick]

Okay just a thought & 411, try looking @ the TeraFlex 4" kit with all (8) arms that I have in the parts FS catagory. We replaced it only because of a 6" long arm kit. It will save ya' cause for starters it's half $ of what you're lookin' @ spending here & can easilly be upgraded anywhere from 4.5" to 6" in your future. Or you could use smaller coils to make it a 3" if you really had to.

TeraFlex like most of the other lift manufacturers sell the articulating upper arms for xtra but they're what I call a "requirement" on ANY kit made by anybody that's worth a darn. Don't waste your money on anything with only lower arms (4) included unless you plan on spending more & doing more work again later down the road. Besides, over time the bind created by (stock) upper control arms, especially in the front suspension, can tear the upper mount on the passenger side of your front axle. Also, if you do any moderate wheeling, it's very possible & highly likely you will bend one of those stock stamped arms causing your alignment to well.....not be anymore. Do it once, do it right & you'll be so glad in the long run, unless you wanna flush more hard earned cash.....

Rick OllllllO

[blkTJ]

FWIW, teraflex kits have been know to be hard on axle brackets. :2:

[Tsiper]

I have been trying to figure out what lift to put on my 2004 Wrangler sport as well I think I am going to go with the Rubicon Express it sounds like the best bet everyone I talk to loves it and the fact that it is upgradable if ever needed really rocks and their stuff is as tuff as can be from what I hear.

[blackZZR]

Tera flex has completely redisigned thier kits, the new kits adress some of the issues the old ones got a bad name for, they have taken into account for advancements made in bracket location and dealt with it. RE stuff startedwith upper bracket relocation on long arm kits and the technology has proven solid, now almost every major system uses this tech.
A lot of the issues is also where the jeep will be run, as I do trails more than rocks, using my articulation more for off camber situations, climbs and rutting ravines running b down the center of trails, I seek different design than a rock crawler. the ability to keep a stable platform while twisted up is more importanmt to me than a platform that I can twist and bump up over opsticles like rocks that are many and variing in a extreme ly short distance. Both of these situations I feel need articulating uppers, not stock.
Mild offroad jeeps and DD drivers doing some camping and fire roads can live with a lot less tech than others.
Mud jeeps, now that is a science, keeping the control arms, tie rods and everything under that jeep from getting ripped out by a substance that can rip the shoes off your feet while tring to walk thru it. No thanks.

[Matt2001TJ]

Ok, How much money do you really wanna spend on this lift kit??? We all know that this stuff is endless on the money factor. I have seen a lot of guys with different lifts out on the trail and am convinced that more money does not mean its a better lift Unless your going with a long arm system.
I run rough country series 2 lift and have had fantastic luck with it on extreme 5 + trails to driving to work and back every day. Two of my friends have procomp lifts and the lower control arms are EXACTLY THE SAME. Keep your money in your pocket. $529 delivered to your door. I have never had any problems with this lift and if you ever do those guys down there at the factory will ALWAYS back it up. This lift on my 2001 TJ will score on the RTI ramp well over 1200 at any time even without airing down my tires....MATT
http://www.roughcountry.com/Jeep_TJ_4in.htm

[nagal]

will score on the RTI ramp well over 1200 at any time even without airing down my tires...

Because its all about the RTI...

[cjdirtbiker]

More people rave about RE than any other lift system. It's good hardware, competetively priced, and works really well. Jason at Redrock4x4 has good advice and good prices. He's a big proponent of their stuff. He's a Currie dealer now too, and can get you any of their stuff that you might want, like the Anti-rock, steering rods, etc. I bought Currie parts cheaper from him and have them shipped to me than I could by driving a half mile down the street and buying it from them direct!

As has already been said the best package from RE is the superflex system with 3.5 springs if you're staying with 32-33" tires and want a good street-able setup. It allows for easy future upgrades. See if you can get your dealer to drop the RE sway-bar discos and get you JKS. They work really well. The Antirock was designed for 4 or more inches of lift, and they're better offroad than on.

33" tires will run well with that setup and you'll be happier with them for a longer time than 32's. Let's see, an '03, is it auto or stick shift? With 3.73's you'll be fine with 33's, just your top gears will be a little bogged down. A re-gear is probably in your future, but wait 'till you're really sure how big of tires you'll ever want to run. You should see Tam (jeepgal) drive her jeep with 33's and open diffs over the Rubicon - what an ace!

I was originally going with the OME kit and 33's on my second jeep, but there have been plenty of reports that even with a BL there can be clearance problems with 33's. If you're definitely staying with the smaller tire it's a great riding system.

I don't know much about Rusty's Offroad, but if it was me I would take OME over it any day. OME has a fantastic reputation. Dirk at DPG has good prices and a lot of success with OME stuff.

[dirtgrip]

Don,t theTerra shortarm kits still use the older control arms.These??? If so stay far away!!!! You will see damage if you offroad them log enough-I have 8 laying on the garage floor.The LCG kit is a different story with big joints etc-but a lot more money.Currie makes very good stuff IMO as does RE.

[blackZZR]

Tera has a new control arm
it seem that the old design was not being maintained properly by most owners and were prone to failure
however, if ya pump that puppy with grease, the old ones are excellent arms, just very very grease hungry.
I have 18 thou on mine with no problems, I run lowers and uppers and the jeep is not a daily driver, it is a Trail jeep, It gets run to and from, and on trails, the only regular driveing it does is if it is going somewhere to get worked on.

[dirtgrip]

Isn,t the new arm still the same design with 2 more grease zerks on it??
I,d rather have control arms with flexing joints on both ends-not a thread in the middle.

[blackZZR]

Isn,t the new arm still the same design with 2 more grease zerks on it??
I,d rather have control arms with flexing joints on both ends-not a thread in the middle.

no, the new arms ar of the helm joint design
the old arms have been given 2 more grease zerks such as the ones in the pic you posted
personally I presfeer a center joint with 360 degreee of twist than a helm joint design on either end with twist limited by welded joints