I need a Lift!!!

Okay so finaly talked the wife into it. I have 1,500.00 to spend I need a 3" suspension lift installed and some tires, wheels too if its in the budget. Oh and all the window blacked out. Anyone have any suggestions or know how can do all of it for that price?

Ya save MORE MONEY!
Tires alone are going to cost $1200.00 mounted and balanced. Even a budget lift I think runs $300.00 plus install unless you wait for the next install party plus shocks another $200.00+

Don't go cheap. Figure out what you really want, get what you can now and wait for the rest.

If you go cheap you will replace it later.

okay, I dont know much about the different type of lifts. I dont do any extreme off roading but do love to hit the trails and the mud. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I like poly performance.

Rock Krawler is very good also.

Lots of lifts out there. Read reviews and get one that suits your needs.

I'm having a hell of a sale on Rock Krawler right now. Look at the 2.5" Stock Mod. I can help you with tires too.

You could run 35s on your stock wheels with wheel spacers, but that's alot to mess with if you're never run them before.

What are your plans? Like others have said, $1500 would buy you tires. For instance, I sell 5 35x12.50R17 MTRs for $1445 delivered. That price doesn't include sales taxes.

Not bursting your bubble, just showing you the numbers.

Marcus

Hell I wasn't including the spare tire or spacers. You can find a good set of spidertrax spacers on the other forum for about $100.00 + shipping.

And like jdldx3 said if you go cheap, you will replace it later! A good lift is going to run around $1000.00-$1300.00. You're not going to spend less than $2500.00 all said and done.

Spend the $1500 on a good lift now while you have it and put it away. And this is going to sound silly but buy one tire at a time if you have too. It might cost a little more in the long run but you will have the better stuff in the end!

Don't be discouraged little Hiawatha!

I was able to find a Rough Country 3.5"-4" suspension lift online for $499.95. Comes with shocks, springs and all other hardware. The install part isnt an issue. So that leaves me about $1000 for wheels and tires. I am looking for 33" tires either AT or MT not paticular on brand just dont need a real aggressive tread pattern. Just gonna have to do some shopping around. I do appreciate the info and the help. I may have to go over my budget just a bit but thats ok. Let me know if you guys come accross anything. Thanks again

Hey Marcus,

What kind of package deals can you do on tires and wheels?

You do not want to do a 4" lift with 33" tires. It will look ridiculous! If you want to run 33" all need is a bushing in the front. If you want to run 35" all you need is a 2.5"-3" lift. If want to run 37" then you need a 4" lift. But once you start off roading you're going to wish you had 35's. It's just me I would stay away from rough country lifts, their springs sag right away. I think that's what Tim has on his, granted he has a Hemi, and I don't think that's the reason either but we replaced the springs on his right away because it sagged. I'm mean somebody chime in if I'm wrong.

The best advice that I have, and it has been said already - don't go cheap unless you want to spend your money twice.

I would go with Poly or Rock Krawler - the RK entry kit would get you where you want to be and you will be able to upgrade it if/when you wanted to.

Marcus can hook you up.

lonestar rubi wrote:

You do not want to do a 4" lift with 33" tires. It will look ridiculous!

Prob different on the JKs, but on my TJ, I have a 3.5" lift with 1" spacers. So, essentially a 4.5" lift. It sits on 33s, and certainly does not look ridiculous. In fact, I still get a lot of fender rub when the back tires are flexed up. I'd never DREAM of putting 35s on the jeep as it sits, w/o more lift.



As for $$ -- yes, do it RIGHT first. DO NOT BE LIKE ME and re do everything several times. Spend the LITTLE extra for ADJUSTABLE everything. EVERYTHING. It's pennies on the dollar to get it WITH the lift, but REALLY expensive to put it all on ones at a time as you go down the road. Trust me. I "heard" that from someone.... yeah, that's the ticket.

That's a TJ totally different from a JK! JK's sit higher with differen suspension geometry.

A stock JK can fit 33's with NO lift. The only thing you need is the right backspacing or you'll rub on the sway bar and/or control arms.

take a peek Here

If you notice, there is VERY little difference from the stock 32's to 33's. I ran the 33's on stock wheels but got some rubbing on the swaybar at full lock (turn). When flexed out I still have about half an inch clearence (enough for me to slid my hand between the tires and fenders.

If you're gonna run with 33's then at most I'd get a 3/4 spacer for the front springs to take most of the rake outta the nose. If you go with a lift, the space between the tires and fenders are going to SCREAM for 35's. Then you'll end up buying tires twice... i had 33's for about a year then went 35's wait a waist of $$

If you go with a lift, you can go two ways... get it all at once or build it up piece by piece. You're call. but if I had the $$, I'd have started with AEV w/steering correcting kit. RK & Poly are other good ones. I'll prolly end up with the Poly flip kit w/trackbar bracket $300.00

Good luck with your build and don't forget the pics

My suggestion is to run your Jeep stock until you really know what you like to do. I like to run trails and a little mud too, but once you take your Jeep on the rocks, the addiction will grab a hold of you.

Hit the trail with these guy's first. Jeff (jdldx3) ran his Sahara stock for a while and was able to get to places most with a lift couldn't.
Keep in mind, he didn't care how he went over an obstacle, but he made it everytime.

Like the guy's above said. Plan your Jeep build, you do not want to pay for things twice. There is no rush.

FYI, I run a 3" Full Traction Ultimate Suspension lift, but replaced the springs to get 4.5" lift from Poly Performance.
I also have 35" KM2, and I like these tire a lot.

We are heading out to Canyons in Fredrickburg in February, I'd suggest you tag along and find out what you stock Jeep can do, you'll be surprised.

Don't be in a rush! Spend the money wisely! I know you want to get that rig up in the air, but don't waste your money! DO IT RIGHT!

oh yeah, I forgot to mention you can run 35's or 315/70r17s with flat fenders / cut fenders / no fenders. It's not fancy or pretty, but it works. You can cut your stock flares similar to JK Joe or JonsJeep for about 1.5" of clearence. Adding a 1" body lift to the above will help too. That's the only way you're gonna get a "lift" and tires for $1500.

the other + to this approach is you keep the stock steering feel of the jeep. I don't care how many ppl say "this lift rides better than stock," I have yet to see/ feel the truth in that. I will admit I have not ridden in a JK with a radius arm kit (rubicon express). but I know that even with my adjustable upper & lower control arms and adj trackbar that the jeep rides no where near stock smoothness... but i got it to wheel it, so no big deal.

jkx0778 wrote:

Hit the trail with these guy's first. Jeff (jdldx3) ran his Sahara stock for a while and was able to get to places most with a lift couldn't.
Keep in mind, he didn't care how he went over an obstacle, but he made it everytime.

I dont know what you're talking about

jkx0778 wrote:

I'll prolly end up with the Poly flip kit w/trackbar bracket $300.00

Good luck with your build and don't forget the pics

I have the reamer for the drag link flip.

I recently added a Teraflex 2.5" Coil Lift (lifts the front 3" and rear 2") and really like it. I am running 285/70/17 BFG KM2s (33s) and think the tires look good, but border line too small especially when I'm around everyone else with 35s (I'm trying to block out these negative thoughts!!). I could easily run 35s, especially if I trim the fenders as mentioned before. I chose to start with 33s so I wouldn't feel like I needed to regear, axle gussets, and add a beefier rear tire carrier (although plenty folks run with the stock setup). Perhaps when I need new tires, I will move up to 35s and be in a better position to upgrade what is needed.

I bought the lift new, but bought the wheels and tires used (with about 6k miles). I spent $1k for the wheels and tires, sold my stock Rubi takeoffs for $500, and bought the lift for $800 (with JKS Adj. Front Trackbar) - a total of $1300. It can be done within your budget, but you will need to look for used tires most likely.

Just an FYI, I run a 2.5" Procomp/Rubi Express/Teraflex frankenlift with 35's on a 2 dr, and I knocked both rear flares loose at full stuff. That is with 4.5" backspacing and 1.5" spacers. You don't always clear, but thats half the fun.

yup!! forgot to say bumpstops... I have 2" procomp bumpstops.

Whoa sorry I didn't follow this thread better.

For what it's worth my 2 door JK has a 2.5" Rough Country budget boost on it + 15x8 Cragar Soft 8s and 35x12.50R15 MTR w/Kevlars.

I bought the lift on Craigslist for $40.00

Tires locally for $1000. (4 of em)

Wheels from Summit Racing for $186 delivered.

Sold my stock wheels for $400. That's the cheapest build I've ever done, and while it's not much of a build it works for the time being.

Most would advise against it but I run stock bump stops on it right now too. It's fine, I can deal with some rubbing but I don't get much with my chopped flares.

My eventual plan involves Rock Krawler's new 3.25" stretch kit but that's in the future.

I can help you with tires and wheels yes. I can also help with the lift and we can all get together and install it and have a beer when it's finished!

Start watching Craigslist. Stay away from Rough Country coils. I've got them on my wife's Unlimited and they sagged way out. They ride bad without a lot of weight on them IMO.

Here's my JK:

How did you get your soft 8's to work without spacers? I have 15x10's and the front calipers were gonna rub. Is it really safe to grind them down a little? I want to get rid of my spacers. Sorry for the hi jack....

Hi Jack on! LOL!

I was going to ask you why you were running that BS + spacers but figured you had good reason.

When I put mine on I couldn't get them to rub no matter what I did. It was CLOSE but it wasn't making any noise or hanging up. So I ran them for 3K miles and pulled them off to rotate them and found a couple of 1/8" or so gouges in the face of my calipers on the front.

I was alarmed at first but the wheels weren't even scuffed from it so I just left it alone. The part that dug in on mine were the tiny protrusions from where the holes are punched out on them.

To answer your question, there is no harm in grinding on the calipers a little bit. Just use a flap wheel or something and take it down slowly.

Google search "15s on a JK" or "grinding calipers JK" and you'll come up with lots of info. I'd read up on JKOwners instead of the other one though. The info isn't nearly as skewed.

Let me know if you have questions!!

Marcus