Lift and Locker Advice Wanted

So, if things go as planned, i will be picking up a 2015 JKU when i return home from my deployment. I am trying to do a lift, gears and at least a front locker and a rear Tru Trac at a minimum. I put the Rubicon Express 3.5 Super Flex Short Arm on my 2008 JK with 35's and loved it. I don't see many people talking about the RE lifts on here. Is there a better one for the price? I like that it includes all new control arms and trac bar, plus they are nice and beefy parts with rebuildable joints.

Then, i am going to throw in some 4.88 gears(jeep will be 6Speed) and want to do a Eaton Locker up front and a Tru Trac out back. Good? Bad? better idea for the price?? i am still debating between 37" and 35" tires, leaning towards 37's.. I have contemplated starting my own small off road recovery business and want to make sure i can make it anywhere someone may get stuck(within reason) figuring anyone that would be stuck would not have a setup like mine, i.e. winch, locker and 37's.. I am open to any and all advice. This rig will also be my daily driver, but i live 2 miles from work, with the potential of moving maybe to 10-15 miles from work.. I am open to all opinions and options to make this happen. My budget will be around 6K.. Is it even doable? The lift i will do myself and would like to attempt the gears, but would be my first set. I am a big DIY guy, but am not ASE or anything. I am actually an aircraft mechanic in the AF and can do almost anything that there are instructions for. Just a little hesitant as it will be my primary vehicle and walking to work in the winter in Utah sucks!! So, let me hear your thoughts please!!

Thank you!

You dont really need all eight arms tho, I would just get a set of nice front lowers and rear uppers (curries). then grab some coils in a 3 or 4inch depending what you wheel and if you are doing flate fenders. remember that you will need a new front driveshaft as well as it will be over the 2.5in. Also as you have a dana 30 up front i would not go over 4.88 to keep the R&P at an ok size. I would not lock the front of the dana 30 as well as it is not a good idea with 37s in mind, wheel it open it will do just fine. as for the back i would deff look into a selectable locker to (air lockers are very strong)

here is a good start

c gussets http://www.offroadevolution.com/sto...TS&PHPSESSID=84446dd4579d782564831ed0010f2ee2
drag-link flip kit (over 3inch) http://www.northridge4x4.com/suspen...vo-manufacturing-jk-draglink-flip-kit-evo1071
front lower control arms (curries) http://www.northridge4x4.com/suspen...er-control-arms-jk-off-road-suspension-system
rear upper control arms (not needed edited)
front driveshaft (adams or coast) http://www.adamsdriveshaftoffroad.com/ http://www.northridge4x4.com/coast-jk-1310-front-drive-shaft
Springs 3in or 4in (evo plush rides)
rear track bar relocation bracket (many out there maybe evo or JKS)
brake lines
gears (4.88) http://www.northridge4x4.com/drivet...n-rubicon-30-44-gear-package-and-install-kits
Lockers (option 1)http://www.northridge4x4.com/drivet...p-locker-for-dana-44-non-rubicon-jk-30-spline (option 2) http://www.northridge4x4.com/drivet...-air-locker-dana-44-30-spline-3-73-down-rd117

Lift: $1590.00 EVO 3" Enforcer no shocks and before Discount from Northridge4x4
Shocks: $550.00?? Rancho RS9000's
C Gussets $60.00 EVO
Gears: Just pay Fat Bobs in Layton to do them, cost???
Front Bumper: $400.00 Stubby 1/4 LB'er EVO, again before northridge4x4 discount
Winch: $580.00 Warn VR10000, before Northridge4x4 discount
Tires: $351.00 x5= $1755.00, 37/12.5/17 Nitto TG Discount tire
Wheel spacers? ($200 ish), cant have them in Utah if you have UT plates... This is to run stock wheels tho.
Wheels: $102.00 each or $510.00 total from Discount tire.

This puts you at 5500 roughly, before any discounts are involved and well tax too.

So can 6g's do it.... If you want quality stuff from suporting vendors/sponsors then no. Can it be done for 6000, yes. Lots of cheap stuff on flebay, and such. I remember reading on here once, its expensive to be cheap.

You don't need rear upper control arms on a four door. Save the $500.

Youre not supposed to run spacers in most states but I dont know many people getting flak for them. I know i didnt in MA

If you have not already signed the contract for the JKU I would strongly encourage you to look at getting a JKU Rubicon. Follow me on this. It will come with factory D44's front and rear with electronic lockers, 4:1 transfer case but you will have to special order the 4:10 gears. Since you are planning on running 37's you will need the D44 until you upgrade axle's. From there you can do a budget boost to run 35's on the factory wheels with spacers just as Stripy has done with Scorpion. You will be more than capable of getting around they way it is set up. Then start saving for the lift you ultimately want, for me it is coilovers with PR60's, slabs with 37's. Again this is just my humble opinion and advice.

R/
Will

JKWrang said:

Youre not supposed to run spacers in most states but I dont know many people getting flak for them. I know i didnt in MA

Click to expand...

The spacers that you shouldn't run and the ones you get most flack for are the ones that are more like shims. Hub centric ones like spidertrax shouldn't cause any issues cause your not compromising the integrity of the lugs.

cozdude said:

The spacers that you shouldn't run and the ones you get most flack for are the ones that are more like shims. Hub centric ones like spidertrax shouldn't cause any issues cause your not compromising the integrity of the lugs.

Click to expand...

Yup. High quality wheel spacers, the kind that bolt up to your axle first and then your wheels to them effectively become a wheel with less backspacing. The cheap spacers that you can get at PepBoys and are sandwiched between your wheel and axle using the existing wheel studs are in fact very dangerous and should NOT be used.

I cant imagine why you would WANT to use those

Let me start by thanking you all for the input. All very good points to consider. The main reason i was looking at the RE with all control arms was for added strength as well. I seem to remember the stock control arms were pretty weak. I will definitely look into piecing together one if it saves me a bunch. I am not a big fan of spacers and will be buying wheels with my tires, so i am good there. As far as the lockers go, is it the majority opinion to leave the front open, or just cause its not worth locking a dana 30? Would like to keep an option of swapping to a 44 up front in the future, but don't know how long that will be. I just want to do the initial set up with parts that i won't have to spend money to replace too soon. If i can do less up front to put fewer, but better components into this build up front, i can save to add more as i go. Hard to do if you are always spending money to replace parts you just added. Just my thoughts.

As far as the Rubicon goes... If i pick up this JKU, i am looking at spending no more that $24000 for the jeep itself. A Rubi would run me around $38K-$40K. Little beyond my payment needs. I do like the rubies, but if you pay the extra $15000, that is a ton of upgrades you pass on right out the gate. Just not financially feasible for me at the moment. I just want a capable machine for $30K. Does that make sense? Not bagging on the notion. If i had the money, id love to have a new Hard Rock, but i also like to start with a blank canvas and add my own personal touches..

Again, thank you all for the inputs and please keep them coming. I am a sponge and just want to absorb as much information as possible before i actually start this build..

YoYo

Yes, do NOT lock the d30 up front. And as far as the rubi vs sport goes... the sport is plenty capable, and while the rubi is infinitely more capable/comfortable - if you cant afford it no one will rag on you for owning a sport. At least not the guys who also own sports :cheesy:

JKWrang said:

Yes, do NOT lock the d30 up front. And as far as the rubi vs sport goes... the sport is plenty capable, and while the rubi is infinitely more capable/comfortable - if you cant afford it no one will rag on you for owning a sport. At least not the guys who also own sports :cheesy:

Click to expand...

Thanks.. :thinking: i think.. I like my sport. Get to start with a blank canvass and really make it my own.. Would love to have a Rubi some day, but I'm good with a Sport for now. And thanks for the advice on the D30. I will leave it at gears for now and maybe look for a D44 swap in the future. Thats exactly why i love the Jeep community. No fear of dishing it out!! :thumb: Makes me feel right at home.

And still welcome to more advice, so keep it coming!!

YoYo

Just make sure for your d30 you stick within 4.56 to 4.88 depending on the tires youll run

Yeah, i was gonna run some 488's. am getting a 6 sped and have read that it would be good for 35's and 37's. Still a toss up which i am gonna go with. Really wan a go 37's this time..

yoyoyeo02 said:

Yeah, i was gonna run some 488's. am getting a 6 sped and have read that it would be good for 35's and 37's. Still a toss up which i am gonna go with. Really wan a go 37's this time..

Click to expand...

If you want 37's then get them, trust me you will regret it if you get 35's. Just be ready to upgrade your d30 to a new axle like a pr44 sooner rather than later