Help me pick a lift kit!!!

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FeltsYouUp

New member
Hey everyone, I'm going to be paying off the jeep in the next month so the time has come to put my build sheet together. I have a 2012 JKU with the 6-Speed and 3.73s. This is my daily driver, so that's something I have to keep in mind when parts shopping. I'd like to think that I will keep my wheelin to a pretty mild level, but I know how quickly that can change. I'm stationed in AZ right now, so there are plenty of nice rocks to crawl over, but I expect orders within the next year and there's no telling where I might end up. I'm a big fan of the Rock Krawler lifts, but I'm unsure which would be best for what I want to do. I plan on going with some 35s once I lift it, so I'm looking at 2.5 inch lifts. I know Rough Country lifts are also popular, and cheaper, but as this is my DD, I don't want to buy a kit that's just going to be wearing out in a year or so.

I know bumper weight can be an issue with some kits. I'm pretty sold on the LoD rear with tie carried and their rock sliders, but I'm not sure which front bumper I will go with. I'm also a huge fan of the WARN PowerPlant. What other things did you guys and gals consider before picking a lift kit? :crazyeyes:
 
munstie

munstie

New member
You looking for long arm,short arm. If I do it over again I will either go EVO or RockKrawler.

2011 JKU 3.5 R.E. Longarm lift.
 
Napalm90

Napalm90

New member
Rock Krawler 2.5 max travel, AEV 2.5(ignore everyone's hate for Aev, they make good stuff and they last), Mopar has a kit I believe, there are a lot, I would take AEV or RK though


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
Showroom

Showroom

New member
I love the trails here in AZ, world class stuff.
Personally I didn't go with any one particular brand lift. Instead I searched the forums and read the reviews on certain products. I ended going with evo 3" plush ride coils, drag link flip kit that also relocates track bar and steering stabilizer, terraflex monster track bars. I went with aev's control arm brackets for only to improve the ride when lifted, procomp pro runner shocks. Eventually I'll swap out the aev brackets for a long arm kit but that will be a while. Got evo sliders on order. Kept the stock wheels and went with spacers. Sitting on 35's km2. I can say the ride is 100% better then stock ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1367461777.589630.jpg
 
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FeltsYouUp

New member
Thanks for the input guys! I've been leaving towards the RK 2.5 max travel, but I want to keep researching my options. I figure if I decide to go 37s then I should be fine with trimmed fenders, but many other things would have to come first before I do that.
 
Napalm90

Napalm90

New member
Trimmed fenders will work but with 2.5 you would not get much flex with 37.


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10frank9

10frank9

Web Wheeler
Tackerdown said:
Can't you do 37's with trimmed fenders and a 3" ?

EVO 4G WAYALIFE.
Click to expand...

You can it'll be tight with a true 3" lift. You will have to do some trimming for sure, pinch seams not just rails and fenders. Btw it's what I plan to do when it's time to get rid of my 35's.
 
Tackerdown

Tackerdown

Banned
10frank9 said:
You can it'll be tight with a true 3" lift. You will have to do some trimming for sure, pinch seams not just rails and fenders. Btw it's what I plan to do when it's time to get rid of my 35's.
Click to expand...

That's what I thought. I want to end up with the 3" plush ride and figured that once I go 35's I would eventually want 37's and wouldn't need to worry about my lift.

EVO 4G WAYALIFE.
 
10frank9

10frank9

Web Wheeler
Tackerdown said:
That's what I thought. I want to end up with the 3" plush ride and figured that once I go 35's I would eventually want 37's and wouldn't need to worry about my lift.

EVO 4G WAYALIFE.
Click to expand...

Worst case scenario you get the 4" coils, swap em, sell the 3" coils and get the bump stops for 37's..
 
jeeeep

jeeeep

Hooked
Check out Clayton Off Road - before I made my final decision I was looking at AEV, TF, RK. I started looking at just a budget lift but the more I read about all the small issues and additional $$$ others were spending to fix one problem or another I decided to save for full suspension. I called a lot of vendors compared a lot of kits, after talking to the guys at Clayton several things stood out - they were not in a hurry to sell me and get me off the phone, all my questions were answered without being told someone else would have to call me (and never did) and made recommendation that saved me money and also asked about how I would be using my Jeep to make sure I got what I wanted.
Funny thing is I was completely sold on another vendor and called them at least 5 times each time being told they would call back and nothing before deciding to go with Clayton. Glad I didn't go with my first choice!

The Clayton install went in without issues, thanks also to the WOL write-ups.

If you are doing the install and before you remove anything I recommend reading the WOL write-ups, get under your Jeep and get to know all the suspension components.

Another big help for me was verifying the stock castor angle before changing anything. Using WOL write-up I parked my Jeep where I was going to do all the work and took a stock pre-measurement.

good luck and happy researching :thumb:
 
Beyrgut

Beyrgut

New member
I went with the RK 3.5 Flex System over the 2.5 max travel with the prices so close and the weight of the ACE bumpers I'm putting on. I will be running 35s and if I decide later to got 37's I just need to trim the fenders.
 
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FeltsYouUp

New member
jeeeep said:
Check out Clayton Off Road - before I made my final decision I was looking at AEV, TF, RK. I started looking at just a budget lift but the more I read about all the small issues and additional $$$ others were spending to fix one problem or another I decided to save for full suspension. I called a lot of vendors compared a lot of kits, after talking to the guys at Clayton several things stood out - they were not in a hurry to sell me and get me off the phone, all my questions were answered without being told someone else would have to call me (and never did) and made recommendation that saved me money and also asked about how I would be using my Jeep to make sure I got what I wanted.
Funny thing is I was completely sold on another vendor and called them at least 5 times each time being told they would call back and nothing before deciding to go with Clayton. Glad I didn't go with my first choice!

The Clayton install went in without issues, thanks also to the WOL write-ups.

If you are doing the install and before you remove anything I recommend reading the WOL write-ups, get under your Jeep and get to know all the suspension components.

Another big help for me was verifying the stock castor angle before changing anything. Using WOL write-up I parked my Jeep where I was going to do all the work and took a stock pre-measurement.

good luck and happy researching :thumb:
Click to expand...

Thanks, I'll have to look into them. I do like WOL's write ups, but I'm not sure I've seen that one, so I'll be sure to check it out!.
 
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FeltsYouUp

New member
Beyrgut said:
I went with the RK 3.5 Flex System over the 2.5 max travel with the prices so close and the weight of the ACE bumpers I'm putting on. I will be running 35s and if I decide later to got 37's I just need to trim the fenders.
Click to expand...

I hadn't really thought about the lack of flex with 37s and a 2.5 inch kit. I would want to do a PR44 front before going with 37s, but I do wonder if I would be better off getting a good 3.5 kit and just sticking with 35's until I'm ready to upgrade.
 
wayoflife

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
FeltsYouUp said:
I hadn't really thought about the lack of flex with 37s and a 2.5 inch kit. I would want to do a PR44 front before going with 37s, but I do wonder if I would be better off getting a good 3.5 kit and just sticking with 35's until I'm ready to upgrade.
Click to expand...

This is what I would do. Save up a bit longer and just get a good complete 3.5" kit and run it with 35's.
 
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FeltsYouUp

New member
I spent some time last night looking through the Rock Krawler thread on JK-Forum, and I'm pretty sold on one of their 3.5 kits. Now I've just got to decide which one. I know different brands of 35" tires don't always measure at 35", but how do the Goodyear Wrangler MT/Rs or the Nitto Trail Grapplers stack up? I know these are both very popular tires around here, and I'm kinda torn between the two.
 
wayoflife

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
FeltsYouUp said:
I spent some time last night looking through the Rock Krawler thread on JK-Forum, and I'm pretty sold on one of their 3.5 kits. Now I've just got to decide which one. I know different brands of 35" tires don't always measure at 35", but how do the Goodyear Wrangler MT/Rs or the Nitto Trail Grapplers stack up? I know these are both very popular tires around here, and I'm kinda torn between the two.
Click to expand...

NO tire will measure up to what is stated on the sidewall, they will all come up short and really, that's fine as when it comes to the discussion of lift, the only thing that is discussed is what is on the sidewall. Yes, some come up shorter than others like BFG's but Nitto and Goodyear will on the taller side. Of the two, I would highly recommend Nitto and would steer clear of the MT/R with Kevlar - by far the worst tire I have ever run.
 
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