Author Topic: YJ Lift kit, which one is better?  (Read 3340 times)

Buddha

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YJ Lift kit, which one is better?
« on: February 21, 2008, 12:43:20 AM »
Ok, I need a lift kit for my YJ and I'm torn between two. The 5" 4wd hardware, or the 4.5" rubicon express extreme duty. anyone have any experiences with either of these? The rubicon express seems to get rave reviews, but i can't find any info on the 4wd hardware one. But I think someone told me that BDS makes 4wd harware lifts. any input would be great. thanks
here's the links

http://www.4wd.com/productdetails.aspx?jeep-sid=357&plID=60&partID=6996

http://www.4wd.com/productdetails.aspx?jeep-sid=357&plID=69&partID=40514

Offline albsvx

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Re: YJ Lift kit, which one is better?
« Reply #1 on: February 21, 2008, 01:15:45 AM »
I've got the el-cheap-o rough country, and I love it, but then, mine is a trail only rig, so I can't comment on its road manners.
1988 Jeep Wrangler Sahara - 4.0, TF-999, NP-231, Dana 30 Truetrac, Dana 44 Detroit Locker, 4.88s, on 35"s

Offline Seabee_BUC

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Re: YJ Lift kit, which one is better?
« Reply #2 on: February 21, 2008, 01:41:16 AM »
Even though we have a TJ, the rubicon express lift we have has been great. Zero problems since 2003. And the price wasn't bad, $900 I think. I'd imagine the kit for a YJ is much cheaper. What tire size are you looking to run??? Think about adding a locker and maybe some gears too....

Buddha

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Re: YJ Lift kit, which one is better?
« Reply #3 on: February 21, 2008, 03:03:49 AM »
gonna run 33's and a front aussie locker. locker will be down the road though. i want the lift and tires in before spring. i'm gettin the itch.......

Offline HOT-ROD

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Re: YJ Lift kit, which one is better?
« Reply #4 on: February 21, 2008, 05:51:58 PM »
look first at what you want to do and then build you rig to suite that vision. and a lot of time's , your capabilities are the true limit of your rig. and i am sure that you are pretty confident in yo uabilities so go for it and i am sure if you buy pizza most of us could show up for a slice or two to help with the install, since there are a few of us that have 4/5 lift install's under thier belts.
« Last Edit: February 21, 2008, 10:56:26 PM by HOT-ROD »

Buddha

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Re: YJ Lift kit, which one is better?
« Reply #5 on: February 21, 2008, 10:38:04 PM »
sounds good.  I can always pay in pizza and beer.  8)

Offline mallcrawl

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Re: YJ Lift kit, which one is better?
« Reply #6 on: February 22, 2008, 02:15:12 AM »
for the milder lift heights a lot of folks are very happy with the OME stuff
its pricy but I've heard claims that they ride and handle better than stock as well as working hard on the trail

but I drive a tj

Offline Rebell Bull

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Re: YJ Lift kit, which one is better?
« Reply #7 on: February 22, 2008, 06:36:27 AM »
If it was me, I would go with Rubicon Express mainly because it is cheaper and have also heard good things about it. But as it stand, I just bought a Rough Country 4" for five hundred with freed up money for a winch. I you really want that extra half inch, which won't matter to run 33's, you could always get a shackle lift.
Lets go see what I can break next

Offline albsvx

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Re: YJ Lift kit, which one is better?
« Reply #8 on: February 22, 2008, 11:50:24 AM »
don't get a shackle lift, in my opinion, a shackle lift is about the worst thing you can do for the road manners of your yj
1988 Jeep Wrangler Sahara - 4.0, TF-999, NP-231, Dana 30 Truetrac, Dana 44 Detroit Locker, 4.88s, on 35"s

Offline HOT-ROD

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Re: YJ Lift kit, which one is better?
« Reply #9 on: February 22, 2008, 10:21:02 PM »
ha ha,

al, is a shakle lift snob....

lol

Offline albsvx

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Re: YJ Lift kit, which one is better?
« Reply #10 on: February 22, 2008, 10:47:24 PM »
just found that a lot of my road manner problems that I had when I removed the track bars and sway bar, magically went away when I went back to stock height shackles.  the shackle lift was on the jeep when I bought it, so I'm not certain how much of a difference the shackle lift by itself made, if the track bars and sway bar had been left on

just my opinion, I'd rather do 3" of body lift than do any shackle lift

oh yeah, the other thing I've noticed about shackle lifts, is that springs wear out and bend, and "invert" a lot quicker
1988 Jeep Wrangler Sahara - 4.0, TF-999, NP-231, Dana 30 Truetrac, Dana 44 Detroit Locker, 4.88s, on 35"s

Offline HOT-ROD

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Re: YJ Lift kit, which one is better?
« Reply #11 on: February 22, 2008, 11:19:05 PM »
was that in conjunction with lift springs?

i was thinking about revolver shakles for the taco.

i agree with just shakle lift and stock springs, they cant handel the load.

huh, interesting.

Offline albsvx

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Re: YJ Lift kit, which one is better?
« Reply #12 on: February 22, 2008, 11:34:47 PM »
hrm, I had the extended shackles with both stock springs, and lift springs

revolver shackles are a whole different story.

revolver shackles are awesome, especially if you combine them with z boxes too.
1988 Jeep Wrangler Sahara - 4.0, TF-999, NP-231, Dana 30 Truetrac, Dana 44 Detroit Locker, 4.88s, on 35"s

Offline mallcrawl

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Re: YJ Lift kit, which one is better?
« Reply #13 on: February 22, 2008, 11:37:48 PM »
revolver shackles kinda scare me; haven't seen enough of them on the trail for my opinion to be informed though

Offline HOT-ROD

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Re: YJ Lift kit, which one is better?
« Reply #14 on: February 23, 2008, 05:43:09 PM »
what is a z-box?

sounds interesting.