3-5 inch lift

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Luke

Interloper
Joined
Oct 21, 2008
Messages
4,200
Reaction score
668
Location
Bancroft, Canada
I don’t know how far down the rabbit hole you’ve travelled… but lifting does not necessarily equal better articulation.
 

Luke

Interloper
Joined
Oct 21, 2008
Messages
4,200
Reaction score
668
Location
Bancroft, Canada
I have this guys brain bookmarked :)
No it’s not Jeep ;) but the IFS is generally equivalent.

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media
 

KingKJ

The Rock Spotter
Joined
Aug 22, 2023
Messages
70
Reaction score
36
Location
Utah
Sadly she rusted to pieces in 2016… RIP

I think I went through 2 sets (not extended) and rebuilt one… in the ~5 yrs I actually used it off-road. Not horrible but I would have rather not .. lol.

That’s why on my next IFS lift I actually used my head instead of my heart. ;)
that isn't bad, though if the same thing happens with the extended travel ones it get expensive, they are like triple the price of a normal cv. there are also the JBA upper control arms that help improve stuff as well.
 

KingKJ

The Rock Spotter
Joined
Aug 22, 2023
Messages
70
Reaction score
36
Location
Utah
I don’t know how far down the rabbit hole you’ve travelled… but lifting does not necessarily equal better articulation.
yeah I know, that's why I'm looking at doing an actual spring lift rather than just blocks and the extended travel cv axles with the JBA UCAs give better articulation, I'm not sure what else I can do other than that, but I'm sure there might be more.
 

KingKJ

The Rock Spotter
Joined
Aug 22, 2023
Messages
70
Reaction score
36
Location
Utah
yeah I know, that's why I'm looking at doing an actual spring lift rather than just blocks and the extended travel cv axles with the JBA UCAs give better articulation, I'm not sure what else I can do other than that, but I'm sure there might be more.
also strut spacers don't compress the springs they just move the whole assembly down rather than force spring compression
 

Luke

Interloper
Joined
Oct 21, 2008
Messages
4,200
Reaction score
668
Location
Bancroft, Canada
Yes I had JBA’s

If you turn your phone to landscape you can see my setup in my signature.
 

u2slow

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2012
Messages
746
Reaction score
164
Location
BC
I haven't had any trouble with the CVs, but I did drop the cradle 3/4" to help things out.
 

ikuo78

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2024
Messages
180
Reaction score
188
Location
Japan
also strut spacers don't compress the springs they just move the whole assembly down rather than force spring compression
As for the front, the stock down travel is just under 120mm.
If you set this to 140mm, the upper arm or knuckle will hit the spring.
In other words, the additional lift that can be obtained by extending the shock length with spacers etc. is about 20mm.
It seems that this problem can be solved by using a coil with a small coil ID.
Bilstein's front shock has a spring receiver that is a separate part, so I think it would be possible to make it smaller to about ID60-65 and find a general-purpose ID60-65 spring.
You will also have to make an upper mount for the coil.
If you do that, it will look like JBA's adjustable.
There may be CB engineering.
I've never done it, and I don't know anyone who has done it.
I think it looks interesting.

If you use a 2 inch lift with a spacer, won't it make a strange noise when the shock is fully extended?
 
  • Like
Reactions: klc

Luke

Interloper
Joined
Oct 21, 2008
Messages
4,200
Reaction score
668
Location
Bancroft, Canada
yeah I know, that's why I'm looking at doing an actual spring lift rather than just blocks and the extended travel cv axles with the JBA UCAs give better articulation, I'm not sure what else I can do other than that, but I'm sure there might be more.
There is … an SFA swap ;)
 

KingKJ

The Rock Spotter
Joined
Aug 22, 2023
Messages
70
Reaction score
36
Location
Utah
If you use a 2 inch lift with a spacer, won't it make a strange noise when the shock is fully extended?
I want to say it does, whenever I am fully extended there is a loud popping/banging noise, no clue if this has to do with my block lift but idk what else could be wrong
 

ikuo78

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2024
Messages
180
Reaction score
188
Location
Japan
I want to say it does, whenever I am fully extended there is a loud popping/banging noise, no clue if this has to do with my block lift but idk what else could be wrong
If you jack the car so that the suspension is extended, you can check the location of the collision.
There may be individual differences, but when using a spacer lift, the shock length will be longer by the spacer, so the down travel will increase and in most cases the knuckle will hit the coil.
At that time, the upper joint receives a thrust load that is not normally applied, so it wears out faster.

If you want to use that range, you'll need to make some ingenuity.

It seems that the only option is to shift the connection position of the upper arm and knuckle outward or make the coil ID smaller.
The former is almost impossible, or rather, it is a one-off production.
Even if you do that, you'll still run into CV angle and pinion angle challenges.
This means that many people change their coils and lift without increasing down travel.
 

duderz7

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2016
Messages
1,502
Reaction score
1,259
Location
Weiser, ID
I want to say it does, whenever I am fully extended there is a loud popping/banging noise, no clue if this has to do with my block lift but idk what else could be wrong
Likely uca contacting the spring. I set mine up with a piece of paper as a feeler gauge between coil and uca adjusting at clevis. It's a lot quieter now.
 

duderz7

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2016
Messages
1,502
Reaction score
1,259
Location
Weiser, ID
If you jack the car so that the suspension is extended, you can check the location of the collision.
There may be individual differences, but when using a spacer lift, the shock length will be longer by the spacer, so the down travel will increase and in most cases the knuckle will hit the coil.
At that time, the upper joint receives a thrust load that is not normally applied, so it wears out faster.

If you want to use that range, you'll need to make some ingenuity.

It seems that the only option is to shift the connection position of the upper arm and knuckle outward or make the coil ID smaller.
The former is almost impossible, or rather, it is a one-off production.
Even if you do that, you'll still run into CV angle and pinion angle challenges.
This means that many people change their coils and lift without increasing down travel.
It's not approved by jba, but you can mount the ball joint to the bottom of the uca which moves it away from the coil, but then you must also drop the cradle to correct suspension geo. It's a can of worms I considered briefly before deciding I put myself in too many off camber situations to make this thing any more top heavy.
 

Shankster

Full Access Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2020
Messages
130
Reaction score
58
Location
Durango, Colorado
I'm a bit late to the party here. I think I got more than advertised (around 3") lift in the rear with OME / Bilstein and added 3 conduit nuts on top of the clevis to raise the front to the same. I don't think I'd want to go higher - already borderline scary in off-camber situations like Duderz7 says and some of the suspension components are at max angles. I have looked at those extended travel CVAs and didn't think the price was bad for what you get. Have not read any reviews on them. Rock Auto has them for $127 and $162 - if and when mine fail I think I'll give them a try:
 

Latest posts

Members online

Top