Lift faq: Read before asking questions!

[tommudd]

Hi guys i have been searching but cant find a definite answer to my question. I am looking at a 2" lift with king springs aussie beand used to be used on the CRDSTU kits I believe anyway shocks as far as I can tell standard length are ok for the front but I need extended for the rear can anyone confirm this? Or unconfirm as the case may be

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check the other post you commented on
Murchison Products AEV QLD | Jeep Aftermarket Parts & Conversion Specialists
Talk to Stu the owner

 

[v8dreaming]

If only 2 inches of lift should not be going out , BUT yes there is a solution
Just get the JeepinByAl upper control arms, made for lifted Kjs, have replaceable ball joints etc

You can see the UCAs in this photo , have installed a lot of them , have ran them my self for 1000s of miles along with many others on this and other KJ forums

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Just ordered the economy lift bearing your name from JBA. I got some of it today.

Edit: I saw it was advertised with Ironman rear shocks, but they sent Bilsteins instead. I also just read that the Bilsteins don't mount properly without ordering different bushings. I wish they would have put that in the kit description. Oh well. Still waiting on some of the other parts to come. The rest should be here next Wednesday.

I just hope it fits/works better than the RRO lift that I was thinking about getting.

 

[tommudd]

Just ordered the economy lift bearing your name from JBA. I got some of it today.

Edit: I saw it was advertised with Ironman rear shocks, but they sent Bilsteins instead. I also just read that the Bilsteins don't mount properly without ordering different bushings. I wish they would have put that in the kit description. Oh well. Still waiting on some of the other parts to come. The rest should be here next Wednesday.

I just hope it fits/works better than the RRO lift that I was thinking about getting.

I assume you will get the front OME springs , since the Ironman are no longer available at this time
With the OME 3/8 inch clevis in front is what you need.
The Bilstiens are good shocks, just ask marlin ( JBA ) for the bushing kit

 

[jeeplib05]

Just ordered the economy lift bearing your name from JBA. I got some of it today.

Edit: I saw it was advertised with Ironman rear shocks, but they sent Bilsteins instead. I also just read that the Bilsteins don't mount properly without ordering different bushings. I wish they would have put that in the kit description. Oh well. Still waiting on some of the other parts to come. The rest should be here next Wednesday.

I just hope it fits/works better than the RRO lift that I was thinking about getting.

Did you get the 3.5" lift?
I have the OME/Bilstein and you won't be disappointed
Definitely need the bushing kit for the shocks to fit right
You'll be much happier with the kit you chose rather than RRO
Their lift parts would have you back at stock height before you know it and you'd be right in the same position as you are now- ordering your OME parts from JBA

 

[v8dreaming]

I assume you will get the front OME springs , since the Ironman are no longer available at this time
With the OME 3/8 inch clevis in front is what you need.
The Bilstiens are good shocks, just ask marlin ( JBA ) for the bushing kit

Yeah, it came with OME front springs. I have the gas engine, but was paranoid and went with the CRD front springs. Probably overkill. I got the 3/8" spacer. I was worried that I picked the wrong one, and should have went with the 1/2". Thanks for making me feel better about that. haha

It says it comes with JBA rear springs.


Edit: Did I need to get extended brake lines?

 

[v8dreaming]

Did you get the 3.5" lift?
I have the OME/Bilstein and you won't be disappointed
Definitely need the bushing kit for the shocks to fit right
You'll be much happier with the kit you chose rather than RRO
Their lift parts would have you back at stock height before you know it and you'd be right in the same position as you are now- ordering your OME parts from JBA

That's the one. I read too much bad stuff about RRO when I was researching.

 

[tommudd]

Yeah, it came with OME front springs. I have the gas engine, but was paranoid and went with the CRD front springs. Probably overkill. I got the 3/8" spacer. I was worried that I picked the wrong one, and should have went with the 1/2". Thanks for making me feel better about that. haha

It says it comes with JBA rear springs.


Edit: Did I need to get extended brake lines?

The 927 front springs would of been good, got 100,000 out of a set of them on the 04 with an ARB front bumper on the whole time
The 790s are rated much higher of course and ride will be stiff at first for sure
The 1/2 inch spacer was for the ironman with the OMEs you get 2.5 inches anyways and with the 3/8 inch clevis and 1/4 inch top plate still get 3.5-3.75 inches of lift

What year do you have, later models you just need to drop the left side brake line down about 2.5 inches

 

[v8dreaming]

the 927 front springs would of been good, got 100,000 out of a set of them on the 04 with an arb front bumper on the whole time
the 790s are rated much higher of course and ride will be stiff at first for sure
the 1/2 inch spacer was for the ironman with the omes you get 2.5 inches anyways and with the 3/8 inch clevis and 1/4 inch top plate still get 3.5-3.75 inches of lift

what year do you have, later models you just need to drop the left side brake line down about 2.5 inches

2005.

Edit: I saw that you said the 2004 would be ok. I'm assuming the 2004 and 2005 would be the same?

 

[jeeplib05]

2005.

Edit: I saw that you said the 2004 would be ok. I'm assuming the 2004 and 2005 would be the same?

No I believe the 02-04 were the same

 

[tommudd]

Just to clarify,a 2nd extension is needed for the '06 and '07 KJ's due to having 4 channel ABS where as the '02-'05 KJ only has one brake line to the rear diff. Most do not do anything with the 02-05s unless going over 4 inches , but some have and I did on mine where we made / make one 2.5 inch bracket to drop the line down.
The 06- and 07s require two due to the ABS brakes and different brake lines
SO,...02-05s same and 06-07 same

 

[Jim McClain]

The Bilstiens are good shocks, just ask marlin ( JBA ) for the bushing kit

Tom, you've suggested these before, but I am curious about other brands I've seen mentioned here and elsewhere. Without considering cost, is there a better front strut/rear shock than the Bilsteins? I have also been considering OME brand for front and rear. I think it might have been you that mentioned Monroe 58649 Sensa-Trac Load Adjusting Shocks for the rear.

I won't be able to make changes to ride quality based on highway or off-road driving. I'll have to leave whatever I get alone and hope I have a happy medium for the kind of driving I will be doing. I prob'ly won't be crawling rocks for fun and excitement, but there are some rutted out and rocky roads I'll be going over. However, I suspect more than half the time I'll be on pavement - which is still kinda rough in my neck of the woods. At some point, I may even haul a trailer. I'm thinking I might like traveling part of the year and living in a 19-footer, but that's not a sure thing.

This thread doesn't make any real comparisons to the struts/shocks I mentioned, so I thought I'd ask. I'm more concerned with getting a quality ride than a cheap ride. I'm buying parts as I can afford them, not a complete kit, so I can mix and match as much as I want.

Thanks,

Jim

 

[tommudd]

Tom, you've suggested these before, but I am curious about other brands I've seen mentioned here and elsewhere. Without considering cost, is there a better front strut/rear shock than the Bilsteins? I have also been considering OME brand for front and rear. I think it might have been you that mentioned Monroe 58649 Sensa-Trac Load Adjusting Shocks for the rear.

I won't be able to make changes to ride quality based on highway or off-road driving. I'll have to leave whatever I get alone and hope I have a happy medium for the kind of driving I will be doing. I prob'ly won't be crawling rocks for fun and excitement, but there are some rutted out and rocky roads I'll be going over. However, I suspect more than half the time I'll be on pavement - which is still kinda rough in my neck of the woods. At some point, I may even haul a trailer. I'm thinking I might like traveling part of the year and living in a 19-footer, but that's not a sure thing.

This thread doesn't make any real comparisons to the struts/shocks I mentioned, so I thought I'd ask. I'm more concerned with getting a quality ride than a cheap ride. I'm buying parts as I can afford them, not a complete kit, so I can mix and match as much as I want.

Thanks,

Jim

IMO there are only two shocks brands I would suggest using , those are the OME and Bilsteins. Of course now that OME does not produce the OME extended length rears we are kind of stuck with the Bilsteins.
Since you pull a trailer, have a carrier for your two wheel wonder I assume on the back I would look at the Sensatrac coilovers for the rear. They boost the load carrying capicity something like 1500 lb so do help quite a bit when hauling/ towing . So it is an option for you. Just depends on how much ( how many days/ weeks etc ) you'd have either something on a carrier on the back or a trailer

 

[KJ604]

Are the sensa tracs too stiff for the rear if not towing? Also are the sensa tracs long enough for a 3.5" lift? just noticed I can buy one bilstein for $111 CDN or a pair of the sensa trac for $120

 

[jeeplib05]

Are the sensa tracs too stiff for the rear if not towing? Also are the sensa tracs long enough for a 3.5" lift? just noticed I can buy one bilstein for $111 CDN or a pair of the sensa trac for $120

My Bilsteins are pretty stiff and I believe the Sensa-Tracs are even stiffer
I was thinking of trying them out once these go out
Which might be sooner than later because they're only for 2.5" lift and I'm over 3 so I think they got jacked up from me flexing
I like the way they look also, like a coilover
I wonder if they fit snug in our mounts or if it'd be better to use a bushing kit/washers with them
I think I read that you have to grind a groove into your spring perch so they don't hit it
BUT, for that price I'd be all for making some modification to have them fit good
We're loosing good suspension parts.. It *****
We only have two decent options for shocks now

 

[Jim McClain]

IMO there are only two shocks brands I would suggest using , those are the OME and Bilsteins. Of course now that OME does not produce the OME extended length rears we are kind of stuck with the Bilsteins.

I found the Old Man Emu N132L Shock on Amazon and a couple other sites. I have been finding it very difficult to find the NS131 front struts though.

Since you pull a trailer, have a carrier for your two wheel wonder I assume on the back I would look at the Sensatrac coilovers for the rear.

My Segway fits in the back of the KJ and weighs only about 100#, 90% of that weight sitting right behind the front passenger seat. There's another 20# of big oxygen tanks snuggled up between the seat back and the Segway tires. Then I have about 75# of small oxygen tanks in a crate just behind the rear passenger (driver's side) seat.

I don't pull a trailer now and may not get one for a long time. I would probably rent one first, to see if it's something I would like. I have to figure out how to carry enough o2 to go on a trip - the hundred pounds of tanks I keep in the Jeep now is only enough for about 12 hours. An electric concentrator would work while I sleep or hang out within 25' of the trailer, but that's kind of restrictive if I wanna go out to make landscape photos.

The logistics seem nearly impossible to surmount, so a trailer isn't much more than a pipe dream right now. If I ever figure it all out, I would probably change to stiffer shocks for the rear at that time.

 

[tommudd]

I found the Old Man Emu N132L Shock on Amazon and a couple other sites. I have been finding it very difficult to find the NS131 front struts though.

My Segway fits in the back of the KJ and weighs only about 100#, 90% of that weight sitting right behind the front passenger seat. There's another 20# of big oxygen tanks snuggled up between the seat back and the Segway tires. Then I have about 75# of small oxygen tanks in a crate just behind the rear passenger (driver's side) seat.

I don't pull a trailer now and may not get one for a long time. I would probably rent one first, to see if it's something I would like. I have to figure out how to carry enough o2 to go on a trip - the hundred pounds of tanks I keep in the Jeep now is only enough for about 12 hours. An electric concentrator would work while I sleep or hang out within 25' of the trailer, but that's kind of restrictive if I wanna go out to make landscape photos.

The logistics seem nearly impossible to surmount, so a trailer isn't much more than a pipe dream right now. If I ever figure it all out, I would probably change to stiffer shocks for the rear at that time.

Go with the Bilstiens then or the 132Ls if you can find them I'd use the 132Ls first

 

[tommudd]

My Bilsteins are pretty stiff and I believe the Sensa-Tracs are even stiffer
I was thinking of trying them out once these go out
Which might be sooner than later because they're only for 2.5" lift and I'm over 3 so I think they got jacked up from me flexing
I like the way they look also, like a coilover
I wonder if they fit snug in our mounts or if it'd be better to use a bushing kit/washers with them
I think I read that you have to grind a groove into your spring perch so they don't hit it
BUT, for that price I'd be all for making some modification to have them fit good
We're loosing good suspension parts.. It *****
We only have two decent options for shocks now

LOL so you've never ran the Sensatracs but know how they ride,That is truly amazing :happy175:
On some spring perches no cutting is needed since they changed them in later years
They fit snug, have ran 2 sets on the 04 , I think 3 or 4 sets on a couple of the XJs I had as well
They don't change ride much until you start loading it down , then they start working better to hold the load you have

 

[Jim McClain]

Go with the Bilstiens then or the 132Ls if you can find them I'd use the 132Ls first

Thanks. Do the OME N132Ls need a bushing kit like the Bilsteins do?

 

[KJ604]

Thanks. Do the OME N132Ls need a bushing kit like the Bilsteins do?

I dont think they do Jim but hopefully someone else can confirm/deny.

Thanks for pointing out they were available on amazon. I found a pair of them on amazon.ca as well and ordered those today

 

[tommudd]

Thanks. Do the OME N132Ls need a bushing kit like the Bilsteins do?

No they are made for the KJs specifically