Post by: Night goat on April 19, 2017, 01:21:25 PM
It's a stock 2001 Wrangler tj, with the 4.0, and while I seem to have a general idea of what I want (33s, 3.5-4" lift) there is just way too much info out there and I end up just being confused by it all.
It's mainly gonna be a fish/hunt/ski rig, logging roads, mild trails, more utility than a dedicated wheeler...
Any guys with a lifted jeep who can offer some insight?
I'll go 2.5" of lift if that means not redoing brake lines and a transfer case drop, main thing is wanting to run a good pair of 33s
Post by: Special T on April 19, 2017, 01:25:40 PM
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Post by: Skyvalhunter on April 19, 2017, 01:38:24 PM
http://www.extremeterrain.com
Post by: WA hunter14 on April 19, 2017, 01:52:52 PM
Post by: Dan-o on April 19, 2017, 01:59:20 PM
Post by: Night goat on April 19, 2017, 02:07:36 PM
Lockers come first, IMHO.
You mean a welder?? >:(
(Kidding)
Post by: Happy Gilmore on April 19, 2017, 02:11:04 PM
An old friend raved about these guys. I think he must have got a happy ending with his lift kit.
Post by: jackelope on April 19, 2017, 02:20:36 PM
http://www.extremeterrain.com/wrangler-jeep-slip-yoke-eliminators-explained.html
Post by: huntandjeep on April 19, 2017, 05:52:44 PM
Below 2 1/2" you can get away with not extending the brake lines , you might need a washer or two between the skid plate and frame to get rid of vibes , a good set of adjustable control arms ( Savvy /Currie ) with good joints ( true Johnny Joints not a nock off ) would help align the rear pinion to keep the vibes down . You don't "need " the adjustable arms with 2 1/2" but it's a nice option.
When you get into the 4" territory that's when the check book starts to hurt. There is a cheap way and the right way ( others may so otherwise ).
When I first lifted my 98 I bought a $1000 4" kit :bash:
After not liking the ride , handling ect I started more research. After 4 years of owning this " kit " the only thing left from it is the 4" springs ( and they are getting replaced soon ). Not including the original $1000 kit I have an additional $2800 into my lift kit .
Don't forget bigger tires require better brakes and steering. If you're Jeep has a Dana 35 rear it might be ok with 33's , might not just depends on how hard you are on it. If you're Jeep is the 5 speed you have 3.07 gears . Add 33's to those gears and kiss 5th gear good bye. Only way to get it back is to regear front and rear axles ,
The Old Man Emu 2 1/2" kits are a great kit.
A Slip yoke eliminator isn't " needed " on a 2 1/2" lift but would be a great addition just adds $. I've built 5 TJ's ranging from 4" & 33's to 4" and 37's so any questions I'm happy to answer.
Post by: Alchase on April 19, 2017, 07:00:27 PM
Do the slip yoke eliminator on the transfer case. If you don't do this, don't bother lifting it. You'll be miserable and regret it.
http://www.extremeterrain.com/wrangler-jeep-slip-yoke-eliminators-explained.html
:yeah:
Especially if you are going up 3" or more. You will throw you geometry off and cause all kinds of issues.
As other have said, go to Jeepforum.com and learn from others mistakes.
Post by: gasman on April 19, 2017, 07:19:11 PM
Put a locker in the rear and throw some decent 31"s underneath it and you'll go most anywhere you need to go.
Post by: Happy Gilmore on April 19, 2017, 10:46:06 PM
For what you said you want to use it for, I wouldn't bother with him a lift.
Put a locker in the rear and throw some decent 31"s underneath it and you'll go most anywhere you need to go.
that's what I think as well. ARB air lockers, 2 inches, a real bumper and winch.... all you need.
Post by: Alchase on April 20, 2017, 10:08:24 AM
For what you said you want to use it for, I wouldn't bother with him a lift.
Put a locker in the rear and throw some decent 31"s underneath it and you'll go most anywhere you need to go.
that's what I think as well. ARB air lockers, 2 inches, a real bumper and winch.... all you need.
Yep and good tires!
Post by: timberfaller on April 20, 2017, 10:26:42 AM
Would have liked to stay at original height because of bad hips. I can still get in so it worked out OK.
Post by: Night goat on April 20, 2017, 12:43:55 PM
So complicated.
I do want a lift, I do want 33s. Cabin is 10 minutes from the top of Stevens pass.... Having your diff drag in snow, or bumper push snow....
The goal is 33s, gonna be a snow rig more than anything, lockers would be nice, had a Rubicon for while.
Is there a middle of the road setup that will give me the lift without having to redo everything else? Not looking to go to Moab or go wheeling weekly.....
Post by: huntandjeep on April 20, 2017, 04:20:27 PM
.........:bash:If 33's is your plan go for a 2 1/2" suspension lift , you could always do a 1" body lift down the road ( it would allow you to do a tummy tuck which raises the stock transfer case skid up closer to the frame ). Your Dana 35 rear might live a happy life as long as you own the Jeep or it could die a catastrophic failure. It's a C-clip design that doesn't really like oversized tires, the C-clip breaks and you loose the whole tire/wheel/ break Assembly. If you do have 3.07 gears 5th gear will suck , especially up hills on the highway. Only way to get back to where your Jeep handles hills now is to regear ( 4.56 and 33's would be exactly how your Jeep is now with stock gears and 31's ). You don't have to upgrade your brakes but it's a good idea , look at Black Magic pads and Centric rotors for the front ( since 80% of a Jeeps braking is Done with the front brakes ). Your stock steering will work , but you could swap on a solid tierod from a V8 powered grand Cherokee (1998) for $120 and never worry about it. The TJ tierod is hollow While the Cherokee is solid.
So complicated.
I do want a lift, I do want 33s. Cabin is 10 minutes from the top of Stevens pass.... Having your diff drag in snow, or bumper push snow....
The goal is 33s, gonna be a snow rig more than anything, lockers would be nice, had a Rubicon for while.
Is there a middle of the road setup that will give me the lift without having to redo everything else? Not looking to go to Moab or go wheeling weekly.....
Take a look at Zone Offroads lift kits they are a pretty nice kit. Stay away from Trail Master , Skyjacker , Rancho , Tuff Country , Rough Country.
Post by: gasman on April 20, 2017, 08:01:20 PM
If you're looking to run snow make sure you get wide tires minimum 12 inch if not 14 inch that way you can Aaron down and fluid on top of the snow as much as possible.
Post by: timberghost72 on April 20, 2017, 09:08:21 PM
Edit: The tie rod tube TO the drag link and the track bar need to be parallel. I wasn't clear on that.
Post by: huntandjeep on April 21, 2017, 06:18:35 AM
Don't forget to put a drop pitman arm on if raising it 2+ inches along with adding a bracket for your front track bar. You'll need to keep your steering geometry as close to stock as possible. The drag link and track bar need to be parallel to each other. Slip yoke eliminator kit a must as everyone has said and a Tom Woods drive shaft (great shafts at great price). I wouldn't shim the skid plate/transfer case. Defeats the whole purpose of a lift. You'll also have to add longer sway bar end links.Dropped pitman arm is not necessary ( as long as you don't move the axle side of the track bar ). I'm not using one on mine.
You have use a transfer case drop bracket unless you buy adjustable control arms. You want the rear pinion pointed at the rear yoke of the transfer case.
Post by: PlateauNDN on April 21, 2017, 07:37:41 AM
:chuckle:
Post by: HUNTINCOUPLE on April 21, 2017, 07:54:27 AM
Post by: timberghost72 on April 21, 2017, 07:54:59 AM
Don't forget to put a drop pitman arm on if raising it 2+ inches along with adding a bracket for your front track bar. You'll need to keep your steering geometry as close to stock as possible. The drag link and track bar need to be parallel to each other. Slip yoke eliminator kit a must as everyone has said and a Tom Woods drive shaft (great shafts at great price). I wouldn't shim the skid plate/transfer case. Defeats the whole purpose of a lift. You'll also have to add longer sway bar end links.Dropped pitman arm is not necessary ( as long as you don't move the axle side of the track bar ). I'm not using one on mine.
You have use a transfer case drop bracket unless you buy adjustable control arms. You want the rear pinion pointed at the rear yoke of the transfer case.
Yes you could get away with doing it this way but as the saying goes, just cuz you can doesn't mean you should. This just introduces more problems down the road. Best to do it right the first time. :twocents:
Lowering the skid plate puts undo stress on the engine mounts and exhaust. Not correcting the steering geometry to where it should be puts alot of un-needed stress with the steeper angle on already weak tie rod ends. Especially when you add larger tires.
Post by: huntandjeep on April 21, 2017, 09:56:08 AM
Using a dropped pitman arm is not the right way to do it. It's an easy way all the kits do it. Most kits don't drop the track bar at the frame which throws off the steering ( bumpsteer ). What they have you do is drill or bolt on a plate at the axle side of the track bar. Which now drops the axle side away from the drag link. Now the drag link and track bar are nowhere near parallel.Don't forget to put a drop pitman arm on if raising it 2+ inches along with adding a bracket for your front track bar. You'll need to keep your steering geometry as close to stock as possible. The drag link and track bar need to be parallel to each other. Slip yoke eliminator kit a must as everyone has said and a Tom Woods drive shaft (great shafts at great price). I wouldn't shim the skid plate/transfer case. Defeats the whole purpose of a lift. You'll also have to add longer sway bar end links.Dropped pitman arm is not necessary ( as long as you don't move the axle side of the track bar ). I'm not using one on mine.
You have use a transfer case drop bracket unless you buy adjustable control arms. You want the rear pinion pointed at the rear yoke of the transfer case.
Yes you could get away with doing it this way but as the saying goes, just cuz you can doesn't mean you should. This just introduces more problems down the road. Best to do it right the first time. :twocents:
Lowering the skid plate puts undo stress on the engine mounts and exhaust. Not correcting the steering geometry to where it should be puts alot of un-needed stress with the steeper angle on already weak tie rod ends. Especially when you add larger tires.
Unless the OP gets adjustable control arms for the rear of his Jeep how is he going to adjust the rear pinion so it points up at the transfer case yoke after he drops the axle 4"s from where it was stock ? That's why kits throw in a transfer case drop.
Post by: timberghost72 on April 21, 2017, 10:25:01 AM
If you don't want to add adjustable arms to the rear axle to point the pinion up you can weld in new (or cut and reuse old) spring perches. Which would be the better way to go in order to keep the springs seated correctly. If not your springs will be bowed somewhat depending on how much the diff is rotated up.
OP. Just make sure you do lots of research :twocents:
Post by: splitshot on May 31, 2017, 04:11:14 PM
Post by: Happy Gilmore on June 01, 2017, 03:08:15 PM
Post by: gasman on June 02, 2017, 08:00:56 AM
and after all of that it might make weird unexpected turns left and right when you're doing 70mph down the freeway. That is about the time the lifted jeeps all go to craigslist to die.. :chuckle:
Death wobble, it's fixable......... lol
Post by: lamrith on June 02, 2017, 08:19:33 AM
For a SYE Checkout Adams Driveshaft (http://adamsdriveshaftoffroad.com/). I went with the Teraflex Extreme short SYE kit. They have it with the SYE AND a driveshaft as a package. You install the new tailshaft with SYE, send them a measurement once installed, and they make a custom DS for you. They made mine in 2 days and shipped it out. Installing it this weekend. Then they will follow up with you and advise if you need more angle to your rear axle or not. Shims are extra, not included in the SYE kit, but they help advise for proper final setup.
Post by: huntandjeep on June 02, 2017, 07:09:27 PM
I put a 4" lift on my wrangler. Tried the transfer case spacers and axle wedges in the rear, but had nasty driveline vibration and the yoke was way out of the trans so I went with an SYE.Adjustable control arms will eleviat the need for the transfer case drop . I know you can use shims on a leaf sprung suspension , how do you uses shims on a control armed suspension
For a SYE Checkout Adams Driveshaft (http://adamsdriveshaftoffroad.com/). I went with the Teraflex Extreme short SYE kit. They have it with the SYE AND a driveshaft as a package. You install the new tailshaft with SYE, send them a measurement once installed, and they make a custom DS for you. They made mine in 2 days and shipped it out. Installing it this weekend. Then they will follow up with you and advise if you need more angle to your rear axle or not. Shims are extra, not included in the SYE kit, but they help advise for proper final setup.