I travel a rugged fireroad that almost always scrapes some paint off my factory standard skid plates or lower control arms. This is one of those roads with football sized rocks sticking out from the road at all sorts of weird angles. The KJ has always held up just fine, but I always find it disconcerting since I was taught scraping bottom was a bad thing. The KJ definitely has less clearance than my old Cherokee.

(I am releived that when I upgraded to the Liberty I decided that skid plates were a neccessity. I figured an inch or so less clearance than the cherokee plus independent front half axles combined for a potentiall messy situation. That was a good decision.)

Now I am thinking about getting a moderate lift to reduce scraping on this road. What I am trying to figure out is how much the actual lift improves clearance and how much it is dependent on the tires you can get under the fenders.

* Will the hefty lower control arms remain just as low after the lift (assuming no new tires)? I think so. The only way to get the lower control arm higher is with a taller tire?

* Will the engine and gas tank skid plate be raised with the lift (assuming no new tires)? I think that is true too. Is it a 1:1 ratio, meaning that 1 inch of lift will raise the skid plates 1 inch further off the ground?

* So, a 2" lift with 1" taller tires will raise the whole vehicle 3" or so whild only raising the lower control arms 1" or so.

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Trailpixie
http://www.trailpixie.net
04 Limited with offroad package
Frankenlifted

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Trailpixie
http://www.trailpixie.net
04 Limited with offroad package
Frankenlifted

Your correct, but remember that putting the tires on the rocks is almost always preferable to putting the tires between the rocks. Saves you alot of banging on the lower control arms.

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2005 CRD "Ol' Blue"
Red Ryder carbine-action, two hundred shot range model air rifle with a compass in the stock and this thing which tells time.
My build page- RL Komodo Rear and TJM Front Bumper, armored, lifted, JBA Steel D30, 4.10s and ARB air lockers.

* Will the hefty lower control arms remain just as low after the lift (assuming no new tires)? I think so. The only way to get the lower control arm higher is with a taller tire?

Yes. The LCAs will not be raised when you install a lift. They will remain the same height that they are now unless you get larger tires


* Will the engine and gas tank skid plate be raised with the lift (assuming no new tires)? I think that is true too. Is it a 1:1 ratio, meaning that 1 inch of lift will raise the skid plates 1 inch further off the ground?

Yes, The skid plates will be raised if you install a lift and if you get larger tires. 1" of lift will = 1" higher skids.


* So, a 2" lift with 1" taller tires will raise the whole vehicle 3" or so whild only raising the lower control arms 1" or so.

Tire size increa is cut in half for the additional height that they will provide. If you have the normal 29" tires that come stock and move up to a 31" tire, you will gain 1" of height, not 2". Larger tires will raise the LCA and the skids.

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-oooooo- ---Craig, L.O.S.T. #CT068103
/______\ ---http://jeep.allgris.com
O||||||||O ---'02 Sport 4x4, 5-spd,
[]--------[] ---2.5" BDS lift, 245/75/16 MT/Rs, Moab Rims, Locked and Regeared!
[]_____[] ---The list got to long, go to my web site for more!

yes

You'll have to learn quickly that noises are a common thing while wheelin' or offroading...I learned this quickly during my first outing w/ my KJ that was stock. As long as you are not moving fast and are slowly crawling over the places that you are scraping on (as well as picking good lines...helpful w/ a good spotter)...you really should be ok. I'm not assuming that you are moving fast...but you are going to hear noises regardless. It's just part of the whole experience. As long as you are careful and moving slow...you shouldn't have to much to worry about...just take your time.

As for your lift situation...the height will depend on the type of lift you decide to do...spacer, coil/suspension...etc.. But like you said...your front lower control arms are not going to be raised w/ just a lift and if they do it will be very little. You'll notice (if you've done a little research on here) that some guys w/ the Frankenlift and other suspension/coil lifts are gaining a bit of height from the front control arms but its because the coils are lifting the KJ so high that they are flexing to the maximum. Note that they will settle after a while and the arms will eventually lower a bit...but height is probably gained. The only effective way I think that you will get the front control arms off the ground is by a taller tire like you said. Taller tires (I would suggest a 245) combined w/ a 2" spacer lift will most likely get you where you want. Daystar makes a great spacer lift that sounds like it would work good for your application.

Check out: http://www.boulderbars.com for the daystar spacer lift.

Do some research...there are many threads that discuss the benefits of many different kinds of lifts and tires. I'm sure you'll be able to find pictures and other rigs that are trying to achieve the same thing that you're trying to achieve on the trail. Also....Welcome to LOST! Happy KJing.

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02' Frankenlifted White Sport on 31" TrXus M/Ts

89' 2 Dr. Khaki XJ- Waggy 44's, 4.88s, 35's, 3-link on 5.5" coils.

Good point. I forgot to factor that in. I go back and forth about lift kits and bigger tires. On theone hand, I drive my KJ 3.5 hours to the mountains--frequently across snowy mountain tops. Control is important to me on highway driving. I swapped out the stock SR/A tires and got Wrangler Silent Armor tires. they have fantastic grip in rain, snow and dirt/rock. Haven't really tried mud much. The problem with them is that every one is about 5 pounds heavier than the stock tire. That killed fuel economy and increased braking distances. I don't like either of those tradeoffs very much. I am convinced that the lift itself will have only a minor impact on handling and fuel economy, but the increased weight for bigger tires really bums me out. Also, you can't get the larger tires in the same load range. So, the ride will get really harsh. I made that mistake on my cherokee. I got Michelin LTX AT. Great tire, but I got the higher load thinking I was doing myself a favor. The ride was really jarring--not the kind of vehicle for a three hour ride to the mountains.

thanks for the welcomes to Lost KJ. I was a member on the old board, but missed the move.

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Trailpixie
http://www.trailpixie.net
04 Limited with offroad package
Frankenlifted

I would do some better research on the tire size and load range thing
most tires for a 16" rim will come in a 6ply version wich will be lighter and ride better than an 8 or 10 ply version


oops I just looked only the 225 or 235 versions come 6 ply

Tire rack is an amazing tool isn't it. The Wrangler Silent Armors are a fantastic tire...although they are heavy.

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Trailpixie
http://www.trailpixie.net
04 Limited with offroad package
Frankenlifted

I might have found a good compromise. The http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Firestone&tireModel=Destination+A%2FT&vehicleSearch=false&partnum=375SR6DESTATOWL&fromCompare1=yes&place=12 Firestone Destination AT weights in at 33 pounds using 235/75SR16. They are also cheap at $88 each. Tirerack even shows decent ratings for the tire. It is #3 in the on/off road category.

this tire gives me 1" additional tire size that I can couple with a 2.5" OME lift. hmmm......

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Trailpixie
http://www.trailpixie.net
04 Limited with offroad package
Frankenlifted

the OME lift is only 40mm for the '03 and newer
I am putting the OME spring and shocks with rancho struts ,cause the OME's cost to much
the wife may not like it but the KJ s ridding like cr@p

The KJ is riding like crap? Or will?

It should ride better with the ranchos and OME springs. Mine rides better than it did stock...But I have the OME struts and rear shocks.

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LOST KJ'S
Where are you going???
Current Jeep: 2004 Jeep Liberty
-Atlantic Blue
-Air Ride Rear Suspension ; OME/Rustys Lift ; Powertrax Locker ; Moog Lower Ball-Joints ; 245/70/16 Yokohama Geolander A/T-S's on MOABS ; Flowmaster 50 SUV
Lost #007082
http://www.cardomain.com/id/jeepjeepster

It is now riding bad but next week it will be better with all this it's all new so I can not see why

I could not justify the cost of the OME struts they are like 2.5 times the cost of the OE replacement

Even a small lift like OME and new tires will make a huge difference on the trail, with very minimal sacrifice on handling. Actually thicker and wider tires may make it even handle better despite an increase in ride height.

I agree with Eddo , actually I think mine handles so much better now than with stock springs. Not sure why anyone would want to replace the stock whimpy springs with the same. OMEs are not that much higher priced than stock springs anyways, plus its an upgrade. Mine is a daily driver plus like I have said on here before a lot of long distance trips and I would never go back to stock springs

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MUDD'S MOTORSPORT'S We do IFS lift installs ,
03 OVERLAND EDITION /Kilby-Skidrow-Mopar-4XGuard skids/ 2.5 inch TOTAL CONTROL JBA coilovers -JBA Arms/MOABS-31 FALKEN WILDPEAK AT3W / 4.10's etc, 04 Kilimanjaro Edition loaded, plus 05 KJ limited

Those Destination AT tires are great - what I'd do first is add the bigger tire 245/70-16 - that will fit without a lift and very minor rubbing on pinch weld - you can always pound it in. See how much that helps - new bigger tires. Then decide for the lift. And best suggestion is to always put the tire on the biggest rock and thus avoid hitting anything on that side - as for the skids, if you are banging them, that meas you are being protected - I would not worry about that.
I, for one thing would go and get me a superskid from allJ - if you miss a bigger rock and by pure bad luck hit the exaust pipe somewhere before the muffler, you might end up cracking the manifold or somewhere there closer to the engine - I did hit a pipe once probably too hard and manifold cracked - expensive fix. Avoid all that with a superskid.

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Thanks for the information. I understand many people feel that the OME is better than stock. Are you using the medium or heavy duty springs?

Thanks for everyone telling me to put my tires on the rock. I know to do that, but sometimes you miss a big one--especially in a ford.

Here is a pic of part of the road I drive frequently. This is actually not a very difficult section, but it shows some of the terrain.

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Trailpixie
http://www.trailpixie.net
04 Limited with offroad package
Frankenlifted

looks like fun!!

I personally don't care what type of trail i ride, as long as it gets me away from civilization and into nature im a happy little hippie