My Latest Ponderings

GaCRD05 · **Posted:** Mon Jul 23, 2007 10:42 pm

Why are there so many IFS lifts available for everything except the KJ? I wanted to know how everyone else was solving similar problems so I sorted through the stack of old 4wheel Adventure mags in my "office" and here's what I came up with:

The new FJ Cruiser which is built on a Land Cruiser Prado chassis or shortened 4runner chassis is all the rage so to speak. With multiple IFS lifts available as soon as it went into production. The new Pro Comp 6" Lift won a SEMA design award and based on computer designed models all it seems to be is a drop cradle with support "arms" that link into the transfer case crossmember, lengthened knuckles, new A arms, and new springs and struts.

So why can't we have somthing similar? Is it because the KJ is a unibody design and the front diff cradle is a structural component where as the FJ is a ladder frame? I don't get it. Same thing with the Toyota Tacoma lifts. I won't even mention the fullsize truck lifts (I know they're completely different).

Let's hear the opinions, or facts, as most of you are way more experienced then I!

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Jul 23, 2007 10:47 pm

You have hit part of it on the head with the difference between something with a frame and the KJ. The whole front suspension, cradle for the engine etc is basically one big unit. ALSO of course there is much more support for other models such as the ugly FJ Cruiser.

jeepkj02 · **Posted:** Mon Jul 23, 2007 11:15 pm

...also that crappy aluminum front d30 axle. A 33"+ tire will kill it!!

Pablo · **Joined:** Thu Feb 02, 2006 10:06 pm **Posts:** 1201

Maybe the lift companies have looked into the situation and realize that it is cheaper to do an axle swap-- which is what most Jeep folk will want anyway.

I will also say that Superlift made the situation worse. They kept saying they were going to do a 4 inch lift-- they kept saying just wait and see! Its coming out soon! Last release date was mockingly reported to be April 1. I had guys at local 4-wheel shops telling me that they were expecting to get that lift in around that date. Needless to say, they never did release it. Jeep gave them the use of a KJ for them to play with to develop the lift (Liberator). They made it a one off and dropped the project. All of us (Jeeps customers) who subsidized Jeep's charity by buying KJ's got nothing for that effort. I hope Jeep remembers that next time SuperLift wants a vehicle from Jeep to play with. I would rather they gave the free Jeep to a company that supports Jeeps-- like JeepinAl or Rubicon Express.

I am sure that other vendors thinking about doing a big lift would look at the head to head competition with the IFS leader (SuperLift) in an untried market with a little trepidation-- they were probably waiting for Superlift to do it and see what happened with demand. Since Superlift never did it, but kept saying they would-- the other guys never started, waiting to see what happened when they did it first.

Rusty's site also had some "revolutionary" new CV joints that were supposed to allow huge lifts, but we never saw those either.

JeepinByAl's site was working on a new 5.5 inch IFS KJ lift kit last I checked and it was supposed to be ready soon. Being's Al actually made his lift work-- I have more hopes for that kit than the others.

GaCRD05 · **Posted:** Tue Jul 24, 2007 7:52 am

Great information guys.

Pablo--I agree with what you said and I've actually emailed both Rubicon Express and AEV asking them if they had anything for the KJ in the works. No response from either of course. It just seems to me that even the Jeep loyal lift companies abandoned the KJ. Going back to Superlift and AEV, there's a sweet lift available (4") for the new Grand Cherokee and Commander, both of which are IFS and unibody.

It's like the KJ is the redheaded step child of Jeep. And it's the perfect platform for people like us who have chosen it for whatever reason. Mine: It was the only Med SUV with a diesel, good mpg and great torque, loved my two Cherokees, will stand up for the long run (hopefully), big enough for my family, and my wife would drive it.

It amazes me that companies who have been built on innovation and problem solving shy away from a challenge because, for lack of a better description, it's too challenging. Companies like Rubicon Express who can build a 5" lift for the JK or TJ the minute it hits the market or AEV that can swap a HEMI into a TJ or design the Brute can't come up with a solution that at least half the people on this board would buy immediately to lift their KJ over 2.5". Even if it was a SAS.

GIVE US SOMETHING!!!!Let us know you're trying!!!!

jerbacher · **Posted:** Tue Jul 24, 2007 8:40 am

hey guys! this is always a good discussion. lots of it covered here:

http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=207562&highlight=aev#207562

Sport · **Posted:** Tue Jul 24, 2007 9:01 am

So where is Al's lift?? It is the end of the month after all!

Hood297 · **Posted:** Tue Jul 24, 2007 9:28 am

He sold his KJ and dropped the lift project :cry:

jerbacher · **Posted:** Tue Jul 24, 2007 9:32 am

Hood297 wrote:

He sold his KJ and dropped the lift project :cry:

Check this thread:
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=21238

Joe Jeep Owner · **Posted:** Tue Jul 24, 2007 9:41 am

This has been covered so many times since I have been a member and I'm sure it will be countless more times going forward. I think we just have to accept it for what it is and know that it wont happen, if it was even a consideration, something would be out by now (or at least REALLY in the works).

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Tue Jul 24, 2007 8:11 pm

Shall we be quitters and accept defeat?

Not me.

I shall email all of those companies that make good lifts for IFS vehicles and stick my nose in their business and ask, hound, and then get my email address blocked by them until they do something. :twisted:

All in a respectful way though. :lol:

jason thompson · **Posted:** Tue Jul 24, 2007 9:18 pm

Well well well
here we go again

we held and event almost 2 months ago now and our key vendor was guess who?
Thats right Superlift they had 2 or 3 reps out
they had 2 rigs out and I was there early ,way befor any of the people with tickets showed up
I had a long talk with them about why no KJ lift yet and the answer was simple
the guy told me to "ask me about that KJ lift at the end of the day"
I asked "why"
the answer was simple
look at the rigs that will be here today and count the KJ's
well he was right 2 counting my wifes
then he said count them out on the trails
again he was right 1 ,I drove the TJ

why would they spend the time and money for that few rigs?
I fully understand his point unless they go out to events and see more than 1 or 2 KJ's they feel that it is not worth the money to produce it
and he is correct
now if there were 15 or 20+ KJ's out wheelin the he would be soooooooooo wrong but most of the time they are correct

myjeepwalks · **Posted:** Tue Jul 24, 2007 9:28 pm

Hood297 wrote:

He sold his KJ and dropped the lift project :cry:

He sold his company, according to the website the lift is still under way.

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Tue Jul 24, 2007 9:28 pm

I think our best bet for an IFS was/is probably Nth Degree. I know they are interested in supporting the SFA KJ market and their parts are being used by All J for the SFA conversions. I have heard that if they got enough interest in SFA swaps they would make certain components available that are currently being custom made for the swap. I know I am getting off the IFS issue but my point is that Maybe...just maybe...if they knew there was a Serious majority of KJ owners that had MONEY to spend.... well anyway, you all know how it works.... these companies go after what they perceive (and based upon research) to be where the money is. They can't spend a ton of $$ on R&D and end up w/ only a handful of sales. They are still not seeing the numbers of KJ's that they want/need at the off road events, etc. to feel comfortable that they can make money on their products w/ our market.

blah, blah, blah,,, anyhow, Hopefully somebody will build a kickbutt IFS setup so I can keep my wifes KJ IFS while my KJ goes SFA. i won't be holding my breath though.

KJNick · **Joined:** Mon Jul 11, 2005 12:00 pm **Posts:** 56

jason thompson wrote:

why would they spend the time and money for that few rigs?

Isn't most of the engineering legwork already done from the lift made for the Libertor? Doesn't seem like it would take that much more effort to finish it for a production gas powered Liberty. Maybe I should contact Superlift and contract with them to finish the engineering!

Also, when the second generation Liberty goes in to production, I bet you will see more of them on the trail. Or, if SOMEONE :evil:

would make a higher lift, I bet you would see more on the trail. Kind of like the old chicken & the egg problem.

Lee

jerbacher · **Posted:** Thu Jul 26, 2007 3:42 pm

have you guys been following the Al's 6" lift thread recently? Its on the same site as this thread for goodness sake!! The lift is apparently almost done, complete with a recent picture of the test vehicle...

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