Spacer Lift Question from the African bundu

Bundu Boy · **Joined:** Wed Feb 27, 2008 1:31 pm **Posts:** 35

Howdy All

Greetings from sunny South Africa

Thought I'd use the power of the internet to circumnavigate the globe and to join you here on LOST, all the way from the African bundu!

2005 V6 KJ Ltd is my Bundu-Basher, and I love her.... but she is not without her tantrum moments :shock:

The main of which for me at the moment is clearance, which was audibly apparent on a recent Sunday hitting a local trail....

Hence I'm gonna get her a boob job and lift things up a little. :wink:

I've got the option here in SA of spacers, coils and shocks(ProComp spacers, Ironman, OME) and am busy debating which avenue to go down.

What I need more info on is the combination of a spacer/shock combo. My thinking is that the spacers will lift the chassis and will bring the std shocks closer to their over-extension points. So when offroading the chance is much greater of ruining the shock prematurely. So I'm leaning along the lines of getting the spacers and shock done at the same time.

Would the stock springs on spacers, along with new shocks be suitable :?:

I'd love to get the whole shebang but parts are costly down here, an OME suspension kit for the KJ is about $1400.00. I'd be upgrading in stages as the$$$(or down here RRR) come in.... :wink:

Also what are the thoughts on a spacer only lift?

Thanks all
Dankie Julle
Ngiyabonga

Dje Ryu · **Posted:** Thu Feb 28, 2008 10:14 am

As long as it's not an Over The Top strut spacer, it should work alright.

dloc_jeep_KJ · **Posted:** Thu Feb 28, 2008 10:28 am

i wish i had a KJ from where u live thats for sure (D44). anyways yeah get a good spacer lift like Daystar thats not and OTT lift (Rusty's; RRO) and u will be fine. get new shocks when u lift it as well. Rancho's (RSX 17004s) are good shocks and might be cheaper for u although im not sure becasue of where u live. LOST is a great place to get the info u need on your jeep. you might want to think about getting bigger tires(31" 245/75/16s) after u get your lift. this will also give u more clearance.

Bundu Boy · **Joined:** Wed Feb 27, 2008 1:31 pm **Posts:** 35

Howzit guys

I'm in Johannesburg, South Africa so parts are not as readily available down here. Good terrain around these parts to have some fun:twisted:

I can get hold of a set of 2" ProComp spacers installed for $400.

Anyone have any experience of this brand?

Hey dloc, D44, is that the Dana 44 your talking about. If you are I thought the KJ had a Chrysler 8.25"? If you're not, then no worries :lol:

I also read on this forum that OTT is not too popular, what is this OTT?

dloc_jeep_KJ · **Posted:** Thu Feb 28, 2008 11:26 am

Bundu Boy wrote:

Howzit guys

I'm in Johannesburg, South Africa so parts are not as readily available down here. Good terrain around these parts to have some fun:twisted:

I can get hold of a set of 2" ProComp spacers installed for $400.

Anyone have any experience of this brand?

Hey dloc, D44, is that the Dana 44 your talking about. If you are I thought the KJ had a Chrysler 8.25"? If you're not, then no worries :lol:

I also read on this forum that OTT is not too popular, what is this OTT?

yeah i know that US kjs have crysler 8.25s but i though i read somewhere that the South African KJs had the Dana 44. i could be wrong though and if so im sorry.
as far as ProComp goes it prety good stuff. i dont know about their KJ parts but i know there Land Rover stuff is nice and rides really good.

dloc_jeep_KJ · **Posted:** Thu Feb 28, 2008 11:28 am

here is a link where Troy was talking about them but ive read it somewhere else as well. you might have something really special :idea:

http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/vie ... hp?t=29930

Cobalt-60 · **Posted:** Thu Feb 28, 2008 11:29 am

Howzit!!!

Welcum, I spent a little time wheeling in the Drakensburg, KZN, Swaziland and Mpumalanga is late '02. I know I would LOVE to go back!!!

OTT is an "Over-The-Top" type spacer lift as opposed to the suspension or spring lift.

There are those that say if you have to get a spacer lift then go with the Daystar. I would say save the money and buy the suspension lift.

Yes, the D44 is the Dana 44. I don't know but I guess that dloc was saying that outside N.A. the "Cherokee" might have gotten a D44 rear as opposed to the Corporate 8.25" If so, I agree with him.

:wink:

Bundu Boy · **Joined:** Wed Feb 27, 2008 1:31 pm **Posts:** 35

Shew

How do you tell what diff you have? and what makes the Dana44 seem popular?

I thought it would be the same from Liberty to Cherokee to Liberty. I may be mistaken there dloc, so it may be my bad :oops:

InCommando · **Posted:** Thu Feb 28, 2008 12:36 pm

The Dana 44 is considered "stronger" and is in wider use then the 8.25 world-wide. There are also many more locker & gear ratio options for the Dana 44. If I remember correctly (IIRC), the D44 has slightly larger axle diameter, is 30 spline instead of 29, and has a whopping .25 inch larger ring gear.

I know that not all "export" KJ's get the 8.25. I guy I talk to on another board is in England and his has the 8.25, as well.

KJ04 · **Posted:** Thu Feb 28, 2008 1:03 pm

Bundu Boy wrote:

Shew

How do you tell what diff you have? and what makes the Dana44 seem popular?

I thought it would be the same from Liberty to Cherokee to Liberty. I may be mistaken there dloc, so it may be my bad :oops:

Should be a tag on the rear axle, crawl under and look.

tommudd · **Posted:** Thu Feb 28, 2008 1:49 pm

Welcome to LOST Bundu Boy!!
Of course the OME lift or Ironman would be the best but I realize price is high there. The OTT style of lift puts a 2.5 inch spacer between the top of the strut and the body of the KJ, IF you use a set of good extended bump stops on the front you may get by with it for a while, maybe.
Daystar, if available, with a good set of extended lenghth rear shocks would be good second choice.

off topic I will be coming to Tanzania for a month this fall. My wife is from there , raised looking up at Mount Kilimanjaro. We plan to travel to some bordering countries while we are there and also start building our vacation home, so may have to look you up ! only be a thousand or so miles from you. :wink:

We used to have someone on here all the time from your area who also had a KJ. havent heard from him in a while.

Welcome again
Tom

Bundu Boy · **Joined:** Wed Feb 27, 2008 1:31 pm **Posts:** 35

Cool

It's almost 8pm here and dark but I'll get under there and check on the morrow.

Would the diffs on the front and the back be the same?

tommudd · **Posted:** Thu Feb 28, 2008 2:01 pm

Rear is the only one that will be different, either 8.25 or the 44 all fronts are the same 30A's, also shold be a green tag right side near the wheel will tell you if you have an open diff or factory locker

knew it would be almost dark there my cell phone is set for both our time and yours so when I call my in laws I dont wake them :lol:

Bundu Boy · **Joined:** Wed Feb 27, 2008 1:31 pm **Posts:** 35

Kickass

Great to see that there is some African representation here :wink:

Anyone else visited the rainbow nation?

BTW - Tom, what kind of lift did you get with your suspension? Also what size tyres do guys/gals reckon are max with a 2" spacer lift, I'm looking seriously at 235/75/16 Yokohama Geolander AT-S... :?:

(My missus has them on her Tucson and she is very happy with them)

tommudd · **Posted:** Thu Feb 28, 2008 2:32 pm

with the 2 inch and a small clevis should be able to get 245-75X16s under there. I have about 2.5 to 2.75 I would guess with my setup

Cobalt-60 · **Posted:** Thu Feb 28, 2008 2:32 pm

tommudd wrote:

Rear is the only one that will be different, either 8.25 or the 44 all fronts are the same 30A's, also shold be a green tag right side near the wheel will tell you if you have an open diff or factory locker

knew it would be almost dark there my cell phone is set for both our time and yours so when I call my in laws I dont wake them :lol:

I'd take Tom at his word, but I have not been able to find any reference to "export" KJs coming with a 44. I know that there were some '02s that came with the 35c instead of the 8.25" (which always seemed strange to me since the late model XJs and WJs came with 8.25" rear axles).

I'd love to see one of those with a 44 to see what it looked like!!!

03CDKJ · **Posted:** Thu Feb 28, 2008 4:02 pm

Bundu Boy wrote:

Kickass

Great to see that there is some African representation here :wink:

Anyone else visited the rainbow nation?

BTW - Tom, what kind of lift did you get with your suspension? Also what size tyres do guys/gals reckon are max with a 2" spacer lift, I'm looking seriously at 235/75/16 Yokohama Geolander AT-S... :?:

(My missus has them on her Tucson and she is very happy with them)

YEBO BABA!!!!
I lived in S.Africa for 2 months.. I studied at Witts...Cultural Anthropology.... Spent some time in Soweto, Durban, Swaziland, Cape Town, Basically All of S.A. I "Accidently" missed my flight back to the states when my group was leaving so I could stay longer... Had to claim residency a few times... OOPS! :twisted:

Best time of my life!

Bundu Boy · **Joined:** Wed Feb 27, 2008 1:31 pm **Posts:** 35

Sawubona cdiekhans

Glad you liked our beautiful country, got some awesome 4x4 spots round here.

I'm gonna check today to see what diff is lurking under my Cherokee, I'll get some pics and see if I can post them later :wink:

Bundu Boy · **Joined:** Wed Feb 27, 2008 1:31 pm **Posts:** 35

Here is a picture of that diff, I did not get the chance to go deep under cause we just had a traditional hot afternoon thundershower!!

Dana44 or Chrysler 8.25 :?:

tonycrd · **Posted:** Fri Feb 29, 2008 10:05 am

That looks the same as my 8.25?

Look for a sticker on the left or right side:

Spacer Lift Question from the African bundu

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