Well I just recently traded in my Tahoe for a 2002 KJ. I've been very impressed with it on the mountain trails so far, though I've been giving my front skid plate hell on the rocks. ( oh well that's what its for right?) The thing is that I just found my first big mud hole to try out the KJ in. It didn't look like much, so I don't even think to put it in 4WD before I plowed through it. Well that's exactly what my front skid plated did. It acted as a plow at first and I came to slow but firm stop in the mud. I tried my darndest to reverse and go forward as much as I could before it was effectively high centered.':?'

(that's me after I tried digging myself out with this STOP sign I, uh, "found")


I was slightly disappointed since this was something I could have parked in two wheel drive with my "HOE" and tore right on through.(It has twice the clearance) Well getting on to the purpose of this post, I decided that I need to lift my little JEEP up a bit. I've read into it and it seems to be that I can only lift it 2.5 inches. OK fine. I've also read that the Frankenlift II Premium is the "Holy Grail" of lifts to put on. OK great, I don't have to guess. The main question I have is concerning CV angles. Right now mine seem to be at a slight negative angle. What I mean is that the part of the shaft coming from the diff side is lower than the part of the shaft going into the wheel. Not by much mind you maybe an 1/8 of an inch. They almost look straight unless you lay on your belly and really examine them. I've read a couple posts with people snapping CV's possibly because of the HD coils on the Frankenlift creating to much of a CV angle. I've just contacted All J Products to order one. I would like to get some feedback as to whether it is safe for my KJ's CV shafts, or am I OK since my current angles are not... well theres no real angle to them.

you should be fine, or if you wanted a cheap way you can get OME HD coils and Ranchos all around for about $650 shipped and do a small clevis and an eatra rear iso, thats what I did and Im sitting about a 1/4 less than a Frankenlift

_________________
1980 Jeep CJ7 Buggy
SOA, D44/ FF14B, SBC 350, SM465, NP205, 108" WB, 37" MTs

http://www.dpgoffroad.com/
http://www.ucora.org/
http://www.christianoffroad.com/
http://jeepinbyal.com/

Who did you get your rear iso's from?

dealership, I think i paid somewhere around $16 each and there is a website that has them for $9.95 each but you dont save that much usually if any b/c of shipping

_________________
1980 Jeep CJ7 Buggy
SOA, D44/ FF14B, SBC 350, SM465, NP205, 108" WB, 37" MTs

http://www.dpgoffroad.com/
http://www.ucora.org/
http://www.christianoffroad.com/
http://jeepinbyal.com/

By the looks of your picture, I've got two comments. First, it looks like you have the stock tires or A/T's at best. They aren't very good in the mud. Second, you couldn't have been digging very hard because your shorts are still white

_________________
The beauty of a 4x4 is that you can get stuck at inaccessible places
=================================

2003 Liberty Sport
Blue w/ Gray trim
3.7L 5 Speed Manual
235/70/16 BFG MT's
65w Phillips fog light mod
AmsOil fluids end to end
SkidRow Front armor
Standard Frankenlift I & Al's U A-arms

Trailman,

I wouldn't worry too much about the CV angles. Sure the lift will cause them to wear prematurely, but you'll still likely get a ton of miles and a lot of wheeling before you have any real issues. You'll go through a lot more upper A-arms/balljoints and lower ball joints by then - trust me. In five years with 2.5" of lift and a great deal of abuse I've had my CV's re-built once, and now I have a new set of EMPI's complete CV's/shafts in. The price of new shafts is finally becoming reasonable. It used to be that an OEM passenger shaft was $1100 from the dealer. Now an aftermarket one is less than $200. Re-builds will run you only a bit more.

My dos centavos...

TL

_________________
95 YJ 2.5" RE lift and 32's, Posi-Lock, 4.10's with a Tru-Trac up front, M8000 winch, CB, gear and what have you...
RIP: 02 KJ LE

41K miles and I haven't broken many things yet. Here's a list of "major" service done to my KJ by the dealer:

1. Recall on the LBJ

2. Replaced one set of upper A arms (worn ball joint)

3. Replaced one set of steering rack bushings

OK, so my current rack bushings are shot and the steering rack will need to be replaced but other than that, no major breakage really, knock on particleboard. I did trails in CA and Moab with the setup (Frankenfranken lift and factory skids), no real complaints so far

_________________
DIRTY KJ :: flickr photostream
"Primitive life is very common and intelligent life is fairly rare ... some would say it has yet to occur on Earth" --- Stephen Hawking

Well even if they were slick 50's they would have went through the hole if I wouldn't have bottomed out. My shorts are white in the picture because they took the pic before I had gotten down on all fours and started digging with my hands. Sure if I wanted to go swimming I probably could have dug myself out in 3 or 4 hours at best. I decided instead to call my buddy with his old International Scout. He walked it right through and pulled me out with his wench. Thanks for the replies guys, I appreciate it.

Get some MTR's after the lift.

Did you put the stop sign back in place cuz I would hate to have caused an accident as a result of it missing.

_________________
[_|_, [""""""]
l--- L---ollllllo-
( )_)-( )_)-o-)_) Liberator

....o_o_o_o
../| ,[_____],
|¯¯¯L--↨|||||||↨
()_)¯ ()_) ¯¯¯ )_)

(\__/)
(='.'=) <]{
(")_(")

( . )( . )

Hare on my Chest

Save your $$$$ and get a Franki Lift, MTR,s and you will be good to go

_________________
“You cannot solve a problem from the same consciousness that created it."

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.”

Yeah I stuck it back in its hole, but I don't think the road really needed one. It's way out in BFE, and if you're coming from the road to see the stop sign, you already know to stop.

I think that's the route I'm going to take. As for as saving money...that's what I have a credit card for.':twisted:'
I can always pay it off, come income tax time.

if your really wanting to save your money you could just get the OME HD and a clevis and sit at the same height as a Frankenlift

_________________
1980 Jeep CJ7 Buggy
SOA, D44/ FF14B, SBC 350, SM465, NP205, 108" WB, 37" MTs

http://www.dpgoffroad.com/
http://www.ucora.org/
http://www.christianoffroad.com/
http://jeepinbyal.com/

you could, but in some cases you get what you pay for

_________________
“You cannot solve a problem from the same consciousness that created it."

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.”

MT/R's blow goats in the mud.

It is way too early for that mental image.

_________________
2006 KJ Sport, Dark Khaki, 3.7 Litre
NSG370 6 Speed Manual Transmission | NP241J Command Trac HD Part Time 4wd | 3.55s | 245/70R16 Firestone Destination A/Ts | Mopar Tow Hooks & Skids | Powerslot Brake Rotors | ARB Rear Differential Cover

I though about it, but I really want those ome shocks and struts. Like everyone says, "you get what you pay for."

Well at least the goats will be preoccupied while you dig yourself out.

you can still buy and use OME shocks and struts, and Rancho is equally as good I would actually go with Rancho over OME just bc they havea lifetime warrenty

_________________
1980 Jeep CJ7 Buggy
SOA, D44/ FF14B, SBC 350, SM465, NP205, 108" WB, 37" MTs

http://www.dpgoffroad.com/
http://www.ucora.org/
http://www.christianoffroad.com/
http://jeepinbyal.com/

you can still have OME shocks and springs and not buy a Frankenlift What the heck is everyone talking about?? You dont need to buy the Frankenlift to have them , plus after all the miles I have on my setup I would not have the OME shocks

_________________
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