KJ Lift for someone who has never worked on cars before

ColoradoKid · **Joined:** Tue Oct 25, 2011 2:19 pm **Posts:** 13

Hey guys, first off let me apologize for being the kind of scum that just hops on a forum and starts asking basic questions, but I'm stumped here. I'll try to make this quick;

EDIT:
I realize this may be answered in the lift FAQ sticky thread, so I'm readin through it...

I'm shopping for a Liberty, preferably 2002-2005. When I find the right one, I plan on doing some tuning up to get used to the inner workings of the truck, then get some decent tires and eventually put a lift in. Oh, I also plan on sticking some skid plates down there ASAP before I so anything too serious

I live in Colorado so I need something to handle the weather as well as my weekly excursions into the hills. I don't want to go overboard since it will be my daily driver as well on a fairly long commute. My problem is that I have never done any significant work on cars before and don't have much space or equipment to do so. Therefore, when I put a lift in, I want to make sure it is done right and get it properly balanced and such. Would you suggest getting the lift done at a shop that knows what they're doing, or do it myself and learn as I go, and get it properly balanced by a shop? I'm trying to research but I'm slow at figuring this out, I suppose I might have to talk to someone who knows what they're doing when I find a shop...

Also, bonus question, would a 2.5" kit give me some decent flex for the rough stuff but still be low enough for fairly smooth road handling?

I know this stuff has probably been answered countless times- I've been reading a ton of info on everything. It's a tad overwhelming coming from someone with no experience whatsoever, so I'm just trying to scrape together enough knowledge that I can actually understand all the stuff I'm reading :shock:

Thanks for any help guys, keep doin' whatcha do, I'm lovin the KJs I've seen on here

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Oct 25, 2011 4:43 pm

First welcome to LOST
second you live in a good area that has several members on here
third I say read a lot of the info on here , come up with a plan and ask questions
But basically you have a couple of options a Frankenlift which is already put together and ready to install
or
buy the individual shocks/ springs and have it doen at a shop or by yourself if you want to learn.
Only buy OME springs just from experience that work, period
OME shocks or bilsteins both do good as well
2.5 inches is what most go for and can be done for a reasonable amount of cash
But do some reading
we're here to help ya!

and yes we do hate people asking questions on the first post :goink:

Tom

ColoradoKid · **Joined:** Tue Oct 25, 2011 2:19 pm **Posts:** 13

Thanks Tom, I appreciate it. Again, I'm sorry but I'll try not to be too bothersome during my stay here

And that's great, I was hoping to hear there's a few members in Colorado. It would be nice if there was someone in my area that could give me advice when I get started, and I was planning on going on a few rides with some clubs to get used to it and learn a bit (once I'm all set and ready to take whatever libby I buy offroad)

I've been looking at the Frankenlift as well as the OME stuff, my only problem is that I have no idea what each individual part is for, which is why I'll probably have a shop do the work 'til I have a better understanding of everything. But after I do a little tune up I'll install some skid plates since that looks like something I can do with some persistance and a wrench.

My real concern with any mods I do is still being able to use it as my DD, I know that you can make a good crawler out of a liberty but keeping it road worthy is another thing... I guess I'm looking for a good middle ground

Basically in my head, I see myself with a libby, lifted a bit with decent tires (not sure about the wheels yet, I don't know what the stock ones are like), a bull bar/winch, and skids. Nothing too over the top, but I hear that once you start modifying a Jeep you can never stop :lol:

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Oct 25, 2011 7:09 pm

They can be lifted and still be a great DD.
Actually ride and handle better lifted
Mines been lifted for about 143,000 miles now and still going strong ( have over 163,000 on it)
I think you'll find most everyone on here DDs theirs , look up tjkj2002s he DDs his and its been through the whole SFA etc
Here's my DD :wink:

brettacuff · **Posted:** Tue Oct 25, 2011 8:56 pm

Welcome to the forum.

I just bought a Frankenlift II from all J products back in July that is being installed by a very generous LOST member this weekend. Surprisingly a 3.5" lift with 245 75 r16s translated into $2300 rather quickly. So don't be expecting a cheap build. My lift & tires have accounted for approximately 25% of total cost.

My KJ is not my daily (I have a Ranger for that) but it very well could be. If I were you I'd have a shop do the lift, so you have someone to yell at if it's not done perfectly. And don't forget that your tires will decrease your fuel economy.

Good luck! Go Broncos!

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Oct 25, 2011 9:10 pm

2300??
I can do a lift for 750-800 plus 750 -800 for a set of Duratracs
What kind of tires are you getting? Oh yeah you got the Franky but still :shock:

brettacuff · **Posted:** Tue Oct 25, 2011 9:27 pm

$1200 franky. $1100 5 general grabber at2s installed and aligned

ColoradoKid · **Joined:** Tue Oct 25, 2011 2:19 pm **Posts:** 13

$2300 for the stuff AND the labor, or $2300 before labor costs? I'm having trouble trying to estimate how much the actual install would cost me; anyone have suggestions of a good place in CO to get it done? Or a general idea of install costs for a frankenlift?

As for wheels n tires, I don't know what the heck I'm gonna go for yet. I've got some research to do. Is it a sin to get a lift and keep the stock tires on for a while? Or do you absolutely have to buy bigger tires once it's lifted?

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Oct 25, 2011 10:16 pm

I've done 4 KJ lifts that the guys are still running 245-70-16s yet if you want pis of what they look like let me know

brettacuff · **Posted:** Tue Oct 25, 2011 10:40 pm

$2300 with the only labor cost from mounting/balancing/aligning tires. I was quoted $400 to get the lift installed but did not take the offer.

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Oct 25, 2011 10:50 pm

ColoradoKid wrote:

$2300 for the stuff AND the labor, or $2300 before labor costs? I'm having trouble trying to estimate how much the actual install would cost me; anyone have suggestions of a good place in CO to get it done? Or a general idea of install costs for a frankenlift?

As for wheels n tires, I don't know what the heck I'm gonna go for yet. I've got some research to do. Is it a sin to get a lift and keep the stock tires on for a while? Or do you absolutely have to buy bigger tires once it's lifted?

You can also do a lift for 750-800 bucks for parts

brettacuff · **Posted:** Tue Oct 25, 2011 11:21 pm

Now that^, my friend, is a bargain!

TAHOE · **Posted:** Wed Oct 26, 2011 8:53 am

brettacuff wrote:

..... I just bought a Frankenlift II from all J products back in July that is being installed by a very generous LOST member this weekend.

Sounds like a really cool dude :wink:

brettacuff wrote:

..... I was quoted $400 to get the lift installed but did not take the offer.

Guess I screwed myself :mrgreen:

That would be some good green for 2- 2,1/2 hours work.

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Oct 26, 2011 11:01 am

TAHOE wrote:

brettacuff wrote:

..... I just bought a Frankenlift II from all J products back in July that is being installed by a very generous LOST member this weekend.

Sounds like a really cool dude :wink:

brettacuff wrote:

..... I was quoted $400 to get the lift installed but did not take the offer.

Guess I screwed myself :mrgreen:

That would be some good green for 2- 2,1/2 hours work.

Thats what I think every now and again, take that times 20 and ............... :pepper:

ColoradoKid · **Joined:** Tue Oct 25, 2011 2:19 pm **Posts:** 13

tommudd wrote:

I've done 4 KJ lifts that the guys are still running 245-70-16s yet if you want pis of what they look like let me know

I'd like to see some pics for sure

Since I might buy wheels and tires before I get the lift done, I'd probably just keep 'em stock size. Would smaller tires allow for more flex anyways?

EDIT:
Oh wait, stock size is 235-70-16 eh? My bad.
Is there a 3 or 4 inch Frankenlift?

brettacuff · **Posted:** Wed Oct 26, 2011 5:35 pm

The Frankenlift II Baja kit that I got is said to be a 2.5" lift FROM STOCK. Depending on how bad your shocks have sagged over the years it could be up to 4" though (according to boulderbars.com). I'll let you know on Sunday how much it actually lifts mine (95,000 miles).

So buy a 02 KJ with 115,000 miles that has never had the shocks & struts replaced and you could be looking at 4" of lift :lol:

.

brettacuff · **Posted:** Wed Oct 26, 2011 5:37 pm

TAHOE wrote:

brettacuff wrote:

..... I just bought a Frankenlift II from all J products back in July that is being installed by a very generous LOST member this weekend.

Sounds like a really cool dude :wink:

brettacuff wrote:

..... I was quoted $400 to get the lift installed but did not take the offer.

Guess I screwed myself :mrgreen:

That would be some good green for 2- 2,1/2 hours work.

Yeah he's pretty cool. Remember, "It's easy to make a buck. It's a lot tougher to make a difference." ~Tom Brokaw

ColoradoKid · **Joined:** Tue Oct 25, 2011 2:19 pm **Posts:** 13

brettacuff wrote:

The Frankenlift II Baja kit that I got is said to be a 2.5" lift FROM STOCK. Depending on how bad your shocks have sagged over the years it could be up to 4" though (according to boulderbars.com). I'll let you know on Sunday how much it actually lifts mine (95,000 miles).

So buy a 02 KJ with 115,000 miles that has never had the shocks & struts replaced and you could be looking at 4" of lift :lol:

.

Wait, how does that work? I thought you completely replaced the stock struts with the frankenlift kit... So people who have a "4 inch" lift with the frankenlift install it with their stock parts, then?

infernicus · **Posted:** Wed Oct 26, 2011 7:47 pm

The stock factory springs sag pretty quickly, they say after 30k miles you've actually lost lift.
At ~58k when I put my lift in I was about an inch and change under stock.
Stock height is 19 inches from center of wheel to bottom of fender flare.

I put in the Frankenlift II with JBA A-Arms.

Here are a couple shots of my CVs:
BEFORE;

AFTER;
The night of lift install, before alignment

Around 10k miles after lift installed (Ignore the torn boot)

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Oct 26, 2011 8:03 pm

ColoradoKid wrote:

brettacuff wrote:

The Frankenlift II Baja kit that I got is said to be a 2.5" lift FROM STOCK. Depending on how bad your shocks have sagged over the years it could be up to 4" though (according to boulderbars.com). I'll let you know on Sunday how much it actually lifts mine (95,000 miles).

So buy a 02 KJ with 115,000 miles that has never had the shocks & struts replaced and you could be looking at 4" of lift :lol:

.

Wait, how does that work? I thought you completely replaced the stock struts with the frankenlift kit... So people who have a "4 inch" lift with the frankenlift install it with their stock parts, then?

What he was trying to say was if say you were at 18 inches, (an inch under new stock height) and you installed the Frankenlift or OME with extras and you ended up at say 22 inches then you got 4 inches of lift ( in a way) In reality you got 3 inches over new stock height . Most all lifts we do in my garage we sit them at 22.5 to 22.75 good height overall with no problems. So they have they have 3.5 -3.75 inches of lift over stock height.

KJ Lift for someone who has never worked on cars before

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