Liberty Lift Problems

jeepmanCRD · **Posted:** Fri Jun 02, 2006 7:56 am

I put a 3" suspension on my liberty ,and it rides like a tank.

The front suspension seems to "bind up" when going over bumps and so on, theres the sound of metal on metal and lots of "banging " noises :shock:

. The kit consisted of taller springs and shocks out back and strut spacers up front. The front end is very soft. I was wondering if anybody else has had this problem ? I am thinking may both my front struts are shot, although i am doubtful. (06 CRD, with 13000 ish miles)

Parky · **Posted:** Fri Jun 02, 2006 9:18 am

I only went with a 2.5" Lift. Before I bought mine, I had read several places that 2.5" was the max. If you went with three the half shafts up front were not long enough and the would bind and pretty much destroy themselves. That may be the reason for all of the noise up front.

0311_DoC · **Posted:** Fri Jun 02, 2006 9:48 am

Well what kind of lift are you using? and It says in your sig, you have 20" wheels :shock:

what size tires are you using?

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Fri Jun 02, 2006 10:21 am

It would help to know which lift you are running.

jeepmanCRD · **Posted:** Fri Jun 02, 2006 1:33 pm

Lift is a rough country...pic is below....

[img][img]http://img469.imageshack.us/img469/4623/811b2qv.th.jpg[/img][/img]

Guest · **Posted:** Fri Jun 02, 2006 1:45 pm

Here is his original post in the KJ picture section for more analysis. I remember his rig because it was so unique, and in my opinion, very cool looking with the large wheels.

http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/vie ... 16&start=0

I don't have any experience with that installed lift, but it looks like its only a single 3" billet spacer up front over the top of the struts which can be very bad for the front suspension.

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Fri Jun 02, 2006 2:13 pm

I have no experience with this - but I found this link in Troy's toy's

http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=3255&highlight=

jg45 · **Posted:** Fri Jun 02, 2006 2:44 pm

I have the same lift installed on mine. Be sure that the bolts on the spacers are tight and also recheck the torque on the clevis bolts. Mine was making all kinds of noise and I tracked it down to the upper Clevis bolt on the drivers side. There will be some contact between the upper control arm and the strut spacer at full droop. I also think that the spring may bind or the strut tops out at full compression. The lift is basically a uber-clevis lift. The strut piston stays in the same relative position inside the strut as stock, but the control arms are pushed down. Therefore, I am guessing that under compression, the strut piston reaches the top of the strut tube before the upper control arm contacts the bumpstop.

dynokj007 · **Joined:** Mon Aug 01, 2005 9:12 pm **Posts:** 43

i wish i knew you were getting this. I would have told you to stay away from this lift kit. I spent over 4000 dollars and it we could never get it to align, not to mention it blew out the front shocks, stripped out the bolts for the suspension, wore out the inner rubber seals on the CV boots, the CV boots were at such a sever angle that the mechanic said if i had it on there any longer i would have had to replace the CV joints, very expensive.

I had to get my attorney involved since Rough Country didnt want to help me out or be nice about it, and on top of it all, they said this is one of the best kits out there and they are flying off the shelf. We finally settled on him giving a full refund for the lift kit, paying for the removal and re-aligning the car for the 10th time.

Never again rough country, there have been others who have had problems and if you do a search on rough country i am sure you will see it.

Oh i too had all those noises you mentioned, not to mention that they are still around today.

good luck
Vinni

jg45 · **Posted:** Fri Jun 02, 2006 5:54 pm

I should add that the alignment would probably be a problem with any lift of similar height due to the upper control arms length. I have replaced mine with Al's and the alignment is perfect now. My struts haven't blown yet, but I don't get off road too often. I was very impressed with the performance of the lift at the Jeep Jam I went to in Land Between the Lakes. I purchased the lift and installed it in August of last year. I compared the CV angles to the angles of another Liberty with a Frankenlift and mine were the same or better, but certainly not worse. In fact he sat just a little higher in front, but I had more height in the rear. I actually got a full 3 inches of lift in the rear, so the stock rake angle remained the same instead of leveling off.

jeepmanCRD · **Posted:** Sat Jun 03, 2006 9:15 am

Well thanks for the input, alignment was no problem, but all those strange noises are really bothering me, i may remove it, i am gonna wait and see what happens, but if i remove the lift lll have to lose the dubs

. I am hoping theres gonna be a 3" lift out soon, for a reasonable price. Or i may spend the cash and go with an AIR BAG system, as soon as i can find one available.

jeepkj02 · **Posted:** Sat Jun 03, 2006 9:54 am

Just drop down to a 2.5" lift, you be fine. I think the Frankenlift give you more than 2.5" lift without CV axle trouble, see if you can get a refund from Rough Country...

BTW...100 posts, I am offically a LOST KJ Junkie..WHOO

Liberty Lift Problems

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