Rock Krawler Lift Kit?

KJSurfer · **Joined:** Sun Jul 25, 2010 5:24 pm **Posts:** 6

So I am new to the MODS side of my jeep experience, and I don't know a whole lot about cars in general, but I am learning. I have been reading a lot about the lift kits that are available, but I have seen a new kit by Rock Krawler that incorporates new struts for the front and spacers for the rear. Does anyone have an opinion on this kit, and would you still recommend replacing springs and shocks? I assume so since you will have it all apart anyways. I have about 105K miles on mine and know for a fact that suspension hasn't been touch in around 50K. Or maybe this is just like the other kits out there and I should just spend the extra few hundred dollars and replace the entire suspension. This is my daily driver and I don't go off road too often. I am trying to put some tires (31x10.5x15) on that were given to me. I have already purchased the rims that I need and now this is the only other step that I have. Please give me your suggestions on whether I should try this kit, and if so do I replace the coils and shocks, or just spend $600-700 and get a more extensive kit?

KJSurfer · **Joined:** Sun Jul 25, 2010 5:24 pm **Posts:** 6

I am also thinking about the Rockfather Kit, any opinions?

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Sun Jul 25, 2010 6:55 pm

i would go with a full coil replacement, no spacers, since it's your DD, check out bds, JBA or OME

the rear is very easy, and can be done with common hand tools a jack and jackstands in a matter of an hour or three by someone with little experience , the front, is a bit more difficult but you could save at least part of the labor by doing the rear yourself

the front is do-able but will take a shade tree or less a bit more time and care but it can be done, dont be scared of it

I think they're are quite a few posts of long winded opinions of the rockfather and rock krawler kits on the board, which will probably lead you back to my first statement but everyone has a preference

KJSurfer · **Joined:** Sun Jul 25, 2010 5:24 pm **Posts:** 6

I really appreciate the help. I know that there are a lot of posts on here about all of this stuff, but it kinda helps when you get a up to date opinion from someone about your particular situation. I am leaning towards the JBA Kit, but am also considering the BDS Kit. are there any pros or cons that you know of for either? I can't find a whole lot of discussion on the BDS.

http://jeepinbyal.com/prod-2_5__Lift_Sp ... _KJ-9.aspx - this is the JBA Kit I was thinking about can anyone compare this to the BDS system for me?

If there is not a whole lot of difference, I may just try to save the few hundred dollars seeing as I don't go off road all that much and when I do it is nothing very extreme.

Thanks for all of the input

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Mon Jul 26, 2010 8:57 pm

only one question or suggestion

do you plan to go with a steel rear bumper or carry over 250lbs of rear cargo as a standard loadout, ie: tools etc then go with the BDS rear coils, otherwise, you wont experience any issues with using JBA25's

the jba25 kit is very nice for someone who doesn't plan to use steel bumpers

the bds kit is just fine for no steel too, however the rear coils bds uses will stand up to a steel bumper better than the JBA25's

basically, you want a softer ride, go jba, you prefer stiffer go bds

can't really argue with either, they're both great coils

but i'd go with nitro shocks either way

Combat Truck Monkey · **Posted:** Mon Jul 26, 2010 9:16 pm

KJSurfer wrote:

I really appreciate the help. I know that there are a lot of posts on here about all of this stuff, but it kinda helps when you get a up to date opinion from someone about your particular situation. I am leaning towards the JBA Kit, but am also considering the BDS Kit. are there any pros or cons that you know of for either? I can't find a whole lot of discussion on the BDS.

http://jeepinbyal.com/prod-2_5__Lift_Sp ... _KJ-9.aspx - this is the JBA Kit I was thinking about can anyone compare this to the BDS system for me?

If there is not a whole lot of difference, I may just try to save the few hundred dollars seeing as I don't go off road all that much and when I do it is nothing very extreme.

Thanks for all of the input

That is actually a Skyjacker lift kit sold by JBA. I was recommended by several folks not to buy that kit due to the fact the front springs are the same spring rate as the stock Libby springs (IE: having a tendency to premature failure. Marlin himself at JBA also warned me about strut seal issues with that kit too). The common consensus around here is to go with Old Man Emu (OME) springs and Rancho shocks/struts (there are a couple other popular brands that escape me at this time). You can get a good lift for easily under a $1000 if you shop around. The trick with the OME springs is to get the right "duty-weight" depending on what you plan on doing with your Jeep.

You're going to get a lot of advice about spending the money to do it right the first time. There have been quite a few posts/threads about people buying a different lift after a while to "fix" issues with a cheap lift... But, there have been people buy a Daystar spacer lift and have many happy miles on it! Who knows. I just did a lot of research on this forum before recently doing my lift, and there is a TON of info if you're willing to do a little digging.

KJSurfer · **Joined:** Sun Jul 25, 2010 5:24 pm **Posts:** 6

Yeah, I have been on this thing for about two days straight trying to figure out how is the most cost effective but long lasting way to build my lift. I don't have a problem spending a little money, but $1000 is the absolute highest in my price range (for now). I have only seen the OME Kits for around $750 and those are only 1.5" I know that you can do Clevis lifts, and OTTs, but are there any OME kits that are sold as 2.5", and if so how much? If not what are the components that I would need to buy, and where do I buy them? I know a little about the OME springs with Light, Medium, and Heavy, but I just don't know where the best place is to buy all of the stuff separately. I am going to leave the UCA and LCAs alone for now. As long as there is no knocking when I get done. As I said before I am trying to clear some 31x10.5x15 tires and 2.5" might not even be enough so I KNOW that 1.5" is definitely not enough.

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Mon Jul 26, 2010 11:30 pm

oops i forgot to mention what ctm said

jba25 rear coils are just fine btw

front coils, eh. i use OMEHD's in the front JBA25R's in the rear

Combat Truck Monkey · **Posted:** Mon Jul 26, 2010 11:44 pm

JeepinJarhead's on the money. I also have the JBA Skyjacker coils and shocks on the rear of my lift (JBA Adjust-A-Struts on the fron though). For $1000, you should have NO problem getting a good lift. In fact, I've been hearing about folks getting Racho lifts for just over $600.

jeep4life7 · **Posted:** Tue Jul 27, 2010 12:05 am

KJSurfer wrote:

I am also thinking about the Rockfather Kit, any opinions?

he is talking about the rock kralwer different lift

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Tue Jul 27, 2010 12:07 am

i lost the list that tom and the rest of us put together on coil rates but it's around somewhere

and it basically came out to be that bds had the stiffest rear coils, jba shortly behind and only about 30ish over the OME MD rear coils (no hds for rear)

with my rear bumper plus my static rear cargo, the jba coils are too light, and i'm fairly certain the bds would be as well

however, ome hd front coils at 3 conduit nuts in the clevis, and jba25r's with 3 total top isos (2 extra + stock) terraflex extended front bump stops in the front, hocky pucks in the rear, and ranch rsx shocks, it rides as good as any vehicle i've ever owned both before and after steel bumpers

i put my lift together as it sits right now, with no steel bumpers, got it aligned the next morning and it's been like that since, and with 2 steel bumpers added it's still pretty level and I don't feel i need to do anything to it (other than eventually get custom rear coils)

ome927s + jba25r's or front and rear ome's or bds front/rear , ya can't really go wrong, the choices you're looking at are exactly in the right direction and I wouldn't expect to hear you complain later, I sure haven't, i've put ~ 45k on mine, ~ 30k with steel rear ~ 15k steel front / rear and ~30k with jba uca's and lovin the pieces outta it

KJSurfer · **Joined:** Sun Jul 25, 2010 5:24 pm **Posts:** 6

I think that I have decided to go with the OME Lift Kit. I was trying to get something done sooner and spend a little less, but I think that I am just going to wait a couple months and save up the money. Maybe my $8000 tax credit will have come back by then.

Then I can talk the wife in to letting me buy some more cool MODS :lol:

(yeah right). I figure if I buy anything else I will just have to modify it later to get what I want out of it. With the OME lift all I will have to do is add a 3 spacer clevis lift. How do you do the isos in the rear? I can't find any pictures on it, and what about the hokey puck. I saw that on the FAQ page, but didn't see where the put was? Give me some help on that one. Oh yeah, and with the OME kit I don't need bumper stoppers right? Or I do if I am adding a clevis lift? Will I still need to extend the brake lines though on any lift? It seems easy enough I will probably just go ahead and do it.

Combat Truck Monkey · **Posted:** Tue Jul 27, 2010 1:51 pm

OK, couldn't find a thread on hockey puck bumpstops on LOST, but heres the linky to the one on KJ Country:

http://www.jeepkj.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43989

KJSurfer · **Joined:** Sun Jul 25, 2010 5:24 pm **Posts:** 6

Thanks, That is a perfect post for how to install the pucks. Thanks a lot.

Rock Krawler Lift Kit?

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