OME vs. Skyjacker

Adam · **Posted:** Wed Mar 05, 2014 5:10 pm

Sorry to post another lift question. I'm new and am tired of searching. I am looking at two different lifts for my 2012 Liberty. One is the Skyjacker 2.5-3in with shocks $832.99
http://www.quadratec.com/products/76117_805X_PG.htm
and the other is the OME 1.5" $885.40
http://jeepinbyal.com/affiliate-product ... it-kk.html

I am not new to offroading and have owned jeeps my whole life, but this will be my first lift. My biggest concerns are the differences between these two specific lifts. I have read the skyjacker shocks will be a little stiffer. Understood. What other factors should i be impacting this decision. Also will this lift last me without continuing upgrades. I will not continue to go higher after this lift. Lastly, will i need upper control arms for a lift this size?

lfhoward · **Posted:** Wed Mar 05, 2014 5:15 pm

95-99% of folks on here will tell you to go with OME components and NOT Skyjacker or any spacer style lift. Tommudd can verify this, but I believe the skyjacker springs have the same rate as stock and so will sag much more quickly than the higher quality OME springs. The OME kit will actually give you 2-2.5 inches of lift, even though it says 1.5 inches. OME and Ironman and JBA (Jeepin By Al) are the three best lift kits out there for the Liberty. They are higher quality components that will last you a long time. As long as you stay at or below 2-2.5 inches of lift, the stock upper control arms will work, but adding JBA upper control arms will improve the ride and make it easier for a shop to align your wheels properly, saving you on tire life. You don't have to get the UCA'S immediately, but many people who lift their Liberties do get them eventually. Let us know if you have any other questions.

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Mar 05, 2014 5:17 pm

Adam wrote:

Sorry to post another lift question. I'm new and am tired of searching. I am looking at two different lifts for my 2012 Liberty. One is the Skyjacker 2.5-3in with shocks $832.99
http://www.quadratec.com/products/76117_805X_PG.htm
and the other is the OME 1.5" $885.40
http://jeepinbyal.com/affiliate-product ... it-kk.html

I am not new to offroading and have owned jeeps my whole life, but this will be my first lift. My biggest concerns are the differences between these two specific lifts. I have read the skyjacker shocks will be a little stiffer. Understood. What other factors should i be impacting this decision. Also will this lift last me without continuing upgrades. I will not continue to go higher after this lift. Lastly, will i need upper control arms for a lift this size?

OME and Ironman both give over 2 inches of lift not 1.5, OME more like 2.5 Ironman 2.25
Now Skyjacker used to have a good lift for the KJs ( same front as the KKs ) but these days the spring rate is the same as stock so will sag a lot quicker than OME or Ironman
Check http://www.jeepinbyal.com as well for prices, OMEs just went up recently across the board
Stock spring rate 310 lb, OME 927s 400 lb

Bmxer524 · **Posted:** Wed Mar 05, 2014 5:38 pm

Basically they covered everything, are you looking for a specific height or just around 2.5" or so?

As far as a-arms they aren't need until you hit about 3" of lift but they never hurt. It's nice to have greasable ball joints lol. Also helps with spring contact and alignments.

Adam · **Posted:** Wed Mar 05, 2014 5:48 pm

Thank you lfhoward. That was exactly what I expected to hear, so you confirmed all my ideas. Something I don't understand is that the skyjacker lift I was looking at does not seem to be a spacer lift. I thought it was a full suspension lift like the others.

Adam · **Posted:** Wed Mar 05, 2014 5:51 pm

Lastly, when i go to the link to order the lift it wants to know which springs and shocks I want. Can you guys give me advice on the benefits of each and what the differences are. It will be used for a little bt of everything from sandy lake shores, to rocky back roads, to icy roads during snowboarding season.

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Mar 05, 2014 6:04 pm

Skyjacker is a full spring lift , just rated at stock

You'll want the OME 2927s and OME 2731 rear

Bmxer524 · **Posted:** Wed Mar 05, 2014 6:50 pm

Make sure you get the longer shocks as well

LKWJeeper · **Posted:** Thu Mar 06, 2014 10:12 am

I'm getting the skyjacker with the monotube shocks installed tomorrow. My KK was built in late 2008 as a 2009 model and I checked yesterday and I haven't sagged at all if any. So i'm not worried about the spring rate being the same as stock.

Adam · **Posted:** Fri Mar 07, 2014 12:42 pm

Does that kit come with everything I need, or do I need additional parts? I see taht a lot of people get bumpstops. Does it come with those and are they necessary?

rangerr47 · **Joined:** Thu Jan 10, 2013 3:03 pm **Posts:** 71

Honestly for only $50 I do not see any reason not to go for OME. Maybe and just maybe if it saved you like $200 I could see it, but for that close of a price, OME all day long.

Gageraid · **Posted:** Fri Mar 07, 2014 4:56 pm

rangerr47 wrote:

Honestly for only $50 I do not see any reason not to go for OME. Maybe and just maybe if it saved you like $200 I could see it, but for that close of a price, OME all day long.

x2. I still can't bash about a lift I don't know much about.
The best part about OME is that it has been tried and tried again and has proven to do exactly what it says.

LKWJeeper · **Posted:** Fri Mar 07, 2014 10:56 pm

Yes it came with bumpstops.

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priebe · **Joined:** Tue Jul 31, 2012 2:10 pm **Posts:** 1

I installed the Skyjacker and it sagged in the front. You better have whomever is doing the install put a set of 0.500” spacers (link below) on now so it will level back out after 1,000 miles. I even got the spring spacers and will probably put them in over the summer and double up the rear upper spring isolators. Adding all those spacers will most likely get us back to a standard OME. Overall, I am happy with the lift and performance with the Skyjacker Nitro shocks.

http://jeepinbyal.com/clevis-spacer-for-front-struts.html

tommudd · **Posted:** Thu Mar 13, 2014 6:13 pm

priebe wrote:

I installed the Skyjacker and it sagged in the front. You better have whomever is doing the install put a set of 0.500” spacers (link below) on now so it will level back out after 1,000 miles. I even got the spring spacers and will probably put them in over the summer and double up the rear upper spring isolators. Adding all those spacers will most likely get us back to a standard OME. Overall, I am happy with the lift and performance with the Skyjacker Nitro shocks.

http://jeepinbyal.com/clevis-spacer-for ... truts.html

Problem is with adding extra spacers is its a bandaid fix at best, the springs will start stacking since they are sagging like stock springs. Skyjackers are just like Rustys, short lived and you don't get the ride quality as you do with OME/ Ironman etc

LKWJeeper · **Posted:** Fri Mar 14, 2014 12:31 pm

Its funny that you say they have the same spring rate as stock. My KK was new on the dealer lot on 12/08. Since then till now my KK hadn't sagged at all and its been over five years. So how long am I supposed to wait for the sagging to occur? Right now i'm at 21'' exactly all the way around. The ride is perfect, stiffer than stock, but not rock hard. I'm sure after a few thousand miles it will soften a bit more.

I trust the shop that installed my lift, they aren't the cheapest in town but they do a good job. They don't just install anything you bring. They won't install certain brands like Rusty's and Rough Country as well as smittybuilt due to their cheapness. They as well as a three other shops recommended the Skyjacker lift with the monotube shocks.

Since my KK hadn't sagged at all in 5 years I'm really not worried about my new stiffer springs.

I just hope people don't decide against Skyjacker just because people spout off the same information over and over and over. It's one opinion, but ultimately the choice is yours on which way you want to go.

Cherrie 274 · **Posted:** Fri Mar 14, 2014 1:08 pm

LKWJeeper wrote:

Its funny that you say they have the same spring rate as stock. My KK was new on the dealer lot on 12/08. Since then till now my KK hadn't sagged at all and its been over five years. So how long am I supposed to wait for the sagging to occur? Right now i'm at 21'' exactly all the way around. The ride is perfect, stiffer than stock, but not rock hard. I'm sure after a few thousand miles it will soften a bit more.

I trust the shop that installed my lift, they aren't the cheapest in town but they do a good job. They don't just install anything you bring. They won't install certain brands like Rusty's and Rough Country as well as smittybuilt due to their cheapness. They as well as a three other shops recommended the Skyjacker lift with the monotube shocks.

Since my KK hadn't sagged at all in 5 years I'm really not worried about my new stiffer springs.

I just hope people don't decide against Skyjacker just because people spout off the same information over and over and over. It's one opinion, but ultimately the choice is yours on which way you want to go.

Totally agree with you. The point in "modding" is to make it different. Yet if you try xxy instead of xxx your doing it wrong. It's your money spend it were you actually get what you want.

MGRead · **Joined:** Mon Feb 18, 2013 1:17 pm **Posts:** 12

LKWJeeper wrote:

Its funny that you say they have the same spring rate as stock. My KK was new on the dealer lot on 12/08. Since then till now my KK hadn't sagged at all and its been over five years. So how long am I supposed to wait for the sagging to occur? Right now i'm at 21'' exactly all the way around. The ride is perfect, stiffer than stock, but not rock hard. I'm sure after a few thousand miles it will soften a bit more.

I trust the shop that installed my lift, they aren't the cheapest in town but they do a good job. They don't just install anything you bring. They won't install certain brands like Rusty's and Rough Country as well as smittybuilt due to their cheapness. They as well as a three other shops recommended the Skyjacker lift with the monotube shocks.

Since my KK hadn't sagged at all in 5 years I'm really not worried about my new stiffer springs.

I just hope people don't decide against Skyjacker just because people spout off the same information over and over and over. It's one opinion, but ultimately the choice is yours on which way you want to go.

How the ride and do you have any picture?

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Scar0 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 02, 2014 1:33 am

Like priebe, I can speak from experience...
I did have a skyjacker in my ride. The front did sag almost 3/4" in the first year. 2.5" down to 1.75"
Now I have the Adjust-A-Strut. WAY better ride quality and 0 to1/16" sag after more then 3 years. It's never been adjusted since the initial install date.
Can't talk from experience about the OME or Ironman. But from the numerous people here who have used the OME, I'd go that route, with the Al's A-arms, if I were on a budget.

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Jun 02, 2014 8:26 am

Scar0 wrote:

Like priebe, I can speak from experience...
I did have a skyjacker in my ride. The front did sag almost 3/4" in the first year. 2.5" down to 1.75"
Now I have the Adjust-A-Strut. WAY better ride quality and 0 to1/16" sag after more then 3 years. It's never been adjusted since the initial install date.
Can't talk from experience about the OME or Ironman. But from the numerous people here who have used the OME, I'd go that route, with the Al's A-arms, if I were on a budget.

See not just me saying this LW and Cherrie
I don't post things just to have something to do, I post up experience and knowledge I have gathered over the years to help others save money when building their rides. But again do as you will. :wink:

OME vs. Skyjacker

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