Just bought a Liberty - have a few questions

TheMULE · **Joined:** Sun May 01, 2011 10:59 pm **Posts:** 8

Just got a 04 Liberty 4x4 80K miles - automatic. Small lift, drives great.

I have a few q's I was hoping for some help on. Pixs below.

I thought Liberty's came stock with skid plates. Am I wrong on this? My rig doesn't seem to have any.

I also have a lift. Any idea which kit this is?

Also it feels a little sluggish. I drove a 4X2 5 speed and it seemed responsive.
this 4x4 Auto doesn't have that liveliness. Is it just the Auto with the lift and larger tires (245)?
I havn't drove an automatic in awhile (driving my 350Z 6-speed) so maybe it is just me.
When I put the car into drive and let off the brake it doesn't go anywhere - in most auto's i have driven the slowly move forward. Are they all like this or is this part of the "sluggish" feeling.

thanks for all your help.

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon May 02, 2011 9:53 am

No not all KJs came with skid plates
From what you have been driving to a KJ yes there will be a difference, its not a sports car by any means
Lift wise it looks like you have OME springs and shocks in the front which is good. There are small tags on each spring which will tell you the number of the springs. rear shocks not sure what they are, can't see them well enough
You also have Moab wheels from a Wrangler Rubicon
Your front flares.....not sure whats going on there
Measure from the middle of the wheel to bottom of the flare and that will give you how much lift you have from the lift

TheMULE · **Joined:** Sun May 01, 2011 10:59 pm **Posts:** 8

Thanks for your help.

The springs do it fact say OME on them but I can't read a number. I may just have to remove the tag to see.

The back coils do not have a tag like the front's. And the shocks are all white with no branding.

As far as the power thing goes I was comparing it to the 4X2 5speed i drove a few days earlier, but it is an auto and heavier so I am sure that makes a differenance.

I measured from the center of the wheel to the fender flare and the fronts were 21.5 and the rear were 22.5.
What does it sit at stock?

tonycrd · **Posted:** Mon May 02, 2011 12:59 pm

Front upper control arms look like RRO's.

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon May 02, 2011 1:12 pm

tonycrd wrote:

Front upper control arms look like RRO's.

They are, was trying not to mention them :wink:

I would say whoever had yours installed a lift kit from Rocky Road along with their UCAs
They (RRO) use all OME parts in front and their own brand of rear shocks and springs to save money. Not sure how long the rears will last the front of course is a good setup, if the UCAs are holding up OK.

Stock is about 19 to 19.50 depending on options /springs etc from the factory so you have about 2 to 2.5 inches of lift

TheMULE · **Joined:** Sun May 01, 2011 10:59 pm **Posts:** 8

thanks for the heads up.
I visually checked out the UCA's and they look pretty good.
I took the Liberty out yesterday to break it in and it seems to run great offroad.
It is pretty stable and smooth on the freeway also.

Can I eventually put OME shocks on the rear without replacing the springs?

bunkermonkeycw · **Posted:** Mon May 02, 2011 2:12 pm

Of course, the question is are the rear springs OME also (lasts longer)

or are they something else (maybe just do both together)

BTW, Love my OMEs all around! :JEEPIN:

KJ Willy · **Posted:** Mon May 02, 2011 5:05 pm

Also looks like it might of had a nonstock front bumper, why the fender flares don't match up.

MonsieurGlen · **Posted:** Mon May 02, 2011 6:07 pm

TheMULE wrote:

When I put the car into drive and let off the brake it doesn't go anywhere - in most auto's i have driven the slowly move forward. Are they all like this or is this part of the "sluggish" feeling.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but my understanding is that it is because the low end gears have higher torque and are meant for traction, not speed. This is to keep it from slipping when off road. Mine will sit completely still in Drive while in 2hi until I give it gas.

tonycrd · **Posted:** Mon May 02, 2011 6:26 pm

Over 4000lbs of KJ doesn't help either :jester:

TheMULE · **Joined:** Sun May 01, 2011 10:59 pm **Posts:** 8

haha, that's true.

I think they trimmed the fenders to fit the tires... either that or they had an aftermarket bumper on there and took it off when trading it in.

bunkermonkeycw · **Posted:** Mon May 02, 2011 10:54 pm

4 low will drive itself

Just bought a Liberty - have a few questions

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