04' Budget Lift Questions

h1n8_smedley · **Posted:** Tue Nov 19, 2013 11:27 am

Well my first post on any jeep forum ever.

I just recently got a 04' Limited KJ and since this is my first jeep I'm even more lost than others when it comes to mods. I do want to lift it and get myself an arb bull bar/bumper. I know lifts are hard and complicated, at least it seems like it. I'm looking at a cheap way to lift it, I am only a simple cinema janitor after all. I've been looking at this "budget" lift which I am assuming is a leveling kit? http://www.rocky-road.com/jeep-liberty- ... udget.html

I really won't be doing much off roading, I do go out to the family cabin once a year which requires a nice drive down a little worn down path which requires me to go through a creek bed that no car could actually make. So how do the budget lifts hold up when it comes to minor off roading? On that note how safe would this lift be in general? I dont want anything to pop out of place after hitting a bump or something and ruining my jeep.

I'm not sure how these lifts work and maybe i suck at google, but I can't find any info about it at all. On rocky road's website they have two options when buying, the budget lift with "long-travel rear shocks" or one with no shocks, do I need the shocks?

If I got this 2.5" - 3" lift is there anything else I need to buy along with the lift or would stock everything be fine?

While I'm at it, any of you guys have some really good budget lifts that I should be aware of? Rocky Road seems pretty good, but I'd like to hear from you guys.

Thanks guy's for putting up with my questions that have probably been answered, I've been looking and I just can't find anything.

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Nov 19, 2013 11:36 am

First welcome to LOST
Second delete anything you have on Rocky Road PLUS anything that is related to spacer/budget / leveling lifts
Third, read through the various posts on here and you'll see that 99% of folks who went a budget lift with in 3 months went to a full lift due to bad ride and other issues . Spacer style lifts are notorious for wearing out upper ball joints and other front end parts in a short amount of time
PLUS Forth, the KJ springs are weak to begin with, I have had ones in here with 75,000 miles and sagged almost two inches from new stock. Install a spacer lift and one of those and you'd have no suspension at all in 2 months time.
Spacer lifts do not ride good, if you never ever go off road a full spring lift is still the best bet
Fifth, believe it or not, by the time you would buy a spacer lift, get the longer rear shocks etc , you're only a couple of hundred from a full spring kit like Ironman or OME

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Tue Nov 19, 2013 11:39 am

Plus the stock coils will not hold up a ARB.

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Nov 19, 2013 11:44 am

Especially one thats 10 years old with stock springs

h1n8_smedley · **Posted:** Tue Nov 19, 2013 12:32 pm

Thanks guys, looks like I'm going to save up and go all in. I didn't even think about the stock springs with the ARB, guess thats why I'm here haha.

So for an example. if I got something like this skyjacker set http://www.jeep4x4center.com/jeep-liber ... .5inch.htm what else would I need to complete the lift?

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Nov 19, 2013 12:46 pm

h1n8_smedley wrote:

Thanks guys, looks like I'm going to save up and go all in. I didn't even think about the stock springs with the ARB, guess thats why I'm here haha.

So for an example. if I got something like this skyjacker set http://www.jeep4x4center.com/jeep-liber ... .5inch.htm what else would I need to complete the lift?

OH no Skyjacker either, springs are the same as stock weight
Stock are rated at 310 lbs
so are Skyjacker and Rustys Off Road neither will hold the ARB up or last very long
What you want is the OME 927s front and 948s in the rear as far as springs go .
Also Ironman makes a good set up for a little less, the 014 C are rated for the ARB etc with 015B for the rear
Check out jeepinbyal for either of these
I have ran both and both have a great ride and handling on and off road

OME 927s are rated at 400 lb so will hold the weight and give you lift
Oh and when you look at the height advertised it says 1.5 inches but that is due to insurance regulations in Australia. You actually get about 2.5 inches with just springs

h1n8_smedley · **Posted:** Tue Nov 19, 2013 12:50 pm

The only reason I went to skyjacker was because the jeepinbyal said 1.5, thanks for clearing that up! I guess I'll start there, thanks.

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Nov 19, 2013 12:52 pm

Ironman is 703.70 at JBA and 750 for the OME

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Nov 19, 2013 12:54 pm

h1n8_smedley wrote:

The only reason I went to skyjacker was because the jeepinbyal said 1.5, thanks for clearing that up! I guess I'll start there, thanks.

Sort of confusing to begin with for sure, was for me when I got started back in 04, but after all of these years, testing out new products etc and installing quite a few its gotten easier

TexasRock · **Posted:** Thu Nov 21, 2013 12:44 pm

X2 on the Ironman or OME/Bilstein lift...

Listen to Reverend Mudd, he won't steer you wrong.

Save up and buy a quality lift for your Jeep. If need be, buy a couple parts a month. I know it isn't the instant gratification you are wanting, but you will be happier in the long run and your Jeep will thank you for it.

TR

2004BLKKJ · **Posted:** Fri Nov 22, 2013 1:12 pm

Probably going to want to invest in some JeepinByAl's upper A arms too.

TwoBobsKJ · **Joined:** Fri May 11, 2012 8:03 pm **Posts:** 463

TexasRock wrote:

X2 on the Ironman or OME/Bilstein lift...

Listen to Reverend Mudd, he won't steer you wrong.

Save up and buy a quality lift for your Jeep. If need be, buy a couple parts a month. I know it isn't the instant gratification you are wanting, but you will be happier in the long run and your Jeep will thank you for it.

TR

X2 on Rev. Mudd, and X2 on buying pieces/parts in stages until everything is assembled. I wanted to do everything NOW but the budget said No. But I'm so happy I did a full spring/shock lift. Rides great and it's the only lifted Liberty around here :BANANA:

Bob

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Sat Nov 23, 2013 11:13 am

Good thread! :mrgreen:

Question for Rev. Mudd and all after reading; I have the bilstein shocks in hand and the Ironman springs due here Monday. Will I run into a problem running this combo? Or, do I need to reorder longer shocks and sell the bilstein's? :cry:

Mostly road driving with some occasional very light off roading planned. I was hoping that just 1.5 inch lift and after new springs settle in to get a enough lift to run some 245x75 that I already have and to get a good smooth road ride.

tommudd wrote:

You actually get about 2.5 inches

This is what caught my attention! Is this true for the Ironmans?

tommudd · **Posted:** Sat Nov 23, 2013 3:02 pm

I hope you ordered the right Ironman springs, there are two versions just like with the OMEs
014Cs are the ones for a CRD if I'm thinking right, my books out in the shop.
One of two folks had issues with the Bilsteins and the CRDs . Seems no issues with the OMEs though. Not enough have tried the Ironman to say one way or the other but I'd think they would a better choice
All front shocks , stock, Bilstein and OME are the same length. Only true longer ones are the Ironman but on the front doesn't make that much difference. Rear is where you want and need the longer shocks and there Ironmans are longer than both of the others

KJ_WHEELER_2010 · **Posted:** Sat Nov 23, 2013 11:23 pm

What?! You have to lift your Liberty to fit 32's?! :shock:

I saw on a certain KJ FB page that you could fit 32's on a stock KJ :SOMBRERO:

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Tue Nov 26, 2013 3:22 pm

tommudd wrote:

I hope you ordered the right Ironman springs, there are two versions just like with the OMEs
014Cs are the ones for a CRD if I'm thinking right, my books out in the shop.
One of two folks had issues with the Bilsteins and the CRDs . Seems no issues with the OMEs though. Not enough have tried the Ironman to say one way or the other but I'd think they would a better choice
All front shocks , stock, Bilstein and OME are the same length. Only true longer ones are the Ironman but on the front doesn't make that much difference. Rear is where you want and need the longer shocks and there Ironmans are longer than both of the others

This is what I ordered:
Ironman Rear Coil Springs JEEP015B
Ironman Front Coil Springs JEEP014-C
Spring Load Range Load Range "C"
and yes, they are the ones listed for the CRD with bumper guard, winch, etc...

If the Bilsteins don't work out on the rear, I will order the longer Ironmans.
Thanks for the good info. :!:

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Tue Nov 26, 2013 3:28 pm

KJ_WHEELER_2010 wrote:

What?! You have to lift your Liberty to fit 32's?! :shock:

I saw on a certain KJ FB page that you could fit 32's on a stock KJ :SOMBRERO:

Yes, I know the 245's will fit stock, I just wanted a little more clearance with the additional weight of a heavy brush guard and mounting brackets and the stock ones needs replacing. :wink:

245x75x16 info:
Diameter 30.5 in
Width 9.65 in
Sidewall 7.23 in
Circumference 95.7 in

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Nov 26, 2013 3:34 pm

KJ_WHEELER_2010 wrote:

What?! You have to lift your Liberty to fit 32's?! :shock:

I saw on a certain KJ FB page that you could fit 32's on a stock KJ :SOMBRERO:

Never did see any pictures of him having 32s on there :wink:

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Nov 26, 2013 3:36 pm

WWDiesel wrote:

KJ_WHEELER_2010 wrote:

What?! You have to lift your Liberty to fit 32's?! :shock:

I saw on a certain KJ FB page that you could fit 32's on a stock KJ :SOMBRERO:

Yes, I know the 245's will fit stock, I just wanted a little more clearance with the additional weight of a heavy brush guard and mounting brackets and the stock ones needs replacing. :wink:

245x75x16 info:
Diameter 30.5 in
Width 9.65 in
Sidewall 7.23 in
Circumference 95.7 in

Inside joke on the 32s , some kid on a Facebook site was claiming he had 32s on his with no lift/stock suspension / no trimming just fit right on no issues

Good luck with your lift :wink:

KJ_WHEELER_2010 · **Posted:** Tue Nov 26, 2013 10:34 pm

Yeah, he never did put up pictures. I have 265's they are a fraction under a 32" and with my OME lift they still rubbed until we did some trimming. So there is no way he had it stock

04' Budget Lift Questions

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