Jeff go with RUSTYS it's your best bang for the buck a majority of the guy's run it & are quite happy with it plus you saw it in action on Orlando's jeep when I get ready that's what I'll buy

L.O.S.T.#535
04 COLUMBIA ED. & 04 SPORT

Spacer Lifts: Inexpensive, lift without changing how it rides, travel remains the same.

Ah, no. Spacer lifts are notoious for tightening up the front suspension. The Frankenlift is the third lift I've had and is by far the best.

Read the pasts that are included with this kit very carefully and you will see what I mean. I think this is one of the older kits Skyjacker was selling as a cheaper kit than their full on coil spring kit. Hope that helps. later...Clint

So am I right in thinking that it will make that lift the easiest to install? I've never done more to a car than filters, tires, spark plugs, and electrical work (stereo) - Is it something that is easy enough to install without needing too much assistance? (I would definitely prefer doing a lift party, but I do want to be able to do as much of it myself as possible, just for the experience)

That may well be worth the extra $200 of my time/hassle/labor costs, if it can be done in-house within a few hours.

Don't spacer lifts use the same coils/struts/etc as factory, though? I would think that it would be the same ride as factory, but not as good as replacing the coils. I guess raising the jeep and not accounting for it in the suspension would result in a stiff ride, now that I think about it.

Frankenlift is a spacer lift? I thought that was coil all around? (the page says "OME coils...I guess I don't know if that means Old Man Emu or "Original Manufacturer Equipment") Or was that a completely different train of thought?

Edwin and I installed the Old Man Emu lift on his over Labor Day weekend. He purchased it from All J's with the front struts pre-assembled. so the only difference between it and the Frankenlift is the brand of parts.

On a live axle a spacer will retain the factory ride. Due to the geometry of an independent suspension it can result in a pretty stiff ride, coil bind, etc. The Frankenlift uses a longer spring (old man emu), a 1.5" spacer (daystar), and a new top plate (daystar). That's the front. In the rear it currently uses Skyjacker springs, but that will soon be changing to OME as well due to limited supply of the SJs. I'm not sure why the ride of the Frankenlift is so nice with that spacer, but I'd imagine it's because it is a very small spacer.

Oh, I see, so the frankenlift uses both a spacer AND a replacement coil for the front. So it probably doesn't have quite the travel of a full 2.5 coil in the front, but has the same overall lift height, without the problems that come with long travel in an IFS.

The Frankenlift has more flex than any other functioning (so exclude RK) lift that's currently available. Period. It actually nets closer to 3.25" on 2003+ year KJs (2.5" on the 2002s). Put a Frankenlifted KJ next to a Rusty's lift and you'll see a difference. Rusty's nets 2.5" on 2003+ year KJs and closer to 1.75" on the 2002.

Edit: Keep in mind that travel is a combination of compression AND DROOP. Rusty's strut limits droop, while Frankenlift will give a full droop (upper ball joint all the way down to the spring).