Frankenlift Premium II (DO I NEED 3/8" MACHINED OFF?)

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Mon Sep 01, 2008 10:03 pm

There have been several reports that CV problems could possibly be related to the Frankenlift Premimum II height. Many who are reporting the CV issues are not running heavy bumpers and winches, therefore their KJ may actually be sitting with 3.5” - 4” inches of lift. So, with this being said, I’m about to join the Frankenlift Premium II Club and bumpers and a winch are not in the immediate future. With the addition of isolators, I will most likely be riding around in a 4” lifted KJ. IS IT HIGHLY SUGGESTED THAT I ALSO PURCHASE THE J.E. REEL CV AXEL ASSEMBLIES WITH THE 3/8" MACHINED OFF THE INNER JOINTS?

daspes · **Posted:** Mon Sep 01, 2008 10:25 pm

dieselenthusiast wrote:

There have been several reports that CV problems could possibly be related to the Frankenlift Premimum II height. Many who are reporting the CV issues are not running heavy bumpers and winches, therefore their KJ may actually be sitting with 3.5” - 4” inches of lift. So, with this being said, I’m about to join the Frankenlift Premium II Club and bumpers and a winch are not in the immediate future. With the addition of isolators, I will most likely be riding around in a 4” lifted KJ. IS IT HIGHLY SUGGESTED THAT I ALSO PURCHASE THE J.E. REEL CV AXEL ASSEMBLIES WITH THE 3/8" MACHINED OFF THE INNER JOINTS?

Nope, many of us have been riding around with this combo for a long time. Individual results may very, but I gained 5" originally, finally settled out to 4.5" up front, no clevis lift.

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Mon Sep 01, 2008 10:35 pm

daspes wrote:

Nope, many of us have been riding around with this combo for a long time. Individual results may very, but I gained 5" originally, finally settled out to 4.5" up front, no clevis lift.

So are you saying that the shaved 3/8” is only beneficial for those who are wheeling hard? I thought the CV’s were in jeopardy when lifted over 3” inches? What happened to that theory?

daspes · **Posted:** Mon Sep 01, 2008 10:39 pm

If you go over the current normal lifts (OME, Crusty's, Frankie, Daystar, ETC) I don't even think the JBA 4" requires it since it nets almost the same amount of lift as a Frankie. Only the 6" lift that I'm aware of requires it.

JL Rockies · **Posted:** Mon Sep 01, 2008 10:45 pm

I've wheeled all over The Rockies and I have not shaved anything down. You might remember from past posts that I am not a fan of grinding things down to make a vehicle-specific part fit. :wink:

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Mon Sep 01, 2008 11:43 pm

Hey, not that I don't believe you guys.....................................................BUT, I need either TJKJ2002 or Tommudd’s stamp of approval before I end this discussion. :lol:

I’m tellin' you, whether myth or fact, it's been said over and over on this forum that lifting your KJ more than 3" is asking for CV problems. :?:

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Sep 02, 2008 12:13 am

dieselenthusiast wrote:

Hey, not that I don't believe you guys.....................................................BUT, I need either TJKJ2002 or Tommudd’s stamp of approval before I end this discussion. :lol:

I’m tellin' you, whether myth or fact, it's been said over and over on this forum that lifting your KJ more than 3" is asking for CV problems. :?:

OK for what it's worth
First as far as I am concerned the over 3 inch lift is a myth in a way. Each KJ is a little different so some get 3 some 4 in the real world after some settling has occured. 3 inches is a good average/ advertising heighth.
I have read about a bunch who have had no problems at all with the Frankenlift or the other good spring lifts at that heighth.
NOW I am not pointing at anyone or anything, but some of the ones that have had problems, well there MAYBE other things that contributed to the things that have gone wrong with theirs, and not so much the lift. Just my observations. Do not throw rocks!
I think that if you wheel it like you should with some common sense and keep an eye on everything you should be OK.

The 6 inch for sure would need to have the CVs cut as I was at over 5 with my setup and KK clevis, and I know there would be problems. I am at and or have been at 3 inches plus or minus depending what setup I was running for 70,000 plus miles and no problems with mine

Not sure if that helps or not, but .......... :lol:

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Tue Sep 02, 2008 12:39 am

Trust me, I have no problems avoiding having to pay $1,100 additional dollars for two J.E. Reel CV axle assemblies. Assuming that TOM is right, there must be other reasons why some are having problems and others are not. Now if we can get TROY to chime in, we'll see if he supports the 3" inches of lift in connection to CV problems as a myth or fact.

Sport · **Posted:** Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:00 am

One thing I want to add about the JBA 6" lift is that it used a 2" cradle drop. So you might have 6" of lift but the cvs are sitting at an angle of a 4" lift.

I think anything over 3.5 of lift is playing with fire on a regular cv, it is just a matter of time depending on how you drive it.

daspes · **Posted:** Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:10 am

Pretty sure that the jba 6 kit does not do a cradle drop.

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:26 am

daspes wrote:

Pretty sure that the jba 6 kit does not do a cradle drop.

agree with you on this or at least I can not find where the 6 inch kit does

HOWEVER the original JeepinbyAl did on his blue one ( which Marlin now owns) have a cradle drop.

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:33 am

dieselenthusiast wrote:

Trust me, I have no problems avoiding having to pay $1,100 additional dollars for two J.E. Reel CV axle assemblies. Assuming that TOM is right, there must be other reasons why some are having problems and others are not. Now if we can get TROY to chime in, we'll see if he supports the 3" inches of lift in connection to CV problems as a myth or fact.

assuming Tom is right??????????????????????? :shock:

The only person who can say anything even close to that is ....my wife :wink:

I think that using the J.E. Reels would be great as you would not have to worry at all then, but not needed IMO for a regular lift. BUT as with anything or any vehicle once you take it out of the NORMAL range of the way it was built you are looking at some POTENTIAL problems we all know that. Just like the need for Als arms, I ran my lift over 70,000 miles with no problems and the UBJs are still very tight, but I upgraded cause I could.

so waiting on Troys wisdom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :twisted:

Tom

Sport · **Posted:** Tue Sep 02, 2008 10:43 am

daspes wrote:

Pretty sure that the jba 6 kit does not do a cradle drop.

oh it does, I can't find the original thread about it though. I am no good with the search tool.

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Sep 02, 2008 11:02 am

Sport wrote:

daspes wrote:

Pretty sure that the jba 6 kit does not do a cradle drop.

oh it does, I can't find the original thread about it though. I am no good with the search tool.

like I said the original KJ that the original JeepinbyAl built did have a cradle drop are you sure thats not the one you are talking about ? On Marlins site it says NOTHING about the cradle drop or shows anything about it

Sport · **Posted:** Tue Sep 02, 2008 12:04 pm

tommudd wrote:

Sport wrote:

daspes wrote:

Pretty sure that the jba 6 kit does not do a cradle drop.

oh it does, I can't find the original thread about it though. I am no good with the search tool.

like I said the original KJ that the original JeepinbyAl built did have a cradle drop are you sure thats not the one you are talking about ? On Marlins site it says NOTHING about the cradle drop or shows anything about it

No I am talking about the new one, also uses a transfer case drop to match the cradle. You can't lift 6" and not have driveline issues. Can you imagine how extreme the cv angle would be on 6" also you would have to replace the rear drive shaft.

I swore I read that about the new one, I wish I could find the thread about it.

Jeep Dawg · **Posted:** Tue Sep 02, 2008 12:32 pm

dieselenthusiast wrote:

Hey, not that I don't believe you guys.....................................................BUT, I need either TJKJ2002 or Tommudd’s stamp of approval before I end this discussion. :lol:

I’m tellin' you, whether myth or fact, it's been said over and over on this forum that lifting your KJ more than 3" is asking for CV problems. :?:

Here is my chime in report on mine.
I have an 03 Sport with the Frankenlift II with HD OME springs. I do not have any after market front bumpber. Still stock tupperwear.

I am having some problems with my drivers side CV and front drive shaft.
I have replaced them a few times already. After haveing Jeep look at it and a few of my friends who are master machanics, they told me that my lift is higher than the CV angle is rated for. But for some reason they can not say why only the drivers side and front DS is going bad. One of my friends did say the the drivers CV is shorter than the passangers side and there fore is getting more torque and stress.

Other than that, I also beleive that ky KJ was pre lowered so I did get much more of a lift when I installed the Frankenlift II with HD OME coils....

Not doging anyone or anything except I jumped the gun and should have gotten the MD springs insted.

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Tue Sep 02, 2008 7:22 pm

Jeep Dawg wrote:

dieselenthusiast wrote:

Hey, not that I don't believe you guys.....................................................BUT, I need either TJKJ2002 or Tommudd’s stamp of approval before I end this discussion. :lol:

I’m tellin' you, whether myth or fact, it's been said over and over on this forum that lifting your KJ more than 3" is asking for CV problems. :?:

Here is my chime in report on mine.
I have an 03 Sport with the Frankenlift II with HD OME springs. I do not have any after market front bumpber. Still stock tupperwear.

I am having some problems with my drivers side CV and front drive shaft.
I have replaced them a few times already. After haveing Jeep look at it and a few of my friends who are master machanics, they told me that my lift is higher than the CV angle is rated for. But for some reason they can not say why only the drivers side and front DS is going bad. One of my friends did say the the drivers CV is shorter than the passangers side and there fore is getting more torque and stress.

Other than that, I also beleive that ky KJ was pre lowered so I did get much more of a lift when I installed the Frankenlift II with HD OME coils....

Not doging anyone or anything except I jumped the gun and should have gotten the MD springs insted.

Or, keep the HD OME's and add the J.E. REEL CV axel assemblies.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Tue Sep 02, 2008 7:50 pm

Gee I feel so special.

It's up to you if you want to spend the extra money for the JE Reel shafts.Either way you not going to go wrong(stay with OEM or JE Reel CV's)Will you shorten the CV life with the lift? Yes but most problems generally do not appear around 100,000 miles,then again that is the average life span of most CV's anyway(boots at least).I'd keep the OEM ones till they go out and then upgrade to SFA :wink:

.It took 6.5 years and 60,000 very hard miles before I had a OEM CV let go and I drive my KJ like it's a Ferrari on the road and the trail I broke my CV on is pretty nasty so it was just a matter of time anyway.

Again it's your choice.

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Tue Sep 02, 2008 10:11 pm

Well, I went to the horses mouth and called All J’s. The Frankenlift Premium II (once settled) should leave you sitting at 2.5” - 3” inches of lift. If you only install the components that come with the lift, then you’ll be fine. HOWEVER, if you start adding spacers, isolators, and other additional lifting components, then you are asking for CV trouble. Like Troy said, it's a choice that "I" have to make. The J.E. Reels would be helpful if I decided to add the isolaters for a taller lift.

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Sep 02, 2008 11:01 pm

Yes its up to you as to what you want to spend your money on now.
Me, like I said have had mine at 3 inches or above for 70,000 plus miles, not one problem, I am anal and under mine at least every 2000/3000 miles checking everything, spraying, lubing, greasing etc.
If I was you I would install the lift ( as it comes from AllJs) and enjoy it for several thousand miles and if at some point the CVs need replacing then do it then !

Frankenlift Premium II (DO I NEED 3/8" MACHINED OFF?)

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