Need some help with picking a lift kit

sw1mm3r · **Posted:** Fri Jul 24, 2009 12:38 am

Hi, I have a 2007 liberty and I want to lift it. I have never done this before, so I really dont know what I am looking for, so any help would be appreciated. I did go to the local 4wheel parts store and the guy there quoted me a price of $1200 for a 3.5" rockKrawler lift and a set of 5 BFG 31" tires. Is that too much? What about the brand on the lift, is it a good one? I have noticed on other threads others have gotten Old Man Emu lifts and seem to prefer those, whats the difference? Oh btw I dont know how much this stuff usually runs so I would really like the best bang for my buck.

daspes · **Posted:** Fri Jul 24, 2009 1:12 am

First, welcome to LOST!

Installing a lift is pretty easy ( a little time consuming, but if you have a free afternoon your good). You just need basic hand tools, a jack and stands.

I wasn't even aware that RK still made a lift after there 7up debacle. If you are on a tight budget you can go with a spacer lift such as daystar, but the stock springs sag pretty quickly, so you won't gain a true 2.5". Almost everyone will recommend a full spring lift. Top ones out there are either the All J's Frankenlift (http://www.boulderbars.com), or the JBA lifts (http://www.jeepinbyal.com). You can piece together your own frankenlift style kit too with a little effort, but it doesn't come pre-assembled, which if you are going to do it yourself, complicates things a bit.

Do some reading on here, there is a lot of info on lift kits. Then ask questions to clarify any thing you are still fuzzy on.

sw1mm3r · **Posted:** Fri Jul 24, 2009 1:34 am

so then the rockkrawler one is no good? Now a full spring lift what is that? and usually how much do they run? I checked the links you gave and the JBA is about 700 and the Frankenlift starts at 850, is there anything out there that is comparable to those but cheaper? I'm not on a tight budget, but I was hoping not to spend more then 1500 for the lift and the tires, if thats do-able?

daspes · **Posted:** Fri Jul 24, 2009 2:15 am

sw1mm3r wrote:

so then the rockkrawler one is no good? Now a full spring lift what is that? and usually how much do they run? I checked the links you gave and the JBA is about 700 and the Frankenlift starts at 850, is there anything out there that is comparable to those but cheaper? I'm not on a tight budget, but I was hoping not to spend more then 1500 for the lift and the tires, if thats do-able?

There are three kinds of lifts: 1: Body lift (spacers between the frame and body, the KJ is unibody so thats out). 2: Spacer lift (spacers between your springs and the spring perch). 3: Spring lift (taller springs to give more more height, better because it replaces cheap saggy stock springs)

For the cost it depends exactly what you are looking for. You can do a Frankenlift and a full set of Treadwright MT's for 1250 plus shipping. Besides mounting and balancing for the tires, everything else can be done in the driveway. If you aren't comfortable tackling it yourself (it is pretty straight forward) hook up with some other LOST members in your area (not sure where that is your location is blank) for a lift party.

sw1mm3r · **Posted:** Fri Jul 24, 2009 2:28 am

srry i just created my account... I just filled in the location section.... Are spring spacers just like the spacer lift?

daspes · **Posted:** Fri Jul 24, 2009 2:36 am

sw1mm3r wrote:

srry i just created my account... I just filled in the location section.... Are spring spacers just like the spacer lift?

yes

tommudd · **Posted:** Fri Jul 24, 2009 2:40 am

STAY AWAY FROM ROCK KRAWLER

If you want to go cheap you can go with a spacer lift like Daystar, its a good cheap lift, but if you want to do it right you should replace the front and rear shock with the spacer lift. The stock coils and shocks are good for ONLY 30,000/35,000 miles. The above will set you back about 425/450
Now for juust a little more you can do a full spring lift OME coils front and rear and rancho shocks for 650/700 and be good to go.
There has been a lot of people on here that went cheap and a year later their springs had sagged so bad and they went to either OME or the Frankenlift which uses OMEs

tonycrd · **Posted:** Fri Jul 24, 2009 7:32 am

If you have a couple of minutes....

http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=44037

Drassis · **Joined:** Tue Sep 23, 2008 7:31 pm **Posts:** 182

tommudd wrote:

STAY AWAY FROM ROCK KRAWLER

If you want to go cheap you can go with a spacer lift like Daystar, its a good cheap lift, but if you want to do it right you should replace the front and rear shock with the spacer lift. The stock coils and shocks are good for ONLY 30,000/35,000 miles. The above will set you back about 425/450
Now for juust a little more you can do a full spring lift OME coils front and rear and rancho shocks for 650/700 and be good to go.
There has been a lot of people on here that went cheap and a year later their springs had sagged so bad and they went to either OME or the Frankenlift which uses OMEs

Yup I did a revtek spacer lift. a year later upgraded to the Frankenlift 2 premium. Wish I had never done a spacer lift lol I hate doing things twice

Murphyman · **Posted:** Fri Jul 24, 2009 11:26 am

I'm always going to throw BDS out there :lol:

. $475 online, doesn't come with front shocks. If you get it from a local dealer, the kit can be a lot cheaper. Then you can get some front Rancho's for maybe $180 shipped, so that route gets you a comparative lift to OME for about the same price. I didnt get Rancho's because the place I ordered from went out of business, so I had to use stock struts. I may replace them in the future.

Then, like was offered, Treadwright tires. I got 5 of them for $85 a piece, then it's about $25 shipping for each tire. So that's a total of $550.

So BDS and Treadwrights w/o front shocks is around $1025 shipped, and with front shocks around $1200 shipped.

icarl · **Posted:** Fri Jul 24, 2009 2:49 pm

tommudd wrote:

STAY AWAY FROM ROCK KRAWLER

If you want to go cheap you can go with a spacer lift like Daystar, its a good cheap lift, but if you want to do it right you should replace the front and rear shock with the spacer lift. The stock coils and shocks are good for ONLY 30,000/35,000 miles. The above will set you back about 425/450
Now for juust a little more you can do a full spring lift OME coils front and rear and rancho shocks for 650/700 and be good to go.
There has been a lot of people on here that went cheap and a year later their springs had sagged so bad and they went to either OME or the Frankenlift which uses OMEs

Hey Tom, to save time why don't you just put that info in your sig. :wink:

WestyKJ · **Posted:** Fri Jul 24, 2009 9:11 pm

I had never looked at the Rock Krawler lift before. Like some of you, I was around for the 7UP fiasco so never bothered to look at their stuff again.

Their 3 1/2" lift is certainly a different way of going about it though.
Don't think I like it though.

Check it out http://www.rockkrawler.com

sw1mm3r · **Posted:** Fri Jul 24, 2009 9:29 pm

what is the 7UP fiasco?

well I called today to ask the local 4wheel parts shop about other lift kits they had and they said the only other one they sell for the liberty was one by sky jacker heres the link ( http://www.4wheelparts.com/prodDetail.a ... parts=true ) can any one tell me if this is a good one?
Would changing the shocks do anything if i get the rock krawler one ( http://www.rockkrawler.com/index.php?r_intro=no )?

I think I will by the lift from 4wheel parts b/c I prefer for them to install it for me b/c I rather have someone who has done it before do it for me just b/c I dont wanna screw something up.

AZ-Ben · **Posted:** Mon Aug 17, 2009 5:06 pm

Murphyman wrote:

I'm always going to throw BDS out there :lol:

. $475 online, doesn't come with front shocks. If you get it from a local dealer, the kit can be a lot cheaper. Then you can get some front Rancho's for maybe $180 shipped, so that route gets you a comparative lift to OME for about the same price. I didnt get Rancho's because the place I ordered from went out of business, so I had to use stock struts. I may replace them in the future.

Then, like was offered, Treadwright tires. I got 5 of them for $85 a piece, then it's about $25 shipping for each tire. So that's a total of $550.

So BDS and Treadwrights w/o front shocks is around $1025 shipped, and with front shocks around $1200 shipped.

4WD.com/4wheelparts.com uses the BDS components with the 4 springs and only back shocks...it is $450 now, and there is a 20% off coupon in 4wheeler magazine (4wlr909 or 4wlr0909) that you have to call in to get it to work. I got that for $397 or so shipped to my local store with tax, and used some amazon.com gift certificates to get the rsx17505 front struts. That 20% off code expires on 8-18, though, so be quick about it if you are going this route.

Ben

CRD Joe · **Posted:** Mon Aug 17, 2009 5:43 pm

Go Frankie or dont go!

tonycrd · **Posted:** Mon Aug 17, 2009 5:44 pm

sw1mm3r wrote:

what is the 7UP fiasco?

They tried to lift a libby 7". It was of poor design so it could only crawl to the mall.

sw1mm3r wrote:

well I called today to ask the local 4wheel parts shop about other lift kits they had and they said the only other one they sell for the liberty was one by sky jacker heres the link ( http://www.4wheelparts.com/prodDetail.a ... parts=true ) can any one tell me if this is a good one?

Yes that is a good lift although most people that used it noticed the front coils to start sagging quickly.

sw1mm3r wrote:

Would changing the shocks do anything if i get the rock krawler one ( http://www.rockkrawler.com/index.php?r_intro=no )?

You will notice a big difference over stock shocks, but if you don't extend the bumpstops too you'll be changing front shocks every month.

tumanator · **Posted:** Mon Aug 17, 2009 7:48 pm

Honestly, I have very little mechanical ability. Heck I usually don't understand half of what these guys are talkin about, but I was able to install the Frankenlift myself. It's actually fairly simple (albeit time consuming), and there's several write-ups on how to do it, if you just read through them, look at you jeep and match up pieces, then read again you'll pretty much get it.

BTW my vote again goes for the Frankenlift, it's just a superior quality lift IMHO.

DryBones · **Posted:** Mon Aug 17, 2009 7:53 pm

what ever happened to the " don't use a Franky unless you are going to have an ARB bumper and or winch" theory? I skipped the Franky and just went OME HD all around because I didn't want to mess up the CV's.

tumanator · **Posted:** Mon Aug 17, 2009 8:08 pm

well unless i'm sadly mistaken (re measured today after a pretty rough go in the mountains) the front CV axles aren't having any trouble my franky.

22 1/2" on both front 22" on both back. I'm not runnin an arb or a winch (yet) and when i do the Arb i plan on lifting the clevis to compensate back to this amount.

daspes · **Posted:** Mon Aug 17, 2009 8:51 pm

DryBones wrote:

what ever happened to the " don't use a Franky unless you are going to have an ARB bumper and or winch" theory? I skipped the Franky and just went OME HD all around because I didn't want to mess up the CV's.

I've never heard that theory... The Franky is designed to work with stock CV's. I've even got a 3 ring clevis lift and CV's are fine with my Frankenlift.

Need some help with picking a lift kit

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