Help a NEWB pls (Lift kit related and yea I searched!)

crippled · **Joined:** Sun Feb 24, 2013 11:20 pm **Posts:** 284

Hey guys, I just bought a 2012 Liberty sport, I love the small great driving jeep!

I really would like to lift it a few more inches and larger tires. I wont do any serious wheeling, just the occasional drives on the lacal beaches, very few light and flat trails/fields. So nothing major really. From the searching that I have done alot of people say not to go with the cheap daystar kits and the front springs will sag within 10k miles or so. I dont wanna cheap out and wear other parts out faster by doing that either. The two kits I found that I think will suit me great without wearing out parts are the:

RockKrawler 3.5 inch lift - I will get to keep the front strut assembly intact so no wear on those parts and I would get some good name brand extended shocks for the rear too.

OME spring and shock combo - Only rated at 1.5 inch lift? are these underrated in height?

is the rockkrawler going to mess up my front axles and rear driveshaft since its a higher lift kit? do people who lift their KKs a few inches wear out there drive shaft and front CV shafts?

The OME is more money and prob the best option but they only rate it at 1.5 inch lift? again will this lift hurt my CV shafts and drive shaft?

Also do I need to relocate any brake lines or any other mods when only going up a couple of inches?

Thanks in advance guys, I tried a search but no info to help me. Thanks!

Arctic_Libby · **Posted:** Sun Feb 24, 2013 11:54 pm

I've heard some good and some bad things about the RK 3.5" kit. I know I've read more about it on here and i believe someone did a complete write up on it a few posts down.

The OME lift is rated at 1.5" because it is an Australian company. Apparently down there you are not allowed to insure anything over a 1.5" lift. People usually get about 2.5" to 3" out of that lift. It just says 1.5" as sort of a loop hole I guess. In a few days here I'll be getting that lift with JBA control arms.

The thing with lifts and anything else is you get what you pay for. It's your jeep and your money so by all means you can do what you want but just make sure you do a lot of research.

Arctic_Libby · **Posted:** Sun Feb 24, 2013 11:56 pm

nevermind that was a Rocky Road lift....Now that I know what one you are talking about that Rock Krawler one is garbage...IMO

DREDnot · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 12:04 am

Think of it this way...you just ponied up for a fine, new, quality 4x4. You did not settle for a cheaper used old XJ. The cheap spacer lifts are the way to go on a budget 4x4 that you are not expecting to ride like a new car. Ive had budget lifts on budget jeeps and I've learned that's not the way to go. I now spend good money on quality lifts and an improved ride is my reward. You'll find that the experienced users will always try to talk the newb out of going cheap so they don't make the newb mistakes we had to make before the "innerweb" allowed the old-timers to dispense wisdom beyond their circle of friends.

At The Helm · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 12:51 am

My ome puts me at about 21.5" which is about 3.5" of lift and it'll stay at that height for a long time.
Iirc the RK lift gives only like 2" of lift. Remember that the stock springs will gradually sag down.

Arctic_Libby · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 12:57 am

Atthehelm...you get 3.5" out of the OME lift? How come it seems like some people get more or less lift from that same lift. Do you have spacers or anything?

At The Helm · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 1:32 am

Just one conduit nut per side. If I ran 3 per side and top plates plus extra rear isolators i could get way more. I'm bound by the stock A-arms because any higher they contact the springs. I've taken it apart a few times.

Arctic_Libby · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 1:54 am

what size conduit nut? I don't even know if that's the right way to ask that question. lol

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 3:49 am

2 inch conduit nuts
but you don't need them, just used for measurement purposes

crippled · **Joined:** Sun Feb 24, 2013 11:20 pm **Posts:** 284

i dont understand how poeple say that with an RK lift your springs will sag. and i only say that cause your do not have to compress your front springs anymore than stock, you do not add spacers like daystar or any other cheaper kit. the RK just has a longer clesvis.........am i missing something there? The rear uses a spacer yea so i guess that could sag but then the spacer just acts like a spring perch thats just higher right?

Thanats good to know about the OME kit, i have alot of thinking to do i guess!

Arctic_Libby · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 7:16 am

The thing about the stock springs is they are not meant for offroading. If I remember correctly you said you had the limited which means it's not trail rated. Not that even really means anything. But chances are what will happen is you'll put this rock krawler "lift" in and you'll wheel harder then you normally would. If you do a budget lift like that you would want to get better springs and shocks also. (I've been awake all night so I could be wrong on this)

You don't hear too much about that lift for a reason. The way I see it is do it once and do it the right way. If that's the lift you want then by all means. I would just hate to see you post on here about how many problems you're having with it..if you do have any.

Arctic_Libby · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 7:19 am

Plus I believe I read somewhere that they use a cheap grade of metal. Can't remember the type though.

Ted15 · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 8:39 am

The stock springs are crap, that's the problem. They're going to start to sag around 20,000 miles without any lift, they're made for a good ride on the street. Those bumpstops get a good workout with normal driving. If you were to put spacers on, when the springs wear out you won't be able to use your spacers with the new springs. Assuming that you use longer springs. The ride and performance provided by better suspension is worth the extra money. Where the spacers are located makes a difference too. Over the top will cause the front shock to bottom out. Under the top rides like a board. A longer clevis is ok I guess if it's made of good material and provided with quality shocks and springs. A 3 1/2" clevis with stock springs will compress the spring giving it too much preload (I think) causing premature wear. I had a 2" spacer up there and it was very difficult to put the thing together. I had to use a spring compressor to squish it enough to put the clevis bolt in. OME makes a nice suspension and with a few small spacers will provide as much lift as our IFS will allow without major changes. I've been told that the ironman lift is pretty good too.

carlosburitica · **Joined:** Sat Jan 05, 2013 1:07 pm **Posts:** 309

subscribed.

i have the sametoughts abou the lifts. i thin the problem with the cheap budget lifts is that people think that b buying a 200 kit the get a rockcrwler car and the start wheeling hard and then the suspension goes bad.

JeepMorrison · **Joined:** Thu Jul 16, 2009 11:34 am **Posts:** 1236

I have Ironman, love them, had OME on my other one, Ironman rides better imo. Ive got little over 600 in my setup, running 245/70/16 street tires, have 245/75 mts for my offroading.

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Ted15 · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 11:57 am

carlosburitica wrote:

subscribed.

i have the sametoughts abou the lifts. i thin the problem with the cheap budget lifts is that people think that b buying a 200 kit the get a rockcrwler car and the start wheeling hard and then the suspension goes bad.

Next time you're out running around, pay attention to the height or the space between the bottom of the fenders and the tires. They drop a lot as they are driven, you don't have to wheel it. The springs are squishy.

tommudd · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 12:15 pm

For some reason and I have never figured it out but people think that if they only drive on the street that a spacer style lift will be fine. That the suspension never does any work on the street? I find that so funny. I personally want a good ride no matter where I am or where I'm going.
So I have to assume you don't care how it rides or handles on the street then since upgrading the suspension will make it overall 100% better!
No matter what type of spacer lift you use it will wear the springs out faster since its working them more. They are weak to begin with, shocks are weak so you're going to install a spacer lift this month and 3 months down the road complain about the ride, handling and then spend extra for a full spring lift.
Only one time to do it right
My wife, quite a few years back told me a saying they have back home in Tanzania " Bure Aghali" which translates to " Cheap is expensive "

Arctic_Libby · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 3:12 pm

Huh. Never thought of it that way. That's an awesome saying.

crippled · **Joined:** Sun Feb 24, 2013 11:20 pm **Posts:** 284

Were can I get a full iron man kit? I found front springs and shocks/struts but no back springs

Ted15 · **Posted:** Mon Feb 25, 2013 6:40 pm

crippled wrote:

Were can I get a full iron man kit? I found front springs and shocks/struts but no back springs

here
http://jeepinbyal.com/cat-Ironman_4_x_4-140.aspx

Help a NEWB pls (Lift kit related and yea I searched!)

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