lifting my renegade?

WGNMANinaRENEGADE · **Posted:** Sat Nov 24, 2007 3:53 pm

OK FELLAS...
starting to research lift for 2003 lib-renegade.
i'm looking at 2- 2 1/2 inch spring spacers/pucks.
what i think i know: i can go this hi without any steering, shaft mod's, i will retain current "ride feel". not near as easy to install as, say, lifting my old wagoneer! i can fit bout a 32 or 33 inch tire on my 16 inch rims, w/ a little backspacing.
i'll need to do some shock/strut type work for this???
i'll be in about $300-$400 on parts???

please, tell me the good and the bad.
and most importantly, tell me where i am wrong, or what i don't know.

y'all are great, and i say that even before you give me the info i need!!!

elephantrider · **Posted:** Sat Nov 24, 2007 4:57 pm

ome meduim duty ( heavy if you get arb as stated below :wink:

)springs / shocks all the way around

thats all you need. should be between $400 - $500 to get 2.5" full coil lift that you'll be happy with

oh, maybe an arb bumper up front.

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Sat Nov 24, 2007 4:59 pm

33" tire? No.

Skip the basic lifts with spacers. Get a coil lift.

Dje Ryu · **Posted:** Sat Nov 24, 2007 5:18 pm

$3-400 on one of those spacer lifts can cost much more than that to fix later on. I should dig out all my receipts and add it up. Probably could have had Al's 4" lift with all the $$$ I wound up spending. Medium duty OME is the best way to go. HD if you plan on adding a lot of weight to your front end.

snowsport · **Joined:** Tue Oct 18, 2005 11:52 pm **Posts:** 1211

Of all the guys here that have OME lifts, including me, I don't think I've ever heard one of them say, dang shouldn't have done that. Just get an OME lift and go wheeling.

tommudd · **Posted:** Sat Nov 24, 2007 8:48 pm

Totally agree with all above, once you go OME nothing else is the same :wink:

Tom

myjeepwalks · **Posted:** Sun Nov 25, 2007 12:01 am

I'd say ome all the way. If you come up with extra cash get a frankenlift. Not gonna fit 33's with out severe rubbing with either one.

_UnLiMiTeD_ · **Posted:** Sun Nov 25, 2007 2:28 am

Go OME, medium or heavy duty coils, some prefer the heavy duty because less sag

spencevans · **Posted:** Sun Nov 25, 2007 4:49 am

I originally had a spacer lift on my liberty but the design of all spacer lifts results in excess stress on the front coils and struts. My front coils and struts were shot after 15K miles and the vehicle was new. I had the Frankenlift and loved it but I have also heard great things about Rusty's and it may be more in you price range. What ever you do don't get the Rockfather because their service sucks.

SoDakJeep · **Posted:** Sun Nov 25, 2007 5:02 am

i bought a used rustys lift for 250 bucks and love it. Rustys coils may have already sagged but its still high enough for no rubbing with a 245/75/16 goodyear mtrs and the ride is great and smooth better then stock i would say

WGNMANinaRENEGADE · **Posted:** Sun Nov 25, 2007 8:14 am

OK. so, i already have 245/75/16's, w/o lift, and only a rare rub [in reverse, full turn].
i'd rather not get into a full spring shange out, if i can help it, but now i have new questions.
1. for spacers, would the spring have to be completely removed?
if so, i guess no reason not to do new spring, huh?
2. as long as i stay at 2 or 2 1/2 inch, can i leave all the other stuff [shaft/steering] alone???
i want to go as hi as i can, w/o doing all that.
3. can my guy do this in a day?
after all, all he got in payment was an old beat up grand wagoneer.

thanks a bunch guys. i trust you'll have me thinkin right soon.

Dje Ryu · **Posted:** Sun Nov 25, 2007 10:44 am

1. Ususally, so no reason not to replace them with better ones, rather than adding undue stress to the weak oem springs
2. Usually. Al's upper control arms and Moog LBJs are a nice bonus though
3. I did mine in one day with only minimal help from anyone else.

WoodysKJ · **Posted:** Sun Nov 25, 2007 11:03 am

Once again we have a guy who asks for everybody's opinion and then ignores it. If you want to do a cheaper, less dependable, more likely to cause future problems, type of lift on your KJ and not willing to take the advice from people who have gone down that raod (WHEN YOU ASK FOR IT) then WHY ASK?????

It kills me that these guys do this. DO IT RIGHT OR DON'T DO IT.

OLD MAN EMU, as if it hasn't been said, what 15 times already. But do your spacer lift and live with the decision. Don't come on here a wine about it later, we told ya and you guys just don't want to listen.

They almost sound like sales reps pushing the space lifts.

Fulltimer · **Posted:** Sun Nov 25, 2007 12:11 pm

Someone got out of the wrong side of the bed I guess. You ARE right but take it easy on the guy.

Terry

tommudd · **Posted:** Sun Nov 25, 2007 1:13 pm

what everyone has said including me on 100s of posts about the same thinging etc.

I do realize that everyone wants the biggest tallest out there but without going a full sfa , Frankenlift is the most lift you can go without doing a lot extra, OMEs spring lift with new shocks/struts under 500 and can do it in 3/4 hours. Just do one of the above and you will have a great ride, no rubbing etc. I know everyone wants the tallest/biggest etc but you also have to drive it sometimes so take the advice of several who have been there before you

Tom

Fulltimer · **Posted:** Sun Nov 25, 2007 1:57 pm

Do what Tom & the others are saying. You will be fine.

Terry

WoodysKJ · **Posted:** Sun Nov 25, 2007 2:53 pm

Sorry I did not mean to be an a$$hole, but it is true.

Thes guys read an article or talk to somebody at a 4x4 shop about a certian thing and buy into the sales pitch. Then they come on here or other forums and ask opinions when they have made up their minds, or worse yet already ordered the crap, wanting positive reinforcement for the decision they made, knowing full well that it was the wrong one at the time.

Only piece of advice I can offer is "When you as for advice, be prepared to listen to it!" NOBODY here (I hope) is out to make a profit by selling you anything. Many people have tried the products out there for you and have learned MANY lesons for you and are willing to admit their attempts at doing exactly what you want to do.

I am sure there was a father or grandfather out there somewhere that told them to "Do it right the first time."

Unlike these products out there, you can do it right the first time. Many of these lifts have evolved as the KJ has grown in popularity. As the number of KJ's has grown, other companies have seen the potential market. Some have tested and designed good products. Where others have rushed a product to market in the early years of the KJ only to take advantage of the desire to "Build a better Jeep" out of a very capable vehicle. Hell it was 30 years before good products came out for the Willy's. So be patient and LISTEN.

Unfortunately as we wait for the better products to make it to market the early crappy ones need trying. That is what ALL of these people have done and told this to you and other guys. WE DID IT, IT DOESN'T WORK. OME DOES WORK. If you want an 8" lift and 40" tires, BUY An old CJ or a wrangler. Those products for a KJ are not out, YET.

Sorry again for the rant. I do not intend to belittle anybody, just hope they listen when they ask a question.

WGNMANinaRENEGADE · **Posted:** Tue Nov 27, 2007 12:26 am

relax woody, my name is woody too!
i did not yet ignore any advice. won't be doing anything till spring or so. if you look at my mid thread response, you'll see i made the comment "so, if the spring must come all the way out, no reason to not do a change, huh?"
as a rule, i almost never listen to sales pitches. that is why i came here, to see what real people, in the real world, were finding on real jeeps.
i'm generally a slow starter, cause i get lots of research and opinion on things before i spend my money and change anything.
what i end up doing will depend largely on resources available [financial and mechanical], and the abilities of my guy who is actually gonna do the work.

anyhow, thanks for the opinion- you obviously have been thru this, and have a strong belief in what you are saying. i'll keep that in mind. but don't get caught up putting me in that same group that asks you a question then ignores you. that aint me.

lifting my renegade?

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