for all you lifted libs out there*updated with pics*

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Jul 23, 2008 1:00 pm

Just do it right the first time, or thats what I did, took a couple of months to get everything paid for but after 70,000 on the lift I am so glad I did it this way instead of doing it one way only to do it over again

bassman · **Posted:** Wed Jul 23, 2008 1:07 pm

I have never heard of an A-arm breaking but I did have my left rear wheel studs break-off while driving down the highway! I lost the entire wheel and tire! I guess this isn't really related to your problem but I thought I would just throw that in!

ObiHann · **Posted:** Wed Jul 23, 2008 1:12 pm

bassman wrote:

I have never heard of an A-arm breaking but I did have my left rear wheel studs break-off while driving down the highway! I lost the entire wheel and tire! I guess this isn't really related to your problem but I thought I would just throw that in!

Yikes! So how bad was the damage after you lost the tire?

Am I safe putting on new OME HD coils, and leaving my stock a-arms, and my stock shocks/struts? If so, than I think that will be my plan. I can always build up after that.

jsc7002 · **Posted:** Wed Jul 23, 2008 1:30 pm

ObiHann wrote:

bassman wrote:

I have never heard of an A-arm breaking but I did have my left rear wheel studs break-off while driving down the highway! I lost the entire wheel and tire! I guess this isn't really related to your problem but I thought I would just throw that in!

Yikes! So how bad was the damage after you lost the tire?

Am I safe putting on new OME HD coils, and leaving my stock a-arms, and my stock shocks/struts? If so, than I think that will be my plan. I can always build up after that.

cant use stock struts and shocks with OME coils, but Ill tell ya what if you fly me out to Nova Scotia Ill help you install it :wink:

ObiHann · **Posted:** Wed Jul 23, 2008 1:34 pm

Well, so much for my "step by step" approach. I guess I am going to have to figure out EXACTLY what I want, and go from there. I can pretty much promise though that if this lift starts costing $700 or more, I will have to wait till next year, and that makes everything difficult since I need new tires before the winter anyways

jsc7002 · **Posted:** Wed Jul 23, 2008 1:36 pm

its 100% possible to do an OME lift for $650 shipped to you

ObiHann · **Posted:** Wed Jul 23, 2008 1:43 pm

A OME lift, by it self, us under 2" isn't it? 1.5" front 1.75" rear? Could I save even more cash by, lets say, doing OME coils and rancho shocks+struts? I guess I could go with that, its not the biggest lift in the world but it would be one of the highest quality, and probably a bit smoother ride. And who knows, if I got that this fall, a year down the road, I can alwayse put in a clevis, or a spacer kit, and shoot that up to 2.5-3". If I did the OME lift, would I need new arms?

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Jul 23, 2008 1:54 pm

ObiHann wrote:

A OME lift, by it self, us under 2" isn't it? 1.5" front 1.75" rear? Could I save even more cash by, lets say, doing OME coils and rancho shocks+struts? I guess I could go with that, its not the biggest lift in the world but it would be one of the highest quality, and probably a bit smoother ride. And who knows, if I got that this fall, a year down the road, I can alwayse put in a clevis, or a spacer kit, and shoot that up to 2.5-3". If I did the OME lift, would I need new arms?

doing the clevis is basically FREE! If you want to use some of the conduit nuts you can and they are like 89/90 cents for two so for less than 5 bucks you have an extra 3/4 to 1 inch lift :wink:

ObiHann · **Posted:** Wed Jul 23, 2008 2:00 pm

jsc7002 wrote:

ObiHann wrote:

So, if I wanted to just put new OME coils on it, what is really involved? Assuming I had someone that knew there way around suspension, and we had access to a spring compressor? Since a shop would charge me hundreds for this, what is the risk in doing it myself? What I'm trying to say is, am I taking my life, and my fiancees life in my hands, by not spending the $400 or so at a shop?

a clevis lift is done by taking some 2" electrical condut nuts and slipping them over the strut before putting the strut back into the clevis, Il see if I can find a pic that shows it really good

Ive never done any suspension work beofre but i did my lift with the help of my dad who has never done it before, and depending on the coils you get its prolly eaiser to take the front set up to a local shop and have them compress and install the new coils and then all you would have to do is bolt it back in, and a shop should only charge about $25 to do both front coils

That seems SUPER risky to me... Wouldn't that really increase your chances of something wearing out and breaking?

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Jul 23, 2008 2:05 pm

nope not super risky and at least 3/4 of the KJs on here have had it done, like I said mines been done for over 70,000 and no problems, I drive it weekly at least 5 to 600 miles not one problem

jsc7002 · **Posted:** Wed Jul 23, 2008 2:08 pm

and with just OME HD coils I gained 2.5" and then I did a clevis in the front and a rear upper iso in the rear and thats how I got my 3"

ObiHann · **Posted:** Wed Jul 23, 2008 2:31 pm

jsc7002 wrote:

and with just OME HD coils I gained 2.5" and then I did a clevis in the front and a rear upper iso in the rear and thats how I got my 3"

Are you running the stock a-arms? I'm getting seriously overloaded here though. Trying to figure out what to do, being told all these different options and products, and also being told that I have to buy this, or replace this, this really is looking like a massive project, and not a small little upgrade that is pretty affordable. I wish I could just get the OME HD coils, and keep my stock everything else. Even that is almost $300 assuming I can get a killer local price on parts, and can get someone to help me install it. If I have to get the HD coils, AND new shocks + struts, I'm looking at a good $600 easy. And "officially" I am only gaining 1.75 front and 1.5 rear or something like that. Factor in that eventually I would want to push it higher, so I would eventually need to add spacers, than think that if I am taking the entire suspension apart, I should probably do everything at once, than I am looking at $700-$800. I mean, at this point, I could have anywhere from a 2" lift, to a 3"+. Then of course, getting 3"+, we start talking about a-arms. Oh, and don't forget the people telling me that once I jack it up, I should get super big tires (easily $1000 or more) and then factor in all this, the reduced mpg, the reduced power, and I get the guy in the corner telling me to get a set of 4.10 gears! :evil:

I seriously need a good summary of at what point will I need new arms, at what point will I need new shocks/struts, and at what point will I start to loose mpg. And of course at what point I loose my mind

Inc · **Posted:** Wed Jul 23, 2008 2:45 pm

Get the OME coil lift and be done with it. That will be all you need. Sure it is a good idea to upgrade the other stuff later, but it is all not necessary right off the bat. Take a step back, get the OME lift and go from there. The OME will get you at least 2" of lift and the clevis spacers are not at all dangerous and won't cause any problems. They are a cheap and easy way to add more lift to your OME setup. If you plan on going big eventually, you should save your cash and do it right once. If you want the Frankenlift, save up for it and then get it, but the OME is a great lift at a great price and will do wonders for performance and look of your KJ. Even the Daystar isn't a bad lift by any means. BDS makes another good lift as well.

I have the Frankenlift II Premo and I got 4" of lift after it settled. I have stock a arms (no issues at all), I got new tires and wheels for a hair over $1,000, the power loss is really not a big deal if you get your pinion electronically reset by a dealer ($45-$90 depending on dealer-some do it free), 4.10 gears are nice and really really help out the power loss and off road torque but are not an absolute necessity either-you can wait to get those until later as well if you even decide you want them, you can find a nice set of used MTRs and Moabs for around $600-700 (people are always selling them).

Bottom line, your kj will be a work in progress, and all jeeps always are. Take it slow and do what you can afford and what you feel is right for you. Don't feel pressured to blow thousands all at once because other people have done tons and tons of upgrades to their kjs. They built their rigs up in a process as well and someday you'll be telling someone the exact same thing you are hearing from everyone on here.

ObiHann · **Posted:** Wed Jul 23, 2008 3:08 pm

incubusmike wrote:

Get the OME coil lift and be done with it. That will be all you need. Sure it is a good idea to upgrade the other stuff later, but it is all not necessary right off the bat. Take a step back, get the OME lift and go from there. The OME will get you at least 2" of lift and the clevis spacers are not at all dangerous and won't cause any problems. They are a cheap and easy way to add more lift to your OME setup. If you plan on going big eventually, you should save your cash and do it right once. If you want the Frankenlift, save up for it and then get it, but the OME is a great lift at a great price and will do wonders for performance and look of your KJ. Even the Daystar isn't a bad lift by any means. BDS makes another good lift as well.

I have the Frankenlift II Premo and I got 4" of lift after it settled. I have stock a arms (no issues at all), I got new tires and wheels for a hair over $1,000, the power loss is really not a big deal if you get your pinion electronically reset by a dealer ($45-$90 depending on dealer-some do it free), 4.10 gears are nice and really really help out the power loss and off road torque but are not an absolute necessity either-you can wait to get those until later as well if you even decide you want them, you can find a nice set of used MTRs and Moabs for around $600-700 (people are always selling them).

Bottom line, your kj will be a work in progress, and all jeeps always are. Take it slow and do what you can afford and what you feel is right for you. Don't feel pressured to blow thousands all at once because other people have done tons and tons of upgrades to their kjs. They built their rigs up in a process as well and someday you'll be telling someone the exact same thing you are hearing from everyone on here.

Thanks. Seriously, thanks. You basically summed up everything for me, and told me not only what I wanted to hear, but what I needed to hear. I think since I am going to attempt to install this myself, I am going to go with the OME, probably a clevis too since its basically free. I guess a OME is about $650 or so, so I will have to start calling around, finding prices and all of that jazz. A OME with a clevis could be like what, almost 3"? That would definitely be enough for me. The stock height is what, just over 7" at the rear diff? Tires of course are another matter, for another post. I'm probably shooting for 245/70/16 in general grabber at2, or bfg all-terrian, whatever I can get for a nice price. Mud tires, like you said, I can get used, and those can definitely wait. I have a grocery list of mods here, and its only getting bigger. I guess this is what Jeep is all about though. Constant upgrades

DryBones · **Posted:** Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:33 pm

Remember:

Just
Empty
Every
Pocket

ObiHann · **Posted:** Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:46 pm

RespectMyLibertay wrote:

Oh I believe that. But what I was referring to the broken arms in this manner. This has happened a few times with older generation Al's arms, just normal operation till BANG, broken a-arm and a tire with a funny angle.

Kind of scarry considering you install al's arms cause they are supposedly "safer, stronger" than the stock ones... I'de be just as concerned of the new ones, reported accident or not...

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:53 pm

ObiHann wrote:

RespectMyLibertay wrote:

Oh I believe that. But what I was referring to the broken arms in this manner. This has happened a few times with older generation Al's arms, just normal operation till BANG, broken a-arm and a tire with a funny angle.

Kind of scarry considering you install al's arms cause they are supposedly "safer, stronger" than the stock ones... I'de be just as concerned of the new ones, reported accident or not...

There has been alot of reported OEM UCA's failing,but it's the actual balljoint itself that has seperated,much,much more then JBA's UCA's but then again there are many more OEM UCA's out there.But there has been about the same # of OEM UCA failures on thise borad as JBA's UCA's.The same thing happens when either fail.

Jeep Dawg · **Posted:** Wed Jul 23, 2008 6:16 pm

incubusmike wrote:

I have the franky and stock a arms. I went with the franky premium II and I have no issues with my stock arms.

Same here. I have a FRANKENLIFT II W/STOCK UCA'S and have no problems with it at all

LostEddie · **Posted:** Wed Jul 23, 2008 6:48 pm

ObiHann wrote:

Thanks. Seriously, thanks. You basically summed up everything for me, and told me not only what I wanted to hear, but what I needed to hear. I think since I am going to attempt to install this myself

Find a post on install instructions.

Also, you probably don't want to compress your strut springs yourself, get prices; many shops will do it for about $20 each or less. Just remove the assembly and take the old spring/strut and new springs to the shop and pay for them to switch the springs. Tell them to mark the top plate where the ridge in the clevis end of the strut aligns, and then reinstall with the same alignment.

Good luck.

JeepinbyAl · **Posted:** Thu Jul 24, 2008 1:25 pm

With the release of the Gen 4.5 A-arms, We are getting emails and phone calls asking about trading in the old UC arms for the NEW Gen 4.5 arms.

Now we have an upgrade program!

If you have a black set of Als a-arms we will send out the NEW Gen 4.5 for $275.95 plus shipping, we will attach a return label to send back your old a-arms.
http://jeepinbyal.com/prod-Als_Upper_A_ ... s-592.aspx

If you have a red set of Als a-arms we will send out the NEW Gen 4.5 for $250.95 plus shipping, we will attach a return label to send back your old a-arms.
http://jeepinbyal.com/prod-Als_Upper_A_ ... s-593.aspx

This program will last till September 30th 2008, it is available to all who have purchased a set of Jeepin By Al’s a-arms, even if you got them on EBay.

You must return the old a-arms with in 2 weeks or you will be charged full price.

Now you can have the latest and greatest a-arms with our upgrade program!

for all you lifted libs out thereupdated with pics

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