Rusty's vs Daystar 2.5inch lifts

Wilmo · **Posted:** Tue Dec 06, 2005 11:07 am

Hi All,

I'm after some serious feedback from people with experience with these lifts on their own or someone elses car. I'm not into really extreme offroading, my aim is just to get the KJ up to an acceptable height for most offroading - say over 20mm clearance at the front diff - like it should come from the factory!

As far as I can tell, the Rusty's and the Daystar 2.5inch kits net about the same lift. The Rusty's is a Strut Top Spacer on the Front and a Puc for the rear, whereas the Daystar is both front and rear Puc if my research serves me correctly!

My question is this - if these two lifts give about the same lift, then why are people tending to favour the Daystar on this forum as the 'budget' option. Are there problems with the Rusty's product? The Rusty's product is half the price than the daystar.

I tend to like the sound the Rusty's as its easy to install, and doesn't actually change the front strut vs spring relationship, because the spacer is on top of the strut housing between the body of the car and the strut top.

If I were to buy either of these two lifts I would just be using them with the std front strut, but would use a set of Rancho RSX17004's on the rear.

I don't want to here a bunch of comments like 'get the Frankenlift' - I want to stick to a budget and also only go 2-2.5inch lift at the maximum.

Comments appreciated on the pro's and cons of Rusty's and Daystar.

Cheers

Wilmo

KJ04 · **Posted:** Tue Dec 06, 2005 2:11 pm

The Rusty's with top plate spacer is the same animal as the RRO OTT. All kinds of strut & upper ball joint problems with it in the front. Stay away from both of these lifts.
The RRO Combo lift, however, has no complaints and is budget priced. Just add rear extended shocks of your choice.

KW AV8R · **Posted:** Tue Dec 06, 2005 4:32 pm

The Daystar is a good budget lift. I've had mine now for about 18k miles with little problems (dealer initially installed it wrong). I've also been running the stock shocks and struts the whole time. I would not recommend this though. My KJ rides like a rollerskate and has very little articulation (as in virtually none up front) most likely due to my stock struts and shocks. I would highly recommend if you go with this kit to get not only new shocks but also new struts at your earliest convenience.

Fouros · **Posted:** Tue Dec 06, 2005 7:09 pm

wilmo

you can buy a set of King Springs in aus cheaper than you can import either the Daystar or the Rusty's lift

Infact

Hutch at Ausjeep has a set for sale as he went with a complete ome setup due to putting on his New Bull Bar

Fouros

CaKJFreedom · **Posted:** Tue Dec 06, 2005 8:02 pm

Daystar lift with Ranchos since May '04. I get some rubbing on the front sway bar and inside the wheel wells by my fog lights with my MT/R's on. Works great off road and you could tell the difference immediately with the shocks onroad as well. Thinking of different springs to get the front end higher without doing a clevis lift.

SD-KJ · **Posted:** Wed Dec 07, 2005 9:38 pm

KJ04 wrote:

The Rusty's with top plate spacer is the same animal as the RRO OTT. All kinds of strut & upper ball joint problems with it in the front. Stay away from both of these lifts.
The RRO Combo lift, however, has no complaints and is budget priced. Just add rear extended shocks of your choice.

So, This lift - http://rustysoffroad.com/Merchant2/merc ... sus_kj_kit

and this lift -

Rocky Road 2.125" Combo kit - $219 from http://www.rocky-road.com/kjsus.html

are bad.

and...

This lift - Rocky Road 2.5" budget lift system - $214 from
http://www.rocky-road.com/kjsus.html

and

the 2.5 daystar lift are good.

Am i way off on this? I am confused... :evil:

I am referencing http://www.youngs.org/kjparts/ this site about some of the reviews. The lift i am looking at is the RRO COMBO lift but troy's site says that the OTT is bad and RRO's Site says that the COMBO lift has OTT grrrrr......

-Nick

KJ04 · **Posted:** Thu Dec 08, 2005 10:49 am

Yes,
you are confused, reread the post.

Guest · **Posted:** Thu Dec 08, 2005 11:49 am

I contacted RRO about an intermediate lift for my CRD and here is their reply. Can anyone on here with experience confirm this would work well on an '05 Lib?:

Quote:

The Old Man Emu springs lifts are about a 1.5" lift. They ride incredible
too. OME is widely regarded as the top spring manufacturer on the planet.
Just not the best known since they don't do tall lifts. Very smooth
riding, stable on the highway, a good choice for someone not necessarily
looking to build an extreme offroader, just a better and little taller
suspension.

All I want is a good work/play kit and the 1.5" seems to keep me away from some of the front end problems on the KJ... It is expensive, but it lets me specify front springs to handle a bull bar and winch which I won't have, but this may handle the extra weight of the CRD instead...

As far as a 2.5" lift - what I gather from this topic is that the RRO 2.125" Combo lift is ok? (Even though they have an over the top spacer plate up front, it is not as big as the Rusty's plate?) :?:

cherokj · **Joined:** Fri Sep 16, 2005 2:03 pm **Posts:** 64

Quote:

It is expensive, but it lets me specify front springs to handle a bull bar and winch which I won't have, but this may handle the extra weight of the CRD instead...

I doubt it. I received an email from OME Australia ( nice guys BTW )the other day about their springs and the CRD...saying it shortly: they are working on it.
I think you wouldn't get more than 1" with the 927's at front on the new CRD. Too much $ for 1" in my opinion.

Cheers

Guest · **Posted:** Thu Dec 08, 2005 3:06 pm

cherokj wrote:

Quote:

It is expensive, but it lets me specify front springs to handle a bull bar and winch which I won't have, but this may handle the extra weight of the CRD instead...

I doubt it. I received an email from OME Australia ( nice guys BTW )the other day about their springs and the CRD...saying it shortly: they are working on it.
I think you wouldn't get more than 1" with the 927's at front on the new CRD. Too much $ for 1" in my opinion.

Cheers

Thanks for the news. I'll probably wait until spring time before I get serious about a lift since the CRD is still not well developed for the aftermarket parts.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Thu Dec 08, 2005 3:24 pm

There a guy on the jeepkj forum that put a lift on a crd. he didnt ever use the hd front springs either. i would say the front hd springs would work fine in the crd.

SD-KJ · **Posted:** Thu Dec 08, 2005 5:04 pm

KJ04 wrote:

Yes,
you are confused, reread the post.

after re-reading your post several times i think i get it. the Rocky Road 2.125" Combo kit for $219 is the better kit to buy. :?:

- nick

KJ04 · **Posted:** Thu Dec 08, 2005 8:42 pm

There ya go Nick!
I've been hanging around this site since Aug. of 03 and have yet to hear a bad word against the RRO Combo kit. I got mine in Dec. of 03 just before the coil lifts started coming out, and will keep it until a suitable SFA kit comes out. If you want to boost the front up, just add a 3/8" clevis by putting 3 - 1/8" X 2" conduit lock nuts over the bottom of the front struts.
If your struts and shocks are old, replace them with the Rancho's while you have it all apart. And by all means, remove the rear swaybar.
If you have any problems, just PM me, and I'll walk you through it.

I've changed my front set up by using just the top 3/8" spacer plate with rusty's standard heavy duty coils, eliminated the front puck and added a 1/2" clevis for maximum strut travel or droop. I left in the lower rear spring isolator under the rear puck and added an extra upper spring isolator plus a home made bump stop which sits on top of the puck and is bolted to the spring perch to accomadate the 32's with minor rubbing.

Hey, it was cheap, it's dependable, and it gets me where I'm going!

jctoth · **Posted:** Tue Dec 13, 2005 2:17 pm

I initially installed the Daystar 2.5 kit on my 02 Liberty. Unfortunately it road like a tank. I removed the Daystar and installed a Rusty's coil kit with Rancho RSX struts and shocks. My Liberty now rides like a Cadillac. I would highly recommend Rusty's coil kit. No problems whatsoever.

Myke · **Posted:** Tue Dec 13, 2005 9:20 pm

I just got the rusty's full suspension kit and no problems so far(although I just had it put it on sunday

)

USA KJ · **Posted:** Wed Dec 14, 2005 7:16 pm

I have Rustys 2.5" coil and spacer lift and love it.............Inexpensive and no issues at all.

zeero · **Posted:** Fri Dec 23, 2005 12:20 am

Thats what I want to get......so many varying opinions....grrr, anyway good post, lots of personal experience intel. :wink:

Rusty's vs Daystar 2.5inch lifts

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