man i got the itch.... (JBA 6 inch lift)

itsajeepthing · **Posted:** Fri Sep 05, 2008 10:45 pm

I originally went to JBA's website to checkout their UCA's as my front end is fallin apart. Just replaced both outer tie rod ends with moogs, and my mech advised that both upper ball joints have a lot of play. Was surprised to hear that the lowers were actually solid. Anyways I started thinking that I always said I would lift the Lib once it was paid off. Well, here we are all paid off, and I find myself checking out there 4 and 6 inch lifts. I'm lookin at this 6 inch lift and I'm droolin. It looks pretty good to me, but I don't know !@$$ about this stuff. I need some advice before I go droppin this kinda money on a lift. If it will work and not break, then yeah I'm willing to spend the money. I don't recall seeing a lot of feedback on here about this lift. What's the scoop? Is it worth it, or should I just go with a Franky? I wanna make a smart choice here....

jsc7002 · **Posted:** Fri Sep 05, 2008 10:47 pm

I dont know anyone running it besides Joe but I know someone has the 4" on here, but if it were me I would just stick with the 3" OME

2006 KJ · **Posted:** Fri Sep 05, 2008 11:03 pm

the JBA 6in kit seems to be a very very solid kit. everything there makes sense to me and seems as though it would work great. the only downfall is that you must also buy the CV's that JBA sells. you would have a lot of money tied up into the kit... and one sick looking/performing KJ when it was all finished. Personally i'm bias towards the frankenlift... it has proven to be nothing but perfect for me and yields about 4inches of lift plus it's a breeze to install. On the same note, i have not had first hand experience with other lifts (KJ related). If i were to do it over.. and had the greenbacks... i would go with the JBA 6in very good kit... plus it'll look like this

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/23 ... 1346fUmOJh

(photo linked from JBA's slide show)

itsajeepthing · **Posted:** Fri Sep 05, 2008 11:13 pm

2006 KJ wrote:

....the only downfall is that you must also buy the CV's that JBA sells...

Yeah it's a good chunk of change, but you gotta go with the modified CV's with this lift. I already budgeted 'em in. I'd hate to see what would happen to the standard CV assemblies with 6 inches of lift..... :shock:

2006 KJ wrote:

... If i were to do it over.. and had the greenbacks... i would go with the JBA 6in very good kit... plus it'll look like this

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/23 ... 1346fUmOJh

(photo linked from JBA's slide show)

the more pics I see of this lift, the more I gotta have it.... this is the way the Lib should have come from the factory!!

jsc7002 · **Posted:** Fri Sep 05, 2008 11:15 pm

Im not trying to put it down or anything but I would be a little leary of the Stearing knockle extention

why does it say max tire size 285/75?? thats a 33" tire isnt it?

tommudd · **Posted:** Fri Sep 05, 2008 11:28 pm

jsc7002 wrote:

Im not trying to put it down or anything but I would be a little leary of the Stearing knockle extention

why does it say max tire size 285/75?? thats a 33" tire isnt it?

Yep that extension scares me as well, may be alright but.......not for me

also have you thought about throwing some 4.10s gears in there as well, if you're going that high and with taller tires going to have to do that as well.

Inc · **Posted:** Fri Sep 05, 2008 11:44 pm

I'll probably draw some heat for this but for myself, I would never go bigger than the Frankie. In my experience the KJ is a fat Jeep that when sitting up high likes to lean a lot more than I really like. Add that IFS to the mix and it can create some issues off road in off camber situations. I would never and don't plan on ever going any bigger than I am now because of this reason as well as the weak front end setup. You simply shouldn't run bigger tires that other off road vehicles can and for this reason my KJ will sit as high as it does now for the rest of its life, at least until I sell it. From what I can tell the 4" and 6" lifts don't really help you out off road any more than the Frankie does and they cost a bunch more. If you really wanna go all out, you could go SFA swap but then you need like an 8" lift just to run 33" tires. That puts you way up high, higher than I'd ever really want to be in a KJ just because of the nature of the KJ. Heavy unibody doesn't equate to as sweet of an off road rig as a light solid body on frame does. Do I love my KJ? Absolutely! It is pretty much perfect for me and my situation. More family friendly, still very off road capable, better mpg, and it is always fun to wheel something else that not too many people run around here.

Sorry to go off on that tangent, just giving my 2 cents on the KJ, lift size and off road capabilities.

Guest · **Posted:** Sat Sep 06, 2008 12:05 am

incubusmike wrote:

I'll probably draw some heat for this but for myself, I would never go bigger than the Frankie.

Ditto.

Course then again, with any of my 4x4s, I've never really felt the need to run much more than a 31" tire.

tommudd · **Posted:** Sat Sep 06, 2008 12:07 am

very well stated INC !!!!!

daspes · **Posted:** Sat Sep 06, 2008 12:47 am

Not worth it, IMHO. $838, or $4,431... 5 times more cash for another 1.5 - 2"... nah, I'll pass.

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Sat Sep 06, 2008 10:11 am

If you really feel the need for a larger lift and larger tires, I would go with a Wrangler. You can pick up a used Wrangler (YJ or TJ) for a pretty affordable price. I really enjoy the Frankenlifted KJ and I plan to keep it forever. However, I’m building a JK, but I’ll probably stick with a 3” lift and maybe 32” tires.

If you want a monster lift that can do monstrous things, then I would go with a sand buggy, trail buggy, or rock crawling buggy.

LIV42DY · **Posted:** Sun Sep 07, 2008 12:17 am

Five guys that know their stuff,Me number six, love my Franki and will never go any higher the KJ is just not designed for it.

2006 KJ · **Posted:** Sun Sep 07, 2008 12:32 am

i wouldnt think twice about going higher. another 2 inches on top of my franki would be great. my tires are about 1 inch wider than stock.. an i have 1.25in wheel spacers. so that made my footprint 4 inches wider = 4 inches more stable for the ~4 inches of height i got outta the lift. so if this makes any sense at all that would mean another 2 inches would be like a stock width KJ running a 2 inch lift. no idea if that makes sense in the real world but in my head it does. i know that i have much much less body roll now that i did when it was completely stock. anyway.. for someone who has the money i'd still go with the JBA 6in. i'm a poor college student so i'm thrilled with the franki for now (untill a SFA kit is out)

KW AV8R · **Posted:** Sun Sep 07, 2008 2:31 am

I just find it funny that for the past 6 years or so people have been complaining about there not being a taller lift out there for the KJ and as soon as someone comes out with one, everyone says that if you want to lift it that high, go with a different vehicle.

meh_kick · **Posted:** Sun Sep 07, 2008 8:35 am

LIV42DY wrote:

... the KJ is just not designed for it.

I'm thinking none of the Wranglers were "designed" for it either. But you still see them getting bigger and bigger...

KW AV8R wrote:

I just find it funny that for the past 6 years or so people have been complaining about there not being a taller lift out there for the KJ and as soon as someone comes out with one, everyone says that if you want to lift it that high, go with a different vehicle.

Ditto.

tommudd · **Posted:** Sun Sep 07, 2008 10:41 am

well for one I never said I did not want to go to say the 6 inch, but design wise I don't like the look of some of the pieces, sorry, I have a lot of respect for Marlin and what he does, but for example the top spindle piece is not what I want on mine.

PLUS the other fact that going to a 6 inch means I want bigger tires, and for me I do not want something that I can not still drive 30,000 a year and pull a trailer etc and with only 4.10s available its going to suck gas big time with no power so why do it?

I still say if you are going to go that high and the price, go a little more money and go SFA and be done with it

as far as going higher, body roll or whatever that doesn't bother me, as I one of my old DDs was a full size short wheelbase Dodge van on 40s, you can not go too high :wink:

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Sun Sep 07, 2008 11:05 am

meh_kick wrote:

LIV42DY wrote:

... the KJ is just not designed for it.

I'm thinking none of the Wranglers were "designed" for it either. But you still see them getting bigger and bigger...

KW AV8R wrote:

I just find it funny that for the past 6 years or so people have been complaining about there not being a taller lift out there for the KJ and as soon as someone comes out with one, everyone says that if you want to lift it that high, go with a different vehicle.

Ditto.

I think the point that people are trying to make concerning the Wrangler is that a Wrangler with a 3" lift and big tires can do more on the trail than a 6" lifted IFS KJ. Doesn't matter how tall you go with a KJ, there will always be more restrictions due to the IFS. It doesn't take much to lift a Wrangler, but you are talking a lot of busyness going on with a 6" lifted KJ. There will always be people who think a taller KJ would be cool, but in reality, only a hand full will make the attempt. Most KJ'ers who would consider the JBA 6" lift would most logically go the SFA route IMO.

tommudd · **Posted:** Sun Sep 07, 2008 11:29 am

dieselenthusiast wrote:

meh_kick wrote:

LIV42DY wrote:

... the KJ is just not designed for it.

I'm thinking none of the Wranglers were "designed" for it either. But you still see them getting bigger and bigger...

KW AV8R wrote:

I just find it funny that for the past 6 years or so people have been complaining about there not being a taller lift out there for the KJ and as soon as someone comes out with one, everyone says that if you want to lift it that high, go with a different vehicle.

Ditto.

I think the point that people are trying to make concerning the Wrangler is that a Wrangler with a 3" lift and big tires can do more on the trail than a 6" lifted IFS KJ. Doesn't matter how tall you go with a KJ, there will always be more restrictions due to the IFS. It doesn't take much to lift a Wrangler, but you are talking a lot of busyness going on with a 6" lifted KJ. There will always be people who think a taller KJ would be cool, but in reality, only a hand full will make the attempt. Most KJ'ers who would consider the JBA 6" lift would most logically go the SFA route IMO.

X's two!!!!!!

itsajeepthing · **Posted:** Sun Sep 07, 2008 5:07 pm

wow! ok i guess i need to rethink this a bit. it sounds like the Franky is pretty good. Especially since it seems to net a lot more than 2.5 inches of lift. Would the JE reels be good insurance with the Franky, or totally unnecessary? Any guys havin trouble with the cv;s? How much choppin would I need to do to fit 32's under a frankenlift? I was thinking that re-gearing really would not be an issue since I have a 5 speed, am I wrong?

So here's what I'm thinkin now:

Frankenlift (which one is best for '03 Renny - would like to avoid a stiff ride.)
Al's upper arms
JE Reels?
spidertrax spacers?
265/75 r16 all terrains ( will they fit w/ original renny wheels?)
extra rear spacer/isolator to level up the rear?.

thanks for the feedback so far guys. Hard to make these decisions when you really don't have the knowledge.

edit: on a side note, today while I was power washing the truck i noticed that the paint is starting to peel away from all plastic parts - mainly the fenders and the front bumper. I guess it time to look at some Rhino lining while I'm at it. I'm thinking rockers, fenders, and bumpers.

tommudd · **Posted:** Sun Sep 07, 2008 5:10 pm

I would not do the cv's until they go out, save that money and REGEAR to 4.10s

man i got the itch.... (JBA 6 inch lift)

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