My first round of mods (almost ready) with pics

jhavey · **Posted:** Fri Apr 08, 2011 8:53 pm

Time for my first post....well, i have been lurking on here for quite some time doing my research and reading all the information. I wanted to lift this puppy up a little, but nothing too extreme (JBA 4") so i decided on making my own. I know Marlin is a great guy at JBA, but i wanted to see if i can put together a little smaller lift for a little smaller chunk of change. I kicked around the daystar/revtek/Rock Krawler for a bit, but the ride quality isnt something i am ready to give up on. No point in being higher up at the expense of ride comfort in my mind.

after researching a little more, i learned that KJ springs will fit a KK but the rears wont. I know that Marlin has a pair but for 200ish i think, don't quote me. I ended up surfing Dirk's website and calling him and picked up a pair of KK OME rear springs and a pair for front KK OME springs, all medium duty (the biggest spring rate they make for the KK). All 4 springs were 350, now i just need some shocks (going the Bilstein route i think).

Hopefully i can find some OEM spring/Shock caps for the front and another pair of the poly isolator rings that the stock springs have at both sides and i will pre-assemble everything for easy swapability (more on this in a second)

A quick question i have is, has anyone actually used the BDS rears and also the Bilsteins? just curious if i can use the BDS and not rattle the teeth out of my head.

Tires will be Treadwright BFG AT clones or Genral Grabber AT2's, i don't want anything too aggressive or i will get some funny looks and unwanted questions at the office. (haha it is a company car after all)

Anyways...Pictures attached of the new ride with some factory fresh pizza cutters!! (its been forever since i have posted pics, hope this works)

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onegoodpunk · **Posted:** Fri Apr 08, 2011 9:42 pm

Sweet i was pretty excited about the OME KK coil springs coming available. Post pics after you lift i have heard you get well over the 1.5" of lift they advertise. I am personally going with BDS shocks in the rear I have heard nothing but good things and that will def save some $.
As far as the tires i think Elt31987 has the Treadwright BFG AT clones and I dont think he liked the ride of them If i remember he thought they were too soft which caused too much sway. I would personally go with the General Grabber At2's or something else. What size are you getting?

jhavey · **Posted:** Fri Apr 08, 2011 10:25 pm

Yeah, the tread compound being too soft was the only complaint i had heard about them really. The general grabber at2's look nice also, but the price of the treadrights is pretty attractive.

In terms of size of tires, i am kind of torn about that. I want to do 245/75's but if i have to return my car to stock for service, or company change out i am up the creek because they wont fit on a unlifted libb.

I also thought about keeping the stock size because GE Fleet (who actually owns the car) can be kind of a pain if they find out you changed tire sizes. last go around they had issues with me having a tire shop out on a LT tire instead of a P rated tire. But that looks 1. terrible, and 2. whats the point of lifting it?

any one know of a middle ground size? maybe a 245/70?

onegoodpunk · **Posted:** Fri Apr 08, 2011 10:33 pm

I went with a 235/75/16 actually got mine from [url]Jcwhitney.com[/url] link to the tires is http://www.jcwhitney.com/courser-at-ii-tires/p2024310.jcwx Total shipped to the door i paid $416 because i found a 15% off total order coupon code. They have another 15% one right now using code: buyjcw7

Overall im really happy with the tires a little bigger and more aggresive than stock and they do not rub.

onegoodpunk · **Posted:** Fri Apr 08, 2011 10:37 pm

oh and the avatar pic of my jeep on the left is still with the stock tires on. Ill post some pics of the tires on the liberty tomorrow if your interested.

jhavey · **Posted:** Fri Apr 08, 2011 10:42 pm

post them up! i still haven't made up my mind completely about what tire to go with. All i know is that the Wrangler st's that are on it are terrible. This is my third company Liberty and they all came with them, none of them lasted more than 15-20K

Marlon_JBT · **Posted:** Fri Apr 08, 2011 10:46 pm

Wait, you can get KK OME REAR springs now??!?!??

<--KICKS HIMSELF IN THE REAR!!!

I should have waited another 2 months!!! Guess I gotta work some overtime...again!!

jhavey · **Posted:** Fri Apr 08, 2011 10:52 pm

Yes sir, someone had found the part numbers a while back but they were told they arent available in the US. I can confirm they are available. It took about 5 days to get them.

Honestly, i cant see there being that much difference in the rear springs that are offered for the KK (spring rate excluded) for the 2.5" crowd. Maybe color, i think skyjacker and JBA are red?

I will post what part numbers i ordered, but you can get those off of arb's website.

onegoodpunk · **Posted:** Fri Apr 08, 2011 11:25 pm

You can kinda see them in this pic

Mike08Liberty · **Posted:** Sat Apr 09, 2011 7:59 am

I ran BDS rear shocks on my 08 with my Rock Krawler lift and had great ride quality. The BDS shocks are really good and have a really good price.

MtnLuvr · **Posted:** Sat Apr 09, 2011 8:50 am

Welcome to LOST and great leg-work. Please be sure to post up some pics and info once you get it completed.

FDez · **Posted:** Sat Apr 09, 2011 5:07 pm

I have Mike08Liberty's RK lift with BDS shock on mine and agree that the ride is great. Much better than stock. :rockon:

Elt31987 · **Posted:** Sun Apr 10, 2011 9:06 am

After 3,000 miles I took off the treadwrights. I got them brand new sitting in my garage right now.

NewJerseyKK · **Posted:** Sun Apr 10, 2011 8:31 pm

Your company will let you lift the KK but you cant change the tire size?

jhavey · **Posted:** Sun Apr 10, 2011 11:02 pm

Good point about the tire size... :SOMBRERO:

remdawg · **Joined:** Fri Nov 12, 2010 2:05 pm **Posts:** 204

How much lift are you expecting to get out of this? I've heard that OME just says that it is 1.5" for legal reasons? Would it be around 2" then?

bunkermonkeycw · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2011 9:57 am

Elt31987 wrote:

After 3,000 miles I took off the treadwrights. I got them brand new sitting in my garage right now.

Elaborate? Are you saying they didnt ware at all or you were un-happy?

So far my opinion is great regarding treadwrights.

jhavey · **Posted:** Tue Apr 12, 2011 10:23 am

i am expecting around 2ish. I will take before and after measurements so everyone else has an idea.

BrendonR · **Posted:** Wed Apr 20, 2011 10:09 am

jhavey - quite interested in the OME lift here...

Hurry up already would ya?

Elt31987 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 20, 2011 12:59 pm

bunkermonkeycw wrote:

Elt31987 wrote:

After 3,000 miles I took off the treadwrights. I got them brand new sitting in my garage right now.

Elaborate? Are you saying they didnt ware at all or you were un-happy?

So far my opinion is great regarding treadwrights.

Sorry didnt notice your question. The rubber compound was SO soft that when you turn at any speed above like 40, such as changing lanes on the highway, the Jeep would SWAY horribly and quite frankly so bad that it was scary. If i took my finger and grabbed a piece of tread, i could bend it back and forth easily with just my fingers. So of course when a heavy vehicle is riding on those treads and you switch lanes the tread compound bends under the weight and makes the vehicle sway really bad. On another note i had the Kedge Grip added by Treadwright, dont know if that made a difference. But ya only 3K on em and ill sell for dirt cheap if anybody wants em plus shipping obviously.

My first round of mods (almost ready) with pics

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