Lift Ride Quality

mawlkrawler · **Posted:** Tue Dec 31, 2013 10:03 am

tommudd wrote:

12KK SFD wrote:

Be very careful with 4 wheel drive shops etc, they will try and sell you whatever they can make the most off of, plus 98% of no knowledge of what works on a KJ or KK. Its sad that I've done more lifts here on KJs/KKs than any 4 wheel drive shop in at least a 150 mile radius or more

There's a Jeep store near my parents house that sells only Jeep parts and has never seen a lifted Liberty before. He had legit never seen one until I pulled up looking for some d rings. You'd think he'd seen Bigfoot from the look on his face.

Sent from my iPhone

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Dec 31, 2013 10:36 am

Local shop in Toledo advertises that they are the one and only place for 4 wheel and off road vehicles but they did one KJ back in 03 and think there is no way to lift one to this day. I stopped in a few months back to get a quote on a bumper and when I came out there were 4 guys under my KJ. Asking what shop had done all of my work, how much it cost etc :ROTFL:

When I told them I did it all and had done a bunch of lifts they were floored! Then when I told them I'd had people come from a 6 state area just to have lifts done they didn't know what to say! :-)r

The best was them trying to figure out how I could get adjustable coilovers :mrgreen:

12KK SFD · **Posted:** Tue Dec 31, 2013 11:13 am

Something tells me there's no hope for me for a qualified installer in my area.

Bmxer524 · **Posted:** Tue Dec 31, 2013 3:32 pm

The 927s(heavy duty gas engine springs) are what most people use. It gets the 2.5-2.75" of lift up front. It works for a stock KK. Part of the reason for the heavy duty is less sag(if you're stock) and the little bit of extra height.

As for installing, it's not hard at all. Worst case scenario, you can always do it in your driveway over the weekend.

12KK SFD · **Posted:** Tue Dec 31, 2013 8:49 pm

You think I can even with very limited tools and limited know how?

ajohns1288 · **Posted:** Tue Dec 31, 2013 9:11 pm

12KK SFD wrote:

You think I can even with very limited tools and limited know how?

It took me about 14 hours from start to finish over a weekend when I did mine all by myself, but I ran into a lot of issues with rusted bolts on my ball joints. The hardest part is getting the driver side UCA out if you are replacing them with the JBA arms. If you have an impact wrench with extensions its even easier, as you can use it on almost all the fasteners except the ball joint nut (mine wouldn't fit).

I did use a 4x4 shop to pre-assemble the shock assembly with all new components though, so I didn't have to deal with compressing the big-ass spring. They thought I was crazy when I told them it was going in a Liberty. :-)r

Bmxer524 · **Posted:** Wed Jan 01, 2014 6:37 am

A 2012 shouldn't have problems with rusted bolts, so it should go pretty smooth. My lift took about 4 hours, but it was my dad and I(we're both mechanically inclined), and used our buddy's shop so we had a lift, any tool you could imagine and air tools. It's more than safe to say it'll take longer without those.

Read through the write ups Digger posted for Scar0.
viewtopic.php?f=104&t=41880

You can make sure you have the tools for it, or a way of getting them. I know they're for the JBA lift, but the OME is pretty much the same install. Also a round figure of what you're getting into so you can judge whether or not you think you can handle it.

If you're not doing a-arms(or plan on adding them at a later date), then it's a simple unbolt stuff, have your new front end put together and bolt it back in. Rear is very easy as well. The driver's side a-arm is a royal pain, but still do-able.

12KK SFD · **Posted:** Wed Jan 01, 2014 11:16 am

Great. Thanks a lot guys. I'll see if it's maybe something a friend and I could handle.

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Jan 01, 2014 11:27 am

Its pretty much unbolting parts and then reinstalling the new parts.
Some of the write ups on here are pretty good.
But if you have a good set of sockets etc you should have enough tools. Plus of course jack and jackstands or something to block it up while working on it. On of the guys here did his in a gravel very uneven driveway with the stock jack.

12KK SFD · **Posted:** Wed Jan 01, 2014 11:42 am

I could probably give it a shot then.

My next question is about the alignment. I think the closest place that could do one is about 20 minutes away via highway. I can get there via a road with a 50mph posted speed limit. Is that going to be an issue or a safety hazard?

mawlkrawler · **Posted:** Wed Jan 01, 2014 12:11 pm

12KK SFD wrote:

I could probably give it a shot then.

My next question is about the alignment. I think the closest place that could do one is about 20 minutes away via highway. I can get there via a road with a 50mph posted speed limit. Is that going to be an issue or a safety hazard?

If your nervous about the speed you could always just turn your hazards on and drive at a comfortable speed.

Sent from my iPhone 5

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Jan 01, 2014 12:25 pm

12KK SFD wrote:

I could probably give it a shot then.

My next question is about the alignment. I think the closest place that could do one is about 20 minutes away via highway. I can get there via a road with a 50mph posted speed limit. Is that going to be an issue or a safety hazard?

You can run that speed, but carefully. No matter if you get new arms or not it will handle really funky ( like very quick steering/some say its almost like driving on ball bearings.) Just take it easy and be careful. We just did a set of arms up here a couple of weeks ago, ( we had lifted it a couple of years ago) by the time we got everything else done it was too late for an alignment so he drove 150 miles home. Not advised but doable

Bmxer524 · **Posted:** Thu Jan 02, 2014 1:23 am

I'd be careful driving far/fast without the alignment. It's definitely do-able though. I was sitting way too high pre alignment for me to drive it unless absolutely necessary. The Jeep felt like it was skating all over, every bump would make you pull. If you turned it was fine until a certain point then it would turn really quickly. As it was said, you could always put the flashers on and slow down.

12KK SFD · **Posted:** Thu Jan 02, 2014 11:45 am

I'd probably end up taking the back way to the closest shop so I can travel a bit slower and be safe about it.

DREDnot · **Posted:** Sun Jan 12, 2014 6:54 pm

A little note about the harsh tossing from side to side that you mention. That was my complaint as well and my JBA adjust a strut lift didn't effect that at all. The Bilsteins made the total ride MUCH more precise and comfortable, but the toss was still annoying. That is a result of the huge , stiff sway bar up front. As soon as I disconnected it, the toss went away. I drove it totally disconnected for a month or so and saw no adverse handling other than a slight increase in body roll (vs. none before)and removed it completely . The rear is still connected. Everyone will tell you I'm stupid for doing this, dangerous, no insurance coverage, yada ,yada,...As a professional automotive test driver, and driver of a few vehicles with no sway bays ever, Its perfectly fine for anyone who is not a dunce. Give it a try and see how the side to side toss feels. Takes just a few minutes to unbolt links and wire bar up out of the way

:ALONE:

tommudd · **Posted:** Sun Jan 12, 2014 8:22 pm

DREDnot wrote:

A little note about the harsh tossing from side to side that you mention. That was my complaint as well and my JBA adjust a strut lift didn't effect that at all. The Bilsteins made the total ride MUCH more precise and comfortable, but the toss was still annoying. That is a result of the huge , stiff sway bar up front. As soon as I disconnected it, the toss went away. I drove it totally disconnected for a month or so and saw no adverse handling other than a slight increase in body roll (vs. none before)and removed it completely . The rear is still connected. Everyone will tell you I'm stupid for doing this, dangerous, no insurance coverage, yada ,yada,...As a professional automotive test driver, and driver of a few vehicles with no sway bays ever, Its perfectly fine for anyone who is not a dunce. Give it a try and see how the side to side toss feels. Takes just a few minutes to unbolt links and wire bar up out of the way

:ALONE:

Little difference in someone who has driven and knows the effects and someone who never has. I have driven several that way as well while going from one farm to another while wheeling, BUT would never advise someone else to. Too many things can happen. After all we are about being safe and giving out good advice to the general Jeep owning public

DREDnot · **Posted:** Sun Jan 12, 2014 9:38 pm

Its no way an out of control experience. The stock connected KK is stiff beyond reason. Disconnected in front and connected in the rear it has less body roll than my fully connected 89 Trooper. Yet the independent articulation without the sway bar allows a more controlled driving experience.

Gageraid · **Posted:** Sun Jan 12, 2014 9:43 pm

DREDnot wrote:

Its no way an out of control experience. The stock connected KK is stiff beyond reason. Disconnected in front and connected in the rear it has less body roll than my fully connected 89 Trooper. Yet the independent articulation without the sway bar allows a more controlled driving experience.

Has it effected traction control at all? What about at or near full lock turning?

12KK SFD · **Posted:** Tue Jan 14, 2014 2:03 pm

DREDnot wrote:

A little note about the harsh tossing from side to side that you mention. That was my complaint as well and my JBA adjust a strut lift didn't effect that at all. The Bilsteins made the total ride MUCH more precise and comfortable, but the toss was still annoying. That is a result of the huge , stiff sway bar up front. As soon as I disconnected it, the toss went away. I drove it totally disconnected for a month or so and saw no adverse handling other than a slight increase in body roll (vs. none before)and removed it completely . The rear is still connected. Everyone will tell you I'm stupid for doing this, dangerous, no insurance coverage, yada ,yada,...As a professional automotive test driver, and driver of a few vehicles with no sway bays ever, Its perfectly fine for anyone who is not a dunce. Give it a try and see how the side to side toss feels. Takes just a few minutes to unbolt links and wire bar up out of the way

:ALONE:

Hmm. I drove my ZJ disconnected for a while but I'm not sure I'd do it with my KK. But that's good information to have. I'll just go with the lift and try to improve the other areas of the ride, I suppose.

DREDnot · **Posted:** Tue Jan 14, 2014 4:06 pm

Gageraid wrote:

Has it effected traction control at all? What about at or near full lock turning?

Nope, not at all. As a matter of fact I got to test it yesterday. As I had to clear an intersection to avoid a red light runner I was waiting to turn left in the intersection as my light went from yellow to red, I had to boogie it hard left, stab the gas, two quick squalls from the tires as the power peaked and a little traction control activation at the end. Nice and neat.

Also no effect on turn radius.

The lift itself has caused the traction control to make its little rumbling noise when turning ,same as others have experienced. No felt activation, just that weird metallic, gurgling noise. Sway bar removal has had no effect on that. Same before as after.

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