What's Stopping a 6" Lift?

NAMoulton1 · **Joined:** Tue Aug 12, 2014 7:01 pm **Posts:** 1054

4x4kayak2112 wrote:

The clevis is 2" longer on the 6" coilovers vs the 4". The shock and spring is all the same.

I see...to get the 6" lift height do you need to adjust the spring like you do to get 4" lift on the normal springs?

At The Helm · **Posted:** Mon Jan 12, 2015 11:33 pm

NAMoulton1 wrote:

I thought I remembered seeing JBA had their 6" lift struts having a mini spring underneath that would be compressed to provide the 6" lift. I just spent 15min trying to find this strut but to no avail. What was this strut I'm thinking of for then?

EDIT: It seems that the only one they make is for the WK/XKs 6"-8" lift...oops...

I think maybe the older JBA 4" lift used two springs, each with a different rate. I know for sure TexasRugby911's JBA 4" lift uses two springs stacked on top of each other.

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Jan 13, 2015 12:15 am

NAMoulton1 wrote:

4x4kayak2112 wrote:

The clevis is 2" longer on the 6" coilovers vs the 4". The shock and spring is all the same.

I see...to get the 6" lift height do you need to adjust the spring like you do to get 4" lift on the normal springs?

Thing is you have to do more than just install that setup, on KJ its also doing the cradle drop , plus other parts

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Jan 13, 2015 12:16 am

Atthehelm wrote:

NAMoulton1 wrote:

I thought I remembered seeing JBA had their 6" lift struts having a mini spring underneath that would be compressed to provide the 6" lift. I just spent 15min trying to find this strut but to no avail. What was this strut I'm thinking of for then?

EDIT: It seems that the only one they make is for the WK/XKs 6"-8" lift...oops...

I think maybe the older JBA 4" lift used two springs, each with a different rate. I know for sure TexasRugby911's JBA 4" lift uses two springs stacked on top of each other.

Very early models did until they got the rate right on the springs

JeepMorrison · **Joined:** Thu Jul 16, 2009 11:34 am **Posts:** 1236

NAMoulton1 wrote:

4x4kayak2112 wrote:

The clevis is 2" longer on the 6" coilovers vs the 4". The shock and spring is all the same.

I see...to get the 6" lift height do you need to adjust the spring like you do to get 4" lift on the normal springs?

No. With the 4" lift clevis, the shocks are max droop. You do a 2" cradle drop, you need 2" longer clevis. The Bilstein shocks JBA uses had a 16.25'' extended lenght. Thats why you need the 2" longer clevis, to help compensate for the cradle drop.

NAMoulton1 · **Joined:** Tue Aug 12, 2014 7:01 pm **Posts:** 1054

4x4kayak2112 wrote:

NAMoulton1 wrote:

4x4kayak2112 wrote:

The clevis is 2" longer on the 6" coilovers vs the 4". The shock and spring is all the same.

I see...to get the 6" lift height do you need to adjust the spring like you do to get 4" lift on the normal springs?

No. With the 4" lift clevis, the shocks are max droop. You do a 2" cradle drop, you need 2" longer clevis. The Bilstein shocks JBA uses had a 16.25'' extended lenght. Thats why you need the 2" longer clevis, to help compensate for the cradle drop.

I see, this makes sense. But why wouldn't JBA just use longer shocks/springs?

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Jan 13, 2015 11:14 am

NAMoulton1 wrote:

I see, this makes sense. But why wouldn't JBA just use longer shocks/springs?

The way the front suspension is on the KJs/ KKs there is only so much room that you have to work with as far as lifting one, 4 inches is the max amount . After that you have to try something else like the cradle drop on a KJ. Never thought it was a good way to go plus the little amount you gain is not really worth it. I mean you don't gain any height ( ground to diff) , can only go up one size tire, from 32s to 33 s ) so gaining 1/2 inch tire height ......is it worth it ?

JeepMorrison · **Joined:** Thu Jul 16, 2009 11:34 am **Posts:** 1236

tommudd wrote:

NAMoulton1 wrote:

I see, this makes sense. But why wouldn't JBA just use longer shocks/springs?

The way the front suspension is on the KJs/ KKs there is only so much room that you have to work with as far as lifting one, 4 inches is the max amount . After that you have to try something else like the cradle drop on a KJ. Never thought it was a good way to go plus the little amount you gain is not really worth it. I mean you don't gain any height ( ground to diff) , can only go up one size tire, from 32s to 33 s ) so gaining 1/2 inch tire height ......is it worth it ?

NAM, just like tom said above. Plus JBA uses a 5" travel front coilover shock. The next step up is way to long for the KJ application. Plus it keeps down on inventory. To go from 4" coilovers to 6" you will need the knuckle extension, cradle drip, k member drop, and the goodies for the rear end.

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Jan 14, 2015 1:34 pm

Up to and including 4 inches of lift is pretty simple really for a KJ/KK.
Springs /shocks/ UCAs ( on a KK the rear sway bar must be dealt with at anything in the 3.5-4 inch range)
But otherwise its pretty straightforward
Once you cross that 4 inch mark is when things start getting complicated and lots more has to be done to even make it partially workable.

NAMoulton1 · **Joined:** Tue Aug 12, 2014 7:01 pm **Posts:** 1054

tommudd wrote:

The way the front suspension is on the KJs/ KKs there is only so much room that you have to work with as far as lifting one, 4 inches is the max amount . After that you have to try something else like the cradle drop on a KJ. Never thought it was a good way to go plus the little amount you gain is not really worth it. I mean you don't gain any height ( ground to diff) , can only go up one size tire, from 32s to 33 s ) so gaining 1/2 inch tire height ......is it worth it ?

I, and maybe a few other here, would think it's worth it.

4x4kayak2112 wrote:

NAM, just like tom said above. Plus JBA uses a 5" travel front coilover shock. The next step up is way to long for the KJ application. Plus it keeps down on inventory. To go from 4" coilovers to 6" you will need the knuckle extension, cradle drip, k member drop, and the goodies for the rear end.

BUT if going to a 6" lift w/ cradle drop means the same amount of suspension travel with the same ground clearance, then I have to go back on saying it's worth it. If the 6" coilovers were to produce the extra 2" in travel then I would say it's worth it. But as is, you gain two inches in body height which only helps in a mall...

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Jan 14, 2015 3:08 pm

So how much are you willing to pay for an extra 1/2 inch of ground clearance?
We're talking from ground to lowest point
Then you'll not have anymore suspension travel its going to be the same as the 4 inch since you are using 4 inch springs/ shocks etc, rest is in a cradle drop
There is only so much travel in the front of a KJ/KK unless you come up with new upper and lower control arms, different spinlde etc
Forget the idea of a 6 inch coilovers, if it was that easy we'd of done it with the KJs instead of having to go to a 4 inch plus cradle drop

Examples
4 inch JBA Bronze lift $2813.47
6 inch JBA Bronze lift $5676.50
$2863.03 difference

NAMoulton1 · **Joined:** Tue Aug 12, 2014 7:01 pm **Posts:** 1054

tommudd wrote:

So how much are you willing to pay for an extra 1/2 inch of ground clearance?
We're talking from ground to lowest point
Then you'll not have anymore suspension travel its going to be the same as the 4 inch since you are using 4 inch springs/ shocks etc, rest is in a cradle drop
There is only so much travel in the front of a KJ/KK unless you come up with new upper and lower control arms, different spinlde etc
Forget the idea of a 6 inch coilovers, if it was that easy we'd of done it with the KJs instead of having to go to a 4 inch plus cradle drop

Examples
4 inch JBA Bronze lift $2813.47
6 inch JBA Bronze lift $5676.50
$2863.03 difference

For 1/2" with the same suspension travel...I'd rather spend the $100 for some skids and suck it up haha. One day, I'll have her paid off and have a daily driver to make this a dedicated trail rig and do the whole custom suspension high travel coilovers and fab arms for the suspension haha. Until then, I'll keep the 4" and 32s...but might try stuffing 33s... :twisted:

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Jan 14, 2015 4:28 pm

NAMoulton1 wrote:

tommudd wrote:

So how much are you willing to pay for an extra 1/2 inch of ground clearance?
We're talking from ground to lowest point
Then you'll not have anymore suspension travel its going to be the same as the 4 inch since you are using 4 inch springs/ shocks etc, rest is in a cradle drop
There is only so much travel in the front of a KJ/KK unless you come up with new upper and lower control arms, different spinlde etc
Forget the idea of a 6 inch coilovers, if it was that easy we'd of done it with the KJs instead of having to go to a 4 inch plus cradle drop

Examples
4 inch JBA Bronze lift $2813.47
6 inch JBA Bronze lift $5676.50
$2863.03 difference

For 1/2" with the same suspension travel...I'd rather spend the $100 for some skids and suck it up haha. One day, I'll have her paid off and have a daily driver to make this a dedicated trail rig and do the whole custom suspension high travel coilovers and fab arms for the suspension haha. Until then, I'll keep the 4" and 32s...but might try stuffing 33s... :twisted:

At least you can go to 4.88s with those 33s and not have to go to a steel diff :banghead:

NAMoulton1 · **Joined:** Tue Aug 12, 2014 7:01 pm **Posts:** 1054

tommudd wrote:

NAMoulton1 wrote:

tommudd wrote:

So how much are you willing to pay for an extra 1/2 inch of ground clearance?
We're talking from ground to lowest point
Then you'll not have anymore suspension travel its going to be the same as the 4 inch since you are using 4 inch springs/ shocks etc, rest is in a cradle drop
There is only so much travel in the front of a KJ/KK unless you come up with new upper and lower control arms, different spinlde etc
Forget the idea of a 6 inch coilovers, if it was that easy we'd of done it with the KJs instead of having to go to a 4 inch plus cradle drop

Examples
4 inch JBA Bronze lift $2813.47
6 inch JBA Bronze lift $5676.50
$2863.03 difference

For 1/2" with the same suspension travel...I'd rather spend the $100 for some skids and suck it up haha. One day, I'll have her paid off and have a daily driver to make this a dedicated trail rig and do the whole custom suspension high travel coilovers and fab arms for the suspension haha. Until then, I'll keep the 4" and 32s...but might try stuffing 33s... :twisted:

At least you can go to 4.88s with those 33s and not have to go to a steel diff :banghead:

Best case scenario I install my 4.56s and then daily run A/T 265/75s and have some M/T 285/75s on 16" steelies haha.

JeepNCrowd · **Posted:** Fri Jan 23, 2015 10:55 am

I know a lot of people don't like the idea of a cradle drop but I can see it netting more travel if you do it to make a total of 4" lift. Yes you'll only can apron 2" of lift on the front diff. But you'll vain 32" tires and more down travel than just a 4" lift. But is 2" more down travel worth that price. Not to me any way. My primary reason for my 6" lift will be maximum travel. Increased tore size is my second priority.

What's Stopping a 6" Lift?

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