Confusion re: lift kits

[Godzilla]

I too am torn on which route to take for my JLUR that is coming some day. Leave the suspension alone and put on Ridge Grappler 285/75/17 (which is basically a 34" tire), or do a Mopar lift with either true 35's or go to an 18' wheel with 285 ridge grapplers which would give it 35" but still be somewhat narrow (I live in snow country). or just wait and do nothing until further suspension options become available.

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[aug0211]

I too am torn on which route to take for my JLUR that is coming some day. Leave the suspension alone and put on Ridge Grappler 285/75/17 (which is basically a 34" tire), or do a Mopar lift with either true 35's or go to an 18' wheel with 285 ridge grapplers which would give it 35" but still be somewhat narrow (I live in snow country). or just wait and do nothing until further suspension options become available.

I would think that you could definitely do a mild spacer lift on your Rubi and be fine with true 35s, right?

 

[Godzilla]

Probably... I don't know for sure though. This will be my first Wrangler and I am reading and learning. One thing I don't want to jack with too much though is the ride quality and I have read that spacer lifts can stiffen things up. Part of the green light for this JL was the promise of a much better ride for my wife than we had in the Ram 3500 (with airbags) hahahaha. If the ride quality sucks, life just might suck as well.

 

[aug0211]

Probably... I don't know for sure though. This will be my first Wrangler and I am reading and learning. One thing I don't want to jack with too much though is the ride quality and I have read that spacer lifts can stiffen things up. Part of the green light for this JL was the promise of a much better ride for my wife than we had in the Ram 3500 (with airbags) hahahaha. If the ride quality sucks, life just might suck as well.

Hmm, I may be mistaken - this won't be my first Wrangler, but it will be my first lift - but I believe you specifically WANT a mild spacer lift if you want to retain the factory ride. Anything else and you have to start comparing the dampening effect of the replacement shocks vs the factory shocks as well as spring rates vs the factory spring rates. Part of the beauty of the spacer lift is that you keep your factory shocks and springs (and also save a bunch of money, in the process).

Others with more experience who know more than me should chime in, too though

 

[Godzilla]

From what I've read, the Mopar lift with the Fox shocks doesn't change the stock ride much, if at all - I'm pretty sure I saw a few statements that said it was a better ride on the Fox units.

I would agree - those with experience who know more than me (that would be most folks) please grab me by the stacking swivel and point me in the right direction.

 

[tntemerson]

Let's see if we can help a little.

Thanks again for the help. If you're interested:

Ordered a JLU Sport yesterday, Sting Gray, completely stripped except for the hard top, the m220/LSD rear end, and went with the Mopar lift, dealer to install.

It's pretty bare compared to Sahara, but even the totally stripped JLU Sports have a lot of things that use to be optional, including air, streaming Blue Tooth, steering wheel controlled BT phone and Cruise Control, comfortable and highly adjustable bucket seats, nice center console, grab handles, nice speakers, and more. Everything seemed solid. The 6spd shifts very smooth, even when the engine is turned off, no synchro buffering needed. Clutch is very soft and easy to control. I'll add wheels and 35" tires either on or just after pickup, with 6-10 weeks for the build and delivery.

But the bottom line is that warranties do NOT cover any damage caused by the lift or any other after-factory additions. It's in the Mopar warranty PDF. BUT, at dealer discretion, the service manager can elect to honor warranty if he feels parts failed from anything other than abuse. And at a dealership rated well for customer service, a service manager is particularly motivated to honor warranties if added parts are Mopar branded. You just have to get to know them and they have to know you're ready to got straight to national Chrysler Customer Assistance if a warrantied failure occurs and the dealers is blaming it on a Mopar product they installed. But it's still a bit of a gamble.They only way you'll ever know is if you have to collect.

BTW, the lift and installation ran $1965, tax included.

Also, these JL's are in such high demand, it's very tough to get a deal. They were willing to discount JK's at 10% or better, but the best I could do for the JLU was about 3% under MRP.

 

[Pressurized]

Thanks again for the help. If you're interested:

Ordered a JLU Sport yesterday, Sting Gray, completely stripped except for the hard top, the m220/LSD rear end, and went with the Mopar lift, dealer to install.

It's pretty bare compared to Sahara, but even the totally stripped JLU Sports have a lot of things that use to be optional, including air, streaming Blue Tooth, steering wheel controlled BT phone and Cruise Control, comfortable and highly adjustable bucket seats, nice center console, grab handles, nice speakers, and more. Everything seemed solid. The 6spd shifts very smooth, even when the engine is turned off, no synchro buffering needed. Clutch is very soft and easy to control. I'll add wheels and 35" tires either on or just after pickup, with 6-10 weeks for the build and delivery.

But the bottom line is that warranties do NOT cover any damage caused by the lift or any other after-factory additions. It's in the Mopar warranty PDF. BUT, at dealer discretion, the service manager can elect to honor warranty if he feels parts failed from anything other than abuse. And at a dealership rated well for customer service, a service manager is particularly motivated to honor warranties if added parts are Mopar branded. You just have to get to know them and they have to know you're ready to got straight to national Chrysler Customer Assistance if a warrantied failure occurs and the dealers is blaming it on a Mopar product they installed. But it's still a bit of a gamble.They only way you'll ever know is if you have to collect.

BTW, the lift and installation ran $1965, tax included.

Also, these JL's are in such high demand, it's very tough to get a deal. They were willing to discount JK's at 10% or better, but the best I could do for the JLU was about 3% under MRP.

Good deal! Are you making sure that you're getting the updated Mopar lift?

 

[tntemerson]

Good deal! Are you making sure that you're getting the updated Mopar lift?

I went over that with the dealer, but they hadn't heard about it so it went over their heads. Chances are that the 3 wk back order for the lift might put it under the corrected version, but given that the Jeep itself will take 6-10 weeks, I'll have some time to determine that. The lift will come in first. If not, I'll get the RK's and take them to the service department myself, along with a thread from this forum on the issue. Best I can think of.

The fact is that while they had a nice built JK up at the showroom, mine is scheculed to be the first JL this dealer will put together, modest as mine will be: Mopar lift kit, alloy wheels, 315/70R17's or so. They want a picture when it's done to put on their FB page. And I still haven't worked out the tailgate spare issue with them and how I'm going to deal with that.

But I've got a couple of months to manage all this.

 

[tntemerson]

Let's see if we can help a little.
.......
Now for some opinion... Based on your description of use, the Mopar kit would be a good one. They run lighter spring rates than many of the other manufacturers and that makes for a great ride quality especially when paired with the very good Fox shocks that are in the kit. Just wait for their spring base correction or buy the Rock Krawler bases for $30 and be done with it.

Thanks one more time. I've learned a great deal, beginning with your help.

My order finally arrived after 45 days, only options were the hard top and the m220 LSD rear.

Went with the Mopar lift, dealer installed, bundled into loan. On your suggestion, made sure the dealer service manager got the RIGHT bases. Before shot (I KNOW, factory tires with the lift!) and after aftermarket shot with Fuel Anza D558 wheels and BFG K02 35x12.5R17 tires. Full sized spare tomorrow with Smittybilt spare relocator, front bumper and N-Fab twin tube Rock Rails with removable steps on order and waiting. Got a Smittybilt 10k winch with remote and synthetic rope at a great deal, so when the bumper arrives I'll have it installed as well. Makes a pretty good light trail build. VERY tempted to re-gear and lock up the axles, but then I should have just bought the Rubi.

But the fact is that I actually liked the Sport and unless I work the axles, I'm about $11 grand less into the loan than a Rubi. Even IF I add 4:10s, Detroit lockers, and manual sway disconnects at about $3k as my local builder quoted, I'd still be at least $8k less. Pneumatic lockers turn out to be a different story. Add another $1.5k AND turns out there's just NO space under the hood for a compressor in one of these things, so it would take some figuring.

Probably stay right where I am for a while.

 

[jeremyjeep]

Does anyone know the length of the control arms that come with the Mopar lift kit (any of the Mopar lift kits)?

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