RC Spacer Lift Cost and extra work

[D60]

I would offer a word of caution on installing the lift yourself. I put in a spacer lift on my 19’ JLUR about 2 weeks ago and managed pinch the front locker wire. $386 later to splice in a new one. I’ve installed lifts, shocks and struts on 4Runners and other vehicles. I’m not an expert but not a novice. In my case I wasted the time and still paid the money. It may have been a weird aberration and certainly only a risk on the Rubi. Just food for thought.

How does one get to $386 to repair a wire or wires? I'm asking, I'm truly baffled...

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[mwilk012]

If you don’t have the facilities and tools to do it yourself, the lift is a pain in the ass to install. But, the other stuff there is no way I would pay someone to do. But a set of wrenches and you’ll have them forever for less than the labor on the install for the accessories like the spare relocation.

 

[Mark7411]

If you don’t have the facilities and tools to do it yourself, the lift is a pain in the ass to install. But, the other stuff there is no way I would pay someone to do. But a set of wrenches and you’ll have them forever for less than the labor on the install for the accessories like the spare relocation.

I agree..I’m going to look for a video on how to do it. I would hate to pay for something simple.

 

[mwilk012]

I agree..I’m going to look for a video on how to do it. I would hate to pay for something simple.

If you can take the spare off, you can install that bracket.

 

[D60]

I agree..I’m going to look for a video on how to do it. I would hate to pay for something simple.

Simple is relative, too. Get comfortable with the "simple" stuff then you'll start doing the slightly more complex stuff which will then seem simple, and on and on

 

[lightsout]

That’s why after contemplating doing the install myself, I decided to pay a professional to do it. While I’m curious enough to try and I think competent enough to achieve it, between the time that I would spend on it and the risk of damaging things, it might end up costing me more than what I’d be saving...
For the ones running 35s and the RC relocation bracket, are you only using this ? No other reinforcement anything ? Any tailgate warp ?

Do not over think it. Follow the instruction and there is little if anything that will go wrong. it is not difficult, however what you learn could be invaluable on the trail where things break or need adjustments and the knowledge of how the suspension and surrounding mechanical works.

There is no AAA on the back country...

 

[rustyshakelford]

Also I can’t remeber my alignment machine telling me anything about how centered the axle is. A tape measure and 21mm wrenches is all you need for the track bar. Again, alignment won’t show anything about that

Brett

 

[Mark7411]

Also I can’t remeber my alignment machine telling me anything about how centered the axle is. A tape measure and 21mm wrenches is all you need for the track bar. Again, alignment won’t show anything about that

Brett

Thanks. Do you have to do an alignment after the track bar install.

 

[rustyshakelford]

Thanks. Do you have to do an alignment after the track bar install.

No. All the track bar does in the most basic way is center the axle between the frame. When you increase the space between the axle and frame the track bar is going to be effectively shorter than it was. The adj track bar can be lengthened to compensate for that. Once the axle is centered where you want it, then you center your steering wheel. Take a tape measure and measure from the coil perch to the tire on both sides. I try to get mine as close to perfect as possible. Do it with the weight resting on the suspension

Brett

 

[rdrjohn]

I installed this RC lift (my first) in my driveway last weekend and took about 8 hours (2019 JLUS). I would definitely recommend doing it yourself to become more familiar with your Jeep and it is a good excuse to get some more tools. I pretty much tried all the bolts while it was on the ground to make sure I had the right tool/wrench/socket and there are plenty of videos for this kit (extremeterrain, litebrite, [Banned Site]) to study. My Jeep after the lift:

 

[Mark7411]

I installed this RC lift (my first) in my driveway last weekend and took about 8 hours (2019 JLUS). I would definitely recommend doing it yourself to become more familiar with your Jeep and it is a good excuse to get some more tools. I pretty much tried all the bolts while it was on the ground to make sure I had the right tool/wrench/socket and there are plenty of videos for this kit (extremeterrain, litebrite, [Banned Site]) to study. My Jeep after the lift:

Cool. How does it perform.

 

[SmoothJeepOperator]

I just put the RC 2.5 spacer lift on my Sport a little over a week ago. Most i had done on my Jeep before hand was change the oil and oil filter. I didn't have the tools so worked with a friend that did and we knocked it out in 6 hours. Most of the lift was not hard at all. I followed a video from extreme terrain and it gave all the steps needed. The 1 part I did have alot of trouble with was putting on the bump stops in the front. The nut didnt want to thread the bolt easily and with big hands its almost impossible to thread the bolt with the nut. Perhaps there is a special tool that would help. I tried the tape trick and it wasnt working, that whole part set me back about 1.5 hours in total. In the end i got some different bolts and with alot of patience was able to get that bolt threaded (it was harder on the passenger side than the drive side). The other thing I did wrong was with the lowering and raising of the axle, my track bar got under the bracket it bolts into. So when I finished up the front end and wanted to bolt back in the track bar, I couldnt because it was under the bracket. Wasnt a big deal though I just unbolted it from the other side and moved it into the bracket, rebolted the top side and then the bottom and was good to go.

Never did an alignment. Jeep rides like stock to me. I could see doing the adjustable track bar while under there since its easy enough. But the stabilizers shouldnt be needed.

I'm not sure about the spare tire relocation bracket. I think the 35 will fit on the back... But i'm not sure if its too heavy or not. Anyone know the answer to that?

 

[Mark7411]

I just put the RC 2.5 spacer lift on my Sport a little over a week ago. Most i had done on my Jeep before hand was change the oil and oil filter. I didn't have the tools so worked with a friend that did and we knocked it out in 6 hours. Most of the lift was not hard at all. I followed a video from extreme terrain and it gave all the steps needed. The 1 part I did have alot of trouble with was putting on the bump stops in the front. The nut didnt want to thread the bolt easily and with big hands its almost impossible to thread the bolt with the nut. Perhaps there is a special tool that would help. I tried the tape trick and it wasnt working, that whole part set me back about 1.5 hours in total. In the end i got some different bolts and with alot of patience was able to get that bolt threaded (it was harder on the passenger side than the drive side). The other thing I did wrong was with the lowering and raising of the axle, my track bar got under the bracket it bolts into. So when I finished up the front end and wanted to bolt back in the track bar, I couldnt because it was under the bracket. Wasnt a big deal though I just unbolted it from the other side and moved it into the bracket, rebolted the top side and then the bottom and was good to go.

Never did an alignment. Jeep rides like stock to me. I could see doing the adjustable track bar while under there since its easy enough. But the stabilizers shouldnt be needed.

I'm not sure about the spare tire relocation bracket. I think the 35 will fit on the back... But i'm not sure if its too heavy or not. Anyone know the answer to that?

Great info. It sounds like it rides great.

 

[rdrjohn]

Cool. How does it perform.

I have only driven it on the road/highways so far but so far so good.

 

[rdrjohn]

I just put the RC 2.5 spacer lift on my Sport a little over a week ago. Most i had done on my Jeep before hand was change the oil and oil filter. I didn't have the tools so worked with a friend that did and we knocked it out in 6 hours. Most of the lift was not hard at all. I followed a video from extreme terrain and it gave all the steps needed. The 1 part I did have alot of trouble with was putting on the bump stops in the front. The nut didnt want to thread the bolt easily and with big hands its almost impossible to thread the bolt with the nut. Perhaps there is a special tool that would help. I tried the tape trick and it wasnt working, that whole part set me back about 1.5 hours in total. In the end i got some different bolts and with alot of patience was able to get that bolt threaded (it was harder on the passenger side than the drive side). The other thing I did wrong was with the lowering and raising of the axle, my track bar got under the bracket it bolts into. So when I finished up the front end and wanted to bolt back in the track bar, I couldnt because it was under the bracket. Wasnt a big deal though I just unbolted it from the other side and moved it into the bracket, rebolted the top side and then the bottom and was good to go.

Never did an alignment. Jeep rides like stock to me. I could see doing the adjustable track bar while under there since its easy enough. But the stabilizers shouldnt be needed.

I'm not sure about the spare tire relocation bracket. I think the 35 will fit on the back... But i'm not sure if its too heavy or not. Anyone know the answer to that?

I agree that the front bump stop is pretty tricky, were you able to remove the brake line bracket from the back of the axel? The extreme terrain video do not show this but some other videos showed this trick and made it much easier to access that nut underneath.

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