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2.5" lift: best for the price

TTEChris

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I don't mind it opening separately, I have had multiple JKs where it opened separately. I'm just wondering how that works with the backup camera cable. Where does the camera mount?
I pulled the backup camera and third brake light wiring out of the tailgate and dropped it down from the inside behind the passenger tailight. From there i pulled it back up and along the swing out portion of the tire carrier and back through the spare like the original.

You can kind of get the idea with this pic
IMG_20180510_092412_942.jpg
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Carlton

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I pulled the backup camera and third brake light wiring out of the tailgate and dropped it down from the inside behind the passenger tailight. From there i pulled it back up and along the swing out portion of the tire carrier and back through the spare like the original.

You can kind of get the idea with this pic
IMG_20180510_092412_942.jpg
The picture helps a lot! Did you have to do any cutting and soldering to extend the wires? I've installed cube lights and light bars on jeeps so I'm assuming I could manage this.
 

TTEChris

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The picture helps a lot! Did you have to do any cutting and soldering to extend the wires? I've installed cube lights and light bars on jeeps so I'm assuming I could manage this.
No cutting needed. Hardest part is removing the factory wire tape to isolate the camera/brake light wires from the rest of the tailgate harness.
 

WildCatguy

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I decided to go with the RC 2.5 lift with coils and shocks at $359 w/promo code. I decided to go with RC after reading here that RC were softer than Rancho. I also added RC control arms and track bar.

No complaints here, it rides similar to stock. I will be adding 35’s tomorrow so we will see how the ride feels with 35’s.
 

Carlton

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No cutting needed. Hardest part is removing the factory wire tape to isolate the camera/brake light wires from the rest of the tailgate harness.
That tape is definitely a pain. I tried to order but their site says out of stock and there is no button to purchase. Hopefully they will get more soon while it is still on.
 

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Carlton

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I decided to go with the RC 2.5 lift with coils and shocks at $359 w/promo code. I decided to go with RC after reading here that RC were softer than Rancho. I also added RC control arms and track bar.

No complaints here, it rides similar to stock. I will be adding 35’s tomorrow so we will see how the ride feels with 35’s.
There are videos of a couple that was able to easily fit 38s with the RC 2.5 inch spacer lift.
 

TTEChris

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That tape is definitely a pain. I tried to order but their site says out of stock and there is no button to purchase. Hopefully they will get more soon while it is still on.
I think they are making some minor changes to the rear bumper. I would expect an improved version sometime in the near future.

There are videos of a couple that was able to easily fit 38s with the RC 2.5 inch spacer lift.
Fitting for daily driving and fitting under full articulation offroad are two different things. I ran 37x13.50's on the 2.5" RC Spacer kit when it first came out and it was great on road(Ride quality/clearance.) But the first time checking for clearances with the forklift it quickly became evident that the 2" bumpstops wouldnt cut it. If i had "flexed" it to the point where my bump stops were fully compressed the fenders would have popped right off. You can flip the rears to be 3" which ill bet still isn't enough at full stuff with 38s(wasnt for my 37s), but you are losing suspension travel in doing so.

This picture is with 3" rear bumpstops. The Foam stops are touching the pads, but i could have gone another 1" or so before they were fully compressed. Being that i was already hitting the fender i decided to stop there.
flex passenger.jpg
 

Carlton

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I think they are making some minor changes to the rear bumper. I would expect an improved version sometime in the near future.



Fitting for daily driving and fitting under full articulation offroad are two different things. I ran 37x13.50's on the 2.5" RC Spacer kit when it first came out and it was great on road(Ride quality/clearance.) But the first time checking for clearances with the forklift it quickly became evident that the 2" bumpstops wouldnt cut it. If i had "flexed" it to the point where my bump stops were fully compressed the fenders would have popped right off. You can flip the rears to be 3" which ill bet still isn't enough at full stuff with 38s(wasnt for my 37s), but you are losing suspension travel in doing so.

This picture is with 3" rear bumpstops. The Foam stops are touching the pads, but i could have gone another 1" or so before they were fully compressed. Being that i was already hitting the fender i decided to stop there.
flex passenger.jpg
Hopefully it is available soon and at the same price point.

Are you experiencing bowing with the Skyjacker springs? I see some of the brands are having this issue and some are including isolators to prevent the bow.

If you go on youtube and enter JL on 38s they have a bunch of videos. They did flip the bump stops to the taller side. Seems to do pretty well offroad.
 

TTEChris

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Hopefully it is available soon and at the same price point.

Are you experiencing bowing with the Skyjacker springs? I see some of the brands are having this issue and some are including isolators to prevent the bow.

If you go on youtube and enter JL on 38s they have a bunch of videos. They did flip the bump stops to the taller side. Seems to do pretty well offroad.
No bow with the Skyjacker springs I had. I installed a set of 4" @ROAM springs last week which I prefer to the Skyjacker and they have zero bow as well. The Mopar springs are the only ones I know of that have a serious bow issue. The Rancho springs I had on my wife's JLU Sport had a slight bow forward, but nothing too crazy. She went to a set of RC 3.5" Springs based off the Sport, and today I installed a set of ROAM 2.5"(Rubicon based) springs. Both of those had no bow that I can see.

I think a lot of the 37-38" tires that are clearing have a fairly mild offset. My -38 offset beadlocks sit fairly far out when "flexed" and would catch on the outer lip of the fender rather than tucking inside like the others might.

In the picture below you can see that the tire sits outside the fender at nearly full articulation with the 3" bump stops and the skyjacker springs/shocks(37x13.50's). If it were to tuck inside you would have more clearance, but in that picture I still haven't compressed the 3" bumpstops 100% and I am already pushing the fender up with the tires. Funny enough the factory fenders do flex a good bit without damaging them, but my tires are not rotating....
flex front right.jpg
 

Carlton

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No bow with the Skyjacker springs I had. I installed a set of 4" @ROAM springs last week which I prefer to the Skyjacker and they have zero bow as well. The Mopar springs are the only ones I know of that have a serious bow issue. The Rancho springs I had on my wife's JLU Sport had a slight bow forward, but nothing too crazy. She went to a set of RC 3.5" Springs based off the Sport, and today I installed a set of ROAM 2.5"(Rubicon based) springs. Both of those had no bow that I can see.

I think a lot of the 37-38" tires that are clearing have a fairly mild offset. My -38 offset beadlocks sit fairly far out when "flexed" and would catch on the outer lip of the fender rather than tucking inside like the others might.

In the picture below you can see that the tire sits outside the fender at nearly full articulation with the 3" bump stops and the skyjacker springs/shocks(37x13.50's). If it were to tuck inside you would have more clearance, but in that picture I still haven't compressed the 3" bumpstops 100% and I am already pushing the fender up with the tires. Funny enough the factory fenders do flex a good bit without damaging them, but my tires are not rotating....
flex front right.jpg
Glad to hear about the lack of bowing. I looked at the Roam site yesterday but it does not state what is included with their lift kits. I'm pretty open to brand based on what rides well, is durable, and holds up. I used to build a lot of jeeps with RK kits but they changed their coating. It no longer holds up. Within a few months the arms, track bars, drag link, brackets etc are 100% rust.

The jeep on Youtube had 4.5 back spacing, so less aggressive than yours. Also the tires were the Milestar Patagonia which run narrow. I have them on my current JK. They are probably closer to 12.5 wide than 13.5 so your theory is probably right on target.
 

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aug0211

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@TTEChris - wow! You seem to have the most real life experience so far with different springs. Which springs would you/your wife say are the softest/most comfortable that you've tried so far between your Rubi and Darth Maul?

I'm mostly focused on smaller options in the 1.5-2.5" range.
 

TTEChris

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@TTEChris - wow! You seem to have the most real life experience so far with different springs. Which springs would you/your wife say are the softest/most comfortable that you've tried so far between your Rubi and Darth Maul?

I'm mostly focused on smaller options in the 1.5-2.5" range.
The most comfortable configuration was the factory springs with 2.5" RC spacers, and the ROAM bypass shocks. I'd say next was the Rough Country Springs which seemed to be very close to stock. The only downside to them was the lack of corner specific springs(Passenger side sat a little lower than the driver). The Rancho & ROAM springs are a little stiffer than stock which provides a better highway feel, but on shitty city streets you feel the bumps a little more.
 

aug0211

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The most comfortable configuration was the factory springs with 2.5" RC spacers, and the ROAM bypass shocks. I'd say next was the Rough Country Springs which seemed to be very close to stock. The only downside to them was the lack of corner specific springs(Passenger side sat a little lower than the driver). The Rancho & ROAM springs are a little stiffer than stock which provides a better highway feel, but on shitty city streets you feel the bumps a little more.
Very helpful! Thx!
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