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Noobie lift question

789 views 5 replies 3 participants last post by  BogginBandit_WJ 
#1 ·
I am looking to Run 32 and never more than a 33 inch tire on my 04 WJ Overland. I am looking at the IRO 4 inch Long arm critical path and adding the rear adjustable control arms for getting the angles right.

I am also looking at Rustys 4.5 long arm.

My goal is to have a very safe and NEW Driver safe vehicle. My daughter wants to wheel with her Dad. My wife will be driving it as a primary vehicle. The goal is moderate wheeling/over landing and to do rocks only if unavoidable. It will be 90% road and highway.

Let the thoughts fly.
 
#2 ·
I am looking to Run 32 and never more than a 33 inch tire on my 04 WJ Overland. I am looking at the IRO 4 inch Long arm critical path and adding the rear adjustable control arms for getting the angles right.

I am also looking at Rustys 4.5 long arm.

My goal is to have a very safe and NEW Driver safe vehicle. My daughter wants to wheel with her Dad. My wife will be driving it as a primary vehicle. The goal is moderate wheeling/over landing and to do rocks only if unavoidable. It will be 90% road and highway.

Let the thoughts fly.
I bought IROs 4" critical path kit, nothing but problems with the cheaply made poorly designed caster adjuster plus the kit is way overpriced for what you get. In reality it is only half a long arm kit.

Lately the most popular kit has been the Rough Country long arm kit, the RC kit includes rear long arms, a new rear A arm, a new cross member, a skid plate and front sway bar disconnects. It list for $1499 but some vendors sell it at a discount. http://www.roughcountry.com/jeep-suspension-lift-kit-908-20.html

Another option is Rough Country sells that same kit minus springs shocks and track bar for $1099. Some people prefer to use that option and use Bilstein shocks, a Zone or JKS track bar and the 4", 4.5" or 6" springs of their choice.
 
#4 ·
Quite a few here have installed the RC long arm kits and I do not recall even one complaining of squeaks, so possibly there is a difference in the kits or possibly some operator error in assembling and installing the kit. If you think about it....On front long arms of the radius arm variety the factory style bushings at the axle do not move, twist or rotate, the flex joints on the short upper arm do not move, twist or rotate so they should not squeak if torqued properly.

Only the four flex joints at the body end move (rotate and twist) during flex. In the rear the bushing at the axle is an OEM style bushing it will rotate (twist the bushing) during flex. I haven't heard of a properly torqued OEM style bushing squeaking yet because the inner sleeve is bonded to the rubber. That narrows down the possible squeaks to the four flex joints. If flex joints are properly assembled and greased they will NOT squeak, there is very little difference in the internal parts of different brand flex joints basically a ball and two plastic races.

In Currie flex joints there is a ball and two 88 durometer poly bushings. In the new RC flex joints there is a ball and two 88 durometer poly bushings. The main difference is in how the races are preloaded. Currie flex joints have a calculated fixed preload, the preload on RC and quite a few other flex joints is set by the mechanic assembling the flex joints.

I think that is where the problem comes in, flex joint manufactures do not include any specific instructions on setting preload, if the mechanic is inexperienced the races can be over or under loaded and the flex joint races will either rattle or have a short life. Bottom line Currie flex joints cost about $45 and they might be the best choice if a person does not have a lot of experience setting required preload with the different plastics used in flex joint races.

One other thought....Even polyurethane bushings will not squeak if they are greased, I have converted ALL my bushings and races to poly, each bushing has a grease fitting, I grease them with either Super Lube silicone grease or marine grease and they never squeak.
 
#6 ·
I was in your same situation. I ended up going with the fat bob's 2.5" kit and I run 265/75r16 mud claws mounted on the stock wheels. I only trimmed the front bumper a bit at the bottom. I run the Jeep 95% of the time on the street. It rides great and does fantastic offroad.
 
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