The time has finally come to consider lifting my 99 Sahara and stuffing some bigger tires under that bad boy. I am not very knowledgable in the lift realm and from the multiple hours of research I have done, I have sadly :crying2: walked away more confused and overwhelmed as their is an insane amount of options available!!! (blessing and a curse I know). I am calling to all fellow jeepers for some advice on what lift to consider before I take the plunge and place an order.
Couple of notes on what I want and my driving habits:
1. Max will be off road 2 times per month.
2. Would like a near/or better ride than stock
3. Would like to have on road manners and still perform off road
4. Looking to ride 32 or 33s, is there going to be much of a difference with power on 3.73s?
I have been considering a 3in suspension lift, but I have no clue what brand would be best and what other components I will need in order to avoid vibes and placing unwanted wear on other parts. I know a lot of these questions have bene asked before so apologies for that. I look forward to hearing from you all and thank you so much for you time and help!
You left out what your budget will be for this lift. If money were no object, and you just wanted clearance for some 32's with occasional light trails, I'd go with OME (Old Man Emu) replacement springs all around with Bilstein (or a similar top end brand) replacement shocks. Also grab some front sway bar disconnects. Get it aligned after the lift is installed and if there are any weak or worn components (tie rods, ball joints, etc) in the front end, plan on replacing them while you're in there.
I have a 2in bbl and 32s and my friend has the 3.5"? OME springs and 33s and there isn't much ride quality difference in our ride. Given, I only drove hers a little.
I know you'd be very happy with Old Man Emu springs. They offer various spring rates so we can select one that's optimal for the way your Jeep is equipped.
I don't want to break the bank. I also want to try and leave the option open to put 33s if I go that direction. Should I pair a 3in zone or bds with bilsteins?
I don't want to break the bank. I also want to try and leave the option open to put 33s if I go that direction. Should I pair a 3in zone or bds with bilsteins? What are other preferred 3in suspension lifts?
A three inch lift will clear 32s nicely. Adding a 1" BL and motor mount lift will clear 33s. A three inch lift is going to need a rear CV driveshaft to correct driveline vibrations. The rear CV shaft is going to want to see some new control arms. If you want it to drive better than stock, you are going to want to use quality parts. So, you will need to part with some of your bank.
I put a lot of bank into my jeep, but it performs well above your requirements.
Don't just go down the Bilstein route because a few people mentioned them on this thread. I find it humorous when people refer to them as a "top end" shock. They are a mid range shock that does have a decent following, but has probably an equal number of people who think they are poor. There are plenty of threads here that discuss shock choices. Do some reading before you spend your money.
As to your suspension question, I'd say start with some 2" BDS springs and a 1.25" BL. That keeps other modifications to a minimum. Will be OK up to 33s. And it won't break the bank. If you ever decide to do more you'll probably keep the BL and the BDS springs are easy to sell in the classifieds.
I just went down your road and got the zone 4.25 combo lift, metalcloak front track bar, and 33's and 4.56 gears.
I have driveline vibes front and rear (I did transfer case drops too and fix was slight but not 100%). My front caster won't go any higher than 3° so drives not so great. Worst of all it rides very rough even with tires aired to 25lbs. I have since orders the metalcloak control arms to fix everything. Then as time goes on i will swap out shocks for OME and springs for MC springs.
If want a rig that rides good and functions well off-road then save and don't go cheap. You will regret it.
Just for the record, I'm speaking from experience regarding the Bilsteins - not because people on forums like them.
They, in my experience, do actually ride better than stock. Firmer, more responsive. Just wanted to get that out there, even though you've ordered another brand.
I like my bilsteins but already had a rear blow out in about 3 months and barely over 3k miles. No damage to the shock, hoping it was just a defective shock.
some of us will argue with you even when we know we are totally clueless!
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Jeep Enthusiast Forums
18.5M posts
726.8K members
Since 2000
A forum community dedicated to all jeep owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about performance, engine swaps, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more!