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Just Got This Quote... Need Advice

2K views 42 replies 5 participants last post by  propped1 
#1 ·
So I talked to my Jeep dealer where I just got my unlimited sahara. 1400 miles on it.

Basically, they want $2800 for a 2" teraflex lift kit, fox shocks, and an alignment. That price includes parts and labor. My labor quote was over $1,000. Seriously?

Then the best part. $3200 for 5 33" tires. That doesn't even include new wheels. Then it was another $208 for a new bumper because the new tire needs a tailgate mount or something. Anyway, that was another $1,160 in parts and labor.

So obviously I'm thinking I should just buy the parts I need online first, then take it somewhere for install. Seems a bit ridiculous doesn't it?

Any advice? I was planning on keeping my stock 17' sahara wheels, so I don't know what that does to what kind of tire I need. They're 18". I really liked 35's, but 33's will work.

Thanks
 
#2 ·
The Teraflex kit is really easy to install, took my buddy and I maybe an hour and a half for the rear and about that for the front and that included the shocks. In his driveway with basic hand tools, a set of floor jacks, a Dremel and a torque wrench. Now the passengers side front shock bolt is under the battery tray and requires either removal of the battery tray and the TIPM or you can get the Dremel out and cut out enough of the plastic out of the side of the tray/base to gain access to the stud.

Guess which way I went?

Took longer to get the front bump stops installed than anything else.

The Teraflex kit was around $500, around $280 for Bilsteins (Fox will probably be more) and under $100 for an alignment. I guess 10 hours labor is accurate if pulling the TIPM and Battery tray but unnecessary.

For the lift and shocks, shop around but PM Kolak.

No, with a 33" tire, you don't need a new tire carrier. What you need is the extended bumpstops that Daystar sells for about $30. Replace the factory bumpstops and you are done. The stock carrier is rated for 85lbs and a 33" tire doesn't weigh that much.

If you are in central North Carolina, we can bang this out in an afternoon.

My BFG KO2's only came to $1400 and my wheels were about $600 for 5. Granted they are ProComp's but I upgraded to 17" wheels with 4.75" Backspace. Depending on the width of the tires you install, you may need wheel spacers for the stock wheels but again, that's about $200. You planning to upgrade to 18" tires or are you saying you want 17" tires and your stock wheels are 18"? I think 17"s are probably the way to go, more common size which makes them a more reasonable cost.
 
#3 ·
Im just nervous to do it myself because ive never worked on a car before.

My stock wheels are 18" and id like to keep them to keep the total cost down. I have talked to kolak already as well.

I live about an hour southwest of chicago. ...if anyones around haha
 
#4 ·
So, are you looking for pizza cutter tires or 11-12.5" width tires? Any particular brand? what will be your usage?

Those make it easier to help you on tires.

P275/70R18" BFG KO2's run around $235 a tire, many places will give you the $70 off of 4 tires deal. These measure in at 33.1" x 11.6" wide and have good road manners and performs well on the trails I drive. I have P305's but it's the same tread pattern. 17" tires will save you about $30 a tire over 18" tires. Between the tire savings and not needing wheel spacers(which will then put less stress on the wheel studs, etc), you may not save a significant amount of cash when you factor in multiple tire replacements if you go with an inexpensive 17" wheel.
 
#6 ·
Going to run about the same, most A/T tires are within $10-$20 of each other in the same wheel diameter and tire size. May be limited in a particular size but you will be completely fine with any 33" tire with the 2.5" Teraflex lift.

You could probably sell your factory Sahara wheels for $500 or so.
 
#7 ·
unless they bent the tie rod bar during install, the Alignment is a waist of money. Since they can only adjust toe. EVERY one I wheel with use a tape measure. Now IF the lift has adjustable arms one could adjust the caster angle. There again this can be done with a 15$ angle finder. No matter how HIGH the lift even if you could lift it to the MOON, the toe wont change. Though the caster would be.

Sadly lifting by the dealers is how they make more off you then the sale of it. 3200$ for 5- 33" tires 640 each!!<<<< you can get 40"s for that. i would never go back to them. well i wont step in a Fiat dealer again if they were the last makers of autos left on earth. 640 bucks for a 33, what is it made of Ub-Unobtainium? life time tires? The last set of MTRks i paid like 195$ each for 35x12.5x15. Though they look like about 270 now. Still less than 640 each.

after you get what ever you get. You will be running about 27psi+-2 on the tire if they are 33x10/12.5x17.
 
#9 ·
Awesome. Good info so far guys, thanks a lot. Can I run a 11-12" wide tire on my stock sahara wheels? I'm not completely sure on compatibility with that stuff. My fiancé knows a guy who can get me a way cheaper lift labor price, so I'm investigating.
 
#11 ·
It shouldn't take a shop that knows what they are doing more than a couple of hours for a spring lift and shocks on a JK.

As Hoss said, you will need spacers for 11-12" width tires on your stock wheels. If you go the spacer route, make sure you buy a quality Hub Centric set of spacers and they should be at least 1.5" offset.
 
#12 ·
Quote for ball joints, tie rod, alignment, 5160 Bilsteins, front woods 1310 shaft, and RK 2.5 including labor was 3400 from my shop. A set of 35s is 1750. mounted and balanced you are looking around 2000. What you are doing should be a little less than 5 grand. Not 6.

Look up the jeep clubs around you. What shop do they go to? Thats not everything, but their recommendation will point you in the right direction.
 
#13 ·
What about if my fiancé knows a guy who will come to my house and lift it for $400? And what i really need nothing fancy. Will a 2.5" rough country do the trick? I know I should at least get shocks and springs though. And any recommendations for the 1.5" spacers? How about aggressive looking 35" tires that perform well on pavement and won't alter mpg too much?
 
#18 ·
Every Rough Country 2.5" lift they have listed are missing parts to do a lift right. No rear trackbar relocation bracket, rear swaybar links, no front and rear bumpstops for a few. Not sure about the quality of the shocks either. There is a reason they are cheaper than most places.

I know money can be tight but a lift is something you want to do right the first time with quality parts and can be enhanced at a later date if desired.
 
#19 ·
Also just spoke to a place about a half hour from me. $1,100 total cost, installed, for a 3.25" rough country lift with springs and shocks and all the other additional pieces needed. That's the brand they use at the shop. But as with any shop they said I can bring in whatever and they'll just install it.

Been trying to find a deal on wheels and tires too. 35's.
 
#21 ·
Not a lot of fans of the RC lifts on here, but I have NO personal expirience.

That's plenty of lift for 35's, actually more than you need

I paid just under $750 for my BDS 2" spring/shock lift installed. That was 3 years ago, and the shop owner is a friend, so your cost doesn't sound bad for what it is

(And a hell of a lot better than your original quote)

Just my 2 bits

Hoss
 
#22 ·
Thanks Hoss. But if literally my only offroading will be gravel roads 0.09% of the time, think I could do a rough country? I know they're not popular on the forum, but they do have pretty solid reviews other places. Think its fine for a commuting jeep?
 
#23 ·
Your jeep, your money.

I have BDS, not many on here do, but I like it. Same goes for Zone lifts.

And a follow-up question for you... (if not already asked/ answered)

What are your gears now, and do you plan to regear?

Hoss
 
#26 ·
People can say it wont effect this or that but that is just not going to be a fact. Drive train geometry changed as you lifted. even at 2.5" the drive shafts are now at a much steeper angle at ride height. This will wear the Ds faster. Just plain physics. Going 35s on 3.21 MAKES the transmission work harder/ more work more heat. Remember the dealer has to prove nothing, you did it for them. You can fight them depending on how DEEP your pockets are. But they have law dogs sitting there waiting, cost them the same no matter. 35s tend to kill ball joints fast as well, to a lesser extent the unit bearings as well.

Reality is once you change anything from stock you run a risk. They should not void all the warranty. Your radio breaks, not like they would sight the tires as cause.

3.21 and 35s is not going to work well at all. Plan to spend money on a programmer as well, or your speedo will be way off. this effects more than just speed too. Even the SRS is designed to use speed as a parameter in its programming and discharge of the built in IEDs sitting all around you.
 
#27 ·
People can say it wont effect this or that but that is just not going to be a fact. Drive train geometry changed as you lifted. even at 2.5" the drive shafts are now at a much steeper angle at ride height. This will wear the Ds faster. Just plain physics. Going 35s on 3.21 MAKES the transmission work harder/ more work more heat. Remember the dealer has to prove nothing, you did it for them. You can fight them depending on how DEEP your pockets are. But they have law dogs sitting there waiting, cost them the same no matter. 35s tend to kill ball joints fast as well, to a lesser extent the unit bearings as well.

Reality is once you change anything from stock you run a risk. They should not void all the warranty. Your radio breaks, not like they would sight the tires as cause.

3.21 and 35s is not going to work well at all. Plan to spend money on a programmer as well, or your speedo will be way off. this effects more than just speed too. Even the SRS is designed to use speed as a parameter in its programming and discharge of the built in IEDs sitting all around you.
I was quoted for the programmer too. And well this kind of sucks...
 
#28 ·
35's and 3.21 gears? No unless it's the auto and even then it's really marginal. 33's and 3.21 gears, ok not optimal. The auto with 3.21's makes it OK, the manual, not wise either but again, it works.

Look at these charts, they tell you what size tires and what gears are in the zone.

2012+ 3.6L
 
#30 ·
You require matching front and rear gears and at least one carrier. Gears themselves are not overly expensive, installation is as you want a shop that knows what they are doing. Figure $3K

If you regear, think ahead as to where you may eventually end up. For what you described your usage as, you want to stay in the green band so 4.10's at a minimum and 4.56's at most.

I also wish I knew this when I bought my JK. Of course, at that time, it was strictly for my wife and we did it on the cheap. 4 years later, it's now mostly mine and hindsight is 20-20.
 
#31 ·
So had I gotten a 4.10 Rubicon would I have been fine? Or does that also need to be regeared since it came 4.10 on stock tires?

I'm kind of disheartened honestly. Even to see a budget boost on 33's not being optimal for my automatic...
 
#32 ·
A rubi with 4.1's would do what you want in 33" or 35" tires.

Now, I run BFG KO2's, a 33" tire that actually measures out to 32.75" on 17" wheels. It's acceptable once the programmer fixes the tire size. I can usually get it to run at sub 2K rpm on the highway and for the trails I do, it works fine and goes where I want it to. I also run a 2.5" Teraflex spring lift. I consistently get between 17-18 MPG highway as long as I don't get stupid with the gas and on the 500+ mile trips my wife takes up north, she can coax almost 20 MPG out of it. It's not unpleasant to drive but I know I can do better with a regear and that's going to happen eventually.
 
#39 ·
You will need a programmer at minimum. A Front Adjustable track bar is recommended.

If you need a steering stabilizer, the lift is done wrong or you have issues like tie rods/ball joints and even tires out of balance.
 
#43 ·
Again - Need a programmer? No. Always a good idea... but not "required"

Steering stabilizer? No. If you have your suspension on point, a stabilizer does not need to be there. It provides control, and keeps road out of the steering wheel. Not "required".

Ball joints are **** from the factory. They will need to be replaced. Especially with big tires, but not until they need to be. Mine made it 60K.

An adjustable trackbar is a good idea. The factory is not adjustable. You could also get a bracket and move it.

Any time you lift + bigger tires:

Adjustable trackbar - Yeah. Front more important than rear. Leveling kit doesnt require rear changes.
HD Tie Rod - Good idea. Not required
Stabilizer - Sure.... but make sure everything else is good first. Stabilizers dont cause wobble. They also dontfix it.
Balljoints - WHEN they go bad, get better ones. Dont try to do this yourself. You dont need them now.

Want a lightweight aggressive tire good for road mostly that will perform when you decide to trail it? Cooper STT Pro, BFG KO2, Mickey Deegan, GY MTR.
 
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