You'll be better off passing on Rough Country.

 

Why do you say that? I can't find another 2.5" lift that's under $700 dollars...

 

Any spring will initially give more than the advertised amount of lift. All springs will settle a little bit after install. The problem with Rough country is it just keeps on settling and settling and settling.

A quote on the boards just yesterday from a rough country customer:

I bought the Rough Country 4" lift in January, 2011, and I'm having spring sagging issues after wheeling 6 times. The replacement springs are due in today by UPS, so the "new improved" (junk) springs will be replaced with "new" (supposedly improved) springs. If it weren't for their lifetime warranty, that RC lift would be in the recycle pile and replaced with a real lift kit.

Steer clear of RC leaf springs until they get their sh** together.

 

I have this lift on my 89 yj. You are correct with it lifting it more than 2.5 inches. I didnt have to get new drive shafts, but I did need new brake lines, a t-case drop, and an axle wedge. What most guys will tell you is that the ride sucks, and to be honest, it does. If youre going to be wheeling alot, I would not recomend it. For occasional off roading like I do, it should be fine. I cleared 33's with no problem.

 

I can appreciate the desire to save some dollars. Lift kits are not cheap. Be thankful that you have a straight spring vehicle. TJ's, JK's, XJ's, ZJ's, etc., the lifts are 3-4x what a lift for a YJ is.

I did a HUGE amount of research before buying my lift, even considered just replacing the old, dead, springs with new OEM springs. At the end of the day, any kit that was worth anything was $750-900, including doing new OEM springs. This price included shocks, u-bolts, bushings and all the other little goodies that go into completing a lift. My ultimate decision was to go OME and I'm already thankful I did.

If you don't have the coin to drop into a lift today, save up. You'll be money ahead and much happier if you wait.

 

I had the 2.5 rc lift with a mml bl and no tc drop. 0 vibes. I didnt think it rode bad and never settled although i only used it a year. Seems that most the complaints r about the 4 inch lift

 

Installed the 4"RC lift in May. Wheeled it 4 times and today I noticed the drivers side lean almost 2 inches. So time to see how the warranty is. Sucks and even aired down it is a rough ride my bad. If I knew better it would have OME or BDS.

 

I have the 2.5 inch lift, but i have nothing to compare it to except the 21 year old stock springs that were on the YJ when I got it. What I beat myself up everyday for not doing is going and buying everything seperately. For example on amazon they are selling Fabtech 3.5 inch lift springs for 50 or 60 bucks each, or on quadratec you can get their OME HD 2.5 inch lift springs for around $70 to $80. Just take the time to look around for deals and DO NOT be impulsive like me.

 

Old man emu you just need the springs..... u dint need the 'kit' remove your front and rear trac bars and maybe some newcshocks of your choosing ..... there isca reason they are the cheapest **** out there

 

ive been running a rc 2.5 lift for about 4yrs, havent noticed any sag, but the ride sucks. beats you to death, will be buying old man emu springs very soon.

 

The thing is that not every Jeep needs the same mods for a 2.5" lift. Some people have to do certain mods with a 2.5" lift, while others can get away without doing the mods. I installed my 2.5" springs and 5/8" shackles and did not need to do any adjustments to drive line angle. Other people have still experienced drive line vibes even with a t-case drop and had to do a SYE.

For a 2.5"-3" suspension lift, be prepared to (if needed):

• Adjust driveline angles by either:
  ---swapping in different degree shims
  ---installing a t-case drop
  ---installing a motor mount lift and body lift
  ---installing a SYE-CV driveshaft combo
  ---Cutting off the spring perches and re-welding to the correct angle
• Install a sway bar disconnect extension (if retaining the sway bar)
• Either install track bar relocation brackets or just ditch the track bars
• Adjust steering stops to prevent tires from rubbing on the springs
• Install brake line relocation brackets or line extensions

You can adjust the drag link to recenter the steering wheel (totally optional though).

The only way to know if you have to do any further modifications is to install the lift and see what you get and what you need to do. The least you should do (other than get the lift kit) is to be prepared to spend the additional money to do any further mods should they actually be necessary for YOUR Jeep. You don't have to buy the additional parts at the same time you buy the lift, but be aware that the vehicle may not be driveable at all if there are serious issues with the driveline angles. There is absolutely no way of knowing what driveline angles you'll end up with and whether or not you'll get vibes, until you after you install the lift and have the Jeep sitting back on the ground. Period. Should you find that you get driveline vibes, you'll need to experiment with different solutions to find the one that works for your budget. The Jeep will be driveable on the road without modifying the sway bar, track bar brackets or the brake line locations. But, if you want to take it off-road you may need to do some of those mods.

 

Well screw all that... That just looks like a bunch of dollar signs to me. How about the Tuff country 2" EZ ride suspension system? Found it for $425, do you guys know anything about that? I know it will clear 32's which is what I'm looking for

 

Anddd, if I'm going to have to do the SYE kit, T drop kit, the works, I may as well do a 6 inch lift. The lifts are generally the same price, so if you don't go big you may as well go home in this case.

 

Word of advice: stop shopping by price. Buy OME springs and go from there. Your frugal decisions will result in buying it again later. Do it right the first time.

 

I can't find OME springs for the YJ. Could I keep my stock leafsprings if I do OME?

 

Quadratec sells OME springs. They replace the stock springs.

 

So, you guys are saying that I should buy OME leafsprings and shocks all seperately? What else am I going to need?

 

I bought all my Old Man Emu springs and shocks from Quadratec, was actually cheaper to buy the individual parts than get the "kit". The OME shocks are pricy though, some people opt for less expensive shocks to save some money.

I don't think a pitman arm drop is needed or recommended for the amount of lift the OME springs provide. Most people get away with a t-case drop at most, but I mentioned the other mods just to be thorough and let you know what you could potentially be facing as far as expenses go. Just be prepared to do further mods if needed.

Now, I'm not trying to pimp OME to everyone looking for a 2.5" lift - but considering that the OME springs cost about the same as replacement factory springs while giving you factory ride and a lift, the springs are well worth the money. Which is why I went with OME instead of direct factory replacements. Lifetime warranty too. ARB (which makes OME) only makes one suspension lift for the YJ - only one - but IMHO they do it well.

Everyone has their budgets to work with, but doing a lift right can potentially be pricey. It took me over a year to save up enough money for the OME lift, meanwhile I was riding on a bent spring. Do plenty of homework before pulling the trigger on a lift. Work out a budget of essential expenses, and potential ones. See what lifts are raved about and which ones tend to get rants.

Cheap is cheap for a reason - make sure you know why something is cheap before you buy. Often (but not always), something that is cheap in price is also cheap in quality.

 

Springs
New poly bushings
Shocks
Ubolts (quadratec or have a local place make round or square for a flip)
Drop pitman arm (junkyard Cherokee arm)
Transfer case drop ($20 skyjacker item or build your own out of 1" square tubing)
Relocate your brake lines

I think that's it...

 

I found a Tuff country 2" lift for 425, and I'm going with that. I can't afford to be spending $1000, especially on only a 2.5" lift. I found 31" BGF mud terrains at the local BJ's that I'll most likely buy around spring time.

 

Who said anything about $1000?

Did you read the suggestions given?

 

I love my 4" rough country lift. Got it a couple years ago. It is a jeep, it is not gonna ride like an Escalade.

 

I don't know how an escalade rides, but my Yj rides like buttah!