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Thread: JKU lift opinions - shooting for 35s on a DD

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    Default JKU lift opinions - shooting for 35s on a DD



    my wife drives our 17 JKU as her DD/kid hauler. currently, we have just a 2" spacer leveling lift on the Jeep, and 33s. we want to step up to 35s (we're going to regear the axles and get appropriate armor as well) and I'm wondering about lift kits.

    I'm impressed with what we've been able to do with just the spacer kit and the Jeep is not going to be a hard-core wheeler...we have my TJ for that. so I've been looking at "cheaper" systems that are bolt-on, but not junk.

    Rock Krawler 2.5" Max Travel for $1400: https://www.quadratec.com/products/1...iABEgIn8PD_BwE

    Rock Krawler 2.5" Overland for $1050: https://www.quadratec.com/p/rock-kra...r-unlimited-jk

    Rancho 4" Crawler kit for $1600 w/shocks: https://www.quadratec.com/p/rancho/4...ep-wrangler-jk

    JKS JSpec kit w/out arms but w/shocks for $1600: https://www.quadratec.com/p/jks-manu...r-and-wrangler

    Teraflex 3" w/shocks and arms for $1700: https://www.quadratec.com/products/16194_031X_PG.htm

    I think Rubicon Express has one that is around $1600 w/out shocks...but I've always known them to be overpriced. I just don't know as much about the JKs as I do my TJ.

    thoughts on either of these setups? the overland one to me seems like it would be a good deal since I'm not really sure the extra rear control arms are all that needed for what we do. we will be towing an off-road pop-up camper every once in a while though, so maybe they would help?

    what's everyone else running on their JKUs?

    J.

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    Default Re: JKU lift opinions - shooting for 35s on a DD



    2.5" coils, shock and track bar brackets, extended brake lines, and correct wheel spacing. Done

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    Default Re: JKU lift opinions - shooting for 35s on a DD



    2 1/2 Teraflex lift and custom fender flares fit 35's on my JKU just fine.

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    Default Re: JKU lift opinions - shooting for 35s on a DD



    newracer previously posted:
    "2.5" coils, shock and track bar brackets, extended brake lines, and correct wheel spacing. Done"

    sounds great. talk to me about brands...I'm a TJ guy, so I know which brands of coils and shocks work great for TJs, but not so much with JKs. the Rancho kit above seems like a great deal since it comes with 9000 series shocks, but I'm not sure if the 9ks are good for JKs the way they are for TJs.

    J.

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    Default Re: JKU lift opinions - shooting for 35s on a DD



    I do not have any personal experience yet as my JKUR is basically stock. Rock Krawler seems to have the biggest following right now. Their coils look good.

    http://www.rockkrawler.com/ProductDe...5FFrontSprings
    http://www.rockkrawler.com/ProductDe...%5FRearSprings

    Several companies offer shock and track bar extension brackets, any reputable one should be good.

  6. The Following Member Says Thanks to newracer For This Post:

    jayson44 (June 25th, 2018)

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    Default Re: JKU lift opinions - shooting for 35s on a DD



    Jason, the Mopar 2.5" kit will retain factory ride quality.
    2.5" lift, some wheel with cetered back spacing.
    Flat fenders and your set....

    As for gears. My '17 on 37's is still running the factory 4.10's I am getting right at 17MPG.
    Freeway 70 MPH is right at 2100 RPM. With the automatic transmission.

    I would be willing to have you all test drive it so you can feel the Mopar lift quality.
    Granted mine has the 4" but the spring rates are the same.
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    Default Re: JKU lift opinions - shooting for 35s on a DD



    Love my 2.5 inch Rock Krawler with Blistein shocks. Didn't need extended brake lines just relocation brackets.


    Had a 2 " spacer lift previously. There is no comparisons. My rig pic shows the flex.

    I am on 33s with 3.73 gears and manual trans. Wouldn't go any larger wo regearing.
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    Default Re: JKU lift opinions - shooting for 35s on a DD



    dieseldoc previously posted:
    "As for gears. My '17 on 37's is still running the factory 4.10's I am getting right at 17MPG.
    Freeway 70 MPH is right at 2100 RPM. With the automatic transmission."

    we have the 3.21 gears (regular old Sport model) but somehow we're pulling 20mpg with 33s. I think it's because we live in the mountains and spend most of our time not in overdrive, haha.

    we're getting a pop-up camper though, so with 35s and towing, I'd like to re-gear down to 4.56s. we will be taking the trailer all over the US, so I'd rather have the gears to keep things civil when towing. I'm guessing it will be a DOG if we keep the stock gears.

    I have looked into the Mopar lift. did it come with control arms? thoughts on getting arms vs just keeping the stock ones and using relocation brackets?

    J.

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    Default Re: JKU lift opinions - shooting for 35s on a DD



    Tom previously posted:
    "Love my 2.5 inch Rock Krawler with Blistein shocks. Didn't need extended brake lines just relocation brackets.

    Had a 2 " spacer lift previously. There is no comparisons. My rig pic shows the flex."

    Tom, I have your old spacer kit currently installed in ours.

    havn't had too many complaints about the flex:





    J.

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    Default Re: JKU lift opinions - shooting for 35s on a DD



    The arms on the JK are a mid length. They don't need changed for lifts tell they get really tall.
    Folks are don't g them for flex, as the replacement arms have rod ends for flex, this will tramsmit road noise....
    4.56 is big jump but the gears you have now a way long legged.....with trailer towing in mind, 4.56 will be good.
    Pic up a pro Cal if you don't have already.
    So easy to recalibrate with it.
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    Default Re: JKU lift opinions - shooting for 35s on a DD



    jayson44 previously posted:
    "Tom, I have your old spacer kit currently installed in ours.

    havn't had too many complaints about the flex:





    J."

    My issue was really with the crappy shocks that came with the kit. I think they were stock length even though advertised as adjusted for the lift. Because they were too short they kept ruining the bushing on the top front shocks. Had to put limiting straps on to keep that from happening. Thus crappy flex.
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    Default Re: JKU lift opinions - shooting for 35s on a DD



    jayson44 previously posted:
    "we have the 3.21 gears (regular old Sport model) but somehow we're pulling 20mpg with 33s. I think it's because we live in the mountains and spend most of our time not in overdrive, haha.

    we're getting a pop-up camper though, so with 35s and towing, I'd like to re-gear down to 4.56s. we will be taking the trailer all over the US, so I'd rather have the gears to keep things civil when towing. I'm guessing it will be a DOG if we keep the stock gears.

    I have looked into the Mopar lift. did it come with control arms? thoughts on getting arms vs just keeping the stock ones and using relocation brackets?

    J."

    We were in a similar spot, in that I've got a (trailer queen) 4Runner for hard wheeling, and we wanted the 14 JKURX as a drive-to-the-mountains rig. I've been quite happy with the RK Flex kit and Fox 2.0 shocks with 35" MTRs. I kept the stock wheels and am using spacers, which have worked fine.

    I do suggest you consider 4.88s, rather than 4.56s, when it's time to regear, if you're going to have 35's, and certainly if you are towing. I went from 4.10 to 4.88, and wouldn't want anything taller.

    Mark

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    Default Re: JKU lift opinions - shooting for 35s on a DD



    37" tires 4.10 gears, freeway 75 mph at 2100rmp with the automatic. 4.88 would be turning 2900+RPM there goes my 17.6 mpg!
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    Default Re: JKU lift opinions - shooting for 35s on a DD



    the towing is pulling a 1700lb pop-up and probably only a handful of times a year. for where we live, I feel like "undergearing" a step is not a bad thing. according to the charts, we should be getting terrible gas mileage with the 3.21s and 33s. but since we're mostly in 4th gear driving around where we live, it actually works better to leave them. if we weren't going to have a camper, I'd just be looking for some stock rubi axles and keep the 4.10s for 35s. but I'd rather have that little deeper for the towing and wheeling.

    I appreciate the feedback on the RK kit and Fox shocks. I've heard great things about the Foxes on JKs.

    J.

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    Default Re: JKU lift opinions - shooting for 35s on a DD



    dieseldoc previously posted:
    "37" tires 4.10 gears, freeway 75 mph at 2100rmp with the automatic. 4.88 would be turning 2900+RPM there goes my 17.6 mpg!"

    My brother drove mine (14 JKURX, geared with 4.88s and 35" MTRs @ 30psi) to Moab, following us at 80mph, and with 4 adults and all their junk. Got 18mpg, or so. Just driving around town, I can't tell any difference in mileage from when I had 4.10s.

    Mark

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