Should I buy a RC (Rough Country) lift?

That is most likely the route I am sticking with because I have read a couple of reviews over the last few minutes and it sounds like the JKS springs may sag a bit more than they should after a bit of time.
 
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Well, after 11 years and over 100k miles, my OME springs are finally sagging a bit. Both the front and back springs have dropped 0.5". I would say I got my monies worth out of them. Would I buy them again? Dang straight skippy! The JSPEC kit is intriguing, but with sparse reviews, it's tough to make an informed decision. I want to move up to a 3" spring, but sadly, OME doesn't make one, so that leaves me to use 1" coil spacers in addition. Not that this is an issue or anything, but was hoping to find a good quality 3" spring. Very tempted to try these along with some Rancho RS5000X shocks.

http://jksmfg.com/i-24048382-3-coil-spring-kit-97-06-jeep-wrangler-tj-lj.html?ref=category:1205531
 
I looked at JKS awhile back. It does seem to be a nice kit, and the company has a good reputation. Very, very few reviews though as others have said. If they gave me a full meal deal kit for half price or better yet, for free, I'd run it and splash reviews all over the place if it worked out. That's more coin than I want to take a chance with though.

FYI, on my build it came down to JKS or a custom suspension. I decided to go with a custom suspension.
 
100K miles before noticing sag is awesome!! Definitely got your money's worth!!

So, when I had my Hyundai Sonata I started doing things to it and since the car was just getting to be popular with the tuner car enthusiasts for the looks....because they aren't fast at all....I started looking into parts. I couldn't find reviews on a lot of things like lowering springs or intakes or exhaust. So, I emailed the companies to see if they would discount the product in exchange for a review. Well, I received my lowering springs at 75% off, intake for free and the Magnaflow exhaust at a discounted cost! In exchange I posted reviews on the products! I used to ride motocross and had some sponsorships where I received 50-75% off of parts and gear and that is where I got the idea. And I rode recreationally and only reaced a couple times....the companies just wanted you to run their logos on your bike or wear their gear out at the tracks. Being that JKS is a good company and there is a lack of reviews, I bet you could look up sponsorships from them or email the company directly explaining that you are looking at getting a new lift kit to replace the current and would like to buy theirs, but the amount of reviews available are few and far between and that you would install the product and put together a video/forum review if they could provide you the parts at a discounted cost. I would offer a review at 3 and 6 months as a follow up to address any issues like sagging...if it sags. I would also provide pictures of your Jeep how it sits now to show that you do in fact have a kit now. You can always offer to run their decals during the review period.

Just a thought.
 
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No trying to hijack - I purchased and installed a 2.5 RC Lift Kit before I knew any better. Would replacing just the shocks with OME be enough or would I also need OME springs? Not sure how RC can fuck up springs but who knows.
 
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No trying to hijack - I purchased and installed a 2.5 RC Lift Kit before I knew any better. Would replacing just the shocks with OME be enough or would I also need OME springs? Not sure how RC can fuck up springs but who knows.

A spring is just a spring for the most part. There are different spring rates for handling different weights, but basically all the springs are doing are lifting your jeep to a desired height and keeping it there based on how much your rig weighs. The shocks do all the dampening work. Since you have a budget in mind, I hear good things about Rancho's RS5000X shocks being tuned nicely to our TJ's. They usually have a "Shocktober" special in October where you buy 3 and get the 4th free, FYI.
 
A spring is just a spring for the most part. There are different spring rates for handling different weights, but basically all the springs are doing are lifting your jeep to a desired height and keeping it there based on how much your rig weighs. The shocks do all the dampening work. Since you have a budget in mind, I hear good things about Rancho's RS5000X shocks being tuned nicely to our TJ's. They usually have a "Shocktober" special in October where you buy 3 and get the 4th free, FYI.
Thank you!
 
I agree. The real weak point of the RC lifts (aside from horrible and crappy bushings) is the shocks. The shocks shouldn't even be considered shocks, they're just pogo sticks.

When I had an RC lift way back in the day, I swapped the shocks out for Bilstein 5100 shocks and it totally transformed the way it drove.

These are the shocks I reccomend for that lift:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BPDDPKM/?tag=wranglerorg-20
 
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I agree. The real weak point of the RC lifts (aside from horrible and crappy bushings) is the shocks. The shocks shouldn't even be considered shocks, they're just pogo sticks.

When I had an RC lift way back in the day, I swapped the shocks out for Bilstein 5100 shocks and it totally transformed the way it drove.

These are the shocks I reccomend for that lift:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BPDDPKM/?tag=wranglerorg-20

Those appear to be for a 2'' lift. I have a 2.5 inch lift. Would they still work?
 
Those appear to be for a 2'' lift. I have a 2.5 inch lift. Would they still work?

For reference:
In the front, 13.5" compressed length shocks fit with no bumpstop extension.
In the rear, 12.5" compressed length shocks fit with no bumpstop extension.

Regardless of lift height, subtract the compressed length of the new shocks you're trying to fit and you've got a good starting point for the required bumpstop extension.

Example: 15.5" compressed length shock equals 15.5" - 13.5" = 2" front bumpstop requirement.

For 2.5" of lift, if you're running 31" or 32" tires, 13.5" compressed length front shocks will work nicely. 13.5" compressed length rear shocks will as well, and require 1.25" of rear bumpstop extension. If you're running 33" tires, you can get 14.5" compressed length front shocks, but you'll need 1" front bumpstop extension, which you need anyway for the 33" tires, so it works out. The rear shocks will be the same as above, 13.5" compressed length, with 1.25"-1.5" rear bumpstop extension.

So if I were you, I'd actually get these ones:

Fronts:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009FU7S8S/?tag=wranglerorg-20

Rears:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004WO11F8/?tag=wranglerorg-20

Those are the Bilstein 5100 shocks meant for a 3" lift (I for some reason misread and though you had a 2" lift). Those ones will be slightly longer, but that's easily fixed with just a bit of bump stop extension. You could get the ones I mentioned previously, but those will be a little to short, since they are meant for a 0-2" lift, and you're better off with the shocks being a little too long as oppose to a little to short.

I love my Bilstein 5100s FYI. Had them for years now and they ride extremely well both on-road and off-road.
 
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Amazing how that works! @Ted (who was from Alaska as well) would always go through this as well, how so few companies were willing to ship to Alaska. Talk about annoying!


It seriously sucks living in Alaska when it comes to shipping. I would be more than happy to send anything that will go flate rate USPS. There is a 4 Wheel Parts store 2 miles down the road.
 
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I just purchased my 1st jeep a little over a month ago. I installed the RC 4" lift. Didnt realize until after i had the alignment done that it needed a longer front track bar which wasnt included, so I ordered one. As far as the ride quality, its fine on paved roads and not too bad offroad. I lowered the tire pressure down and it seemed to go everywhere i wanted without hassle. It did seem a little rough, but without knowing what to compare it too, its hard to say the shocks are junk. I had bilsteins on my HD chevy and seemed about the same offroad. So i guess i will just have to wait and see through time if this kit is as bad as most of you are saying. I have bilsteins on my baja bug too, for years, so if the shocks go bad then that will be the upgrade.
 
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A spring is just a spring for the most part. There are different spring rates for handling different weights, but basically all the springs are doing are lifting your jeep to a desired height and keeping it there based on how much your rig weighs. The shocks do all the dampening work. Since you have a budget in mind, I hear good things about Rancho's RS5000X shocks being tuned nicely to our TJ's. They usually have a "Shocktober" special in October where you buy 3 and get the 4th free, FYI.

Thanks for your advice, I changed my shocks to Rancho RS5000X and could definitely feel a nicer ride. Will keep the RC shocks for a few months just in case and then maybe sell them.
 
A question I commonly see asked around here is, "Should I buy a RC (Rough Country) lift?"
I'l answer that one for you plain and simple. NO! Rough Country lifts are garbage, pure and simple. First and foremost, ask yourself this: How can they afford to sell a complete lift kit for such a fraction of the cost of the other name brands such as Currie, Metalcloak, etc.?

The answer is simple, because it's cheap, piss poor quality. The shocks in the RC kits are widely regarded as garbage. The shocks are so bad that when you install the lift for the first time, you'll feel like you're riding on railroad tracks with no suspension at all. Coincidentally the shocks in a lift are the major determining factor in how well your suspension rides. The difference between a good shock and a crappy shock is night and day both on-road and off-road. Most people who end up purchasing the Rough Country lift end up swapping out the shocks for new shocks, which adds another $300 onto the price, and at that point you could have just bought a nice OME lift (with good shocks) from the start. So in reality, you aren't actually saving any money on the Rough County lift at all.

I'm not just saying this either, this is coming from a guy (me) who has run both the Rough Country 2.5" lift and the OME 2.5" lift. You can't even compare the two, the OME lift rides so much better you'd think you were dreaming.

The bushings in the Rough Country kit are also garbage as well. The rubber deteriorates faster than OE bushings, and if you spend any time off road at all, you'll be replacing them rather quick.

I don't want to be that guy who tries to talk down on people just because they are using a Rough Country lift. However, I also don't like seeing people waste money, only to realize that they made a mistake. I was in this situation myself when I bought a Rough Country lift and then realized how crappy it was.

How would a company like Rough Country be able to sell a lift for $350 and make money off of it if it used such high quality components? They get those $350 lifts manufactured probably somewhere around the tune of $150. I'm sorry, but you can't make a quality suspension for that price, plain and simple. This is common sense if you think about it.

Save your money and do it right the first time with a good quality kit such as OME or similar. I promise you, if you're buying a Rough Country kit with the intention of keeping your TJ for a long time, you will be disappointed.
That's why I asked for your help. The fear of being an invalid kit came to me and luckily I found people like you who took my doubts off.
 
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So I was just becoming more familiar with the info on this site and I saw this and read through some information I feel is inaccurate based on my personal experience. Ok so this post could be super long but I will just keep it short and if anyone wants more info then PM me.

I feel like the X series 4 inch lift is actually decent and I really have been impressed with all aspects of mine and I have done a fair amount of rock crawling with the kit. Don't get me wrong, it's nowhere near the quality you will get out of a real JJ kit but if you are on a budget and want a lift that comes with 8 adjustable control arms and can handle some fun off road then I haven't seen how you can go wrong with the X Series version of the 4 inch kit. If you have the money, get a better lift that uses JJ arms but if you only have about 1200 bucks for the lift + front and rear track bars then fire away if you don't see that budget increasing.

At the time I did my lift this was all I could afford which is why I decided on it but looking back now that I make more money and that budget could be bigger, I'm just not sure that I would change at this point. In other words, the X Series has provided me with a ton of fun and backed it with reliability so far and since I have had zero problems, a better quality armed lift could not improve this area...*YET* Admittedly the joints may fail early and require a rebuild at which point I will likely upgrade to JJ arms just for fun but that doesn't mean they couldn't be rebuilt and run for X number more years if I didn't. Plus, for the price of a Currie kit and installation I got the X Series kit, a regear to 4.88s with labor, and a trussed 8.8 swap with labor. This has given me over all a better jeeping experience and now the weakest link definitely is the lift but I can always upgrade the arms later too.

Hopefully I illustrated some of the reasons why a X Series version specifically makes sense. I'm still in full agreement that the budget 300-500 dollar lifts are poor at best so stay away.
 
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My problem with Rough Country is two things:

1) The absolute garbage quality shocks they use. When I had my Rough Country kit, I ended up changing out their shocks for some Bilstein shocks. Sure enough, it totally changed the way the lift rode. It was no longer "rough", but much, much better. This seems to be the general consensus too... it's not the springs that are bad, it's the shocks.

2) The joints / bushings. On the X-series lifts you get an OE style clevite / rubber bushing. I have nothing bad to say about that since it's much better than the crap quality poly bushings you get in their lower end stuff (or at least the stuff they were using once upon a time). I will however say that if you really want to do some serious crawling, it would be better to spend more money and go with a better solution such as a Johnny Joint. Of course lifts that use JJs cost a lot of money, and a good part of what you're paying for in those lifts is indeed the JJs themselves. The nice thing with those joints however, is you can rebuild them. I know Jerry (who does some serious rock crawling) has said he's been on his original Johnny Joints for 12 years now with no rebuilds yet! That's damn impressive considering the type of terrain they do down there in Johnson Valley!

I think you get what you pay for. Those X-series RC lifts don't actually look that bad. However, I'd still want something with some Johnny Joints!

My original post was actually aimed more at the lower end RC lifts. The one thing I'd always like to warn people about with RC lifts is that if you buy one of their lifts, expect to buy a better set of shocks in order to make it ride better. So maybe an extra $200 for a set of Rancho RS5000X shocks. That basically turns a crappy ride into a wonderful ride.
 
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My problem with Rough Country is two things:

1) The absolute garbage quality shocks they use. When I had my Rough Country kit, I ended up changing out their shocks for some Bilstein shocks. Sure enough, it totally changed the way the lift rode. It was no longer "rough", but much, much better. This seems to be the general consensus too... it's not the springs that are bad, it's the shocks.

2) The joints / bushings. On the X-series lifts you get an OE style clevite / rubber bushing. I have nothing bad to say about that since it's much better than the crap quality poly bushings you get in their lower end stuff (or at least the stuff they were using once upon a time). I will however say that if you really want to do some serious crawling, it would be better to spend more money and go with a better solution such as a Johnny Joint. Of course lifts that use JJs cost a lot of money, and a good part of what you're paying for in those lifts is indeed the JJs themselves. The nice thing those is you can rebuild them, and I know Jerry (who does some serious rock crawling) has said he's been on his original Johnny Joints for 12 years now with no rebuilds yet! That's damn impressive considering the type of terrain they do down there in Johnson Valley!

I think you get what you pay for. Those X-series RC lifts don't actually look that bad. However, I'd still want something with some Johnny Joints!
Totally agree with all of this
 
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Purchasing a 2005 X with 90k miles with Dana 30/35. This will be a DD or mild off road. Believe there is some type of lift already and either 32s or 33s mud claws on it.

I am interested in:
3" total lift.
33" tires.

Can someone guide me where to start?
1. Exchanging the lift for a better one? If so, Give me options and what to buy exactly.
2. The process I need to go through to get a 3" total lift... what to do first/what to buy first.. then what comes next.

Im new to building Tjs.
 
Purchasing a 2005 X with 90k miles with Dana 30/35. This will be a DD or mild off road. Believe there is some type of lift already and either 32s or 33s mud claws on it.

I am interested in:
3" total lift.
33" tires.

Can someone guide me where to start?
1. Exchanging the lift for a better one? If so, Give me options and what to buy exactly.
2. The process I need to go through to get a 3" total lift... what to do first/what to buy first.. then what comes next.

Im new to building Tjs.
OME ultimate kit would be a great kit to look at.
https://dpgoffroad.com/product/old-man-emu-ultimate-tjlj-wrangler-kit/
Personally I would rather have the aluminium block spacer for the mml then the brown dog mounts since they seem more likely to cause vibrations if not adjusted perfectly.
Also, I would opt out of the OME shocks and ask to swap them with rancho RS5000x. (should decrease the price of the kit)
 
Do what you can afford, I run a RC LA and TT...better than any stock setup period. Lot's of other brands, components and parts included but hey I had to do what the budget would support. Will it get upgraded, it's a Jeep so yes, stuff will change again, until then i can wheel just about everywhere I want to and safer and tougher trails than what I was running the previous 5 years.