BDS Suspension?

Another option if you haven't pulled the trigger. Check out Zone Offroad, they are owned by BDS. Great quality, lower price kit than the BDS branded stuff. I know a lot of folks that have been happy with their Zone setup. Probably the same parts, just a bit less warranty.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jerry Bransford
That’s exactly what I needed. Perfect. I’ve thought about doing a budget lift with the Rancho shocks for now and upgrading to the BDS springs in the future. I’m clueless on the sway bars and everything else like that.
Don't. Just wait until you do both. The 2.5" lift shocks (55239/55241) the Rancho has are too long for anything less than a solid 2" + of lift. They are really better for closer to 3". And the stock lift shocks (55128/55240) are good for about 1" over.
 
Another option if you haven't pulled the trigger. Check out Zone Offroad, they are owned by BDS. Great quality, lower price kit than the BDS branded stuff. I know a lot of folks that have been happy with their Zone setup. Probably the same parts, just a bit less warranty.
Thanks. Yea I looked at Zones stuff and liked the price but didn’t realize they were owned by BDS. I’ve read good reviews on their lifts but of course I’ve also read how some people talk about how the lifts are complete trash but I’m sure they are trash compared to someone who is spending 2k for a serious off roading suspension.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JeepZilla380
Don't. Just wait until you do both. The 2.5" lift shocks (55239/55241) the Rancho has are too long for anything less than a solid 2" + of lift. They are really better for closer to 3". And the stock lift shocks (55128/55240) are good for about 1" over.
So even if I do the 2” spacer lift those Rancho shocks wouldn’t be good?
 
Thanks. Yea I looked at Zones stuff and liked the price but didn’t realize they were owned by BDS. I’ve read good reviews on their lifts but of course I’ve also read how some people talk about how the lifts are complete trash but I’m sure they are trash compared to someone who is spending 2k for a serious off roading suspension.

After dropping some serious coin on my lift I sometimes wonder for the amount of time I get Offroad I shouldn't have gone a bit less expensive. Like others on here I get caught up in the desire to build a indestructible Jeep that will never be pushed to its limit. ;)

I haven't encountered many bad opinions of BDS or Zone, and try to recommend them when I see folks leaning towards a Rough Country or Rusty's lift.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cal
They'd be fine, they can't tell the difference between OE springs with 2" spacers and 2" taller springs.
That’s what I thought too! I guess we might be wrong? Heavy question mark. Haha. I just wanted to give my next set of 31s some breathing room. I’m either going to run one of 3 tires...Baja claw, Swamper Trxus MT or Pro Comp MT......I’m sure that’ll open a whole other can of worms among folks reading this. Haha. Let’s stir the pot!
 
Does Zone sell their springs apart from a kit? I tried to look them but couldn't find any. Maybe I wasn't looking in the right place
 
And are you just runnin 31s. I eventually want to run a 4in lift and 33s but I have bought this Sahara and it already has 31 BFG KOs with about half tread life and I just want to give a little space for them or the next set of 31s I get.

Actually running 265/75/16 Goodyear Duratracs - approx 31.6" tire. Plenty of wheel well/travel with that size for what I do.
 
Does Zone sell their springs apart from a kit? I tried to look them but couldn't find any. Maybe I wasn't looking in the right place

I've seen the BDS spring (pairs) for $111 online somewhere (just the springs from the 2" lift kit)
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Cal
I've seen the BDS spring (pairs) for $111 online somewhere (just the springs from the 2" lift kit)
Yeah I've seen that too. I think I've seen them as low as $104 or $108... I just couldn't find the zone ones
At that price point tho it's hard to beat
 
I installed the 3' BDS lift kit on my 03, am running 33" BFG Mud Terrains on American Racing rims and have had zero issues. I did upgrade to adjustable track bars for the front and rear, and also added the swaybar disconnects for the front. The "No Fine Print" warranty that BDS offers was a big selling point for me.

Good luck with whichever way you choose to go.
 
I installed the 3' BDS lift kit on my 03, am running 33" BFG Mud Terrains on American Racing rims and have had zero issues. I did upgrade to adjustable track bars for the front and rear, and also added the swaybar disconnects for the front. The "No Fine Print" warranty that BDS offers was a big selling point for me.

Good luck with whichever way you choose to go.

Thanks, which AR wheels did you go with? Any pics? I will be installing a 2" BDS lift with AR172 Baja (15X8, Black, 3.75 backspacing\-19 offset) soon...next week I hope!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Daveh370
Thanks, which AR wheels did you go with? Any pics? I will be installing a 2" BDS lift with AR172 Baja (15X8, Black, 3.75 backspacing\-19 offset) soon...next week I hope!

I have the Baja's in black; they are 15X10 with (I believe) the same backspacing. The BFG's are 33X12.5x15. Not nearly as noisy as I thought they'd be.

Good luck with your install. Post up pics while in the install is in progress and when you're done.

upload_2018-7-10_20-6-45.jpeg


upload_2018-7-10_20-7-35.jpeg
 
I have the Baja's in black; they are 15X10 with (I believe) the same backspacing. The BFG's are 33X12.5x15. Not nearly as noisy as I thought they'd be.

Good luck with your install. Post up pics while in the install is in progress and when you're done.

View attachment 47017

View attachment 47018

Nice! It looks great, can't wait to get my Bajas installed. I love that they look like the classic soft 8's but they are a much lighter alloy (~19 lb) and only $88/each at TR with included center caps and lugs. They should be better a better ride too for my mostly road driven Jeep. We won't have to worry about rust and it will put 6-8 lbs less on the tire carrier (hoping to stay stock carrier with 32's). If I wheeled hard, perhaps the steelies would be better since you could pound them back into shape on the trail, but that doesn't apply to me currently. I looked at the Cragars, Procomps, cheaper ones etc. and while they are cheaper, they can really nickel and dime you for center caps and lugs if you aren't careful. It all adds up when buying 5 wheels dammit! If you have the 15x10 Bajas, I think you have 3.81 of backspacing (offset -43), almost the same as the 15x8...and it looks really good. My TJ is also silver, an 05 X RME with the painted fenders. Mine will be a slightly less stout, prim and proper version of yours, haha! I will going with the BFG K02's A/T with RWL out. Couldn't decide at first, but I just love those tires with the white letters out. Almost any other tire and I wouldn't do it. I'll be sure to post some pics when I am done. Let me know how things go for you from here. Have you made any gearing changes etc.? I'm sitting at 3.73 on the Dana 44 and the 32's are all I am going to run for now since I need to book back and forth across town a lot. The 6 spd manual transmission should help me as well, and I think I might like the tall first gear better with the 32's..it seems like it should be more usable than it is now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Daveh370
Nice! It looks great, can't wait to get my Bajas installed. I love that they look like the classic soft 8's but they are a much lighter alloy (~19 lb) and only $88/each at TR with included center caps and lugs. They should be better a better ride too for my mostly road driven Jeep. We won't have to worry about rust and it will put 6-8 lbs less on the tire carrier (hoping to stay stock carrier with 32's). If I wheeled hard, perhaps the steelies would be better since you could pound them back into shape on the trail, but that doesn't apply to me currently. I looked at the Cragars, Procomps, cheaper ones etc. and while they are cheaper, they can really nickel and dime you for center caps and lugs if you aren't careful. It all adds up when buying 5 wheels dammit! If you have the 15x10 Bajas, I think you have 3.81 of backspacing (offset -43), almost the same as the 15x8...and it looks really good. My TJ is also silver, an 05 X RME with the painted fenders. Mine will be a slightly less stout, prim and proper version of yours, haha! I will going with the BFG K02's A/T with RWL out. Couldn't decide at first, but I just love those tires with the white letters out. Almost any other tire and I wouldn't do it. I'll be sure to post some pics when I am done. Let me know how things go for you from here. Have you made any gearing changes etc.? I'm sitting at 3.73 on the Dana 44 and the 32's are all I am going to run for now since I need to book back and forth across town a lot. The 6 spd manual transmission should help me as well, and I think I might like the tall first gear better with the 32's..it seems like it should be more usable than it is now.

Thanks. I, too, love they way the rims look. I have the BFG KO2's mounted RWL out on my 2013 F-150, they look great, was going for more of a subdued look on the TJ. The local shop that I bought the lift, rims, and tires from gave me a break on the cost of the aluminum rims.

I am saving up for the gear change and possible axle swap as I have the stock Dana 35/30 combo running 3.07. It's not horrible on surface roads with the 5 speed, but I haven't touched 5th gear since installing the lift. Not sure if I'm going to swap the Dana 35 for a Dana 44, but also don't want to limit myself in the future.

My friend bought his Jeep early last year and changed out the lift kit for the 4 1/2" BDS lift kit. He's currently running 35's on the Dana 44/30 combo with 3.73's and is also looking to do a gear swap, but is still able to hit highway speeds right now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mots
Thanks. I, too, love they way the rims look. I have the BFG KO2's mounted RWL out on my 2013 F-150, they look great, was going for more of a subdued look on the TJ. The local shop that I bought the lift, rims, and tires from gave me a break on the cost of the aluminum rims.

I am saving up for the gear change and possible axle swap as I have the stock Dana 35/30 combo running 3.07. It's not horrible on surface roads with the 5 speed, but I haven't touched 5th gear since installing the lift. Not sure if I'm going to swap the Dana 35 for a Dana 44, but also don't want to limit myself in the future.

My friend bought his Jeep early last year and changed out the lift kit for the 4 1/2" BDS lift kit. He's currently running 35's on the Dana 44/30 combo with 3.73's and is also looking to do a gear swap, but is still able to hit highway speeds right now.

Yeah, the 3.07 is tough. At least you have the 5 spd to help a bit until you can re-gear. I finally received my AR Baja's and BFG 32's and got them installed last night (pic below). Now I just need to get the BDS 2" lift installed (hopefully next week). Boy does it roll better on the new KO2's. Two of my stock 30's (probably 29.5" new) were around 28" in true measurement since they are used and the other two perhaps 28.5". The new BFG tires are somewhere around 30.7" of real measured height with ~28-29 PSI. I have the Dana 44/3.73 rear with the manual 6 spd (NSG370). I did notice the gearing changes with the 32's, but I actually like how things have shifted so far. First gear is now more usable for me as I don't have to shift as fast. I can still also use 6th gear perfectly for OD on the highway, but I don't fee the need to shift into 6th as soon as before. We'll see how it goes from here, but I really like the 32x11.5xR15 setup so far. It doesn't look as aggressive as the 33's, but it is perfect for my needs. As a bonus, the 32" BFG A/T mounted perfectly on my stock spare tire carrier without any extension or alternations to the 3rd brake light.

Before
before wheels and tires.jpg


After
after wheels and tires.jpg



after.jpg

old vs new.jpg

new carrier.jpg
 
Yeah, the 3.07 is tough. At least you have the 5 spd to help a bit until you can re-gear.
Manual transmissions are actually the worst when it comes to being undergeared. They have a fixed first gear ratio, an automatic has an infinitely low/variable first gear ratio due to the torque converter in front of the automatic.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2006TJ1
Manual transmissions are actually the worst when it comes to being undergeared. They have a fixed first gear ratio, an automatic has an infinitely low/variable first gear ratio due to the torque converter in front of the automatic.

The auto 3.07's I drove were fine in first gear with larger tries, it was the higher gears and trying to get up to and keep highway speeds that really bothered me. I didn't drive any manuals with a 3.07 though, so I can't compare. Does it make sense to to you that I like how my 6 spd feels in first gear with the 32's over the 30's? I felt it was too aggressive for the smaller tires and I had to shift too quickly, now it feels more normal. The older tires were worn, thus amplifying this effect...so there is that!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2006TJ1