Ideal Lift For Stock SE 2.5 / 2.4?

[SSTJ]

By 'ideal', I mean:

• Enough lift that I get good clearance with 31s, but not so much that 30s look too small (I mean, they already do, but you know what I mean).
• Not so much lift that I need to worry about any other geometrical changes (control arms, driveshaft angle, etc.). I only want to upgrade shocks and springs.

FYI, I already have Rancho RS5000Xs, which allow for 0–2" of lift. But I am still running stock springs.

If you recommend a budget-boost, I wonder what brand or specific spacers you have in mind?

If you recommend new springs, I wonder what brand and length?

 

[Chris]

Factory springs, a 1.25" body lift, and 31s. That would be perfect.

Then you get to keep the factory progressive rate springs too

 

[TheBoogieman]

A BL for 31s.

 

[Goatman]

Factory Rubicons come stock with 245/76R16s. That's a metric 31. So no lift is needed. Perhaps a small budget boost of 3/4 or 1 inch for the front and you have all you need. And it won't look like the tires are too small for the "lift".

 

[never monday]

2” BB and 31’s!

 

[SSTJ]

Thanks all. Body lift or budget-boost sounds like the way to go.

But, just thinking out loud here, what about the HR springs that folks like @StG58 raves about? I think those give about 1"–1.5", right?

Also, I've noticed that I have less room between my tires and fender flares on the front than on the back. I assume that's common, and just due to the weight of the engine. @Goatman , is that why you mentioned the front, and not the back? My springs are pretty old (from 1997, with about 90k miles on them), so I was originally thinking that might be why I saw the sag up front.

 

[Rubicon88]

I don't like body lifts. Some here love them. I'm not one of them.

You have the shocks...

Get some 2.5" springs...springs are not something to over think. Shocks make or make you swear at your ride. So any spring..yes even Rough Country springs are fine...

Get some new sway bar links that disconnect for your new spring height

Done!

Yes, really..that's all you need to do!!!

Trust me....
with those shocks you'll be saying to yourself I should've done this sooner!!! Rides better on road, works better off road.
You'll love it.

Here is a pic of that exact setup

Thats a 2.5" spring, disconnects, 31x10.50x15 tires

 

[Irun]

Thanks all. Body lift or budget-boost sounds like the way to go.

But, just thinking out loud here, what about the HR springs that folks like @StG58 raves about? I think those give about 1"–1.5", right?

Also, I've noticed that I have less room between my tires and fender flares on the front than on the back. I assume that's common, and just due to the weight of the engine. @Goatman , is that why you mentioned the front, and not the back? My springs are pretty old (from 1997, with about 90k miles on them), so I was originally thinking that might be why I saw the sag up front.

I'm about to install my third set of H&R springs. 1" is pretty normal with them and they are, according to H&R, a progressive rate spring. If you decide to go that route, Tire Rack has the best price I've seen, i.e. $238, with free shipping. Since you already have shocks, you could leave out the body lift (BL) for now, but add a 3/4 spacer up front, if you want to level out the stance. This would put you at right around 2" total lift up front and 1 -1.5" in the rear.

As a word of caution adding the 1" springs, a BL, plus a spacer would put you above 2" and may mean your shocks aren't optimized.

https://www.tirerack.com/suspension...toModel=Wrangler+X&autoYear=2005&autoModClar=

 

[Midtenn]

I vote budget boost simply because I think body lifts are uggo. No valid criticism of them other than that.

 

[Goatman]

If you are trying to keep some cash in the bank then a simple spring puck is the way to go. (To the OP) the TJ has a forward tilt from the factory. I think it was for mpg reasons. Some hate that lean. Others like or don't care about it. But most put an extra 3/4" to 1" up front to "level" the Jeep out. This will also get your front tires an extra bit of room.

 

[SSTJ]

I don't like body lifts. Some here love them. I'm not one of them.

You have the shocks...

Get some 2.5" springs...springs are not something to over think. Shocks make or make you swear at your ride. So any spring..yes even Rough Country springs are fine...

Get some new sway bar links that disconnect for your new spring height

Done!

Thanks, I'll consider this. I'm a little worried that my 30s will look silly with 2.5" of lift, but I go back and forth with 31s anyway, and your pic looks great.

I hadn't thought as far as the sway bar disconnects. But that's only to take full advantage of my new articulation with the added height, right? I don't need to do that before riding on the street or anything, right?

 

[SSTJ]

I'm about to install my third set of H&R springs. 1" is pretty normal with them and they are, according to H&R, a progressive rate spring. If you decide to go that route, Tire Rack has the best price I've seen, i.e. $238, with free shipping. Since you already have shocks, you could leave out the body lift (BL) for now, but add a 3/4 spacer up front, if you want to level out the stance. This would put you at right around 2" total lift up front and 1 -1.5" in the rear.

As a word of caution adding the 1" springs, a BL, plus a spacer would put you above 2" and may mean your shocks aren't optimized.

https://www.tirerack.com/suspension...toModel=Wrangler+X&autoYear=2005&autoModClar=

Thanks for this. I think that since my ride is so light (I don't even have a spare on the back right now), I might get more like 1.5" increase from the H&R springs. But either way, yes, I have noticed that my front end sits lower than the rear, so whatever I do I'll need to add a small spacer to the front.

Are H&R springs the only ones that offer around 1" of lift? I've heard that otherwise, your only options for springs give you 0" lift or more than 2". True, or are there other, cheaper springs that would give me about 1" of lift?

 

[Rubicon88]

Thanks, I'll consider this. I'm a little worried that my 30s will look silly with 2.5" of lift, but I go back and forth with 31s anyway, and your pic looks great.

I hadn't thought as far as the sway bar disconnects. But that's only to take full advantage of my new articulation with the added height, right? I don't need to do that before riding on the street or anything, right?

Correct.

It's ridiculous the amount of times I see a lifted TJ/XJ/YJ in the shop with 2,4,6 inch lift and no sway bar disconnects.

It's literally a $79-$179 addition to really bring out the best these suspensions have to offer and they offer a lot!! It's really amazing just how much those coils will travel and unless you've a locker...if one tire is in the air (rear might lift up as your axle can only travel so far being connected to the sway bar.) that's the one that gets all the power. (Front or rear) With a disconnect you won't hardly see a tire in the air. At least not doing typical trails for a lightly modified rig like yours will be. So you'll maintain a great foot print on the terra firma and have great traction.

Notice the change in body shell to the JK with Rubicon package has an electric sway bar disconnect. Now you can say what you want about that factory thing a ma jing...but the point being they recognized how important going off road and disconnecting the sway bar is.

When done on the trail hook em' back up and drive the speed limit home.

If you do that simple set up like I showed you...with the shocks you already have you'll be smiling at the difference on road and off.

 

[Rubicon88]

Thanks for this. I think that since my ride is so light (I don't even have a spare on the back right now), I might get more like 1.5" increase from the H&R springs. But either way, yes, I have noticed that my front end sits lower than the rear, so whatever I do I'll need to add a small spacer to the front.

That's not automatically the case. Call whatever spring company and ask about the rake with their springs.

That blue jeep I showed you had zero rake. If it did it was completely negligible. No spacer needed.(I hate those too like a body lift)

 

[Goatman]

Adding an antisway bar quick disconnect is not needed for street driving. In fact you want to make sure the antisway bar stays connected. But even if you are only hitting mild trails or rough 2 tracks you will want to disconnect the antisway bar. Do this and you can get away without worrying about dropping psi in your tires. Of course lowering tire pressure will allow a smoother and quicker ride. Just that the antisway bar disconnect should be the first thing you do when hitting the trails. Long before you need to worry about lifting a tire. And don't go cheap here. A good disconnect is can be vastly easier to hook back up than a crappy one.

 

[SSTJ]

Are H&R springs the only ones that offer around 1" of lift? I've heard that otherwise, your only options for springs give you 0" lift or more than 2". True, or are there other, cheaper springs that would give me about 1" of lift?

 

[SSTJ]

Factory springs, a 1.25" body lift, and 31s. That would be perfect.

Then you get to keep the factory progressive rate springs too

Hi @Chris

I'm wondering about the reason for recommending a body lift. Is it because it's cheaper, or because I get to keep the progressive springs? I ask because maybe you had in mind my concern about not impacting any other part of my stock geometry?

 

[Chris]

Hi @Chris

I'm wondering about the reason for recommending a body lift. Is it because it's cheaper, or because I get to keep the progressive springs? I ask because maybe you had in mind my concern about not impacting any other part of my stock geometry?

For one it won’t impact geometry at all. But for two, you’ll get the keep the factory progressive rate springs, which is a good thing.

 

[Goatman]

According to the experts even a 4" spring does not impact negatively on the control arm geometry. Of course you would need to have correct pinion and driveshaft angles.

 

[SSTJ]

Thanks all. Well, now I just need to make up my mind. For now I think I'll just put a puck on the front springs (to remove the rake), and leave it like that until I go back to 31s. When I do, I'll have to pick between the H&R springs, a budget boost, or a body lift.