Is anyone running this Skyjacker lift?

[bgarcia11]

So I am looking to upgrade my current 2.5 lift to a 4-inch lift, I currently have a Skyjacker lift and I'm looking to replace it with a new Skyjacker lift. I know that this is not going to be the best, but it is what is in the budget for now. I am also planning to do an SYE with a new Driveshaft and Core 4*4 uppers for the rear. Is anyone running this lift currently that would have any feedback?

 

[someguysjeep]

the drop pitman is a trap you don't wanna fall in.
you won't need the belly drop if your going to get an SYE
those control links won't allow much pinion adjustment, to line up that SYE and the DC drive shaft you'll need.
the rear track bar/panhard reloc bracket should be angled at 4" of lift most often.

i'm sure if you keep an eye on the for sale section you could find some better springs,
go with Rancho shocks (the guys can tell you which). extended sway links are probably gettable 2nd hand as well.

check out Zone, they can be budget friendly and not sell you a lot of crap you don't need.
https://zoneoffroad.com/search?fitment=1

 

[Jerry Bransford]

X2 to the above. The dropped Pitman arm should NOT be installed, it will just cause bump steer with how that kit will configure your Jeep. The rear arms are not only going to not work with the SYE kit since their lengths are not adjustable which is needed for pinion angle adjustment once you install the SYE kit and CV driveshaft. Also their bushings are so inflexible that you can nearly count on the control arm mounting brackets being torn out of their welds if you get onto an offroad trail that is uneven enough to fully flex it. Seriously. I had similar arms 20 years ago and that's exactly what they did to two of my control arm mounting brackets.

And the Skyjacker hydraulic (or gas) shocks will make your Jeep ride like a buckboard wagon and knock any loose fillings out.

Check out the Zone 4" lift which is a 3" suspension plus a 1" body lift. Zone has received pretty much all good reviews here and it is also a budget lift.

 

[bgarcia11]

I was going to go to Core 4X4 adjustable rears and already have an adjustable front track bar. So you would suggest doing a 1-inch body lift and SYE vs upgrading the lift.

 

[TheBoogieman]

Check out the Zone 4.25" lift which is a 3" suspension plus a 1.25" body lift. Zone has received pretty much all good reviews here and it is also a budget lift.

Their 4" lift is just a suspension lift.

 

[Chris]

The only place that Skyjacker lift belongs is in the back of a Quadratec catalog or the garbage can. There are far, far better options than this steaming pile of shit lift.

Sorry for the foul language, but Skyjacker has been and always will be complete crap.

 

[TheBoogieman]

The only place that Skyjacker lift belongs is in the back of a Quadratec lift or the garbage. There are far, far better options than this steaming pile of shit lift.

Rough Country?

 

[Chris]

Rough Country?

I think even Rough Country might be a step up

 

[someguysjeep]

I was going to go to Core 4X4 adjustable rears and already have an adjustable front track bar. So you would suggest doing a 1-inch body lift and SYE vs upgrading the lift.

if you stuck with 2" you don't have to have the SYE/DC shaft.
a front adjustable TB is good, no matter how much lift you add. but both TB's should be adjustable past 2".

almost any spring will work if it holds your desired height has a decent free length and stack height.
shocks are gonna give you your ride characteristics. again i see lots of good reviews on the Rancho 5000x IIRC, (@Jerry Bransford, is that the right #).
then the joints, this is where the $ goes............the arm is an arm is an arm............it's that joint on the ends that matters.


if you are outworking your 2" lift and puttin tires into fenders every trip out you need more room. if it works, you don't need anything but some better components, until you go up in wheel size.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Their 4" lift is just a suspension lift.

They have the 3" suspension lift plus 1" body lift combination too. That's why I suggested it. At least they did.

 

[AndyG]

X2 to the above. The dropped Pitman arm should NOT be installed, it will just cause bump steer with how that kit will configure your Jeep. The rear arms are not only going to not work with the SYE kit since their lengths are not adjustable which is needed for pinion angle adjustment once you install the SYE kit and CV driveshaft. Also their bushings are so inflexible that you can nearly count on the control arm mounting brackets being torn out of their welds if you get onto an offroad trail that is uneven enough to fully flex it. Seriously. I had similar arms 20 years ago and that's exactly what they did to two of my control arm mounting brackets.

And the Skyjacker hydraulic (or gas) shocks will make your Jeep ride like a buckboard wagon and knock any loose fillings out.

Check out the Zone 4" lift which is a 3" suspension plus a 1" body lift. Zone has received pretty much all good reviews here and it is also a budget lift.

I can't get the words upgrade and skyjacker to compute in my TJ algorithm.

I'm not trying to be harsh... But when you have to throw most of it away and replace it with better components... It's just a false economy... Compounded by crappy performance and weird headaches...Zone is my go-to for entry level... A bad lift on a TJ doesn't work.

I'm not trying to be a buzz killer... I started out with one that had that stuff on it... And have been working my way up to Currie parts and a lot of things in between... THE DIFFERENCE IN MANUFACTURERS AND THE KNOWLEDGE THEY BRING TO THE VEHICLE IS HUGE.

 

[John Cooper]

Skyjacker, Rough Contry and Super Lift were good for lift spring leaf spring but not so much for coils and such.

 

[AndyG]

The only place that Skyjacker lift belongs is in the back of a Quadratec catalog or the garbage can. There are far, far better options than this steaming pile of shit lift.

Sorry for the foul language, but Skyjacker has been and always will be complete crap.

Do you guys remember those little two-colored weird balls that you put different shapes in and you had handles and you pulled it apart to make them come out and you could do it again...I think they were blue and yellow or whatever.... I know the little pieces were yellow and there would be like a star, a circle and so forth... The first bushings I bought for a TJ were from skyjacker trying to fix what I had and the quality of the bushings reminded me of those little pieces.... And I was like you know that thing was fine to play with on the short bus to high school and so... But I don't think I want stuff like that on my TJ.

 

[Cookie]

I've got the zone 4.25 and I'm impressed

 

[Chris]

Do you guys remember those little two-colored weird balls that you put different shapes in and you had handles and you pulled it apart to make them come out and you could do it again...I think they were blue and yellow or whatever.... I know the little pieces were yellow and there would be like a star, a circle and so forth... The first bushings I bought for a TJ were from skyjacker trying to fix what I had and the quality of the bushings reminded me of those little pieces.... And I was like you know that thing was fine to play with on the short bus to high school and so... But I don't think I want stuff like that on my TJ.

The problem with cheap lifts such as Skyjacker, Rough Country, Zone (yes, ZONE TOO!), Rubicon Express, and others, is that the control arm bushings don't last.

@starkey480, how long have you had your Rough Country arms before the bushings started to fail?

I know that the Rough Country arms I had on my XJ (a long time ago) failed in just over a year.

A Johnny Joint by comparison will last a decade or maybe longer, then you can easily rebuild it.

If the only driving you'll do is on-road driving, you'll be fine. But, if you plan to wheel it at all, you can kiss the bushings goodbye in short order, guaranteed.

Here's a great review of the Zone lift after 18 months:

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/zone-lift-18-months-later.2832/
Now granted he was wheeling it, but you get the idea.

The reason that Savvy and Currie arms are so expensive is because of the Johnny Joints themselves. However, mark my fucking word, you get what you pay for. If you plan to wheel it and keep the Jeep a long time, you'd be a fool not to buy once and cry once.

 

[AndyG]

The problem with cheap lifts such as Skyjacker, Rough Country, Zone (yes, ZONE TOO!), Rubicon Express, and others, is that the control arm bushings don't last.

@starkey480, how long have you had your Rough Country arms before the bushings started to fail?

I know that the Rough Country arms I had on my XJ (a long time ago) failed in just over a year.

A Johnny Joint by comparison will last a decade or maybe longer, then you can easily rebuild it.

If the only driving you'll do is on-road driving, you'll be fine. But, if you plan to wheel it at all, you can kiss the bushings goodbye in short order, guaranteed.

Here's a great review of the Zone lift after 18 months:

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/zone-lift-18-months-later.2832/
Now granted he was wheeling it, but you get the idea.

The reason that Savvy and Currie arms are so expensive is because of the Johnny Joints themselves. However, mark my fucking word, you get what you pay for. If you plan to wheel it and keep the Jeep a long time, you'd be a fool not to buy once and cry once.

Yes I'm the poster boy for this stuff... Those companies cut cost in the wrong places.

I had done a thread a while back about how I made my Rough country stuff better... But felt stupid about it later because all it amounted too is taking off everything I possibly could and replacing it with something better.

 

[Chris]

Yes I'm the poster boy for this stuff... Those companies cut cost in the wrong places.

I had done a thread a while back about how I made my Rough country stuff better... But felt stupid about it later because all it amounted too is taking off everything I possibly could and replacing it with something better.

Most of us have been there and done that. You cheap out the first time around because you think you can, then you end up replacing it all down the road with better parts. That's why I try and get so many new members to just suck it up and buy once, cry once. You pay more money for the higher end part, but there is a reason you pay more and it has everything to do with quality and durability.

If you don't wheel at all, you'll probably be fine though.

 

[AndyG]

Most of us have been there and done that. You cheap out the first time around because you think you can, then you end up replacing it all down the road with better parts. That's why I try and get so many new members to just suck it up and buy once, cry once. You pay more money for the higher end part, but there is a reason you pay more and it has everything to do with quality and durability.

If you don't wheel at all, you'll probably be fine though.

It's impressive what the good companies bring to the table... A Johnny Joint is a thing of beauty.

 

[starkey480]

I bought my rig with rough country arms so I’ve had them a couple years and the joints are all going to shit. It’s to the point where it’s not safe to drive any more. Savvy arms are on the way. No reason to get anything other than Savvy especially considering they aren’t that much more than the shit brands

 

[Lou]

The people toting skyjacker as good are usually getting it for free or they dont know any better.