Lift questions (please help me make up my mind)

atup1996

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So I’m looking to lift my 2000 Sahara only looking for 2.5-3 of lift for my 32s. The most wheeling this Jeep will see is some light mountain trails that’s it. Mostly looking for a descent ride without breaking the bank too much. I was going to go with the Quadratec lift but after some research it seems it’s a rebranded skyjacker. I’m now leaning towards the rustys kit or piecing a kit together with procomp coils and rancho rs5000x shocks. What would everyone’s opinions be. I know that the money I’m wanting to spend will not let it ride like a Cadillac lol.
 
Don't go with Quadratec crap.

You want a good lift? Use either OME 2.5" springs or ProComp 2.5" springs and pair them with Rancho RS5000X shocks. It will be cheap, easy, and you'll have a vehicle that can fit 31" or 32" tires and take you all the places you want to go and more.
 
Sounds like a set of 2" OME springs and Rancho shocks will do the trick for your needs.
 
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I’m now leaning towards the rustys kit or piecing a kit together with procomp coils and rancho rs5000x shocks. What would everyone’s opinions be. I know that the money I’m wanting to spend will not let it ride like a Cadillac lol.

that's what I did, taraflex coils, rancho shocks & stock control arms, the ride is beautiful & it handles incredibly well, I actually enjoy accelerating through turns. It's not going to ride like a Caddy no matter what kind of cash you throw at it but it will ride like a great TJ. If you have a winch and/or don't like the factory rake consider going an inch taller on the coils up front, that will level it out nicely.
 
Would a 1 1/4 body lift work for you? You get to keep all the suspension stock if you like the ride. Then a engine/trans and tummy tuck? Just an option to think about. Otherwise I'd go with OME springs and stock control arms. Rancho 5000x or OME's nitro Sport shocks (which ever you get a better deal on).
 
So I’m stuck on the coil spring brand now. I’m stuck between ome, taraflex, procomp, and jks jspec duel rate coils. I will 100% running ranchero rs5000x shocks.
 
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So I’m stuck on the coil spring brand now. I’m stuck between ome, taraflex, procomp, and jks jspec duel rate coils. I will 100% running ranchero rs5000x shocks.
The coils don't matter as much as the shocks. Go with the softest rate coil that fits your application, unless you need stiffer springs for loading. The OME springs are quite popular
 
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I would get either the procomp or ome springs and ranchos regardless of what lift height you go with. They say the springs don't matter but I can promise you cheaper springs will sag over time. Might also be worth going with a 2.5 lift combined with a mml and bl so you can run 33s
 
I would get either the procomp or ome springs and ranchos regardless of what lift height you go with. They say the springs don't matter but I can promise you cheaper springs will sag over time. Might also be worth going with a 2.5 lift combined with a mml and bl so you can run 33s

No one who argues that springs don't matter will suggest that one should buy cheap springs that can't maintain their ride height over a reasonable period of time.
 
Factory up travel is about 4". Does that lift, shock and tire size combination maintain that 4" as a minimum?

@jjvw, I'm sure I missed something in your previous discussions on up travel... I don't think a 1-1.25" body lift with a 1" lift gain from spring coils would decrease the up travel of the shocks. What are the other factors that need to be considered in this situation?
 
Don't go with Quadratec crap.
Don't sell the springs short, I combined the Quadratec springs with Rancho shocks and they are holding up well. I don't know who made mine but I have a 3/8" steel front bumper with a winch, a swing out tire carrier bumper with a 33 hanging on it, and do a lot of rock climbing and they haven't sagged one bit. To tell you the truth I'm surprised at how good they are.
 
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@jjvw, I'm sure I missed something in your previous discussions on up travel... I don't think a 1-1.25" body lift with a 1" lift gain from spring coils would decrease the up travel of the shocks. What are the other factors that need to be considered in this situation?

Depends on the relationship between the tire size, shock length and where the body gets in the way.
 
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I would suggest the OME springs. They are known to provide a great ride and hold up exceedingly well. Almost every time I tried to save a $$ on cheap anything on a suspension I've been sorry. Rancho is known to have longer shocks. I have the 0-2" 5000x and have almost a perfect 50/50 split on up/down travel using a 1" bumpstop. You can always wait on the shocks and work the suspension to know your exact needs. You'll only loose 2-3 days waiting. And you could run your current shocks in the mean time if you stick to moderate trails. That way you will get the right setup for your specific Jeep. Adding a (fairly) heavy bumper and a winch only cost me perhaps 1/2" of spring lift from having just the stock bumper. With the 6 cyl. Up front I don't think any spring rate will really matter much. It's mostly in the back (you sit over that axle) that I would try for a softer spring depending on what you plan to carry in back. I have OME's soft rear spring (front too) and with an empty back with just a 32" spare plus a 75-85 lb rear bumper you know when you are hitting something on the road. Slower trail speeds allow everything to move easier.
 
I've seen multiple posts on this forum suggesting the OME springs start to sag soon after install and sag at different rates making the tub sit low on one side or the other. My springs seem to work a lot better loaded with some weight than they do running light, so my bumper, winch and rear tire carrier really didn't effect the ride, it improved it.
 
Depends on the relationship between the tire size, shock length and where the body gets in the way.

So in my scenario, it would depend on the current setup of tire size and shock length and the "jump" to 32s. Meaning if I'm currently running 30s with the appropriate shock, I "should/might" be able to transition to the 32s with a body & spring lift. However, if I was running something closer to stock 28s and shocks to begin with, I would more than likely have to change out the shocks as well??? And the body getting in the way applies across the board?
 
Several things to think about...

The Rubicon arguably came from the factory with the largest tires that still fit a factory TJ.

Larger tires need more room. More room is created by adding spring lift and moving the body out of the way. One or the other or both.

Adding spring lift changes the shock's travel bias.

Longer shocks are needed as the suspension lift increases.

A shock's travel bias is ideally 50/50 from ride height.

The axle moves in an arc as the tire stuffs or droops. Increased shock travel increases this arc. Larger tires are typically wider and require less back spacing. Meaning, for example, that a one inch spring lift with the appropriate shocks is going to result in more that an inch of wheel travel. Wider tires with less back space will only increase that amount.

Those who claim they are successfully running a certain size tire with fewer than the common recommended modifications do not realize that their tires don't fit.
 
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