Should I buy a RC (Rough Country) lift?

Chris

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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.
 
I can vouch on this....but give their springs a tiny bit of credit. The RC coil and leaf springs on my XJ have held up to all the abuse since 2010 and still at their advertised height but are UPS brown. I even removed the overload leaf on the rear pack and made it haul almost a ton of wood pellets recently which inverted them. However, the bushings crapped out like usual and yeah their shocks are horrible as stated above. I am so glad I swapped some 5100's in.

All the other parts on the kit are crap. I replaced everything except for the crossmember and long arms, which now run Johnny Joints. The x-member and arms look like they came from the Titanic.

Basically what the knowledgeable dude above is saying is avoid all the "Great Value" lift kits, save your money a bit longer, and get a quality kit so you can do it right the first time.
 
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Basically what the knowledgeable dude above is saying is avoid all the "Great Value" lift kits, save your money a bit longer, and get a quality kit so you can do it right the first time.

That's my thought. Rather than blowing your money, save up a bit more and get a quality lift that will last the life of the vehicle.

In other words, do it right the first time. I learned this from firsthand experience!
 
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I am in the process of removing an RC lift from my 98. It was their 4" lift and I 2nd what Chris says...they are junk and cause more problems than they are worth. You can see where they cut corners to keep them cheap. For now, Im dropping it back to stock. Stay away from them! Just my opinion after dealing with one...
 
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I've owned an RC lift first hand on my XJ. They really are junk. Made with cheap pop can metal (that's what I call it), shitty bushings, horrendous shocks, and crappy springs.

If anyone out there honestly thinks that there is any quality at all in an Rough Country lift, just let me remind you of this: You can't produce a high quality lift (which involves a lot of parts) for a measly $500 or so. Sorry, it's just not possible without cutting some serious corners.
 
I've owned an RC lift first hand on my XJ. They really are junk. Made with cheap pop can metal (that's what I call it), shitty bushings, horrendous shocks, and crappy springs.

If anyone out there honestly thinks that there is any quality at all in an Rough Country lift, just let me remind you of this: You can't produce a high quality lift (which involves a lot of parts) for a measly $500 or so. Sorry, it's just not possible without cutting some serious corners.

I kinda thought their cardboad boxes they ship the parts in were of decent quality......
 
New guy here. Just bought my first Jeep tonight because I'm being relocated to Denver for my job. Who wouldn't want to ride around in the Rockies in a Jeep, right! Anyway, the previous owner installed a 2.5" RC lift. I have no intentions of replacing it since it's pretty new, but what kinds of things should I look out for in the future? I have always been a pickup man, so I'm new to the whole Jeep experience. I will get pics and update my avatar in the next few days.
 
I have no intentions of replacing it since it's pretty new, but what kinds of things should I look out for in the future?

If you're referring the the RC lift and what you should watch for, keep an eye out for the following:
  • Sagging springs
  • Extremely poor ride over rough terrain, bumps, etc. (due to poor shocks)
  • Premature bushing failure
 
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If you're referring the the RC lift and what you should watch for, keep an eye out for the following:
  • Sagging springs
  • Extremely poor ride over rough terrain, bumps, etc. (due to poor shocks)
  • Premature bushing failure
Thanks. This is exactly what I was referring to. It's literally brand new, and rides like a tank (I've never ridden in one, just imagining). I know from pickup trucks that the ride should improve after a thousand or so miles. I'll keep an eye out for the other stuff. Thanks again.
 
If you want to keep it then I'd at least swap out the shocks for some RS5000x or Bilsteins and ride it. Those RC shocks are low grade cheapies that leak and rust. The springs are "average" so you might have some luck with em if your bumpstops are set properly and you don't load up too much. I was lucky with my front RC springs because I had 4" bumpstop extension and they never really flexed much. They held up a winch for 7 years.

Check the psi in the tires cuz alot of people over-inflate and that can affect the ride quality too.
 
^ Good advice, replacing the shocks. It'll be a much better ride after that. I wouldn't worry about replacing anything else until it starts to wear out. If you can get the receipt from him for the lift, RC is fantastic to deal with for warranty replacements.
 
Yeah, you should be fine if you replace the shocks. The shocks are the weakest point of the RC lifts. I don't even know if you can consider them shocks at all... They're basically like riding on stiff rods.
 
Q: Should I buy a RC (Rough Country) lift?
A: 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 and springs 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. This is coming from experience as well.

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.

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.
So, the TJ I own has the rough country adjustable control arms, I bought it with these installed. As stated in your warning the bushings in the rear lowers are worn out, so I'm wondering if there's anywhere to get replacement bushings for them, I'm not having much luck finding info online for it.