Zone 4" lift or Skyjacker 4" lift?

TheReV

TheReV

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Tucson, AZ, United States
Looking for opinions from those who know. I definitely know rough country is a no. I also know arb/emu is better but I can't afford it .

Secondary question.. small lift with small body lift (2.5 + 1) or full suspension 3 or 4.

90% on road mall crawler 10% dirt and mud with occasional rocks.

It's my 98se on 31s .

Any opinions??

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Zone hands down.

I prefer a small body lift in any scenario, opens the door for a tummy tuck.

Neither will be better or worse on or offroad, the issue there is tire pressure and shocks. :)
 
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Zone 4.25" Combo or the 4" with control arms? I've read that the version with control arms is not very good.
 
To be 100% honest.. 90% looks with some off road capability. I was even thinking some pro comp springs with a bl.. I really want the biggest bang for the smallest buck.. I know tall order but still..

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4.25" combo lift.

Use the body lift for 31s. Add the rest for 33s.
 
I have a 4” Skyjacker I installed in a car port in ‘09 ... I put it through its paces and all I need to do is replace the control arm bushings. I’d buy it again.

Clears 33s and I can fit an Arizona iced tea can in the wheel wells.

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If I do the combo lift do I need to worry about control arms??

What about this lift
Rancho rs6503b


Or this one?? From quadratec

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If you are on a budget, don't bother with anything that includes control arms. To clear 33s, you don't need anything other than the factory arms, and they are MUCH better quality than anything you'll get at a sub 1000 dollar price point. If it was me, is you for a 2 or 2.5 inch BDS lift, and then add a Savvy body lift. 33s all day long and you shouldn't get into drivetrain problems.
 
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But then you stuff tires and your flex will be garbage. A suspension lift is the way to go. Control arms on a 3/4 ton Jeep ... it honestly doesn’t matter. The control arm bushings are the weakest link and will go first. If you plan on mostly on road driving, the Skyjacker will be perfectly fine for years. Honestly, any basic 4” suspension lift will be fine and will clear 33s with room to spare. If you were looking for performance off road suspension, then we’re talking the above $1000 lifts.


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Stox5225 said:
But then you stuff tires and your flex will be garbage. A suspension lift is the way to go.
Click to expand...
Why? Garbage, meaning what exactly?

Stox5225 said:
Control arms on a 3/4 ton Jeep ... it honestly doesn’t matter. The control arm bushings are the weakest link and will go first. If you plan on mostly on road driving, the Skyjacker will be perfectly fine for years. Honestly, any basic 4” suspension lift will be fine and will clear 33s with room to spare. If you were looking for performance off road suspension, then we’re talking the above $1000 lifts.


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Click to expand...

If you think that the control arm bushings/joints are the weakest link and will go first, then you need different control arms. And I don't understand why you think control arms don't matter on a Jeep.

I would argue that a street Jeep should be built with the same cares and considerations as a trail Jeep. Skyjacker doesn't fit into that very well into either type of build.
 
So a budget lift...

Zone combo.. No arms 4.25"
Zone 4" with arms
Bds 2" no arms no nothing
Def no on skyjacker

What about the rancho or the quadratec special..

I need to stay at 650 or less.. there is no saving up for more pricey stuff.. that's my limit.. so.. would prefer 550 or less..

I'm really leaning to either zone product.. so arms yes or no...

Or if anyone knows of a lift in that price range and height please let me know..

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If you want to piece this together and build up over time, then begin with the Savvy body lift to give the 31s more room. Learn to correctly extend the bump stops. Focus on good shocks that are of the optimal lengths for your configuration, like Rancho 5000x. Wear those and the tires out and then add a decent set of 2.5-3" springs with a motor mount lift and move up to 33s with longer shocks of the optimal length.

You now have a custom combo lift that is better than the Zone combo lift.
 
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You seriously could piece together your own lift with a quality 2-3” spring. Rancho 5000x shocks (the 539/541 I think.. I’ll look and post back) properly corrected bump stops, a 1” body lift and that will be plenty for mostly on Road and mild off


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2005 RHD TJ Sport
2010 BMW 528xi
 
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TheReV said:
So a budget lift...

Zone combo.. No arms 4.25"
Zone 4" with arms
Bds 2" no arms no nothing
Def no on skyjacker

What about the rancho or the quadratec special..

I need to stay at 650 or less.. there is no saving up for more pricey stuff.. that's my limit.. so.. would prefer 550 or less..

I'm really leaning to either zone product.. so arms yes or no...

Or if anyone knows of a lift in that price range and height please let me know..

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Click to expand...
No on the Rancho and Quadratec. As several are suggesting, if you are on a budget, there is no need to get into all these kits, you can piece it together yourself and get something better. If you want to go straight to 33’s and have the least side issues to deal with, do a 2.5” Suspension Lift and a 1-1.25” Body Lift. OME or BDS Springs are going to run you $340, some Rancho 5000X shocks will be another $200, then a Savvy Body Lift for $169. That will ride like a dream. for around $700.

Side issues you will have if you go this route: may need an adjustable front trackbar eventually, but not critical. Probably need a TCase drop. Your TCase Shifter Linkage may need to be upgraded with a Savvy. But these things are minor compared to going to a 4” suspension lift.
 
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If 650 is your budget, get some 3 inch springs from ProComp or BDS (I'd say OME, but they don't make 3 inches) and some RS5000x shocks. Redrill your front track bar bracket, don't worry the rear trackbar, install a tcase drop, and run it. The springs should run about 340, the shocks are a couple hundred, which leaves a little bit for incidentals and hardware.
 
@TheReV, you are so lucky to live in Tucson! One of my favorites towns, I lived there 8 years in the 70's, and have visited only 3 times since :-(.

I was in the same boat. I actually talked myself down from a 3" lift into a 2" lift running 32's instead of 33's. I even documented my decision process here because I was new to modifying Jeeps and found the process amusing from the cars I had worked on before...I suggest you check this particular post out here as I went through the process:
Mot's 2005 "X" Rocky Mountain Edition OEM+ Build

My advice would be to slow down, save a bit more $ if you have to, and make sure you listen to the resident experts here (@Chris @Jerry Bransford @Ranger_b0b @jjvw @JMT @Shane Mckinley) on what they have told you. Not all will agree exactly what parts/lift you should buy, but all are guiding you in the same general direction. Jeeps are like the old "I know an old lady who swallowed a fly" story, and these guys are trying hard to get you to not to swallow that fly and start an expensive chain reaction. If you want to save money (now and in the long run), and if you want to have something that rides well on the road and lasts a good while without further mods or problems, the last thing you want to do is cheap out on a 4" lift, get drivetrain vibrations, and then get into needing an SYE, new rear driveshaft etc. Good luck!
 
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