Strut/spacer lift

[KJtim]

New to this page, but been around Jeeps for years. I have always built WJ/ZJs, this is my first KJ. I have the JBA 4" Gold lift on my Jeep. I originally bought the 2.5/2" top plate and rear spacer lift but decided on the full lift instead. On my grand Cherokees with SFAs i could put 4.5" coils and 2" spacers on them with aftermarket arms. Has anyone put the 2.5" top plate on top of their 4" lift? This is my first SFA Jeep so I'm still learning about it. I have the JBA upper arms. I have a clevis spacer in that I was going to pull out if I put the top plate in. Looking for anyone who has actually done this before.

Not sure if my bio is filled out completely/properly. It's an 04 limited with jba 4" and clevis spacers.

Thanks for the help!

 

[JasonJ]

New to this page, but been around Jeeps for years. I have always built WJ/ZJs, this is my first KJ. I have the JBA 4" Gold lift on my Jeep. I originally bought the 2.5/2" top plate and rear spacer lift but decided on the full lift instead. On my grand Cherokees with SFAs i could put 4.5" coils and 2" spacers on them with aftermarket arms. Has anyone put the 2.5" top plate on top of their 4" lift? This is my first SFA Jeep so I'm still learning about it. I have the JBA upper arms. I have a clevis spacer in that I was going to pull out if I put the top plate in. Looking for anyone who has actually done this before.

Not sure if my bio is filled out completely/properly. It's an 04 limited with jba 4" and clevis spacers.

Thanks for the help!

Do you mean IFS Jeep?

So to sum up, you're wanting to go up to 6-6.5" of total lift? If so, a whole host of issues pop up... not accounting for the increased cost. If I wanted that much lift on a KJ, I'd be inclined to go SFA on the front.

Others with more experience will be by shortly, it's still early.

 

[KJtim]

Yea IFS front, sorry it was early. I know to go over4.5 you need a cradle drop, I've been to JBA a few times talking to them about it. I wasn't sure if the top plate would affect angles like a 6" suspension lift would. Like I said I am used Grand Cherokees and on those if you put spacers on top it doesn't affect the geometry on the axle. I'm starting to collect parts now for the SFA suave but I figured since I had these plates I would put them on if possible. Thanks for your input

 

[tommudd]

Yea IFS front, sorry it was early. I know to go over4.5 you need a cradle drop, I've been to JBA a few times talking to them about it. I wasn't sure if the top plate would affect angles like a 6" suspension lift would. Like I said I am used Grand Cherokees and on those if you put spacers on top it doesn't affect the geometry on the axle. I'm starting to collect parts now for the SFA suave but I figured since I had these plates I would put them on if possible. Thanks for your input

Go ahead and do it, it won't be driveable but would look killer to the Fakebook kids sitting in the yard .

But seriously if you want a good , reliable , well handling, Liberty stay at 3.25-3.5 inches of lift max !
I ran over 4 inches of JBA lift for 100,000 miles, but in the end is it worth it? No
Iworked closely with Marlin ( JBA ) and have done a lot with him, even worked for him a while. So I know what can be done and what long term effects there are.
If you want 6 inch go SFA, that way you can get proper gearing, angles etc will work better etc .
Get full width diffs like 44s and 9 inch ford rear and be done
Of course lots of fab work so you need to be a good fab person and great welder to do it RIGHT!

 

[JasonJ]

Honestly.. if you've been to JBA, talked to them about what you want... just hand them over your KJ and the keys, tell them to build it to your spec's and pick it up when done, write them the check for $10k+ and you'll have a seriously badass KJ.

To do what you want to do, and make it driveable, go right to the SFA.

Options for the KJ are more limited than WJ/WK and any of the Wranglers or XJ's. Not impossible, but much more expensive, more fabrication work, and a lot harder.

 

[tommudd]

Lots of differences even between ZJs and WJs

 

[JasonJ]

Lots of differences even between ZJs and WJs

Beyond that even, I'm not sure I've seen nor heard of a KJ lifted to 6" or more that was not SFA'd. I'm not sure that would even work on a KJ IFS because of the cv halfshafts... maybe with custom cv joints...

 

[tommudd]

Beyond that even, I'm not sure I've seen nor heard of a KJ lifted to 6" or more that was not SFA'd. I'm not sure that would even work on a KJ IFS because of the cv halfshafts... maybe with custom cv joints...

I know of some who tried
not good results and all of them ended up as a pile of junk, modified beyond the point of no return to a half way good KJ .
I've driven Marlins ( JBA ) original KJ with the 6 inch lift, did good but could never see the point of all the extra to run 33s
Bragging right possibly but.............

 

[JasonJ]

I know of some who tried
not good results and all of them ended up as a pile of junk, modified beyond the point of no return to a half way good KJ .
I've driven Marlins ( JBA ) original KJ with the 6 inch lift, did good but could never see the point of all the extra to run 33s
Bragging right possibly but.............

If 6" of lift was on my "must have" list, or I wanted to run 33s, 35s, 37s or anything like that, I'd just buy a used TJ, preferably Rubicon... I see them all the time around me priced between $12k and $15k. The $15k ones are usually lower (reasonable) mileage, mid-2000s ... 2004-2006 or so and in EXCELLENT condition, rust free and clean. Which, for Michigan/Great Lakes region is awesome.

If you're going to tie up $8000-$10,000 into a SFA conversion on a KJ anyhow, might as well put that towards a TJ Rubicon and get the Dana 44 already in there, with wheel wells big enough to run 33s stock... cheaper aftermarket support with more options.

That's how I'd do it.. I'm not so married to the KJ that if that was my goal I couldn't ditch her for a TJ.

But for me.. 31s do what I need, on road or off. 3" to 3.5" of lift is plenty. IFS doesn't bother me. Quieter on road performance is appreciated. and the best part: It's already paid for!