Actual Lift Amount - Lets Compare Fender Heights

tommudd said:

Well at least you got the front back up to just above stock height :whip:

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Stock height seems to be between 17.5 and 18.5 and I'm an inch or two above that. When I park next to a stock liberty I can really notice a difference, especially with the new tires being around a half inch taller.

Stock height of a KJ when it is new is 19" on all 4 corners. What you had was height of stock springs that had sagged an inch and a half to begin with.

long_tall_texan said:

Stock height of a KJ when it is new is 19" on all 4 corners. What you had was height of stock springs that had sagged an inch and a half to begin with.

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So you say 19 inches is stock height and my stock springs sagged an inch and a half which would bring it down to 17.5 inches. A half inch clevis lift gave me two inches of lift, amazing. Or maybe the springs sagged a half inch to 18.5 and the half inch clevis lift brought it up a inch to 19.5, were it still stands today.

A 3 ring Clevis lift (3/8") will give you 3/4" of vehicle lift. 1/4" top space plate gives you an additional 1/2" of vehicle lift or 3/8" top spacer plate will give you additional 3/4" of vehicle lift.

Just for clarification...

Of course the best lift is subjective, there are lots of ideas of what is most important, height, tire fitment, etc, etc. However, it seems there is a general agreement that OME coils and your pick of shocks/struts are a good start. I'm going to add the bump stops, just because it couldn't hurt, right?

So, thinking about it from the time and issues you will face, if you start with the OME coils, struts/shocks only, then later decide you need to add the clevis lift and top plate or whatever your choice is for a little extra lift, or that the steering/alignment isn't right and you want to add the a-arms, how much extra work will it be to go back and add those items?

Also, nobody really mentions CV joints in the stickies, except to say they may or may not be stressed. Mine have never been replaced. Should I replace those when I do the lift?

I have a 2004 Jeep Liberty Sport, 110K miles, all original suspension. Its paid off, I like it overall, but it rides too rough, which is to be understood with those miles. Mostly I want a smoother ride for now, but I also want room to move up from my 265/75R16s to a little larger tire in the future. In a year or so I will buy something newer for a daily driver and this will become beach and trail.

I am buying parts as soon as tomorrow, so if anybody knows the best deals at the moment on any of the parts I need, let me know. Medium coils in front and back, bilstein or OME shocks/struts.

Go HD coils ride is great
927s front 948s rear
I have never installed medium coils on any of the lifts I've done so far and everyone loves the ride they have now
not hard to add to after the fact at all, I tore mine down yesterday to lower it some just for the heck of it, of course everytime you raise or lower you need another alignment
99 % of the time you should have no problems with the CVs but there is always the case where your intermediate shaft is already rusted to the CV which will give you problems. Last lift I installed a few weeks ago he had 103,000 miles I think on it. Came in an inch lower than stock ended up with 4 inches of lift ( 3 over stock)

With 927's & clevis (conduits, 2 passenger 3 drivers side after settling in) Boiler's 3/8 steel Top Spacer, I am at 22.75" in front. For how long not sure.
Extra driver's side conduit was because front drivers side sat lower than passenger side.
Now way more level. JBA Gen 4.5's going in ASAP..next week they arrive...hopefully!
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OK guys, give me some feedback here...

Purchased Libby last fall (2010) cuz I've wanted a Jeep and the Libby passed the wife's requirements :killit: No idea of the PO history except what came back from CarFax. Suspension shop that did alignment said the ball joints (upper and lower) look good. Had local dealer check the VIN for BJ recalls and they were done.

No significant mods other than the few things I've done to it over the winter (hitch, cross bars, blah blah.) When poking around underneath while changing diff & TC oil and checking the brakes the suspension look to be stock and no significant wear visually. Probably original shocks & springs but here are the height specs. Doesn't seem to have sagged as many others in this thread have indicated on their Libby's...but I'm open to suggestions on upgrades.

Essentially stock '03 Renegade
3.7L, 42RLE ******
OEM Skids: Front diff, Transfer case, Fuel tank
Front tow hooks, OEM hitch, Light bar
100,900 miles

Measurements:
Front L: 18 3/8 inches
Front R: 18 1/2 inches

Rear L: 18 1/2 inches
Rear R: 18 1/2 inches

Thinking basic OME 927/948 with Bilstein's but would I gain that much height? Seems my Libby has settled only about 1/2 inch - so would OME get me to about 20" all around (1.5 inch lift)?

Look forward to your guidance...arty52:

Bob

While you're at it, what else should you replace?

As mentioned above the suspension on my 2004 Sport is all stock suspension-wise, nothing has ever been changed. So if I am installing the OME lift, and I'm also considering some A-arms, what other parts should I go ahead and replace while I have them off, or easy access to them?

I would think it would be the ones most likely to improve my ride, ones that are cheap anyway, so why not, or ones that are at the end of their lives with 100K miles.

Thanks

TwoBobsKJ said:

Thinking basic OME 927/948 with Bilstein's but would I gain that much height? Seems my Libby has settled only about 1/2 inch - so would OME get me to about 20" all around (1.5 inch lift)?

Bob

Click to expand...

The straight OME lift (springs/shoocks only) should put you at around 21.5" after it settles. Seems that is what everyone else is sitting.

Wife's 02 Sport 75,000+mi.
before lift- 19 1/4 at all 4 corners
Installed Rusty's coil lift 10/23/10- 21 1/2 all 4 corners
after 6 mos. & some settling, still sits at 21 1/4

Our 07 Sport 32,000+ mi.
before lift- 18 1/2 all 4 corners
added 02 rear coils & 2 extra upper isos- 20 1/2
Rusty's 1/4 top plate & clevis lift - 19 3/4 front

Ok I briefly read your post then went outside to compare and take measurments, come back to the computer and read more went back out and rechecked and checked again that I was doing it right. Had my son check with a new tape measure incase my old eyes were really messing with me but still he come up with the same numbers so here they are stock as bought it from the dealer in late Nov 2002.

The old girl is showing a manufacture date of Sept 2001

204332 Km's mostly hiway miles maby 500 km just recently light off roading.

Front driver 19.25
Front passanger 19
Rear driver 19.50
Rear passanger 19.50

Actually is an inch lower than what a prelowered KJ is I think.


Welcome to JKJ!

I'm at roughly 18" all the way around on stock suspension. 2003 KJ Renegade with 91k. Only thing I've got on there is OEM skids and OEM light bar.

A lift is in my future

2004 KJ Sport.

Newly installed Moog coils, KYB shocks.

Front= Boiler's .375" shims + .375" clevis adjustment
Rear= 2 extra upper isolators per side

df= 20"
pf= 20"

dr= 20.5"
pr= 20.25"

Only in a day, probably hasn't even settled yet. Getting aligned tomorrow.

I'll keep you posted as time goes on.

Well, I was scared to join this thread but I just measured my '06 on stock suspension which I didn't want to. 88k miles and 18.5" front and rear.

Neb1373 said:

Well, I was scared to join this thread but I just measured my '06 on stock suspension which I didn't want to. 88k miles and 18.5" front and rear.

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Not bad for 88k miles. Only 1/2" sag from stock. That is actually impressive.

New measurement

Got a new measurement for ya'all


Take 3" off for the difference between my fender flares and yours.

:favorites37:

06 sport
bds lift
bilstein 5100s rear
bilstein hd front shocks
jba 4.5 ucas
front hub to fender is about 23 inches +/- 1/8"
rear is about 21 inches
no alignment yet but im hoping it kinda levels it out unless that 2 inch difference is normal, if not i will probably add 1 or 2 extra rear isos per side
any insight on the difference in heights would be helpful, i will update and post pics after i get the alignment tomorro