adding OME/Rancho lift

[Vranes17]

So ive heard that the daystar is crap and that it is Ookay. I know i know, do it right the first time. But i have someone who will sell me their daystar for 100$ and my jeep has 160k miles on it and i dont want to go dropping in $1000 for a lift which i may have to remove and sell when the time comes. If I go this route will I need anything extra to correct any problems?
Will the jeep sit at the same height (prelowered) or raised a little?

With this lift he is also going to sell me some very little use MTR's 245/75/16.

What do you think? suggestions?

And unfortunately a real lift is a little to pricey right now.

 

[kj924]

Well with 160K on the suspension now, putting on a Daystar will only make things worse in the long run for you. For around $600 you can get OME springs 4 of them and 4 shocks(which you need anyways with that mileage on the KJ)

I only run OME/Rusty's springs and OME shocks and a 3 ring clevis.

The Daystar kit will get the 245's under there, but the springs will sag more quickly...plus I heard they give you a rough ride too.

Just sayin........save your pennies and get new springs...

 

[Ry' N Jen]

So Ive heard that the Daystar is crap and that it is Ookay. I know i know, do it right the first time. But i have someone who will sell me their Daystar for 100$ and my jeep has 160k miles on it and i don't want to go dropping in $1000 for a lift which i may have to remove and sell when the time comes. If I go this route will I need anything extra to correct any problems?
Will the jeep sit at the same height (prelowered) or raised a little?

With this lift he is also going to sell me some very little use MTR's 245/75/16.

What do you think? suggestions?

And unfortunately a real lift is a little to pricey right now.

No offence intended with this reply Vranes. Just real advice for a fellow KJ owner here!

But...

With 160,000.0 miles on your suspension? The suspension is totally shot, bagged, dead, call it what you want!

It's ready for new real parts.

I can understand that you don't want or cannot afford to drop $1000.00 on new suspension components...

But fitting a Daystar spacer lift to coil springs and shocks that have 160 Thousand miles on them, will completely kill whats left of them!
(But that is just my opinion!)

You are better off buying tires that fit your stock KJ!
Like 235-70-16 or 245-70-16's and don't bother with the Daystar spacer lift.
Use that $100.00 to wards tires instead!


I could could go on, but it has been said many many times already...

Ask TonyCRD about the Daystar lift he had!

If you decide to keep your KJ for several years more, invest in a set of Old Man Emu coils and some new shock absorbers!

You will be very happy you did!
You KJ will ride like a brand new Rig and handle better than when it was new.
Ours handles like a sport truck!
There are times when Jen scares the Chit out of me 'cause she drives it every day and knows how our Rig handles!

She is becoming an awesome driver!

And the new suspension absolutely helps!

 

[Vranes17]

Well like I have said before my mechanic(the guy i bought the jeep from) told me 2 months ago that the suspension is fine , he may have swapped out the components before giving it to me, but it feels fine. Maybe I should call and ask him? I like my 245s

 

[kj924]

Well like I have said before my mechanic(the guy i bought the jeep from) told me 2 months ago that the suspension is fine , he may have swapped out the components before giving it to me, but it feels fine. Maybe I should call and ask him? I like my 245s

Ask him if he put new springs in it...not just shocks.

All we are saying is that cheaper is not better when it comes to your suspension. Everyone is always looking to lift their rig for next to nothing...it's human nature, but for $600 ish that's pretty cheap for a lift and a better suspension. Like Ryan said, you are not only buying new springs, you are buying better springs.

But back to your original questions...

Yes you will sit at least 2" or more higher than stock.

Bumpstops would be a great "extra" to buy for the front .

You may or may not have to pound the pinchwelds at the rear of the front wheel well.

 

[osufans]

meh...i say $100 is cheap to find out if it works or not. Considering what everyone else is saying about the possibility of your factory suspension possibly being shot already....then what's it gonna hurt?

I would hate to do the job twice, but in your case, I would say $100 is cheap enough to try it. Worse case scenario, it *****...you turn around and sell your kit for $100 and you're not out anything but time.

 

[Spidey]

You will begin to hate how it rides after some time, ask me how I know Mine rode fine at first, felt better than stock, but having put about 20k on the Daystar lift, it rides like poo now, very rough. My Jeep is nearing 100,000 miles, about time for a proper lift. If you don't mind a rough ride though, you'll be just fine.

 

[Ry' N Jen]

Well like I have said before my mechanic(the guy i bought the jeep from) told me 2 months ago that the suspension is fine , he may have swapped out the components before giving it to me, but it feels fine. Maybe I should call and ask him? I like my 245s

Give it a try.
Call your mechanic and ask?
Maybe he did swap out the original coil springs and shocks...

Like osufans says in his post...
It's $100.00!
You can always turn around and try to sell the Daystar "Lift" for what you
paid for it!

Nothing ventured nothing gained!


Cheers
Ry'

 

[jcbll95]

I had 130000 on mine when i went with the daystar it was ok but after about 10000 i noticed it started to sag then i added a backbone and a winch now i am back to close to stock height. so i ordered ome hd springs and new struts and so on. i also suggest new rear shocks and front if ya can.

 

[Vranes17]

so whats the cheapest i can go w a coil lift?can someone tell me the parts and part numbers needed and maybe even cheapest place to find.

How about some used parts? Anyone have any used parts to an ideal lift they would sell to make a combo for me?

 

[kj924]

One of the most trusted places...AllJ's

Springs:

Old Man Emu Coil Springs
OME790: FRONT COILS FOR CRD (also works with GAS model w/ARB front bumper and winch) - $155/PAIR

OME927: FRONT COILS FOR GAS KJ - $151.55/PAIR

OME948: REAR COILS FOR CRD/GAS KJ $151.55 PAIR

Shocks: You will have to search for a cheaper shock than the OME, but I'll guess about $150/pair for rear shocks.

Here's the OME shocks:

Old Man Emu Front Struts
OME NS131 Heavy Duty KJ Struts for Lifted Gas or CRD KJ Liberty.
$151.55 each

So for roughly $600 you can be riding higher and better than stock with room for those 245's

 

[Vranes17]

would i need new UCA?

 

[bigBlue]

so whats the cheapest i can go w a coil lift?can someone tell me the parts and part numbers needed and maybe even cheapest place to find.

How about some used parts? Anyone have any used parts to an ideal lift they would sell to make a combo for me?

well there are several choices for coil lifts. your cheaper kits use spring rates that are same as stock or very close. these kits will sag fastser. I have found that the cheapest way to do the coil lift is to piece it out the front seperate from the rear....that is to say if you can do ur own install....

companies like JBA and AllJ's will sell you a "top of the line, pre-assembled kit" but you will pay a few hundred bucks (on top of install fees) if you piece it out and istal yourself.

Best front coils on market for 4x4 are OME927 ($144/pair thru 4wheelparts)
Best front shock/strut is Rancho 17505 (JBA still has on website at $85), but they will be hard to find...go with the Bilstein F4-BE5-D916-H0 ($90) or skyjacker 9050s ($105) if you cant afford the the OME's ($150+ ea).

For the rear I went with the skyjackerLIB25r ($130/pair at 4wheelparts). they have the highest spring rate and a lifetime warranty on sagging (via Skyjacker sales rep). OME948 is great too, but they wanted $160 for less strength and a 2 year warranty (4wheelparts was cheapest). For rear shocks you can use anything off the late 98-03 Durango 4x4. Rancho rsx17004 are best ($139 w/ship at jegs), or my fav ProComp ES3000 ($80/pair @ 4wheelparts).

FINAL PRCIE: Front($325) + Rear($210) = $540 or so plus some elbow greese. Figure under $600 when its all said and done.

thats for a solid 2+ inches of lift and high quality parts stronger than ur stock suspension.

 

[kj924]

would i need new UCA?

No, not needed but helps with alignment and balljoint/coil rub on full droop of suspension.

 

[bigBlue]

UCA's are an upgrade option. If your balljoint is intact and there is no rubbing of the UCA's on the tire or spring (and you dont beat up ur jeep on the trails) than stock UCA's should be fine. I did however order a set of Rocky Road Outfitters UCA's last week for $325 shipped b/c they rub and the Balljoints are shot. They will be here TODAY!!!!!!!!!!.

New aftermarket UCA's from JBA (400+ shipping) or RRO (325 shipped) have replaceable ball joints longer arcs (for clearance) and are supposed to be stronger than stock. It makes no sense to replace ur warn out UCA's with stock mopar UCA's that are more $, esp if putting a lift on. Both JBA and RRO use heavy duty ball joints used on larger vehicles like trucks and Escalades, so they are made to take a beating.

 

[Vranes17]

Well I just bought the 17505's from Jeepinbyals

 

[kj924]

Well I just bought the 17505's from Jeepinbyals

(biggthumpup)

Now what? Are you going with springs too?

 

[Vranes17]

yeah but itll be a slow process for now, ill start with the 17505s get the front springs then get do the back.

 

[kj924]

yeah but itll be a slow process for now, ill start with the 17505s get the front springs then get do the back.

Good deal. It may take a bit longer to piece it together, but in the long run it will be well worth it.

 

[Vranes17]

So for the front I got the 17505's and will go with the 790s or 927s? which do you guys recommend.

For the rear skyjackerLIB25r because of their lifetime warranty as stated above. And rsx17004s for the rear, but you say I can use anything off a Durango 98-03, is that stock parts? Am i better off springing for new or will the used off a durango suffice?