Been thinking.....

[osufans]

OK, so maybe this has been asked and answered already, but I've been getting the itch to buy a JK Unlimited.

I like the stance of a Wrangler, and I'd really prefer to have a manual transmission. That being said, after recovering from sticker shock, what can be done to the KJ, if anything to make it comparable? I mean, there's nothing really wrong with mine...but I'd really like to run bigger tires, a wider offset in rims, and would love the availability of a larger aftermarket of parts.

So I see JBA has complete lift kits available. What is the durability of running their 6" kit? Aside from their kits, and the whole SFA thing....is there anything else out there?

Just thinking out loud here....

Thanks!

 

[tommudd]

SFA
or
JBAs 6 inch with his steel front diff , 4.88s and 33s
just follow posts from Honduras on here, its about what he has

 

[JeepCoMJ]

You can buy a dana 30 all day for under $200.

$1500 for a bare housing? no freaking way.

 

[tommudd]

Sure you can buy one anyday for a few bucks , but then the extra machining /mounts etc that has to be done to make it work
Not everyone has a fully equipped machine shop in their garage

 

[JeepCoMJ]

True enough. At the same time, you could get a gear matched Dana 30 with steering, trackbar, steering gear...have it rebuilt, and installed by a pro for around 2500. That would make me think twice

 

[tjkj2002]

True enough. At the same time, you could get a gear matched Dana 30 with steering, trackbar, steering gear...have it rebuilt, and installed by a pro for around 2500. That would make me think twice

Not in a KJ you can't.

 

[JeepCoMJ]

Far as I'm concerned, the dynamics of eliminating the inferior independent front end are simple. Most mechanics would agree. The hardest thing is making a new engine cradle that will work properly, and tying in a bracket for the trackbar and steering box, then making that and the hoses for it work.

 

[tommudd]

True enough. At the same time, you could get a gear matched Dana 30 with steering, trackbar, steering gear...have it rebuilt, and installed by a pro for around 2500. That would make me think twice

all done and driveable for 2500 ?
Ah little more to it than that

 

[JeepCoMJ]

My point is simple, though. The 6" kit involves dropping the K-member down. that's loss of ground clearance, and even with the front skid sliding over things, it's not ideal. You can do it, but wasting $1500 on a new differential for a system that is not what you are going to end up wanting/needing is just not reasonable, by any means. Above and beyond that, the higher clearance CV shafts you will need look to be just shy of $500. each. and then there's a stronger intermediate shaft to boot.

A couple years down the road, someone is certainly going to be offering a bolt on SFA kit that is quality, reliable, ready to go, that eliminates 90% of the issues you will have with a IFS lift kit that big....and it will probably be about the same amount of $ as you would spend right now to keep IFS with a lift that big.

I wouldn't buy a kit that large for a KJ. But all of this is my opinion. Others have their own opinions, and apparently the money to back it up. They're entitled to that, and good luck to them. I come from a world where spending more money on the lift than you did on the entire vehicle is common...and we're talking $2500 at most on lift parts, so that's just plain simple math that it's a better bang for your buck.

 

[tjkj2002]

My point is simple, though. The 6" kit involves dropping the K-member down. that's loss of ground clearance, and even with the front skid sliding over things, it's not ideal. You can do it, but wasting $1500 on a new differential for a system that is not what you are going to end up wanting/needing is just not reasonable, by any means. Above and beyond that, the higher clearance CV shafts you will need look to be just shy of $500. each. and then there's a stronger intermediate shaft to boot.

A couple years down the road, someone is certainly going to be offering a bolt on SFA kit that is quality, reliable, ready to go, that eliminates 90% of the issues you will have with a IFS lift kit that big....and it will probably be about the same amount of $ as you would spend right now to keep IFS with a lift that big.

I wouldn't buy a kit that large for a KJ. But all of this is my opinion. Others have their own opinions, and apparently the money to back it up. They're entitled to that, and good luck to them. I come from a world where spending more money on the lift than you did on the entire vehicle is common...and we're talking $2500 at most on lift parts, so that's just plain simple math that it's a better bang for your buck.

Once RL re-opens there is a bolt on SFA kit for the KJ,it's not cheap,I know I was involved and have the prototype lift.$2500 get's you long arms,coils,and shocks but not much beyond that.Gotta remember you got the rear end to do also and the OE tri-link setup is worthless after 4" of lift.


Unless you can do the work yourself it's never going to be cheap.2 KJ's that were SFA'd for cheap suffered some bad fates and are on there 3rd and even 4th owners since they are unsafe to drive and the original owners found out to late that they got what they paid for and bailed.

 

[tommudd]

Already kits out there from Rock Lizard
Troys ( tjkjs) is the prototype for it
You can build anything on the cheap and I've done a few back years ago. They worked when staying close to home in case something else broke
I like to do everything over kill I guess since I'm used to taking off and driving a long distance and i don't want any issues along the way

 

[tommudd]

Already kits out there from Rock Lizard
Troys ( tjkjs) is the prototype for it
You can build anything on the cheap and I've done a few back years ago. They worked when staying close to home in case something else broke
I like to do everything over kill I guess since I'm used to taking off and driving a long distance and i don't want any issues along the way

SORYY TO THE OP , post has went off course :893karatesmiley-thu

 

[JeepCoMJ]

Once RL re-opens there is a bolt on SFA kit for the KJ,it's not cheap,I know I was involved and have the prototype lift.$2500 get's you long arms,coils,and shocks but not much beyond that.Gotta remember you got the rear end to do also and the OE tri-link setup is worthless after 4" of lift.


Unless you can do the work yourself it's never going to be cheap.2 KJ's that were SFA'd for cheap suffered some bad fates and are on there 3rd and even 4th owners since they are unsafe to drive and the original owners found out to late that they got what they paid for and bailed.

That still amounts to less $$$ in the end, or equal $$$ as doing the 6.5" lift, with drop, steel axle housing, HD high clearance shafts, inner shaft, etc....with the same work still being necessary for the rear end.

I'd feel safer getting rid of the IFS if spending that type of dough. and I'm not knocking spending the money. I'm saying that when looking for your lift, you have to add everything up, compare, deduce the gains and losses, then make the decision. My logic says to do SFA. You will be happier in the end.

 

[JeepCoMJ]

Already kits out there from Rock Lizard
Troys ( tjkjs) is the prototype for it
You can build anything on the cheap and I've done a few back years ago. They worked when staying close to home in case something else broke
I like to do everything over kill I guess since I'm used to taking off and driving a long distance and i don't want any issues along the way

I can completely agree with going overkill. Which is exactly why I would want nothing to do with IFS at that height. If you don't spend the extra money on CV shafts, you're going to break. If you do, and they still break, you're out $500 unless they're warrantied, in which case you're extremely inconvenienced in that you can't drive it home without the stub in the wheel bearing, so you're pretty much screwed unless you can at least get that end apart.

 

[tjkj2002]

in which case you're extremely inconvenienced in that you can't drive it home without the stub in the wheel bearing, so you're pretty much screwed unless you can at least get that end apart.

Not the case for the hub bearings in a KJ,you do not need that stub shaft(outer CV cup) to still drive and not worry about the bearing coming apart like the XJ/TJ/JK hub bearings.The 2wd KJ and 4wd KJ use the same front hub bearings,I ran over a year without the front CV's in my KJ and no stub shafts.

 

[tommudd]

That still amounts to less $$$ in the end, or equal $$$ as doing the 6.5" lift, with drop, steel axle housing, HD high clearance shafts, inner shaft, etc....with the same work still being necessary for the rear end.

I'd feel safer getting rid of the IFS if spending that type of dough. and I'm not knocking spending the money. I'm saying that when looking for your lift, you have to add everything up, compare, deduce the gains and losses, then make the decision. My logic says to do SFA. You will be happier in the end.

I agree to a point, but would still be more money doing a SFA, or the way I'd do it
I'd get rid of the 8.25 and go full widths etc wouldn't mess with just throwing a 30 in there

 

[JeepCoMJ]

Not the case for the hub bearings in a KJ,you do not need that stub shaft(outer CV cup) to still drive and not worry about the bearing coming apart like the XJ/TJ/JK hub bearings.The 2wd KJ and 4wd KJ use the same front hub bearings,I ran over a year without the front CV's in my KJ and no stub shafts.

Ah. I did forget about that cup. I was just inspecting and figuring differences, and looking at recalls etc. on these things, noticed my 2wd bearings have a different flare than the 4wd ones, so that they don't go flying off on the highway.

 

[JeepCoMJ]

I agree to a point, but would still be more money doing a SFA, or the way I'd do it
I'd get rid of the 8.25 and go full widths etc wouldn't mess with just throwing a 30 in there

That's a good point, but most people wanting SFA are putting dana 30's in theirs. Kind of a wash doing that as far as axle strength goes, but for that lift height it's still superior.

If you're doing a SFA with a Dana 30 front, you will end up pretty much at the same cost as doing a steel d30 IFS and all of the lift kit to retain IFS

 

[Dave]

There is too much involved to SFA the KJ for me.

When I do my SFA I will be getting a used TJ or JK since I don't have the tools/ability/money to convert the KJ. Then I will have both SFA and an IFS Jeeps. So,as osufans original question goes, that is my idea of a cheaper way out.

Dave

 

[tjkj2002]

Ah. I did forget about that cup. I was just inspecting and figuring differences, and looking at recalls etc. on these things, noticed my 2wd bearings have a different flare than the 4wd ones, so that they don't go flying off on the highway.

There is no differences between the 2wd and 4wd hubs,the only difference is if you have ABS or not.