our independant front suspension

[J-Thompson]

Stock TJ

You must be registered for see images

JBA 6" lift

You must be registered for see images

Just showing IFS with a little money invested can be just as flexy and stable as SFA.

First this is not a stock TJ
white shocks and the rear tire is not in the wheel well near enough
which means it has extended rear bump stops
also look closely
his rear tire is nearly even with the end of the ramp
when your tire hits the end of the ramp that will be a "perfect score"
that KJ is not even close to as far up the ramp as the TJ

 

[Ry' N Jen]

Either way, I agree with everyone here.
If I was loaded... more than enough...
It would be a challenge to engineer a full front and rear Independent suspension for my kj.
I'm "Effed" up enough to build something like a Pikes Peak Hill climber out of a done kj.
Or a Dakar series Rally raid Race KJ.

Independent suspension does cost a fortune to make best.
I've got $3200.00 into just the front wheel and suspension assemblies of that green mini.

 

[icarl]

Part of the problem with articulation in our ifs is the differential is fixed but in a sfa the differential can drop down creating more droop. I read that the original KJ had plans for a floating diff which meant the diff could drop and still be an ifs system. This would have allowed an additional 4" of droop. This was dropped by jeep to save $70 per jeep.

jeep liberty article

 

[kj924]

Look at the lenght of the springs on that TJ, they must be 2 1/2 feet long.

 

[icarl]

The real question isn't is sfa better than ifs. But is can we improve what we already have? I think this picture helps answer that.

You must be registered for see images

 

[Ry' N Jen]

The real question isn't is sfa better than ifs. But is can we improve what we already have? I think this picture helps answer that.

You must be registered for see images

Exactly!

I cannot fully enjoy an SFA conversion on my jeep anymore unfortunately. So for me, making an IFS stronger to Handel more than I can these day's, will be good enough for me.
It won't be a slouch though! By any means.

 

[J-Thompson]

The real question isn't is sfa better than ifs. But is can we improve what we already have? I think this picture helps answer that.

You must be registered for see images

How is this an improvement?
it is no stronger
and really does not have that much more travel than going with an OME lift

Improvement would suggest that it is over all better
I can add longer rear shocks and some bump stop spacing and get the same thing

The weak link is the axle it self not as much the suspension design
heck GM makes a 1 ton with IFS
If you must have IFS then figure out a way to use that size axle in the front of a KJ
you may gain some travel but you will gain the strength you need to run 35's
Then again going SFA and a HP dana 44 would probably be cheeper

oh and by the way
look at the chrome tube steps
that screams off road
this looks like it is a mall crawler not a trail rig

 

[icarl]

How is this an improvement?

It is an improvement over stock is what i mean. The lift allows for more ground clearance and bigger/better tires. Also the jba 6" has more flex in the ifs than stock. Just ask tjkj2002 why they had to rebuild the a-arm pockets. So it is an improvement. The d30a is really a non-issue unless you want larger than 32" tires. Most people are careful with their kjs and don't really have to think much about it. If you want to do serious rock crawling then go buy a wrangler or sfa rig. Otherwise i don't care about this issue anymore. My rig works for me and thats all that matters.

 

[Back-n-Black]

How is this an improvement?
it is no stronger
and really does not have that much more travel than going with an OME lift

Improvement would suggest that it is over all better
I can add longer rear shocks and some bump stop spacing and get the same thing

The weak link is the axle it self not as much the suspension design
heck GM makes a 1 ton with IFS
If you must have IFS then figure out a way to use that size axle in the front of a KJ
you may gain some travel but you will gain the strength you need to run 35's
Then again going SFA and a HP dana 44 would probably be cheeper

oh and by the way
look at the chrome tube steps
that screams off road
this looks like it is a mall crawler not a trail rig

Open mouth insert foot. Don't talk about what you have no idea about. Please.

You must be registered for see images

IF you would like the full story on the Liberty above go to LOST and search the post pic of your ride section for JBA 4"-6" thread.


How can you argue that his 6+ inchs of lift is not better than a stock liberty? I mean really that doesn't make sense. It doesn't matter what lift is used, they are all better then the stock ride height.

 

[HoosierJeeper]

You must be registered for see images attach

B-n-B, our IFS will always have a weak spot, lifted or not:

Tire comes of the ground sooner then on an SFA rig. Period.

On the other hand, I would hate to use an SFA as a DD. Feels like driving a boat.

Those new JK's ride like a Caddy compared to the KJ. The didn't feel as tight due to SFA, but was still pretty close....

 

[J-Thompson]

Open mouth insert foot. Don't talk about what you have no idea about. Please.

You must be registered for see images

IF you would like the full story on the Liberty above go to LOST and search the post pic of your ride section for JBA 4"-6" thread.


How can you argue that his 6+ inchs of lift is not better than a stock liberty? I mean really that doesn't make sense. It doesn't matter what lift is used, they are all better then the stock ride height.

You dont get it so I will not bother
I will say this a STOCK TJ is better off road than that KJ if all things are =
TJ on 31's and open diffs or that KJ with open diffs
oh and believe me when I tell you
from the looks of the chrome steps it does not get wheeled
my sliders are not bent but every part of them is at least 1/4" thick
but they do have some real deep scratches that would have otherwise TRASHED even ripped those right off the Jeep
it happens every time some one shows up to wheel with us and they have those steps

and lets talk about how well thought out that little "C" job that goes under the UBJ
boy that has strength and "wheelable" all over it
considering some of the hits I have had or have seen people have
LARGE chunks of tree root wedged between the tire and rim
I can just see that snapping right off

put it on if you want but doing this is like pulling out the old **** polish that people do when the beef up a dana 35

look I can add a 2" spacer to my current set up and get 5"+ of lift
but with short arms ,ect it will be nothing more than that KJ
a high sitting **** able to clear 35's
so what my axles will not handle 35's so why bother
you can run a near 32" tall tires with the current lifts made for the KJ
and spend 1/2 the money so why bother?
Tall lift does not make it better off road or on for that matter it only makes it taller

 

[LibertyOrDeath]

Lift merely provides room for bigger tires. Bigger tires provide more ground clearance. More lift requires wider tires or a change in wheel offset (to increase the track).

 

[tjkj2002]

Lift merely provides room for bigger tires. Bigger tires provide more ground clearance. More lift requires wider tires or a change in wheel offset (to increase the track).

But the axles MUST be able to handle those larger tires and you MUST regear with +2" larger tires.


As for the JBA 6" lift it does give to much droop which IS a bad thing for a IFS or IRS suspension.Unless your prepared to spend big $$$$(5 figure) for CV's that can handle that increased travel then all that travel is worthless.The 6" lift we had to limit the droop also had the cut JE Reel CV's and the droop was exeeding there limits.

 

[Ry' N Jen]

Yeah, I guess there comes a point that too much lift with an IFS is nothing buy pointless!
An SFA set-up would be choice on a kj!
I remember my old K5 Blazer with a 3 inch radioused trim of the fender wheel opening, 12 or so inches of lift, 44"s, 12 bolt posi front and rear.
And a rather tweaked 454 cid engine.
Hell, $1900.00 for just custom headers! You can almost get a JBA 4" lift! Or at least a Frankenlift and then some.

That K5 was a truck!

If a "God" ever does shine down on me and "Heal" me!
Then I'll build something just like that in the picture on PNW jeep!
Only lower with maybe 33's max.
And do a 4.7 liter V8 swap.
There's a turbin just waiting to be worn!

 

[LibertyOrDeath]

But the axles MUST be able to handle those larger tires and you MUST regear with +2" larger tires.

Don't forget about better brakes to stop the larger tires too.

 

[tjkj2002]

Don't forget about better brakes to stop the larger tires too.

Usually part of upgrading the current axles or on the installation of of beefier axles.

The KJ uses something like 11" front discs,I'm going to 12" front rotors which are stock sized for a 1/2 ton pickup.I'm not sure of the rear disc brake size for a KJ but they seem like about 10" or so and again I'm going to a 12.5" Wilwood discs in the rear.Yes I know larger rear brakes then the front is not a good setup but the rear discs are solid and non-vented and I needed the larger internal parking brake for wheeling.

 

[MKay]

tjkj2002 when will you be fitting your new "bits"

 

[tjkj2002]

tjkj2002 when will you be fitting your new "bits"

The final design of the belly pan is almost done,as soon as it is done it gets send to the metal shop to have it cut out.Hopefully within a month I will have the belly pan.For the cost of the prototype bellypan I can only afford one so that is why so long in making the design(and some personal issues and life happens),it needs to be dead on the 1st time.

 

[LibertyOrDeath]

Usually part of upgrading the current axles or on the installation of of beefier axles.

The KJ uses something like 11" front discs,I'm going to 12" front rotors which are stock sized for a 1/2 ton pickup.I'm not sure of the rear disc brake size for a KJ but they seem like about 10" or so and again I'm going to a 12.5" Wilwood discs in the rear.Yes I know larger rear brakes then the front is not a good setup but the rear discs are solid and non-vented and I needed the larger internal parking brake for wheeling.

Front 11.345 Rear 11.22

IIRC it's fine as long as the rear brakes are proportioned properly and not providing more braking power then the rear.