Im ready to dive in to this lift..need some advice..

Macdaddy4738

Macdaddy4738

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 1, 2005
If this thread could be kept in General Chit Chat, that would be great, seeing as how i cant post anywhere else...

So ive decided on the Skyjacker 2" lift kit with Nitro Shocks as seen here http://www.quadratec.com/products/16117_109.htm

Question is, will this allow me to fit in 33 inch tires without any trimming and relative to no (preferred) rubbing?

I will also be replacing the steering stablizer, and perhaps the track bar??

How much should i realistically budget for tires?

How much should I budget for lift installation, tire mounting, and regearing (Is this necessary? Im leaning towards YES..)

What would you guys say is a realistic total cost of the whole deal (Lift, tires, wheels, odds and ends)?

And if someone could help me out with the whole backspacing/wheel/tire size, that would be good. I honestly have little idea what im looking at when im checking out wheels and tires.

Thanks!
 
that will be one long response to your post.... I can PM you my number and I'll help you with what I know.


J.R.
 
you still haven't found a sponsor? man, i'll do it... i know you've been around here a while now. drop me a pm.
 
Well, to start with it helps to tell what vehicle, what engine, what tranny. Assuming its a 98 TJ SE with a manual tranny, you can probably get the Rubicon Express 2" lift for a good bit cheaper. With a 2" spacer lift, you don't need to do anything for the trackbar or the steering stabilizer, but you may want extended front brakelines (the RE kit comes with brackets). You will also want swaybar disconnects ($50-100, or you can make some that aren't as elegant for about $10). You will end up spending $600-700 to get a good set of tires mounted and balanced. You can get offbrands a bit cheaper.

Regearing is a good idea, if you really want to spend money. If you have a 4cyl/manual, it already has 4.10 gears. 4.56 would be good, but I wouldn't spend the $400 for gears and $200-300 for install with D30/D35. If you have a 6cyl w/3.73's you will be ok w/33's. If you have 3.07's, you can find 4.10's from a 4cyl and that is a real good setup with 33's.

Throwing it all together:
Lift and tires installed: ~$950
Lift, tires, and regear: ~$1600

PM me and we can discuss lift installation for a decent price. I can do it in one evening, and my shop is in Dallas, about a mile from 321.
 
wow, 1600 isnt nearly what I was thinking. Way less actually :lol:

Its the SE, 4cyl, manual tranny.

I belive its the 30/35 combo. As for the stableizer and the track bar, Ive been having a problem with death wobble. Sometimes (rarely) its a BIG problem, but most of the time its no huge deal. I read that replacing the stablizer might help (plus its cheap, and my stablizer DOES have 150k miles on it now)
 
I agree, $1600 is alot, but if you figure the prices I used, that is roughly what it comes up to. $700 to regear isn't unreasonable at all, but there is a good bit of movement available with tire price and lift cost/labor.
Replacing the stabilizer is kinda like hiding the problem, I would focus on fixing the death wobble before you lift it.
 
You could probably get the RE budget boost from DC4wd for a little more than $200 shipped. Don't pay someone to put it on unless it is in food and beverage. Do it yourself or have some friends over. It's easy.

The lift would still look fine with the 31's. Keep your eyes open for some 33's. You could get lucky and find some with rims. Common backspacing on aftermarket wheels is 3.75 which would mean no rubbing.

Forget the stabilizer. It is not your problem. You have something loose or wornout.
 
yeah a budget boost is a really easy install. doing it yourself will help you learn more about your jeep. no since in paying someone more than the entire lift kit costs to install the lift, but also you are gonna be wishing you had some lower gears if you decide to go 33's.
 
well ive already decided im doing the 33's, otherwise I wouldn't bother with the lift, being that Im already running 31's stock.
 
What they said. Call dc or porc or pm them on pirate to get a quote on a RE BB. They're lower than they can advertise online. As to the gears, it all depends on what you want to do. It's a fact that there are thousands upon thousands of stock geared 4cyl jeeps running 33"+ tires. So of course it will work. It will also suck at times. Tires... off brand AT's can be had mounted and balanced for under $500 with mt's usually being more expensive. If/when you get the lift, you can come by here one weekend and have it done in less than an hour for the cost of your gas.
 
Mac, let me get this right, your wanting 2" of lift to run 33" tires on a 98 TJ? Are you planning on disconnecting the front sway bar? If not it will probably fit, if so, your going to destroy your front fenders. I came close to mine running a 2" budget lift and 31's. Also depends on who's 33's. I was running swampers which were closer to 33" then most of the other brands.

You will also need to re-gear to 4.88's to make those 33's usable IMO.

My advice is stick with the 31's for now with a 2" budget boost from Teraflex, save your pennies and later down the road do a 4.5" RE long arm kit and an SYE to run 33's on.
 
Oh yeah, meant to mention that earlier too. 32's and 2" spacer work great, 33's, 1" body, and 2" spacer works great, but 33" swampers are a different story.
 
you dont need a 4.5" long arm to run 33's. the 3.5" kit is more than enough. i got the 3.5 coils with the RE long arm kit and a 1" bl and running 35's with no problem and getting ready to throw some 37's on as soon as my buddy buys my 35's. although i do have flat fenders which do kind of give me extra tire clearance, but when i had the 3.5 short arm 33's were no problem with the sway bars disconnected.
 
So its impossible to run 33's on a 2" budget lift?

I dont plan on ever buying a long arm kit...the jeep will be long gone by the time I manage to have the money to do that.
 
you can run 33's on a 2" bb because thats how mine was set up before i got my 3.5 RE short arm kit. you just gotta worry about a lot of rubbing with the sway bars disconnected
 
Yeah, 32's are perfect, a little cheaper, won't rob you of as much power, and are barely different from 33's offroad.

The most fun and best bang-for-your-buck my jeep ever was occurred when I had 2" spacer, 32's, rocker protection, and a lockrite in the rear. It would go anywhere I needed to go, and most places I wanted to go.
 
32's I can do I believe...

Any huge difference in looks from the 31 to the 32?

What about 31 to the 33? If I were to put on 32's rather then 33's would it aesthetically be that noticeable?
 
Im thinking now of just keeping the 31's on it..

Any reccomendations for new 31" tires? Places to buy (both internet and Brick/Mortar shops)

As it stands, I dont think I can afford to buy the needed equipment to allow 33's, and spending 200-300 dollars for an extra inch of tire just sounds like a waste to me..

I will be replacing the wheels though, probably going to Black Cragars...
 
I would either go to 32s or keep what you have and do the spacer lift. I did one on an '06 TJ with the 4 banger/6 speed combo. He stuck with 31s (around $450, mounted on the stock wheels) and it looks and performs good. You can do a sway bar disconnect and have plenty of tire room.
As was mentioned earlier, if you get the lift and want to put it on, I am sure it could be arranged at someone's house close by and you can help, thereby learning more about your Jeep.
I will even volunteer my driveway, if needed.
Chris
 
stick with the 31's...which will save you $$ on tires and a regear...

instead, spend the money on a belly-up skid, 1" motor mount lift and 1" body lift...plus an SYE...

that will give you the equivalent breakover angle of going from 31" tires to 37" tire...;)

Greg
 
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