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AEV 3.5 vs Metalcloak gamechanger 3.5 with fox shocks

  • BDS with fox shocks (just curious of who would pick)

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AEV 3.5 SC vs Metalcloak 3.5 gamechanger with fox shocks

26K views 67 replies 37 participants last post by  PissAnt 
#1 ·
I thought I had settled on the AEV 3.5 SC and now I found a shop in SA that is doing the Metalcloak lifts. I'm now considering the Metalcloak 3.5 gmaechanger with fox shocks. I thought the AEV was expensive but the Metalcloak is really expensive (WOW!).

Regardless of the price I'm more interested in the ride, especially over streets and highways.

I wanted to get some final thoughts in one post about opinions for each lift since I'm getting it done next week.

I'll be running pintlers with 35's BFG MT's
 
#2 ·
If you are interested in the street ride, you should be considering the Metalcloak ARB edition. The OME shocks are plush.
 
#3 ·
I've got the 3.5 MetalCloak with remote reservoir fox shocks (bought the shocks separately) and absolutely love it. It rides great on and off road.it is a little on a firm side, but that's how i prefer it. If you like a softer ride, just like pressurized said, the MC ARB edition is a good choice.
 
#5 ·
I have the MC with OME shocks and love it. You do get a lot for the money. It was pretty stiff at first but it did soften up quite a bit and now rides real nice on the road.

That being said you would be paying for a product designed for serious articulation and off road use.

Think about how you intend on using the jeep. Lots of folks run AEV and supposedly they have some of the best road manners.

I wouldn't hesitate to call the folks at MC.
 
#6 ·
I think all setups are capable off-road hence the reason why how they are on road is the factor. I didn't consider the ome shocks but looking now they seem to be a better choice for me that the fox shocks. FYI it seems that I'm now leaning towards the Metalcloak
 
#8 ·
I've been thinking of changing lifts to the MC game changer. Who in SATX is installing these. Can you PM me the shop and quote you got for the 3.5"?
 
#55 ·

Bringing up an old thread but i see you went with MC lift. How does it ride and did 4x4 source install? Thinking of taking my jeep there for a lift when im ready for one but dont know which one to go with yet. Thinking of maybe the MC gold standard with fox shocks that they have now. Any info will help
 
#12 ·
I was looking at Metal Cloak, Rock Krawler and AEV. Honestly you will be happy with any of these. This is what I learned. Everybody that doesn't have AEV doesn't like AEV. Those that have AEV lifts love it. Most that have AEV don't regret going with AEV but most agree that the other options would have been good choices too. If you are a hard core rock crawler MC might be the better choice but hard to say. I went with AEV and made some minor changes. I used extended steel braided brake lines, JKS quick disconnects, dual Bilstein steering kit, and north ridge grade 8 bolt package. My jeep is great off road for what I want to do. There is plenty of flex and no rattles. It is a very capable lift and the off road handling is very solid. On road is amazing. It seriously handles like a sports car and this is not much of an exaggeration, It is far better than stock. No bump steer over expansion joints. No squeaks or rattles. I do NOT regret going with the AEV lift and would do it again. I did my homework and had the funding to do what I wanted to do. I took the advice of fellow jeepers. I searched the Jeep forums. I called around and talked to various places that sold multiple brands of kits including MC, RC and AEV. The unanimous choice was AEV and I am very pleased with it.

Good luck with your decision. You are looking at the best of the best lift kits on the market so I think you will be perfectly happy with any of them.
 
#14 ·
I have the Metalcloak 3.5" Dual-Rate Fox edition lift w/35" Toyo Mt's. Just got back from a 3000 mile round trip to Moab and the San Juan Mountains. Lots of highway miles and some ROUGH off-roading. The highway ride was just a tad rougher than stock. My wife and I are in our 60's and we had no problem with the highway ride. Off road it performed beyond my expectations. We pushed it to the (my) limit a couple of times and I was very impressed with the way the suspension handled.
Well that's my two cents. I'm sure which ever one you choose will do fine.
 
#18 ·
Not picking on MC as I know it is an awesome lift. I am curious to know how exactly it does everything better. Mine handles and rides great. I have it loaded up with heavy gear but AEV is also designed to support the heavy equipment on both bumpers. Not trying to cause an argument but usually when some says its better they are not able to back it up with anything concrete other than it rides better, it articulates better. I have seen the AEV lift in full articulation and it is quite impressive. I don't know if it is more or less than the MC but it has plenty of throw.
 
#19 · (Edited)
Comparing MC to AEV is apples and oranges. There's so much more to the MC kit, although AEV does steering correction, MC does Not. AEV may correct caster but does nothing in the rear for wheelbase & pinion angle.
Articulation is dependent on shock length for the most part. Stock arms will bind more then if running say MC DF Joints.
 
#22 ·
So that really doesn't tell my why MC is better. I never claimed AEV was better because I don't have any facts to back it up. My Jeep with the AEV lift has been on trails rated higher than a 2 and did quite well. I think a lot of this is hearsay. Im not doubting the quality of MC...I almost pulled the trigger on the game changer but figured I could always add control arms to the AEV lift. So far I don't see a reason to do that. This would be a great time for an AEV rep and MC rep to talk about the geometric advantages of their lift. So perhaps the a frankenstein combo of both lifts would be awesome. AEV Lift with MC control arms might be a pretty cool setup. Both lifts are excellent. I think its the Ford Chevy debate as to which one is better. If you drive MC then that is your choice, if you drive AEV then that is your choice. A combo of the two might even be better, but I would really love to hear from the AEV and MC engineers to here why one is better than the other.
 
#23 ·
I can't give you stats only what feels better. I will say you get more from the MC kit. The AEV needed more stuff. The MC lets you dial in everything and the AEV does not. It lets you get close but not as precise. That might be the only thing that I can say is better. From my experience since I have run both with same equipment on both that the MC is softer riding than the AEV on a light Jeep. Again there is nothing wrong with the AEV kit.
 
#24 ·
Thats a fair assessment. I think it could be said that none of the kits are fully complete and to get the maximum out of any of them requires a little customization. MC is a little more expensive but missing steering stabilizers and shocks. AEV is a little less but comes with the steering stabilizer and shocks. I upgraded some of the components on mine to address what I considered short comings on the AEV. I believe that could be said about any of the lifts. Needless to say MC, RK and AEV are probably the best of the best out there for a given purpose. To say one is better than the other is subjective and a matter of personal preference. The good news is we have a bunch of good choices to choose from..
 
#26 ·
I agree I think all kits being discussed come with shocks but on the surface it would seem that AEV is a complete kit but I think I would want want to change out the arms for the brackets and once that happens the cost difference seems to equalize. So I'm of the preference of doing something once and then done. However, since starting this thread I think I favoring the gamechanger ARB (with OME shocks) for the smoother ride. Especially since I'm not planning on a bunch of heavy accessories. At least at this time.
 
#28 ·
One of the reasons for liking the MC kits is there isn't really anything worth changing. Unlike the AEV kit that uses goofy sway bar brackets and many people serious about their offroad want to change the drop brackets out for control arms. Another issue with AEV is they don't address rear pinion, which can be a problem, and that leaves you trimming pinch seams to clear big tires... MC has upper and lower rear arms, takes care of those issues.
 
#34 ·
Has anyone tried the Metalcloak rocksport edition? I look for a plush DD with great offroad as well. I am leaning toward MetalCloak because there is a shop in Cincinnati that will do the install. Metalcloak recommended them. Must be great DD so no Fox as I heard they are stiff. Has anyone tried the 6pak edition? It is rebuildable and (like all rebuild) it can leak so it needs to be recharged. Just sayin.
 
#36 ·
View attachment 2395130

I'm coming off a 2,5 teraflex lift with bilstein 5100's and 35's. I got the duroflex 3.5 with the rocksport shocks. Rides much stiffer than the bilsteins. Not sure if I'm just not used to it yet. Only had it on for about 2 weeks
It's the springs. I was going to run bilsteins with this kit and MC advised against it so I went OME which are supposed to be pretty plush. Their lift is designed around stiff springs and soft shocks.

Even with front and rear bumpers, tire carrier, winch and armor the first few weeks it was really stiff, especially the rear. Felt like the rear end was bouncing around.

Several thousand miles and a few months later it rides very nice in my opinion. However, I would never describe it as plush. Solid, maybe firm, are words that come to mind. It's not even close to teeth rattling or something like that but at the same time, with all that weight it still corners pretty flat.
 
#37 ·
Ride quality does not infer good handling and road manners. If you want a plush ride go with a set of OME standard coils and a set of dialed down 9000 XL shocks but if you want handling and great vehicle dynamics go with the AEV. It is the best on the road. The MC has more flex so if crawling over obstacles is your preference then the MC is a better choice. But once the speeds the AEV handles better. The TF kit has good balance across the board but may not be the best in extreme cases. The RK is comparable in ride quality to the MC kit.

They are not dramatically different amongst each other but they are different.
 
#39 ·
Those of you running Fox reservoir shocks. Are you having any rubbing? I am on 35 Toyo MT's and they were rubbing on the bottom of the reservoir. My installer took off the relocation bracket to move them away and they still hit ever so gently. He wants me to use wheel spacers to fix this. Are you guys running spacers?
 
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