So I just took delivery of my 2016 Sahara and of course can't leave it stock for very long so already in the market for a lift. I'm definitely going for a 2.5" kit but with all of the brand choices...Rough Country, Teraflex, Rubicon Express, MetalCloak, Rock Krawler etc.....Is there a "best choice" out there or on the flip side, a brand that I should totally avoid ??? I thank everyone for their time and replies in advance.
if you want the best ride go with AEV or any other lift that has progressive coil springs.
Not from my experience from what I have learned in this forum.
Is it true that the AEV lift is actually a softer(better) ride as a DD than a stock Rubi? I am new to the forum and just starting minor mods and am in the same situation of trying to figure out what to go with. Thanks
We have a '16 JKUWW and a '12 JK Sport. We installed the 2.5" AEV kit on both, and they ride and handle better than they did stock.
We did replace the front sway bar link extension brackets with rear sway bar links, as I think they look like hell. Not saying they don't work, 'cause they do, they just look sub standard on the Jeep.
The kits are very well constructed, and were pretty easy to install.
Thank you for everyone's input so far. Main reason I asked is I can get quite a nice deal on the Rough Country 2.5" Spring Kit with the 2.2 Shock Upgrade from my local RC dealer because i'm also going to add the Steering Stabilizer and 1.5" Wheel Spacers.....any bad experiences or not good stories using Rough Countries kit ? My WJ and my F150 were both lifted using RC kits and I never had a problem, but I know everything differs sometimes between model of vehicle.
I installed the RC 3.5" Series II on my 2016 JKU and I am really happy with it. It seems as though RC receives some negativity around these parts, but it is never from anyone that has experience with the kits. I chose the 3.5" because it came with everything in the kit with the exception of the exhaust spacers, which you will need with lifts over 2.5". Rockridge(supporting sponsor here) hooked me up with a very nice price on the kit and it was at my door in two days. The nice part on the Series II kit is that it includes longer, beefier front lower control arms so there is no need for cam bolts. The install was pretty straight forward but was more complex than the 2.5" RE lift I installed on my 13 JK. Overall the ride is very smooth, with no wandering and it is improved over stock. Here is a picture for reference:
You couldn't be more wrong. There has been plenty of people telling their personal problems with them on this forum. On the other side of the coin there are lots of people who say they are great that have never had experience with any other lifts.
I really liked the Rough Country lift I put on my TJ. I have other lifts in mind for my JKU, but based on my experience with the TJ, I wouldn't discount RC outright.
I went with the Teraflex 2.5 coil lift. No complaints from it. If you are going to do any off-roading, order a set of disconnects at the same time. My Teraflex kit came with everything I needed to install.
Working on things that have failed on one brand when other brands don't have the same issues is first hand experience in my book. If your requirements are actually owning one then you are right because I will never have any first hand experience. I have owned and been around countless lifted vehicles in the last 15 years and you will never see be own a RC part unless its a puck lift. Because it is the only brand lift I see people bring in to be replaced. I have actually seen a truck that was totaled because the replacement spindle broke in half after a few thousand miles.
Keep talking your snack, you are showing just how much experience you have in the matter. Your starting to sound like a FanBoy, maybe you can stick one of those big Rough County stickers on your ride so everyone knows how you feel about it.
As far as something useful to the thread goes....... I have. I once again have started my opinion that Rough County is junk and the people who fly the RC flag on anything but puck lifts do so because they don't know any better. (Or they feel they have to justify their decision to go with them) If I sound like an ass so be it. I just calls em like I see em. There is always a way better option for just a little more coin then RC. If you cant afford to spend any more then a RC lift cost then you really shouldn't be lifting at all.
WatchThis: Give the OP some ideas for the question he asked then. If you want to get into a pissing match, start up a new thread.
Blkyukon: Do you have personal experience with RC lifts, or just adding to my point?
I know that RC lifts are on the cheaper end of the spectrum and I did knowingly take a gamble when I purchased the lift. I am more than happy with my experience with the lift and definitely got my money's worth out of it. If something ever does break, then RC's lifetime warranty will step in and I will get to spend some more time working on my Jeep. Don't see what is so bad about the whole thing. God forbid that someone has first hand experience with a product and gives a good review. If I thought like you two, then I shouldn't have bought a Wrangler in the first place, I mean, with all the negative secondary reviews and consumer reports about how they are one of the worst vehicles on the road.
I have to agree with @WatchThis! Before i was really active in the forum, I did consider RC and I visited several jeep shops to inquire like RebelOffroad, Rocktech4x4, OCMotorsports, and OffroadEvolution. None of them recommended RC.
Personal experience, I removed an RC 3.25 kit on a friends Jeep in my garage and replaced it with a TF 2.5... It was like converting a Yugo to a Lexus.
That RC 3.25 went straight to the dump, he wouldn't even give it away. I drove it, garbage... It rode like a pogo stick, wandered all over the place, sway bars at crappy angles, yuk.
Now, the 2.5 Series II budget boost is a great little spacer lift and there are some positive reports on the 3.5 Series II kit, but there are many other threads of RC owners hating their lift choice. No way on the 2.5, 3.25 or 4" RC kits.
WatchThis!: I have also installed a RE 2.5" Coil Lift on my 2013 JK, along with three other Teraflex kits, two coils and one spacer on friends JK's. The only hands that touch my vehicles are my own. I will give you that you have more trail experience, but I was giving my experience on the 3.5" Series II lift that I own on my current Jeep. Some of their other kits might be garbage, I don't know, but I can't bash them because I don't have any negative experience first hand. I have rode in my fair share of Wranglers, and can tell you that I don't notice any difference between mine and the others to justify the cost increase of the more expensive lift kits. I must be the only happy customer RC has ever had....this is ridiculous.
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