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Rough Country - Is it as bad as y'all say?

2K views 29 replies 25 participants last post by  lindel 
#1 ·
Hey, fairly new guy here:

2003 Rubicon, 136k, shocks, etc. need to be replaced. Looking for a moderately capable above stock mudder/light rock climber, for use during winter and for weekend excursions.

I was thinking a 2.5" lift with 33"s would be sufficient.

My local shop recommended a RC 2.5 lift for $300. Teraflex minimum $1,000. As a new Jeeper, is it worth it to go with the RC if you have the means to go big?

I hear people hate on RC gear all the time on here so, I'm wondering, what is your opinion on their stuff for someone who may or may not want to drop the cash to have a truly awesome machine? Is it worth throwing $300 away on?
 
#2 ·
I have not run a TJ RC kit so can't comment.. I did run a RC kit on my YJ and it was fine, but apples and oranges as far suspenion.. I did run RC springs on my ZJ and they were fine.

Look into zone lifts.. lots of people like those as a good mid level kit and seem happy with them..
 
#5 ·
I have a zone 3" lift with a 3/4" spacer lift in the front to account for the bumper and winch weight, along with 35" tires, and skyjacker hydro shocks. I only get tire rub at full lock bc my rock sliders slight extend into the wheel well. it rides pretty good, although I'm not sure how many miles were on the lift when purchased
 
#8 ·
My PO had a RC 4 inch on my Rubicon. It was bad, very bad. I now have Currie, Savvy and TF springs with Rancho 9000 shocks. Very smooth, great articulation, smooth and quiet ride. You get what you pay for.
 
#9 ·
2003 Rubicon, 136k, shocks, etc. need to be replaced. Looking for a moderately capable above stock mudder/light rock climber, for use during winter and for weekend excursions.
a stock Rubicon with 31s is plenty capable enough for your light usages.

I was thinking a 2.5" lift with 33"s would be sufficient.
no, you'll need more than that.

33's are fit in two common ways on TJ's:

1. 4" suspension lift, with ~2" bumpstop extensions in front and ~2-2.5" in the rear. Requires a SYE/CV shaft.
2. ~2-3" suspension lift, with a 1.25" body lift, with 1-1.25" bumpstop extensions in front and 1.25-1.5" in the rear. The 1.25" BL usually accompanies a 1" Motor Mount Lift to offset some of the driveline angles.

Either way you go, figure on some or many of the following components: longer front brake lines, extended sway bar links front and rear, gears, brake and steering upgrades to accommodate larger tires, SYE, CV shaft, bumpstop extensions, new shocks, adjustable track bars, and a rear track bar bracket.

My local shop recommended a RC 2.5 lift for $300. Teraflex minimum $1,000. As a new Jeeper, is it worth it to go with the RC if you have the means to go big?
I wouldn't recommend either of those. Keep looking, and find a different shop. Better yet, don't go to any shops...do the research and learn for yourself. Install the parts yourself. Also remember a "kit" is nothing but a bundle of components, often a very incomplete bundle.

I hear people hate on RC gear all the time on here so, I'm wondering, what is your opinion on their stuff for someone who may or may not want to drop the cash to have a truly awesome machine? Is it worth throwing $300 away on?
Different strokes for different folks. Remember, free advice is often worth less than you paid for it.

You have to understand some people don't have the knowledge to comment, but they still comment out of ignorance. People often have not driven their Jeep with a wide variety of lift brands, but whatever they just bought is the best. To them it is because they replaced 10-15 year old worn out components...but anything is better than busted junk!!

Some people are happy with mediocrity. Some people have unrealistic expectations. Some people are only concerned with one aspect of "performance".

I happen to be one that is not happy with mediocrity, and want better performance everywhere...better ride, better traction, better safety, better steering, better stopping and more suspension travel - but well rounded travel, I'm not talking about "flex". It's about the package, and how everything works together. Here's my junk running 33s.

Take your time. Save your money. Do your homework, research, search, read, then rinse and repeat. Do that for several months, maybe even a year. Then make an educated decision based on your needs/budget/knowledge.
 
#10 ·
I have a 2.5RC lift and so far its fine. I'll probably swap out springs and shocks sooner or later if i want to go bigger, but i'm happy with what i have. Somebody will always say a company is crap, whether it is or isn't. But its what you want. After its all said and done, it is YOUR jeep.
 
#11 ·
the new 4'' rough country kit with nitro shocks rides and performs awesome for 500 bucks and u can add whatever u want to it later

u don't need no 1-2k kit to cruise around
 
#23 ·
the new 4'' rough country kit with nitro shocks rides and performs awesome for 500 bucks and u can add whatever u want to it later

u don't need no 1-2k kit to cruise around
My lift was less than 1k, and its performed really well. Like he said, I will be able to upgrade at a later date if I want to.
 
#14 ·
Most people on here that claim a RC lift is good never had a really good suspension on their Jeep. So they can't compare the RC to anythng else. They bought a poor lift and now are stuck with it. Save up and buy a quality lift, do it once and do it right.
 
#16 ·
I installed 2.5 RC springs w/o there shocks (used Rubicon's) due to to many people saying they were to harsh, on my buddy's jeep. My jeep has OME 2.5 springs and shocks 1.25 BL IMO I like the OME better, it seems to be a better ride. IMO I would not waste the money on gas shocks, go with standard hydraulic, I think Jeeps are to lite to get the full benefits of gas charged, over the counter shocks. Now if you have unlimited funds.... Fox, King, Ohlins well then that's a different story. You should be able to figure out thru this and other forums what works and what you can afford. Good luck, and don't forget to have fun!
 
#18 ·
I have a 1.25 Inch BL and 2.5 Inch SL and I love it. Haven't had any problems at all, with that being said Its only a DD and i dont do crazy off roading and no rock crawling ever. So it just depends on what you will be doing and what you're looking for your jeep to do.
 
#19 ·
Is it worth throwing $300 away on?
NO

a stock Rubicon with 31s is plenty capable enough for your light usages.

33's are fit in two common ways on TJ's:

1. 4" suspension lift, with ~2" bumpstop extensions in front and ~2-2.5" in the rear. Requires a SYE/CV shaft.
2. ~2-3" suspension lift, with a 1.25" body lift, with 1-1.25" bumpstop extensions in front and 1.25-1.5" in the rear. The 1.25" BL usually accompanies a 1" Motor Mount Lift to offset some of the driveline angles.

I wouldn't recommend either of those. Keep looking, and find a different shop. Better yet, don't go to any shops...do the research and learn for yourself. Install the parts yourself. Also remember a "kit" is nothing but a bundle of components, often a very incomplete bundle.

To them it is because they replaced 10-15 year old worn out components...but anything is better than busted junk!!

Some people are happy with mediocrity. Some people have unrealistic expectations. Some people are only concerned with one aspect of "performance".

Take your time. Save your money. Do your homework, research, search, read, then rinse and repeat.
^^^This^^^
 
#20 ·
I would just replace shocks and be happy. At this point the jeep is 99% more capable a machine than you are a driver. You'll be amazed at how far it can go. I still surprise myself and I'm on an open diff and a worn out LSD. You're golden with 2 lockers
 
#21 ·
Hey guys, thanks for all the advice... I seriously do appreciate it. I know a stock Rubi is probably sufficient for what I have in mind in terms of punishment, but given its age and mileage I need to do something.

It sounds like the consensus is "do your homework" - which is sage advice. Again, I appreciate it.
 
#22 ·
I am new here & I just drove my 2001 TJ 4.0 Sahara from Sioux City, IA back to home, Richmond, VA (2166.4 mi; it has 192,000+mi on it now). In 2007, Washington, DC I saw a guy with a very nice daily driver TJ and he said he went up 4 in & out 6 in. He also told his real Jeep (a rock climber) had the 2.5 in it for better low end torque. Since this is a daily driver until I get an additional vehicle, I don't want to get to radical because most of the time it will be on road. I think the lift that that guy had would be what I want (it just looked so good), Thanks for being so informative:UnlimitedLJ04
 
#24 ·
I would avoid using RC shocks. But springs I don't have any complaints about them. Shock tech has come a long way over the years and there is no doubt a difference in quality shocks! But springs do not have much of a difference, as long as they do not sag and are of the proper rate for the application nothing bad can be said for them.
 
#29 ·
When I had my 90' XJ, it had a rough country 3" lift with 31x10.5 tires. I bought it with the lift already installed and I never had any issues with it. I took it through some light mud and trails, but having rode in Jeeps with much nicer suspension, you can definitely tell the difference between a good and low quality lift. For a high school rig, it was a pretty damn good rig but if you can afford a better lift, I would recommend going that route. Such as the Zone lift everyone always talks about. I have a stock TJ now and I'm actually looking into a 3.5" metal cloak lift. I would recommend looking into an MC lift if you want to spend a little more, and get the most out of your Jeep's suspension.
 
#30 ·
When I first got my TJ, one of the first things I did was to read about assorted lifts and all the parts that go into them.

My TJ was lifted when I bought it. It had (and still has) a 4" spring lift, but still had stock control arms, a transfer case drop, sway bar link extensions and a few other items. It also has a 1.25" body lift. It did have 35" tires and vibrations from hell.

Like I said, I researched like mad, reading and learning. Thanks to UnlimitedLJ04, Imped and several others I was able to make much needed corrections in what I had. One of the first things I did was to install a SYE kit with Currie rear UCAs to fix the vibrations in the drivetrain. The next was to lose the 35" tires for 33" tires (Dana 35s don't do well with big tires). Since then, any suspension changes have been limited to Currie or Savvy parts.

Basically, what I'm getting at is not to get into a hurry about changing things. You've got a solid base with your Rubicon. Learn what it can do, and what you like to do. Then go from there. In the mean time, do your research and find out what works for the more experienced builders/fabbers that we have around here.
 
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