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Rubicon Express 3.5" Standard Lift -Questions

8K views 27 replies 12 participants last post by  RUBICONVICT 
#1 ·
Hi,

i´ve some questions about the RE 3.5" Standard Lift.
On the RE website they write that a SYE/CV driveshaft is recommended with this suspension. but why does a TC drop kit come with it?
do i need an SYE and a TC drop..?
or do i need an SYE OR the TC drop?
with my 2" BB i had to lower my TC about .25". will the 1" TC drop be ok for me? can i add some washers to the TC drop kit that comes with the suspension?

sorry, i´m a bit confused about that.

the 3.5" RE standard lift kit comes without shocks. can i use my rancho r5000 shocks for 2"-3" lift with this kit?

how much will the RE springs sag after installing a 9500 lbs winch at the front? can i level it out with some spacers?

thanks in advance for your answers.

nicolas-eric :)
 
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#2 ·
ok....I just put this lift on my rig. I did get vibes so I put in the TC lowering kit and it solved the problem...no more vibes. The springs are pretty stiff so I don't think the winch will be a problem. I think the 1" TC drop will be fine, if not washers will. I did not use a SYE. Those shocks will work with the RE 3.5" lift.

I am having trouble with wobbling when hitting bumps still. Not death wobble, but minor wobbling after hitting bumps which is enough to make me want to pull my hair out. Took it to a Jeep specialized shop and they fooled with the alignment a bit and charged me for 1 hour labor. No fix. Took it back to them and they put in these pins (I forget the name) that help adjust the angle of the axle. Charged me for labor and parts. No fix. They tell me I the next thing to do is to get new adjustable front upper control arms and hopefully that will fix the problem. Only thing is, I have NO money left. Sorry for the rant.....hope you have more luck with the outcome. Any more questions on the lift or the intall please ask, I wish I would have. I installed it myself and it could have been a lot quicker had I talked to someone that installed the same one before hand.
 
#3 ·
TCase drop should be fine. Eventhough RE Springs are a tad bit taller than they advertise you can still get away with a smooth ride dropping the TCase 1" until you go higher.

Shocks will work, but will not allow you as much travel as they would if you had approriate length shocks.

RE Springs are very good about not sagging. I had 5.5" springs on mine for 3 or so years and they never sagged more than a quarter of an inch or so. That being said the weight of bumpers and winches can drag down the best springs over time. Some day you will probably have to add in spacers.

--------------------

Rubiconvict, did you install a Drop Pitman Arm as part of your lift?
 
#4 ·
thanks for your answers.

i know that i´ll have not as much travel as with the right shocks. but 1" less travel isn´t that bad i think.

do you really think that the 1" TC drop will be ok? i already had to drop the TC with only 2 BB...

before i tried to order an OME lift with the 4" OME springs and shocks. but thereare problems with delivering that 4" lift. that´s why i´m looking for an alternative.

@rubiconvict:
how is the onroad handling with the RE suspension? which shocks do you have...?
 
#6 ·
I'd say to remove the 2" BL if you are going to an RE 3.5 kit. There's really no reason to have it. With 32's or 33's that 3.5" kit will be perfect. You can sell your BL over there for some pretty good change I would imagine.
 
#7 ·
not trying to steal your thunder but i had a question about springs myself. i have a 99 sahara and was thinking about replacing the front springs after a get my winch (already have an src bumper which is pretty heavy). i will probably replace the rear ones while i am at it. what else would i have to buy if i upgraded to a spring that was 1 or 2 inches taller than the stock springs?
 
#8 · (Edited)
i want to install some 35s in the future. for that the 3.5" lift will not be enough. that´s why i´d like to keep the 2" BL until then.

but before i´d like to see how that would look like with my 32s.



EDIT:
@ tiger22:

if you install some 1-2" taller springs at the front (and a winch) your TJ will be probably as high as now without the winch. a winch weights very much and the front will sag 1-2" with it.

if you want it cheaper you caninstall some 1"-2"spacers over your front stock springs after installing the winch.

for 1-1.5" real lift you can install some longer shocks if you want. for +2" lift i would install longer shocks. for +3" lift an additional rear track bar, or a track bar bracket for lifts.
 
#9 ·
i already have a 2.25 spacer lift installed. so all i would need to buy are the springs and shocks? what about a t-case drop, lower control arms, etc...?
 
#10 · (Edited)
http://www.wranglerforum.com/tj-chat/finished-lift-pics-7586.html


Check this thread out for pictures. The final product has 285/75R16 mud tires which are about 33". The handling is good with the exception of that wobbling with bumps (you prob won't have that). I installed the RE steering stabilizer with the lift and the RE monotube shocks. Did you try dropping the TC with washers before going 1"? You may not have needed to go that much. From what I understand a couple of washers would have fixed my vibes but I just decided to put the kit on that the lift came with. I can always go back and drop to just a few washers.
 
#13 ·
Check out my pics on this thread...standard 3.5" kit no body lift. Body lifts really dont look that good (my opinion). They do serve a purpose...but dont lift the body just for a look....
 
#15 ·
i'd say get the sye/cv. rubiconvict's vibes could have been fixed by a tcase drop because he has the longer driveshaft as his is a rubi...yours isn't so a tcase drop may not fix your vibes.

i would get new shocks and a spacer up front would level out the winch fine.

if you get a sye/cv you don't need a tcase drop with it.
 
#17 ·
I say do it right and install a SYE kit and CV driveshaft. RE's 3.5" lifts are more like 4" which is right where a t-case drop by itself is seldom enough to get rid of the vibes. On top of that, the stock OE driveshaft starts getting too short at 4" of suspension lift which means it can be pulled off the splined t-case output shaft. Worse is if it almost pulled off but not quite so it ends up in a cocked position... which can sometimes bend the t-case output shaft as the driveshaft tries to slip back onto the output shaft from its cocked position. :eek:
 
#18 ·
ive tweaked my suspension to them max multiple times a month for the last year and no tcase issues for me. once i get the 500bucks for a SYE and driveshaft ill put it on. but the kit does work and work well out of the box.

hey jerry when i get my SYE and new dshaft, do i have to do anything with my rear trac bar??? or does that only apply if you get adjustable upper arms??? right now i have a RE relocation bracket.
 
#19 ·
hey jerry when i get my SYE and new dshaft, do i have to do anything with my rear trac bar??? or does that only apply if you get adjustable upper arms??? right now i have a RE relocation bracket.
Since the CV driveshaft you'll install with the SYE kit will require you roll your axle to raise the pinion angle, you'll need RE's angled trackbar mounting bracket to match the now different angles up between the trackbar and trackbar mounting bracket. I'd also get an adjustable length trackbar if you don't already have one. Front and rear if you can. :)
 
#24 ·
This is a pretty good price for adjustable upper control arms... $220/pr front, $235/pr rear ...http://www.bds-suspension.com/products/acc_jeep_cntrl_arms.php

I think Currie has similar pricing for adjustable arms via Quadratec.

I have been looking at the RE 3.5" lifts and noticed the ads almost always show the upper arms in the pic, so it's interesting to confirm they do NOT include the upper arms.
 
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