[Jeepn Again]

Purchasing a BDS 2" spring lift. Only thing to do is install the new springs and shocks. Alignment done by others after the lift gets installed. No transfer case drop. I've never installed a lift before, but very mechanically inclined. Would you guys just pay the pros to install it for $400 or should I spend my Saturday getting some quality time with the jeep? Yes, I have all the necessary tools, think I'm just getting old and lazy :surrender: That's why I'm seriously considering just having them do it.
Thanks for your constructive criticism.

 

[mike481]

Unless you have some type of medical condition just do it yourself. A two inch lift is simple and it gives you a great opportunity to learn about your jeep.

Just think of it as bonding time.

 

[njp2295]

for 600 im getting ome lift in 1.25" BL 1" MML jks quick disconnects front and rear track bars installed. you are getting ripped off

 

[Rolly32]

Purchasing a BDS 2" spring lift. Only thing to do is install the new springs and shocks. Alignment done by others after the lift gets installed. No transfer case drop. I've never installed a lift before, but very mechanically inclined. Would you guys just pay the pros to install it for $400 or should I spend my Saturday getting some quality time with the jeep? Yes, I have all the necessary tools, think I'm just getting old and lazy :surrender: That's why I'm seriously considering just having them do it.
Thanks for your constructive criticism.

$400 + the $130 2" lift = $530? No thanks! Around my city, 4x4 shops charge $700 for a 4" lift kit with installation. I still wouldn't go for that though. When it comes to "pros" the only professional is yourself! Since you are mechanically inclined and have tools, it should be a breeze for you. Since you say you never installed a lift before, you will also get to learn many things about your jeep. Plus you can have those bragging rights of saying, "Yeah! I put that lift kit on myself!"

I know age really doesn't matter but lets just say I'm a college kid that is going to install my own lift kit because I can't trust many 4x4 shops around here. I'm learning from my friend's experiences so I'll do it myself.. If I can't complete the job for whatever reason, then perhaps I'll think about taking it to a "pro".

Good luck with your choice! :dance:

 

[Dextreme]

Read the instructions...if it makes sense, do it yourself. If it is like reading a foreign language, then you might have someone else install it,


http://bds-suspension.com/instructions/034204-11-06-08-114202.pdf

 

[harleydragon]

for 600 im getting ome lift in 1.25" BL 1" MML jks quick disconnects front and rear track bars installed. you are getting ripped off

sounds like you are too

 

[IslandTJ]

sounds like you are too

:rofl:

 

[UnlimitedLJ04]

Unless you have some type of medical condition just do it yourself.

x2. a lift install is easy, just times consuming. you can put the money you save on labor into buying tools :thumb:

 

[Fishin Cricket]

You do tend to get what you pay for... As a general rule, anyway.

What's your time worth?

 

[z21-i]

Go to Autozone and they will loan you a pair of strut pullers for free. Should make the job easier

 

[Jeepn Again]

I wasn't too offended at the price. They estimated 4-5 hours @ $95 an hour. Usual rates, so I wasn't shocked. The lady that ordered the kit said its the easiest lift to install on any vehicle so if I wanted to try it would be the best opportunity. Just wondering if it would only take me 4-5 hours or more like 12 hours and five cases of beer. In that case, it would be cheaper to have someone else so it! Thanks for the encouragement. I might give it a go. Finding time is always a challenge too.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Go to Autozone and they will loan you a pair of strut pullers for free. Should make the job easier

None of our Wranglers use struts.

Jeepn Again, you could buy a nice set of tools and jackstands, enough to make the job easy, and pocket the savings since you can buy all the tools needed for $100-200 depending on where you get them. Craftsman at Sears has good buys on complete sets of tools.

And to reassure you, there is nothing that's going to spring or fall apart or anything technically difficult for a 2" suspension lift. Remove some nuts & bolts, remove the parts the kit replaces, bolt the new parts in and you're basically done. We can guide you with more details if you deside to tackle it.

 

[z21-i]

None of our Wranglers use struts.

Jeepn Again, you could buy a nice set of tools and jackstands, enough to make the job easy, and pocket the savings since you can buy all the tools needed for $100-200 depending on where you get them. Craftsman at Sears has good buys on complete sets of tools.

And to reassure you, there is nothing that's going to spring or fall apart or anything technically difficult for a 2" suspension lift. Remove some nuts & bolts, remove the parts the kit replaces, bolt the new parts in and you're basically done. We can guide you with more details if you deside to tackle it.

The strut compressor fits on the outside as opposed to the spring compressor on the ID of the spring. Strut compressor is easier to use.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

You don't need a spring compressor or a strut compressor to Install a suspension lift. The springs fall out on their own when you unbolt the suspension. It only takes installing 1 or 2 suspension lifts to learn that.

 

[Jeepn Again]

Thanks Jerry. I have all the tools, including floor jacks and jack stands. Dates back to a frame off restoration that I started but didn't complete on a 69 bronco. And i have a plumbing company, so lots of stuff around to work on our heavy equipment. most times Id rather just plumb and let other people do the jobs they are good at. I'll probably try it myself, be like paying myself that money.

Only thing I Dont have is a torque wrench. After reading the directions, do I really need to torque the bolts to 40 lbs, 70 lbs and such or just get them all nice and tight?


Thanks for the help. Stinks winter is almost here and I only got to spend a couple weeks with the new jeep and the top off. Getting excited for next year and spring.

Btw, I'm Josh.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

A torque wrench isn't needed to install a suspension lift. 1-2 grunts worth of tightness for the big hardware and reasonable tightness for the smaller hardware is about right.

P. S. Your toe in will need to be adjusted after the suspension lift install is completed. That is also very easily and entirely accurately done at home, we can help you with that when you are ready.

 

[Jeepn Again]

Is toe in same as an alignment? Sorry if that's a dumb question. If so, I guess I can try on my own but I really don't mind paying for a professional alignment job. If its easy, why do the tire shops charge $100? Must be a profit center for them?

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Yep a toe-in is part of an alignment. However, the only thing you can adjust on your TJ is the toe-in so an alignment shop wouldn't even be able to adjust the caster or camber angles.

Doing your own toe-in setting/adjustment takes 10-15 minutes, is NOT technical in the least, is EASY, and with a modicum of care will produce results every bit as accurate as the latest laser-guided whizbang alignment rack can produce. Essentially all you need to do is to rotate the tie rod so the fronts of the tires are 1/16" to 1/8" closer together than they are in the rear. If you can use a tape measure and can tell how to set something 1/16" to 1/8" closer, you can set your own toe-in. Really. It takes less time to do it on your own than it does to just get to an alignment shop.

Part of that involves centering your steering wheel which is as easy.

Here are the basics... http://www.4x4xplor.com/alignment.html

 

[pcwolf]

I'll take the contrary view.

Read a thousand and some threads about how easy it was to install my own BDS 2" lift, including the alternate front and rear wheel ramp method, and all of them promised the springs would just fall out of the seats. Maybe it was my unwillingness to drop the swaybar and control arms, but when I saw the tension the first front spring was under when I had the spring compressors cranked down and *still* had 2" more to get it out, I thought to myself "If that thing lets go I am gonna eat teeth."

It was more than worth it to me to button it back up and take it to a shop that had done hundreds of such lifts vs. my exactly none. $300 and I was back wheeling.

My two cents. probably not even worth that

 

[umake]

Maybe it was my unwillingness to drop the swaybar and control arms

Spring won't come out without the sway bar detached (front or rear).

Do it yourself, buy some tools along the way, learn your jeep...win.