[dino325]

Hey guys,
I have a 08 JKU that I picked up in January. I'm trying to dig up the original photo so you can all share in my shame, but it had chrome accents on the door handles and grill which made me nauseous. It also had some chrome rims which I plastidipped black for the time being.

Currently, I haven't done quite at much as I would have liked to it but as of late I've made some forward progression. The hard top came off yesterday (by myself) to which I was a little off center, causing me to gently place it down on the garage floor, where it has stayed hah. I also put on a Spider Web Trail Mesh Shade which is awesome and picked up 4 new Pro Comp 7089's today at a 4WP's sale locally for $200 off ;-).

Now onto my dilema. During another sale last March, on impulse I ordered a ProComp 2.5" lift kit. I never installed the kit after educating myself as it sat in my garage until now. Today I listed it for sale and am looking at other, better built kits.

My overall goal is to have a well balanced rig for on and offroad fun. It is my daily driver until I find a beater so the new suspension should be capable of 65-70 mph on the highway, but I also want it to perform well on trails and rock crawling. I plan on running 35's and regearing to 4.88 or 5.13 around the same time I pickup the 35's later this year. Thus far from my research I've narrowed down my choices to:

-Zone 3" lift with Bilstein 5100 shocks
-Rock Krawler 3.5" Xfactor Mid Arm Suspension with Bilstein 5100 shocks
-AEV 3.5" DualSport SC with Bilstein shocks
-TeraFlex 3" Suspension System with 4 FlexArms and Bilstein 5100 shocks.

Which would you choose of these, or another that you may prefer? According to what I've read besides what included in most of these kits, I'm thinking ill still need adjustable lower control arms, sway bar disconnects, new drive shaft and what else?

I was dead set on Mickey Thompson MTZ's until I read about there terrible longevity and have drifted more toward the Nitto Trail Grapplers for my tire choice. Opinions here?

Again I appreciate all help you guys can offer and look forward to a long and unhealthy addiction to my jeep in the future!

A few pictures of Ms.Betty..

Top off, Spider Web Shade installed ;-p


Beach Shoot


Our pup, Vita enjoying the breeze ;-)


**Shutters** How she looked the day she came home..

 

[kbwwolf]

Hey guys,
I have a 08 JKU that I picked up in January.

My overall goal is to have a well balanced rig for on and offroad fun. It is my daily driver until I find a beater so the new suspension should be capable of 65-70 mph on the highway, but I also want it to perform well on trails and rock crawling. I plan on running 35's and regearing to 4.88 or 5.13 around the same time I pickup the 35's later this year. Thus far from my research I've narrowed down my choices to:

-Zone 3" lift with Bilstein 5100 shocks
-Rock Krawler 3.5" Xfactor Mid Arm Suspension with Bilstein 5100 shocks
-AEV 3.5" DualSport SC with Bilstein shocks
-TeraFlex 3" Suspension System with 4 FlexArms and Bilstein 5100 shocks.

Which would you choose of these, or another that you may prefer? According to what I've read besides what included in most of these kits, I'm thinking ill still need adjustable lower control arms, sway bar disconnects, new drive shaft and what else?

I was dead set on Mickey Thompson MTZ's until I read about there terrible longevity and have drifted more toward the Nitto Trail Grapplers for my tire choice. Opinions here?

Good move, ditching the Pro Comp lift. IMO. As for the ones you listed above, the AEV will be the best on-road, and is pretty much all-inclusive, from what I understand.

If it were my Jeep, I'd go with the Rock Krawler. The Bilsteins ride kinda hard (I run em on my Jeep), but if that doesn't bother you, you're golden. I love mine...but I like my rig to feel like a truck. Some don't.

You will need a new ds, especially for the front in a JKU. I bought a 1310 JE Reel for mine, and plan on replacing the rear before the end of the year. You could always wear out the stocker first...just watch for the CV joint slinging grease in a stripe on your undercarriage, and you'll know when it's time. You'll also need the sway bar links (JKS Quicker Disconnects are good) and the adj ca's, and probably adj tb's, as well, for lifts of that height.

The Nittos are good tires, but they're boulders. Heavy as hell. Might wanna shop around.

For running 35's, I'd recommend no less than 5.13 gears for an auto, 4.88 for a manual, unless you do a lot of mountain driving, then 5.13 all the way. Also, some gussets for the front axle C's would be a good move...the stock C's pretty much suck.

You'll need a new tire carrier for the 35" spare (if you run a spare), especially if you go with the Nittos. And you might need to trim your pinch seams with the 35's, depending on how it shakes out with the lift you decide on.

Other than that, sounds like you got it goin on. :thumb:

 

[Batjeep09]

I like my KM2's a lot. Te do tend to run on the small side, but they have great tread, not loud on hwy and are light!

 

[dino325]

Awesome guys, thanks so much for the responses. I decided on the Rancho RS9000XL's and ordered them off Amazon for $87 a piece plus the ongoing deal of buy 3, get 1 free rebate so im happy ;-)

 

[kbwwolf]

Awesome guys, thanks so much for the responses. I decided on the Rancho RS9000XL's and ordered them off Amazon for $87 a piece plus the ongoing deal of buy 3, get 1 free rebate so im happy ;-)

kjeeper10 got to you, didn't he? What did he tell you...rides like a Cadillac? Heard that one before. A Lexus? Please...

It's okay, we're all buds, you can admit it. I just wonder how much he paid you to shill for the Ranchos.

You're aware that if you withhold information from a supporting member, you can be jailed in 47 of the 50 states, right?

Okay, that's a lie.

Still, the Jeep world wants to know. It needs to know. So give it up...what did you get out of it?

 

[dino325]

Haha, Kb if I told you, i'd have to.. well you know..

So here's what i'm thinking for my build:

RS9000XL 29 and 30 by Rancho
Rock Krawler 3.5" X Factor Mid Arm Lift Kit

Front 1310 Drive Shaft by Tom Woods
Rear 1350 Drive Shaft by Tom Woods

Now I see the RK kit comes with SB disconnects, and front and rear adj tb's so would you still recommend the JKS versions? If so, would it be more cost effective to purchase the spring and other hardware separately from RK?

Thanks again for the replies! Truly appreciated!