Beginners guide to lifting your JK

This is just to help with your lift setup. Some basic questions I see asked a lot on the forum ie. alignment, do I need XX, etc. Ill gladly go over and help choose a kit for your Jk. I am in not a suspension expert but know my way around. If something here is not covered ... Please ask. If I...

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AEV 2.5
geometry correction brackets (your choice of manufacturer)
HD Front Track Bar
Superchips Flashcal or AEV Procal to change tire size on your computer

 

I would skip the Superchips and Procal and get an OBDII adapter and JScan over either of those two any day. JScan is a lot less expensive and is a lot more capable. It will adjust your tire size and you can also use it to help adjust your drag link to straighten out your steering wheel once you have your lift installed. Just my .02…..

 

I would pass on the Falcon shocks and go right to Fox shocks, if you have to spend some money. The big shocks (2.0 and 2.5) will help with washboard roads where the shocks get overheated or if you're into high speed desert stuff. The average slow-n-go stuff or highway won't benefit from thousands of dollars of shocks. Spend it on good steering parts or good tires. Your use...some Fox 2.0 or Bilstein 5100 shocks would be a good choice.

A 2.5" with 33s might look a little hollow. But is certainly a compatible combination. These advertised suspension lift numbers tend to be under rated by quite a bit. A 2.5" lift with 35s is common.

Avoiding death wobble is more about preparing the vehicle for the lift ahead of time, IMO. If the balljoints are old, changing them first gets that out of the mix. All the steering joints (draglink, tierod) should be tight/low miles. The trackbar bushings are probably the #1 offender for death wobble. Go through these things beforehand, on your terms/schedule, and you'll save a lot of heartache and maybe a good pair of briefs.

I just looked at those kits. They don't come with adjustable front and rear trackbars. You really should consider adjustable trackbars with any lift, to get the axle back to center. Otherwise, you end up with the axles off center. The front axle will shift left and rear will move right. This will make the jeep crab down the road.

 

Between the 2 I'll go with the ST2. More complete of the two, more HD parts, lot better shocks.

 

Metalcloak True Dual Rate 2.5"

 

I second this.

 

Two door or four door? The AEV or MC kit, but be prepared to add to either. Me, get the AEV kit add a steersmarts front track bar, "no jam nut and stout, compliant bushings, well made" Add rear sway bar links and move the rear to front and drive it. Eliminate those front sway bar link extensions. If steering too flighty and need to add more caster get a set of Synergy front lower adjustable control arms. When you start to get the steering wheel twitch with 33" tires upgrade the tie rod and draglink. Again, I would use steersmarts. Good luck.

 

If the op is going to convert the kit into a hybrid kit there are better ways to go than the 2 options he's looking at.

But following with his criteria the ST2 2.5 kit is way more complete: front trackbar, rear TB bracket, front lower arms, bumpstop extensions with progressive bumstops, exhaust spacers, sway bar links front and rear with front discos,, brake line extensions with the flex anchor in the front, and Falcon 3.3 are their top of line shocks and are adjustable. Not a bad start at all and in fact I'll go with that with my eyes closed, again when looking at the two kits. Sure more money than what some people are pre-programmed here to spend but much better base for the height and will drive pretty good on road and even better off-road crawling or not crawling.

 

Metalcloak has that and some

 

If it were me, I'd pick what setup I really want, regardless of what's on the jeep now. Strip the parts off you don't want and sell them.

 

This is a great post. Thanks to all that replied. Very good information here.

 

Like the OP I am thinking about a lift and AEV seems to have a good reputation - that said, every time I start reading old jeep guys' posts about lifts and track bars and steering geometry, I just think... "You know, maybe I'll just leave it stock."
LOL - then I see a lifted jeep on the road and I'm like "oooooooooooooooooooooooh."

 

Like the OP I am thinking about a lift and AEV seems to have a good reputation - that said, every time I start reading old jeep guys' posts about lifts and track bars and steering geometry, I just think... "You know, maybe I'll just leave it stock."
LOL - then I see a lifted jeep on the road and I'm like "oooooooooooooooooooooooh."

If you want a lift because it looks cool, I'll just say that there is a lot of expense and work to keep it in driveable condition. It becomes less tolerant of loose steering components, trackbars, balljoints, etc., before it surfaces in death wobble or shimmy, or some other issue. Essentially, every minor thing is magnified.

 

Thanks to all who replied. I really am taking every suggestion into great consideration. I am leaning more towards the AEV rather than the teraflex just in terms of cost and will probably just buy adjustable front/rear track bars. I am also leaning towards 33"s instead of 35's just because the bigger tire I go to, the more it will wear on the components I currently have on my Jeep. But I am also thinking if I spend the money now vs spending more money down the line which would be more worth.

Just for more information, I have a 2017 JKU Sport S and I have added a steel front bumper from Rugged Ridge and a 12,000lb synthetic winch from RC. Currently no upgrades on wheels but I am looking for a 17x8.5 inch wheel with decent backspacing. I just want to keep my wheel as close to under my fender as possible while also giving tires enough clearance to turn properly.