To help out the OP... Recently I was researching AEV, but decided on another lift. I would have bought AEV springs and their counterpart shocks but these can not be bought ala carte. There really is not as much engineering as AEV claims in their brackets. The ride that so many praise is the springs and shocks not the extra brackets that are really over priced for what they are. If you have money to spend and you get the AEV kits then awesome see you on the trail, but if you want to get what you pay for there are other reputable lifts that offer more bang for the buck, as good a ride and equal or less cost then the AEV.

On a side note OEM engineering isn't always the best it will always be overshadowed by cost and profit. I'd rather have an overbuilt jeep then an under built one.

 

Soon very soon....

 

Let's ask a questions for the AEV haters.... What other 3.5" lift will allow you to fully load the back of your Jeep - gear, water, fuel, etc, put a tent on top, and tow an offroad trailer without springs sagging? I'm not talking about adding a set of springs from another manufacturer- I'm talking about the springs that come with the lift. Or, is this site soooo dedicated to rock crawling and trying to achieve the most extreme articulation, that any other lift is inferior??!

 

A spacer in the rear works for sagging no matter the springs.

Same as the front after adding a winch and bumper.

I think overkill is the name of the game for all aftermarket purchases. Why buy something that just meets your expectations when the market is flooded with add ons to go above and beyond?

 

I'm sure some one will correct me if I'm wrong but with that much weight even AEV springs will sag. If you want to tow just go with OME HD springs in the rear. Even these will sag to an extent. The only way to really experience no sag is to have super stiff springs or some sort of air suspension...

 

Mic4x4 - did you miss something? Are you suggesting get an OME lift? I thought I was pretty clear when I said not to substitute springs? Come on, lets hear it - what other lift offers the ability to carry all your gear and/or pull an offroad trailer without sagging? Which incredibly overbuilt, awesome, totally complete lift can handle it? Spacers are kind of a bandaid aren't they?

 

Did you read my whole post ... AEV can't do it either... So yes if you were going to be loaded and towing then go with an OME KIT, this kit has an awesome reputation for ride quality and towing capacity... O and it's still cheaper that AEV. And it's debatable to say AEV is a complete kit... The jack raiser doesn't make the lift complete ...

 

My jk rubicon has the following items currently attached to the rear half of it.
Or fab tire / jerry can carrier 82 lbs
2 5 gallon Jerry cans for a total of 84lbs
1 35" mtr k 72 lbs
Tuffy security drawer 60lbs?
Assorted tools, spare parts, chains, weapons 150lbs
Psc rear crusher flares 65lbs

That's over 500lbs of extra weight over stock in the rear. I have zero sag after 5000 miles of driving.
Regarding drive ability it's been solid, zero issues. Handles well at 85mph, corners solid. Off road has been great...I wanted MORE flex and swapped front LCA's.
I am happy with the recommendation I received from David and have no regrets. I'll be taking my rig to the rubicon this summer with an additional 500lbs of armor and gear. Videos to follow

 

I am on my 3rd Jeep now. Had a YJ with the Procomp 4.5 coil sping conversion kit and a TON of other mods. Then a TJ with 2.5 Teraflex spings/shocks. Drove and performed nice. Now I have a 2012 JKUR. I just installed the AEV 2.5 with the geometry correction brackets and it drives better than stock. I am building an expedition style Jeep and AEV offered me exactly what I was looking for. The handling truly is outstanding. If I was bldg a rock crawler this is not the lift I would have chosen. In that case I probably would have gone RK. Not everyone on this forum is bldg a rock crawler....Im just sayin...... And one other thing....AEV markets their lifts for overlanding. This is VERY clear in their advertising.

 

I'm still waiting to hear from the RK, EVO, BDS, Teraflex faithful??? Anybody have an answer to AEV's ability to load up your Jeep without having to worry about sagging springs............. OME was represented - anyone else? By the way, I've seen plenty of AEV equipped Jeeps driving MOAB, Rubicon and similar trails across the country. The ability to navigate those trails as well as carry lots of gear - seems like a pretty complete suspension system to me!