livin

Sorry, I'm not trying to make any false statements. I am just trying to point out something that IN MY OWN OPINION gives AEV and advantage.

skully

I just ordered my AEV kit. I went with AEV over others for a few main points. I feel you get your moneys worth. I would spend the money on a drag link flip and a procal anyway, and with any other kit I would have had to add another 450 ish on top of the already higher price. I also liked the progressive rate coils. I plan to do some expedition trips, aside from the one or two moab trips a year. Also In the long run I would like to upgrade to long arms so running on the factory control arms with the drop brackets will work great for a couple of years. I think that the AEV kit will fit my needs well.

ricksjeep10

I don't have a lot of experience with lift kits, but I did do a fair amount of research before I decided on the Teraflex 2 1/2" coil lift with Bilstein 5100 shocks. The kit was complete, quality seemed to be top notch, install was pretty straight forward, on road ride is pretty good and off road performance is excellent! Like I said, I can't compare it to any other lift kit but if I had to do it all over again, I would stick with the Teraflex kit.

MTG

I have the EVO Enforcer kit and love it! Handles amazing on road. It's like I don't even have a lift...other than being higher. The only complaint I heard about with this lift when I researched it was that it was a bit expensive. Well, if that is the only complaint I'll take it. Better to spend a little more upfront and be happy than to try to save a buck and be chasing down problems for years. Install was straight forward too. I learned a ton and saved a ton doing it myself with a friend/fellow forum member.

My front drive shaft should be here tomorrow. I'll then be able to report on off road ability, but from what I've heard I will not be disappointed.

Absolute

I've helped with the instal of 2 Teraflex kits. Both 2.5" coil lifts. Very straight forward, great quality. Many folks on here run these kits.
http://www.teraflex.biz/jk-2-5-lift-kit.html

Of course if you want more from a kit and include control arms with 3" of lift, you could get this. They have available kits with 4 arms to adjust pinion and castor,
http://www.teraflex.biz/jk-wrangler-...-flexarms.html
or a complete 8 arm kit which will allow the best articulation.
http://www.teraflex.biz/jk-4-suspens...rm-system.html

Teraflex kits are used by many members here, they have great customer service. When the time comes, I'll be upgrading to their Long Arm kit.

Sharkey

Search around and you will also find that at least a few people absolutely hated their AEV lift after driving it for a while. Having a set of progressive springs "buck" you off of a ledge is not my idea of a good time.

To the OP, my two cents are that you should actually drive several different brands of lifted Jeeps before spending your hard earned money. I've driven several Jeeps with four inch lifts. One only had taller springs and new shocks...and you could definitely tell the absence of LCA's and adjustable trackbars affected the way it drove. The next had front uppers (which is a strange way to go) and nothing to deal with the trackbars. The ride was harsh and the steering was not great. The lift felt like a bunch of separate parts, not a system. I just helped install an EVO Enforcer and draglink flip on MTG's 2012 JKU Rubi. IMHO, the ride is perfect. The steering is just as tight as it was before the lift (I drove it a few days before we lifted it) and the ride is neither too stiff nor too soft. I will say that I have never driven a JKU with a long arm lift or coilovers, both of which I hear are impressive on and off the road.

blueice

I can attest to long arms with coil overs being excellent on and off road. I have this type of suspension from EVO and it is awesome but is quite a bit more pricey than the other systems being discussed.

wayoflife

i see that you have a 2012 JK. being that is the case, if you don't want to purchase new drive shafts, you will HAVE TO GET a 2.5" lift with shocks that are short enough to prevent your factory drive shaft from making contact with your exhaust cross over. even if you were to install exhaust spacers or relocate your cross over, if you go 3" or more, your cv boot at the output shaft would be in a state of pinch and that will cause it to fail prematurely.

if price is no issue, i don't understand why you wouldn't want to buy a new drive shaft as really, it is an important part of any good lift kit that offers 3" of lift or more on a 2012. regarding the word "best", i will choose to use the word "better" as "best" is subjective to the person running the lift kit they own and really, i rarely hear anyone talking smack about what they chose to spend their money on especially if it cost a lot. now, a better lift kit will come with more components that will allow you to dial in your suspension and steering geometry. this is important if you wish to retain good ride and handling ON PAVEMENT. some kits like AEV uses relocation brackets to do this and, while they do work, they are way over priced for what you get. if you're set on going this route, i would recommend getting a rancho sport kit instead as the brackets they offer are designed and constructed WAY BETTER, do not bend when flexing on the trail and COST A FRACTION OF THE PRICE. new adjustable control arms and track bars are the better way to go as they will give you new heavy duty componants with more flexible joints and will offer much better off road performance. and, this is the reason why you are looking to upgrade, right?

unlike the aev fanboys who sing praises for their lift without any real knowledge of anything else, i will not try and steer you to brand or another as most are similar to another anyway. i have personally installed a host of lifts and tested them out and if i can, i will try to help you choose a "better" option for your needs. and, you can choose a brand based on what you learn.

JKTXJL

Go with 2.5" RK or TF on 35's w/ bilstein 5100s. I've heard nothing but great things from both manufacturers. Top notch customer service. Nice practical lift for a daily driver and will fit pretty much any garage. Both lifts will perform excellent off road as well.

suicideking

RK 2.5" Max Travel + Bilstein 5100's have been installed for a few weeks, wheeled it for the first time yesterday and love how it handles on and off road.

I chose this kit because:
Most complete kit I could find -- You can piece together a similar kit from most manufactures, but none have all as one kit. Comes with quick disconnects, brake lines, and other items not included in other kits.

Upgradeable - You can change the springs to 3.5 later. I don't plan to, but who knows! If you asked me 3 months ago I probably would've told you I'm not getting a lift.

The only other I was considering was Teraflex. The pricing would've been similar.