View Poll Results: Which 2.5 (ish) lift?
OME Long Travel Kit from Northridge
4
13.33%
MetalCloak Dual Rate 2.5 kit with OME shocks
18
60.00%
Rock Krawler Max Travel Kit with OME shocks separate
8
26.67%
Voters: 30. You may not vote on this poll
Help me decide which 2.5 lift - RK, OME or MC
07-12-2014, 04:20 AM
#21
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I believe the OP was referring to the dual rate ARB edition (dual rate with OME shocks), which is $1599. http://www.metalcloak.com/JK-Jeep-Du...ion-p/7117.htm
07-12-2014, 07:36 AM
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John
07-12-2014, 08:14 AM
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Hahaha, this has been a useful thread. A few value-adding insights:
I've run both the MC and OME. Forget the OME. The MC rides better, the kit is more complete, and you can upgrade parts later if you choose. I can't comment on RK as I have not run it. What I like about MC over RK is that the kit was designed to work together (referring to the shocks). Given the number of threads about "which shocks should I buy for my RK lift..." it just makes life easier. Plus, we all know that the MC with ARB shocks rides like a cloud. Reviews on Bilstein and Fox ride quality are largely biased and there are a ton of varibles there.
Items you will need regardless of the kit (some may include this in the kit):
1. extended rear brake lines (the front are fine, you just need to remove them from the metal bracket)
2. Longer sway bar links. Whoever made the comment about not needing them because you can just hit a button, is providing dangerous information. On a long-travel set-up, it would be easy to fully extend the stock links while driving around and you could very easily rotate the sway bar forward and cause serious carnage.
3. New driveshaft or move your exhaust (for 2012 or newer). Just have your muffler shop move the exhaust and you are good to go.
4. Front adjustable control arms. Skip the rock hungry geo brackets and spend the couple extra dollars up front and be done.
Feel free to join the AEV love-fest if you want to over-pay for a set of shocks and coils with limited travel. Which by the way, actually doesn't ride better than stock, or maybe slightly. Best example of confirmation bias you will ever see. And seriously, sway bar link extension brackets?! Nice...
I've run both the MC and OME. Forget the OME. The MC rides better, the kit is more complete, and you can upgrade parts later if you choose. I can't comment on RK as I have not run it. What I like about MC over RK is that the kit was designed to work together (referring to the shocks). Given the number of threads about "which shocks should I buy for my RK lift..." it just makes life easier. Plus, we all know that the MC with ARB shocks rides like a cloud. Reviews on Bilstein and Fox ride quality are largely biased and there are a ton of varibles there.
Items you will need regardless of the kit (some may include this in the kit):
1. extended rear brake lines (the front are fine, you just need to remove them from the metal bracket)
2. Longer sway bar links. Whoever made the comment about not needing them because you can just hit a button, is providing dangerous information. On a long-travel set-up, it would be easy to fully extend the stock links while driving around and you could very easily rotate the sway bar forward and cause serious carnage.
3. New driveshaft or move your exhaust (for 2012 or newer). Just have your muffler shop move the exhaust and you are good to go.
4. Front adjustable control arms. Skip the rock hungry geo brackets and spend the couple extra dollars up front and be done.
Feel free to join the AEV love-fest if you want to over-pay for a set of shocks and coils with limited travel. Which by the way, actually doesn't ride better than stock, or maybe slightly. Best example of confirmation bias you will ever see. And seriously, sway bar link extension brackets?! Nice...
I just voted MC Dual Rate ARB Edition. I'm running something very close to that kit on my 14 JKUR. I've also run OME springs/shocks and really like them as well. I like the dual rate springs better in part because they don't need spring retainers. They are very long. Do they ride better than OME springs. That is subjective. I think OME were smoother, more plush, but the MC are a very close and I actually think I like the increase in firmness they have. Either way, it is hard to beat Nitrocharger Sport shocks.
I've researched kits until the cows came home. The long travel OME kit that David@N4x4 put together is a pretty complete kit.
All these options and almost every single kit by every single vendor is upgradeable.
Almost every opinion on the internet is biased.
I've run arms and I've run the AEV brackets. If you run hardcore rocks all the time, I wouldn't run the brackets. If you ever need to do a little fine tuning, I wouldn't run the brackets. Otherwise run them, try them, they do make the ride nice. You'll always be able to sell them if you decide to get arms later. Hell some of even done both.
I've opted to replace the front driveshaft instead of the exhaust mods. Keeping the driveshaft off the exhaust is one thing but more importantly replacing the driveshaft replaces the joints at the transfer case with those better suited for the angles introduced with a lift kit of 2.5" or more.
07-12-2014, 08:44 AM
#27
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^^^ Good information. A lot of the decision-making process on which lift to get depends on what you plan on doing with your Jeep. For us, we mostly enjoy exploring the ghost towns out west and camping. My Jeep is more of a part time expeditionary vehicle and the rest DD. I wanted larger tires (285 75R/17 Toyo OC AT II XT) because there are some rough washes that have been flash flooded between me and where I'm going, and the lift just accommodates the tires. In fact I put my skid plate to good use on our last trip to Cerro Gordo, came back home, and bought the tires. For us, the Jeep is the means to get there. For others, the fun is in climbing over / through stuff. Therefore, it's best to tailor your mods based on your intended use...
John
John
08-29-2014, 04:37 PM
#29
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Question for Rock Krawler guys, is the 2.5 max travel style kit suitable for a lot of daily driving or to stiff? or what is the nicest 2.5 kits for daily driving with some trail use? No, I don't want hockey pucks.
08-29-2014, 06:55 PM
#30
JK Enthusiast
