Jahamm88

Just pulled the trigger on the new Metalcloak Overland 1.5 kit... Havent seen anyone do a write up or anything on this one yet so i figured id get a thread started and share my experience once it shows up! looking forward to getting the party started here...planning a lower build as its a DD but didnt like the other offerings out there(RK/TF performance kit/AEVspacers) and when this one poped up it peaked my interest. more to come!

MSmitty

I'll be interested to see this. About to order my 3rd wrangler and looking for lift options. Went with rancho last time and it worked out well but might give one of these a shot. Keep us posted.

Jahamm88

Installed the kit last night starting at 8 ending at 5A... i grossly underestimated how much time it would take to install....total time investment 9 hours ish. for reference on my mechanical know how-ive done my fair share of suspension jobs on a bunch of different vehicles, including a full front end overhaul on an XJ and Strut replacements on a WK so i know my way around a vehicle when it comes to removing and installing things. I was working solo in a driveway using only hand tools, so alot of things took much longer than they should have, but the fear of waking a sleeping two year old in the window above the driveway kept the fear of god in me...lord knows my wife would have been pissed if the impact gun would have woken him up.

Install was pretty straight forward, most difficult part was locating the control arms to bolt them back into the brackets and then torquing when the vehicle was back on the ground...125FTlb for LCAs was rough.

I used a clamshell type Harbor Freight compressor to get the springs squished enough to install on the front and rear

to get the drop brake line bracket installed i had to do some convincing on the hardlines farther up stream... had to remove rear track bar at frame side to be able to get passenger side coil in and out along with removing shocks and sway bar end links.

The only thing not installed from the kit was the rear shock brackets, ive got some fox 2.0Resi on the way that i shouldnt need them, may decide otherwise later but i figured that was one thing i could omit without an issue for now.

its at the shop now getting some of those new falken wildpeak AT3s installed to round out the deal.

ride wise on my 18 mile commute this morning, there was definitely a noticeable change in how the coils felt even with the same stock crap low pressure shocks, square edge hits, (Read new england roads) were not as jarring and body roll was much less from the higher spring rate. after a long night i expected more things to be lose/forgotten and thankfully when i got into work the only thing that fell off was one of the lower shock bolts, i guess those got overlooked in my 5AM sleepless wrenching stooper,

all in all id say im pleased with the decision, it would have been much easier with two people but totally doable in a weekend(not worknight). ill share an update once i get the fox shocks in and have a bit more time on it.

ajeeper

How much actual lift did you get?

Smudgeontheglass

Spring compressors are scary. I did my 2.5" lift by just pulling off the sway bar links and shocks, then unclipping the brake and abs lines. I was able to get the front and rear springs out with Track bars still connected. 5am is pretty rough. I was a complete novice when I did my lift, took me two days on the weekend with just hand tools. Although I made sure I had the torque wrench on every bolt.

Nicely done, those springs are definitely interesting.

Jahamm88

ill have to measure when it gets back from getting its new shoes...Do you happen to know a measurement from axle to frame rail for stock? i got exicted about install last night so i didnt bother measuring before install... the guys at Metalcloak did say id probably net closer to 2, but since its a relatively "light" 4dr im gonna guess id get more than that.
it did have 17/59 springs on it before if i read the stock springs correctly.

jadmt

ajeeper

You can use these two measurements to compare to.

Jahamm88

so its looking like i netted 2.5 inches front lift on an empty (no gear just a baby seat) vehicle,

Coil measurement is sitting right at about 12 shock measuring right at 21.
rear is sitting at 2.25 inches higher at 7.25 inches

im thinking once its loaded up with gear it will sit right at about 2 which is exactly where i wanted to be. If the vehicle gets heavier i may opt to upgrade to the 3.5" lift spring for the 2 door which should net an additional inch.
coming from those guys the 1.5 inch 4dr lift spring is the same as the 2 dr 2.5 inch spring as far as spring rate goes

im gonna go back and check my work this weekend and probably adjust the brake line drop, not super happy with my hardline bend job i did to get the drop on it.

Its-a-JK

This most likely the kit I will be going with once i get the funds for it. I like the progressive coil springs compared to the normal coils, hey just make sense.