Netorts

With so many lift kits available on the market. How would a first time wrangler owner be able to choose which one to buy? When one kit seems to have all the same parts as another but $500 separates the two how do I choose one over another ?
Any advice?
I want the best lift for the money. Not looking to cheap out but want my money to stretch as far as possible
I don't want to make a mistake buying a cheap 2.5-3" lift and regret it later...
Thanks for any advice

JeepersDigest

According to your avatar.. it would appear that you have a Rubicon.. which is already lifted to some degree. If you're looking to get a slight boost.. then a could of spacers are all thats needed.. However, you're entering into a grey area or an area when once you reach the 2.5 - 4'' zone.. I would suggest forgoing any soft or budget boost and rely on hardware lifts.. this would mean longer coils, longer control arms ungraded shocks.. but then you're getting into a high price range than $500 bucks. I think if you're going to be a weekend warrior and not do any extreme flexing.. The budget boost would suit your needs.

Netorts

Actually. It's not a rubicon. Just a sport. No lift at all.
I would be a "weekend warrior" but I would like to join a local jeep club and do some moderate wheeling. I want more than a budget boost. The main question was are some brands that cost more worth the extra money. Like for instance. Terra flex seems to be pricey compared to like a rubicon express lift kit.

nthinuf

Have you read the thread stuck right to the top of this modified area?

There are some quality differences between mfg's, but low cost doesn't necessarily mean 'crap'. They fill a market niche for people who do not want/need to spend more money. Some people are perfectly happy with them, others end up replacing most/all of the components. Personal opinion based on individual use/needs. What you need to pay attention to with them is the specific components, or the lack of, and the reviews...

Some coils are designed to give the stated lift height under a fully loaded/armored JK, while others may be designed to give that height on stock/light JK's. (ie. you could end up with 1-2" more height than you expected, or less height than you wanted.) The shocks may, or may not, be tuned to work well with the specific coils (they may both be good quality, but just not work well together). There can be multiple ways of correcting a particular issue caused by lifting. (kit A comes with cam bolts, kit B comes with adjustable arms. They both correct the issue of lower caster after a lift, but one is significantly more expensive, and more well liked, than the other.)

As far as your actual question of the 'worth' of paying more for what may appear to be the same lift --- the best advice is just to get a little education on the specific components so can actually compare the lifts, then do a search for feedback on the ones you like. You will find both positive and negative reviews for just about any lift on the market, so you will need to read into them to try and understand if there is an actual issue, or just a disgruntled person that wants to slam it or is just jumping on the bandwagon.

But yes, there is generally a reason that some mfg's charge more for the 'same' lift.

Sahara Lee

Are you lifting just for more break-over clearance? Are you lifting to gain more articulation? Are you lifting for dryer fordings?

What size tires will you be running?

CAUTION: Increasing tire size can lead to new gears and maybe lockers, new wheels with more backspacing and of course a programmer to tweak your speedo and shifting if auto.

CAUTION: Lifting above 3" may require new drive shafts, exhaust modification, flipped drag link and adjustable control arms.

PS: If you lift without changing or extending shocks you will lose articulation.

MMXJKU

Join the Jeep club and participate in a trail ride or 2. Seek the member's opinions. They have local knowledge.

Remember that a stock Jeep is very capable out of the box.

Netorts

Thank you for all of the advice. I will read more and learn more about the parts I "thought" I needed to upgrade. In my mind I wanted to lift my ride to gain ground clearance. Run a bigger tire 33" maybe 35". Install front and rear bumpers with a winch so I can get myself out of the woods.
I think the best advice was to join the club and learn from the people who have done it.
I think I will do that right away.
Thank you again. This is a good forum

Netorts

Also. At this point I am NOT interested in a lift that requires drive shafts, gearing, and a ton of articulation. Maybe later but this is still my DD 😃. And budget is a factor. Probably 2.5-3" max