Do i need an aftermarket rear driveshaft to support 27" extended shocks in the back of the Jeep ? This is on a 2013 JKU Auto with a 2.5" lift

Everywhere i've been looking indicate the front DS is ok as long as the front shocks don't extend past 24.5", i currently have the RE shocks (rebranded 5100's) for the typical 2-3" lift
According to RE literature,
fronts are 24.14" extended, 14.8" compressed
rears are 25" extended, 15.3" compressed

I've had the front disconnected and fully flexed, and the DS is fairly close to the exhaust, guessing it'll be one inch and change gap, between the rubber boot and the exhaust (see pic below), so it seems i have enough clearance for the boot not to rub anywhere with this shocks, so not looking to do anything in the front for now, as i don't have an aftermarket front driveshaft.

2015-08-24_11-02-07 by SilverFJ RSM, on Flickr


But i wonder if i can improve the rear flex with the stock DS.
Right at this moment, my RE springs will be too short to accommodate longer shocks, like a 5100 or OME shock, for a 4" lift, example, 5100 33-186887 or OME 60067L, my measurement of the RE 2.5" rear springs are 15 3/4" aprox free lenght, typically coil springs should be able to extend around 10" more than their free length without the springs falling out their buckets for most applications, i don't know JK's well enough to know whether or not this general statement will work the same ?

Specs on the 5100's: 27.36" extended, 16.96" compressed
OME 60067L: 27.79" extended, 16.61" compressed

So i've been checking to see if there is a coil spring in 2.5" that can allow me to use such shocks, and found the MC 2.5" springs, part# 7059 might fit the bill, they're are 17 3/4 long, so it looks like the the 5100's would be at home with this springs.

Question is:
1.) Do i need an aftermarket DS for the rear with this shocks, or would be the stock rear DS be ok?
2.) Would the rear of the JK stay more or less where it's sitting right now with the RE 2.5" rear springs ? i'm pretty much level at the moment, and i wouldn't mind a slight rear rake, i just dont want to go 1" higher or so in the back, i'm running 33's, so i'm at the verge of having a goofy looking JKU if i go higher damn it, i should have gone 35's, it looks ok at the moment, but if i go higher by 1", it would cost me at least $1800 to correct the visuals with new tires, and i'd rather wait for my 33's to go bald since i just bought them last month
In this regards, if you have gone from a RE or TF 2.5" lift to MC 2.5", did your rear end went higher at all?

Thanks a lot.

 

Can't answer your spring question but your rear driveshaft will be fine wth those shocks. The axle swings forwards as it droops kind of negating the effect of the droop on the driveshaft.

 

The metalcloak 2.5" will give you darn near 2.5", maybe slightly more. I ran 12" travel shocks with them and had no issues with coils unseating. Best bet is to buy the coils and shocks from Metalcloak (they have a new shock out). That way, you get the max travel without having to guess. Also, they're the best riding coils out there. Get those and the shocks and you'll be happy.

 

2 Door JK Pentastar with 2.5" lift? Front drive shaft Yes, rear no. If you don't offroad maybe not. It's only when the front wheels drop that boot will catch on the exhaust and tear.

 

Excellent to hear the rear DS won't have issues.
This are my current lift measurements with the RE 2.5" lift (measured from wheel center cap to bottom of the fender lip, rounded up to 1/4 aprox),
Extra weight XRC mod front bumper and Badland 12k winch, + Ace rock sliders, the rear has bone stock bumper.

Front Driver: 24 1/4
Front Passenger: 24"
Rear Driver: 23 3/4
Rear Passenger: 23 1/2

Factory Rubicon values (even though mine is not a Rubicon, but i can use this values as a reference) measure from wheel center cap to bottom fender lip)
Front: 20.5"
Rear: 21.25"
Source: http://www.wranglerforum.com/f274/jk...ed-237038.html, post#2

I seems with the RE lift, my 4 door Jeep gained about 3.5" lift front, 2.5" lift rear, again, this is with at least 150lbs in the nose courtesy of bumper and winch, and about 50lbs in the middle courtesy of ACE sliders.
Edited 09/28/2015: (The rear should have gained another 1/2 or full inch, but it didn't because my rear coils are bowed as i discovered 09/21/2015), i have decided to get rid of this springs as that would be too much lift with the current 33" tires i have, i'm replacing the RE coil springs with OME, the RE coils would be better suited for a very heavy rig given the spring rates it has, and i have no plans for more weight in my rig at this point in time)

Invest2m,the OME 60067L's are pretty much the same length as the new MC shocks (i think called Rocksports), extended 27.79, compressed 16.61
Rocksposrts extended 27.8, compressed 16.8, for the price, i'll be inclined to go with the MC's , although i've used OME before, and they're pretty good for the money.

Is there anybody with the 2.5" MC lift or RK 2.5" lift, or OME 2.25 lift (rear spring 2618) out there (All this springs are all 17.xx inch long) that can run a quick measurement from your wheel center cap to the bottom of your stock fender and post the value it for me ? i'd appreciate it

 

I have the MC 2.5 with the OME shocks, but the stock fenders are long gone and you have too (2) many doors for me.

 

Make a habit of crawling underneath and keeping an eye on the joint at the tcase, not just the boot in the middle...

 

Thanks a lot, noted.
i went down there to check today just in case
20150910_174248 by SilverFJ RSM, on Flickr

20150910_174325 by SilverFJ RSM, on Flickr

 

Something else that i might be forgetting, do i need extended rear brake lines?, or the brake bracket relocations i have will be enough for a 27" shock ?
I did the front and rear brackets before i got the lift installed 2 weeks ago, even though they may not be needed with the 25" shocks.
This are the rear ones
20150910_174439 by SilverFJ RSM, on Flickr

 

I used teraflex rear brake drop brackets with bilsteins that are 27.36" extended and they worked ok. Right at the limit of acceptable you'll probably be fine but once you have the shocks you should double check. You can always fab up a slightly longer drop bracket with some flat or angle iron if needed.