aircrewallan

hey everyone i gotta few quick questions...i dont wanna buy the wrong stuff!

#1- RC 4.5'' with full leafs about $700 http://www.ntwonline.com/84-01_JEEP_...SHKS_P8456.cfm or RE 3.5'' superRIDE with full leafs and DT3000 shocks for about $1000 http://www.rubiconexpress.com/Produc...=996AF67675077 ???? basically i want to get the most lift i can for the money but im not short changing it by getting AAL or a short lift with budget lifts on top. i still want a good lift system and want to do some good wheeling, so whats the huge differance then? name brand? quality? if so how does that effect long term and short term offroading? SYE or CV driveshaft needed!? can i put a 2'' budget lift on the RE 3.5'' later? granted before all that ill be getting a front bumper and roof rack and dont want to loose lift from the weight. need help with pros and cons please!!! dont want to get it and be disappointed with the height or quality!!! HELP!

#2-what size should i be looking for wheels and tires- i just got a 99' classic and i dont know the lug nuts spacing? also i was thinking these sizes, 15X8 wheels and 31X10.50R15C tires. do those sizes match up? i get the 15 inch rim but the 8'' and the 10.50'' are messing me up.

Im currently on deployment and will be back in a week or so and want to start ordering right when im back! so any info would be great thanks. also ill be flying the next day or 2 so i may not be able to interject comments for a day or so, but thanks again in advance for the help!

rockinxj00

From what i have heard, RC has come a long way in their lifts for Jeeps. I know a few guys running that lift and the love it, and it works. Here lately i think RE has gone down a little bit. yes it is great stuff mechanically, but you have to way in factors such as customer service, warranty, etc, etc. i know that their customer services has been the greatest lately. Now here is what im going to do since i just bought another XJ last night for a trail rig. Im buying my tires and wheels first, then building the jeep around that. im leaning towards BDS long arm kit. great warranty, service, and its close enough i can drive the 2.5 hours and save on shipping.

Tires. you can fit 31x10.5x15 on a 15x8 wheel. it's actually a nice setup. you can run a 31x10.5x15 on the stock 15x7 wheels.

Hope this helps.

okcjeeper

For the RC 4.5 with new leaf packs I would call Jason I think it is at RC and you will get at the very least a 10% discount if not more on that 4.5 kit...

For the RE 3.5 Super Ride kit with shocks you are looking at around $600 plus shipping.. Here's the link...
http://www.4x4groupbuy.com/store/rub...0s-p-4903.html

whowey

The thing that continues to push me away from any RC products besides my own lousy experience with them is the incompleteness of thier 'kits'. Also the half-hearted way they do things in their kits.

Those foolish brake line relocators rather than longer brake lines. The track-bar relocation bracket rather than a longer or adjustable bar in some kits. The T-case lowering kit instead of a SYE. These are the things that make me not even consider RC products.

At either 3.5" or 4.5" you need to will need to address the track-bar. Its not long enough and you need either a longer or adjustable one, or a relocation of it.

At 3.5" its a toss up whether you will need at SYE, some people swear they need one and some say they don't. If the wheeling you do involves crazy flex then plan on a SYE. At 4.5" you can almost bet on needing an SYE. Also remember that the chances at driveline vibes increases the higher you go.

Lets go over the wheels a touch....

Our Cherokees use a 5 on 4.5 bolt pattern. Or 5 lugs on a 4.5 inch radius circle.
When someone says 15x7 or 15x8 wheels here is what they are talking about.
15 inch rim in height, the second number is the width of tire mounting surface. So 15x7 is a 15 inch high wheel with a 7 inch wide tire mounting surface.
Backspacing is the distance from the inside wheel mounting surface to the back edge of the wheel.

How wide of a tire you can put on a given wheel width will depend on how low of tire pressure you choose to run. A tire on too wide of a rim run at low pressure will be an unstable ride and the tire will be more prone to pop off the bead.

A stock 7" rim(15x7) or a 8" rim(15x8) will both hold a a 31x10.5 tire. The 7 inch wheel will give a slightly full look to the tire, where the 8" will be slight more of a straight sidewall.

BlueXJ

RC kits almost always leave something essential out of their kits but seel it seperately. More money for them that way.

OverlandZJ

okc raised a very good point. You can usually find a better price on RE components through one of their vendors. Check the vendors forum and start sending out requests.

If you go with RE i would look at a few upgrades. Make sure you get the Extreme duty trackbar/bracket, genII disconnects (or JKS) and adjustable control arms. Adjustable uppers at minimum so you can adjust caster/pinion.

I'm partial to RE stuff, have had 4 different configurations on my rig.

okcjeeper

Oh yeah never buy from RE there is a reason they jack their prices..They want you to buy from a vendor.. I search and got quotes from various vendors and ended up going to Alljeep.com.. Wayne made me a heck of a deal on the RE 3.5 Super Ride with RE shock and the RE1600 Trackbar..Which I think that track bar is fine for the 3.5" kit..Anything bigger I think Overland hit the nail on the head get the beefier trackbar with the new frame mount and more so if you do rocks but you will also need a drop pitman arm for that bracket (I know most will dissagree). I bought the SuperRide kit knowing I will eventualy get JKS discos which I personally think is much better then the RE Gen II discos..I also plan on upper adjustable control arms and will stick to my lower fixed. I also plan on control arm drop brackets to help with ride quality.. I don't lpan on doing any rock crawling just not my thing so the loss of some clearance is not an issue for me.

Anyways bottom line I am with others I think the RE kits are a much better bang for the buck.

Places to get pricing...
alljeep.com (tell wayne okcjeeper from l4j sent ya)
jeepinoutfitters.com

Both will give you some sweet prices.

aircrewallan

ya thanks guys! thats some awesome info! i was pretty sure about the wheel/tire thing but just wanted to make sure. and ya i noticed that alot of the RC stuff was kinda sketchy (being it didnt have components that other kits had normally and sold seperately) but ya i think im going to with the RE and thanks for the sites! ya i was definately looking straight at the manufacture! but now i have few other sources! it just seems like RE has everything i need to get it started then add on after, rather than the RC which i think i would forget to buy something and then have my rig half torn apart already! but awesome info, thanks! oh and has anyone heard any good or bad things about mickey thompson wheels and tires (radial MTZ's or baja claw's?)