89Pioneer

I was pricing out lifts tonight and I found these kits are both around $700. The RE doesn't come with shocks either. That's another $180 through RE. The 3.5 RC kit for this price comes with a steering stabilizer. Both kits are new leaf packs not AAL's. I've seen people on here and other forums saying good things about both systems. Also seen bad things, like RC kits missing parts. Haven't heard really anything bad about the RE except the price. So what you guys think.

JakeWI

what do you plan on doing with your xj? mainly DD? either way i think you will be satified. I run the 4.5 RC. have on both of mine. takes a good beating. RE is supposed to be a little nicer but remember the RE doesnt come with shocks. if its your DD i would just go with the RE with 31's.

89Pioneer

It's my DD. I don't want to do to much because my fiance has to drive it some times with our baby, so I don't want to lose to much stability. err change front how it rides now. When I do go off road, it's either down a path or little trail to a fishin hole. On the other hand with a lift and bigger tires, I'll venture off a little more and hit up the logging roads and trails up in the mountains here in southern Oregon. Nothing crazy. Just snotty clay and the occasional rock or incline/decline hills (nothing like you did at GLXJ). Just want it to look nice and take what little I throw at it without getting my pants pulled down over it. Ya know?

JayM

IF you dont want to change the way it handles, then just throw and Eaton electro locker in the rear.

http://reiderracing.com/elocker.htm

This will make sure you get out of the mud holes, and make it up those hills.
A lift will not really increase the ability to put your power to te ground.

89Pioneer

I know that the lift won't help with power to the ground. I just want the clearance. As far as losing the factory ride, I'm referring to turning and bumps.

okcjeeper

Just and FYI the RE 3.5 kit will net you about 4-4.5" of lift.. Mine measures out at 4.25. Also if you get the RE 3.5 kit get a 3/4" spacer for the front coil springs to level it out. The rear leafs are pretty darn tall. As for ride anything over 2" is going to degrade the ride quality. The reason this happens is stiffer springs and the angle of your control arms. At stock height the CA's are almost level once you hit 3" or more the angle increases and ride quality decreases compared to stock. So get the lift height you want and stop worrying about maintaining stock ride quality cause if you want that you don't want a lift.

As far as the RC 4.5 and RE 3.5 they come with the same stuff minus shocks. Both come with new springs front and rear, sway bar brackets, new LCA's, and so on. The RE kit comes with a new rear brake line and the RC doesn't. You will need a new rear brake line if you want to flex out. So you have options can buy aftermarket or I believe you can buy either TJ or YJ lines and they will fit which ever one is the earlier models..If you go with the RC 4.5 I would also suggest replacing the front brake lines. Also get an adjustable track bar and don't cheap out on it. Go with JKS or RE. Also get new coil spring retainer clips the factory ones suck the ones so head to rustys offroad and get his they work great.

89Pioneer

I'm not worried about comfort in the ride, just don't want to have it's handling characteristics change to much. My girl can't drive for nothin as it is. I don't want to throw her into a rig that bounces around and has crazy body roll or anything. Know what I mean. Also, what's the difference between the Super-Ride/Flex?

okcjeeper

Super Ride kit has rubber bushings on the LCA's. The Super Flex has a flex joint on the frame end of the LCA. Also the Superflex comes with quick disconnect sway bar end links. Superride has standard sway bar end links.

89Pioneer

What's the deal with the quick disco's? What's the purpose behind removing sway bars when off road?

JayM

89 Pioneer - how tall is your girl?

Is she gonna give you hell if she has to jump to get into the Jeep?
My Wife is 5'4" and with the 4.5" lift on my Jeep, she has a hard time getting in.
Of course this is the perfect time for you to be a "Gentelman" and grab a handfull of backside and toss her in the seat.

I have the Rusty's 4.5" Long arm lift. This does bring the Jeep back to a close to stock handeling. Long arms are the wayto go for the best control, but they cost more.

If your lady drives so poorly, why would you want her in a vehicle that has a higher center of gravity? I see problems comming at you. That is unless you take the time to teach her to drive better.

89Pioneer

haha. She'd kick my butt if she knew I said she can't drive. haha. She's not that bad at driving. Just not as good as me. j/k. What I'm really gettin at, is I just don't want the Jeep to drive much different. For example, on corners/turns I'm just trying to make sure that with either of these lifts there won't be lots of body roll or anything. And yes Jay she is the same hieght as your wife. She said I have buy some kind of step or something for her, so that's another thing I have to look into. Any ideas or suggestions for that?

JayM

Well, I tried to go the cheap lift kit route, I went 3" withthe ProComp (ie ProCrap) kit. Well that kit made steering a pain in the back, I had to fight it to keep the Jeep straight and onthe road. The Dang thing would follow the crown of the road into the ditch if I did not fight it. Dang lift kit like to kill me on more than one occasion. This was mainly due to **** poor engineering. The two kits you are looking at are engineered better. I have since upgraded to a long arm kit by Rusty's and wish I had done that in the first place.
See if any of the guys on the forum are near ya, and ask if they will let you drive their rig, and see what kit you like, your local 4X4 shop might even have a few rigs you can test ride.

As for the steps, there is a company that has a step that folds out electrically then folds back up so you don't rip it off when on the trail.

muddeprived

I would go with RC's 4.5" and get their drop brackets. It will ride like stock, maybe even better. I have the drop brackets and the ride is outstanding. The brackets keep your arms parallel with the ground like they should be. It handles so much better than how it was on shorties with 4.5".

89Pioneer

Yea. I think that's the route I'm going to go. I haven't heard to many bad things about RC. No horror stories anyway. Sounds like they have decent customer service.

muddeprived

their customer service is great, much better tha RE. i can never get ahold of an RE rep and emailing them is a waste of time. they depend on the sellers to answer the questions for them, like Jason from jeepin does. RC has a chat system on their website and you can chat with their tech support. there is also a thread over at naxja about rough country and a rep named Grimm something answers all questions there. he answered everything i asked so far and even offered me free coil spacers to fix my drop bracket issue. i was also advised to hold out on the rough country arms they have now cuz new ones are coming out with much better joints. as for shipping, i get my stuff from them in 3 days every time. thats pretty darn good IMO.

basically you ant go wrong with either. its all about what you can afford really.