So was thinking, yes dangerous round here. Anyway back in the day everyone wanted ranch stuff, skyjacker was popular then super lift and procomp, rough country was the rage for a spell. Now there’s several new companies ect. I’ve noticed the older brands tend to get slammed as each new brand comes out. Got a cousin with superlift another with skyjacker, brother had rough country on his gladiator and I used rough country on a commander. Using rubico now only because they were the only company I could find where I can piece mill my kits. Do have rough country on the yj but rub on mj and xj. Asked my cousin who’s been a jeeper since the 70’s who makes the best or who is good. His reply was all of em now are. I get some are brand loyal, some like to brag about how much their kit cost which tends to make me think they are dumbass’. I know every company will have a dud product depending on if John, Jain or Han was workin the machines. Rub was being touted as one of the best but have noticed it’s beginners to get slammed like rc. Personally I think rc is as good as any. Big difference is what shocks are being used. Mono vs dual tube, nitrogen vs whatever is popular at the moment. I do believe the add leaf kits are sub par compared to full leafs. A lot of the stuff in each company’s kits are manufactured by other sources which means many kits have the same components just a different badge. The cut this topic some I wanted to know your favorite brands and why. Also why you dislike what brands. I also would like first hand knowledge not I heard from a guy who heard from a guy ect. No hearsay. And no slamming just to slam or because it’s cheap. Back in the day cheap guitars were junk and you couldn’t play em cause the action was impossible wouldn’t stay in tune ect. Now there are tons of cheap guitars that are awesome! Was a professional musician for years and years and would use cheaper guitars in rough joints as I wasn’t gonna take $5000 guitars into some place they could get broken. Thanks

 

Nice book.



All I know is that I’d never use Rusty’s again as their bushings are proprietary.

I may have missed Zone Off-road in the rant. They were a good go to.

 

What’s propriety?

 

Jeepspeed changed things... At least one of the classes requires the parts to be readily available, allowing the rest of us to purchase legit, race ready parts.

There's a lot of little nuances that go into building the perfect XJ. Few of the big brands put that much effort into putting together the perfect system. They work perfectly fine for a lot of people, but when you want the bee's knees, the vehicle specific vendors will always provide a better product.

 

I'll use the below as an example. Legit race parts. Cost more than a full kit from one of the big names, twice as much in some cases...

SFR Long Arm Kits for Jeep XJ Cherokee – StinkyFab

 

It isn't always the brand name that determines quality of parts or kits. All parts/kits/brands are not equal.

There are so many variables to consider that it is impossible to say one company/brand/manufacturer makes all the best XJ parts.

just as example here.
a $300 three inch lift kit is not just as good as a $600 three inch lift kit when the cheaper is spacers, blocks, and shackles.

 

This is true but I’ve noticed like in leafs, not many companies make there own if any, they are outsourced. Pretty sure there has to be some standard for metals as some pot metal could cause fatalities. Poly or rubber components wouldn’t think there’s a huge differences other than between the two. Now joint designs are definitely intriguing as Johnny joints flex joints ect are all pretty neat in there designs but I have zero experience. To me a shackle is a shackle, with exceptions to length and the three designs I know of, standard straight boomerang and the spin type adjustable. Not really lookin for the best so to speak as that’s a relative to the person and his or her needs and wants. Just curious as to who likes what and why and who dislikes what and why. I’m using rubicon for the simple reason I could buy my leafs, then coils, controls ect individually instead of dropping lots of cash for the whole kit at once. My cash flow is slow and not much of it but I’m thankful for it. I did buy a whole rough country 4” with military wraps for $300 all new in the box for my yj of marketplace. But doesn’t happen very often you find complete kits new someone got by whatever reason and have no use for and just want it gone. I’m trying to buy good quality parts for these builds. Maintenance tinkering and improvements I’m fine with but only wanna build these once. Like a said earlier rubicon express seemed to be getting rave reviews a year and a half ago when I started but those seem to be diminishing. Yes lots of stuff made in China but that’s just it, lots of this stuff is from there or Indonesia ect. So far out of all the stuff I’ve used or seen not much difference in the quality to me. Got some knockoff acos and they feel and look the exact same as jks. Which is also made in China, so chances are these and the real things were made at the same plant. I’ve had folk knock Taurus and rave about berettas yet Taurus bought the beretta factory used the same employees same machines same materials and made the same pistol just moved the safety lever. I just don’t think there is that much difference in these kits unless it’s a vehical specific company turning out custom precision parts like was said earlier. However I’m the first to say I don’t know as this is all pretty new ground for me and I’m trying to get my footing.

 

Leaf springs are a really good example, actually...

I'll go out on a limb and say that pretty much every city is going to have a chassis shop that can make leaf springs from scratch. Class 7 and 8 trucks are their bread-n-butter, but it's just 2-1/2" wide spring steel formed into shape, standard fare... Iron Rock Offroad leaf springs, for example, are made in Canada. Clayton leafs are made by Betts Spring in Fresno, CA. Granted, they're a little more costly, but we all know the saying..

I've been pretty happy with Iron Rock Offroad. They're a mid-tier supplier, made in US/Canada, between the high end companies like Clayton and the big name suppliers like Skyjacker or Rubicon Express. Just a bunch of Jeep guys trying to live the dream... The only complaint I've had with their products is the adjustment mechanism on their radius arm kit; it's a bit funky... It does work and the price is great, but a little funky. The aftermarket has moved past radius arm setups into nice 3 and 4-link kits with removable crossmembers if you're looking for that extra flex from a long-arm front. I have their regular ol' fixed lower, adjustable upper control arms on my other XJ, my "DD", and zero complaints. I get compliments on their Heavy Duty Tie Rod every time I take it to get aligned; it makes it so easy to adjust toe-in. I had one issue where a part was missed and their customer service was great.

 

I have had good luck with Rubicon. My lift is pieced together from a lot of different brands, and have yet to have any serious problems with anything I purchased, Bilstein, warrior, OME, crown, omix, napa... seems to me as long as you do your research and don't buy the cheapest option you'll get something usable. Living in Canada I'm usually more concerned about what is available without paying insane shipping costs, and Rubicon has been very good when it comes to availability

 

I dig how some of these guys make parts from other types of cherokees…grand ect, or different car make parts work! That’s a knowledge base I haven’t even begun to tap. Never been a fan of Jerry riggin as my pop used to raise mortal hell if me or my brothers did that. Always said that’s an emergency only case. Car breaks down ect to get it home. I’ve used the windshield washer to fuel a carb to get home before when a fuel pump cratered in the middle of no where. Yes you will have to change it but beats being stranded. Cousin used a chainsaw to charge his battery when it went down in the middle of nowhere. Not that junk yard scavenging is Jerry rig but more like southern ingenuity. I just don’t have the knowledge base or skill to adapt that stuff unless it’s a direct bolt on swap. Why I’m doin aftermarket. Plus there’s tons of how to on line. My builds will be dd but want em to do whatever I want plus last me til I’m patted in the face with a shovel. I got some control drops from street rays. Basically a rough country knock off but made with 1/4” steel and very very nice. Guy makes good stuff from what I see and have researched. Much cheaper to. Gonna get his shock bar pin and shock stem eliminators.

 

My rig is pretty much all jerry rigged with almost no brand name stuff on it and it does alright.

 

You can only get the parts thru the company who made it.
I found this out after I had ordered stock replacement bushings for their rear leaf springs.
BTW, the Rusty’s bushings were twice the price.

 

"propriety

1. Conformity to conventional standards of behavior or morality.
2. Socially correct usages or behaviors.
3. The quality of being proper; appropriateness."

"proprietary

1. Of or relating to a proprietor or to ownership.
2. Privately owned, as a business.
3. Owned by a private individual or corporation under a trademark or patent."