I'm going to be lifting my cherokee soon and I will most likely be going 5.5" inches with 33s. Ive seen cherokees with a 5.5 inch rubicon express set up with 33s, but what I'm wondering is how does a rubicon express 5.5 inch long arm set up compare to a 4.5" inch rough country long arm set up with shackle relocation brackets and coil spacers to give me another 1.5" inches on the 4.5" set up as far as performance and if they are both really 5.5" inches because ive heard that a rubicon express 5.5" inch is more like a 6.5 inch kit. Would the RE 5.5" kit compare more to the RC 6.5" or 4.5" with shackles and spacers.

Worded as best as I could, appreciate any feedback!

you cant compare these two companies. one of them, rubicon express, is of high quality, as well as price in most cases.
and the other, rough country, is the lowest quality kit on the market.

so I guess the differences would be ride quality (that's a big one). RC will ride like crap. RE will be a dream
you have to buy your own shocks with RE whereas RC provides a set of crappy ones with the kit
and RE will last you much longer. if you have the money, get the RE 5.5" long arm and never look back
then some decent shocks and a sye. but you'll be in it for almost 3k by the time youre finished

build it the right way the first time. you end up saving money in the long run. i bought a 3" RC kit as my first lift and it rides like complete s**t. ill be upgrading to RE 4.5" soon but thats $400 ill never get back, and 400 can help alot with xj's haha

yeah $400 woulda be a set of bilsteins and half a SYE^^

I've never seen someone compare a Hyundai to a Ferrari.... You get what you pay for if you have the money go for it if not then get What you can get. Maybe look around there's lots of other brands to choose from. Rustys is a good cheap option.

You can NOT compare RE to RC, They are on completely different ends of the spectrum !

That is like trying to compare kobe beef to dog food !

Rustys is just as bad a RC lol And yes I've made the mistake and run a rustys lift before

I ran an RE system on my '89, and now run an RC system on my '99... Throwing away all of the BS to be read on the innernetz from people that like to jump on bandwagons and spread bad information, I will go out on my own here and say that I am happier with the RC system. Yep, it was A LOT less expensive. Yep, it came with shocks. Yep, it took pretty much the same time/tools to install. Yep, my RE bushings went to hell in a matter of months (anyone remember when that was an issue with RE?). Yep, my RE springs left the rear shackle damn near vertical. Yep, my RE trac-bar bent like a pretzel. Yep, the RE quick disconnects were balky and noisy.

Now, don't for a second think that my entire experience with RE was bad, or that I have gone around griping about RE to anyone that would listen. What I am saying though, is that you won't die just because you go with RC. I think the notion that you get what you pay for is a little overplayed, as there clearly IS a comparison between the two in my little world. YMMV

you didnt mention the ride quality^^ and there are dozens of reviews about RC kits coming in the mail missing components, and having leaf springs too short, etc.
when I searched reviews on both companies awhile back I didnt find any GOOD reviews about RC
and I have yet to find a bad review about RE...

it's really 1 vs. 100 with opinions on RC vs. RE. doesnt make either side right. but I'd rather go with the company that has a better track record

I don't think RE is really the Ferrari of lift kits either but RC sucks more than anything that has ever sucked before. Literally everything that I baught from them has failed me or has defects that are unspoken about but apparent. Also please for the love of God lets stop these blahblah VS RC threads already. Everything including bastard packs, electrical conduit trackbars and bushings made out of cheese is superior.

What was bad about it

RC makes a decent low dollar kit period, customer care is great if money not really an object id buy RE but the same guys are always jumping on the RC sucks bandwagon.

Same two guys on this thread say same thing all the time"RC sucks" you guys need to really grow up and give some accurate first hand experience, say i dont like it cause.........etc. the ride is stiffer with RC thats true.

Most people on here that say rc sucks is probably just agreeing with other people to fit in i run all rc lift on my truck if it breaks they warranty it for me no questions asked i havent broken a long arm yet never blew any shocks coils are fine only thing i dont have rc is leaf packs because i run a bastard pack i dont know where people get these things from but i personally dont have a problem with rc

I had rc springs and I have a aal no problem with the aal its an aal. I really hated the coils. They were about 2" shorter than my friends 3.5" re coils so I figure it's really a 2" lift kit. Then my dads leafs he got the bushings were paper thin and squished out. I would have to say if you need a shackle, or relocation brackets there fine but nothing with a bushing or lift parts unless its a block or spacer.
Oh and I also blew 2 shocks

Ok I grew up since the last post. I baught their 4.5 in leafs. They are too short and put your shackle at a vertical angle when it should be at 45. So the ride is stiff and they dont want to flex. RC remedy is their relocation brackets which are another 150$ and they will put your shackle at the right angle. Fine, I baught those but they lift the Jeep another 3/4 of an inch so now your front will not be even. Also they dont tell you that if you use those with the stock shackle the shackle will hit the relocation bracket on the sides on uptravel so now you have to get a 1in shackle. So if I do that I will be at over 6 inches and have spent more then a good set of Deavers that dont need any relocators in the first place. I have already replaced their control arm bushings once and they are going bad again, so are the leaf spring bushings. So yes RC works if you want a half a%$ed lift with many many imperfections.