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3" Lift Advice

paragrunt

NAXJA Forum User
Location
U.S.A.
I plan on lifting the wife's 00 XJ. I am seriously considering the BDS 3" Coil Spring system w/ an add a leaf. It's just under $600.00. This lift will support a 31" tire, but I plan on putting a 30x9.50x15 instead. Reason being, I want to leave room for at least a possible inch of sag when I add an aftermarket front & rear bumper. I'm not planning on doing any serious off roading, as this is the wife's grocery getter. I just wanted a bit bigger tires than stock and my factory suspension is about done for.

Anyone with this suspension have any input? I am hoping to keep the ride quality stock or better. I know how kidney jarring rides are as I still miss my old TJ. I don't want it too harsh or my wife will not be happy. Anyone with a wife knows how that goes..........
 
I just got this lift about a month ago same aal everything. It rides nice, and BDS is definitely my favorite company. However I went out on the trail for the first time since installing it, and my leafs bent probably because of the block that comes with this kit. I have some 50% 265/75/16s (measure 31") and before the leaves crapped out had plenty of space. Highly recommend it
 
BDS is better than Rubicon Express. Their parts are stronger with better quality materials and the warranty really is no B.S. If you break it, they send you a new one, no arguments with some effing CS rep about why the part failed.
 
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Doesn't seem like you get much for $577. Their site shows shocks in the picture but does not have them in the description.

All I can say is unless their shocks are really good the ride is gonna suck. I've got the Skyjacker 3" kit and their Hydro shocks are stiff.

And if you get control arms later you should stay away from poly.
 
Build your own kit. Or RC has a kit with full leaf packs for the same price.
 
BDS says "If you are the original purchaser of any BDS product and it breaks, we will give you a new part. Period."


All I can say is unless their shocks are really good the ride is gonna suck..

Based on what data ?

I've got the Skyjacker 3" kit and their Hydro shocks are stiff.

A well known fact about their products.

And if you get control arms later you should stay away from poly.

Based on what data ?

I wouldn't use an add a leaf because it WILL sag

Maybe a cheap Add A Leaf from SkyJacker will sag, but a good quality, full length AAL installed on a non-sagged leaf pack will work well.
 
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I've been running the BDS 3" kit with their 3" full leaf packs instead of AAL and blocks.
It's more expensive but I've had it on over 3 years, loaded it down, and even caught some air recently (no shocks on the way to the shop.....yeeeeehah!) and it's a solid kit.

Hasn't sagged more than 1/4 inch from the original 4" it actually netted me when it was new over 3 years ago.

I actually plan to go up an inch or 2 when I can afford an SYE and longarms, but I'll be keeping the coils and leaf pack since they're so sweet. Just gonna space it in front and longer shackles in back with long arms.

Oh, and with the sways disco'd it flexes just like a 4.5" kit does.

I've had their hydro shocks on and one finally lost strength a few weeks ago. replaced it and all is cusshy now. Very responsive for hydros IMO fwiw, although if you have the coin upgrade to their Fox 2.0 nitros.

The leaf packs are military wrapped, with nice sliders in between each leaf and poly bushings. The bushings are creaky for a while but I just soaked mine weekly in WD40 till they shut up lol.
 
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If you are going to put an aftermarket front bumper and winch on it you should plan on using the correct front springs for the extra weight. I choose OME springs and gas shocks and love the ride on and off road but it was not a low budget upgrade. Talk to DPG Offroad, he is a straight shooter and knows what works and what doesn't.
 
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OK, thanks for the replies everyone. I had Rubicon Express on my old TJ. I wasn't impressed. I had OME shocks with it. I dealt with a guy from ARB USA when I had a shock issue. He was an A$$hole and would not stand by their product. He proceeded to scour the internet and find a description of my Jeep and tried to cry foul and say I exceeded the lift. What he didn't take into account was that part of my lift was body lift and had nothing to do with the height for the shocks.

Anyway, I want to fit 31's under it, make it a bit beefier (safer) and still have a comfy ride. It's really gonna be a mall crawler, some light trail use only. It's hers, not mine. If it were mine, I'd cut the top off, weld in some roll bars, and slap an 8" LA lift on it, then go beat the snot out of it till I broke it.
 
i do not blame lift mfg's for not warrantying shocks... there is waaay too much you can do to ruin them... like running the wrong shocks for your suspension setup.... if you ran the wrong shocks for your suspension, and proceeded to blow out a cheap pair of shocks... thats your problem. your not driving a stock vehicle, modified means modified, put on the big boy pants, and stop asking others to send you free replacements for parts you broke fair and square.

Warrantys are for defects, not mis application, i would be PISSED OFF, if i found out i was paying an extra $5 per shock, for them to ship you free replacements cause you didnt measure... Im not a tj guy, and have never worked with one... but where do the tops of the shocks mount? to the body?


SKIP the AAL crap, even the so called 'long style' ones will sag.... causing other problems like axle wrap and everything that comes with that... do it right the first time.
 
Anyone with this suspension have any input? I am hoping to keep the ride quality stock or better. I know how kidney jarring rides are as I still miss my old TJ. I don't want it too harsh or my wife will not be happy. Anyone with a wife knows how that goes..........
I don't own a BDS suspension but i do own a lifted rig so i feel qualified to tell you that your shocks will have a huge impact on ride quality.

Even the "best" lift kits will ride like crap if you don't run a quality shock.
 
BDS says "If you are the original purchaser of any BDS product and it breaks, we will give you a new part. Period."




Based on what data ?

Driving my Jeep every day data.


A well known fact about their products.



Based on what data ?

I wore out a NEW set of Skyjacker poly bushings in two days in Moab.


Maybe a cheap Add A Leaf from SkyJacker will sag, but a good quality, full length AAL installed on a non-sagged leaf pack will work well.
 
I second the suggestion that you get new rear springs over the AAL. The ride quality is (usually!) better if you replace the entire spring.

I ran a 30" tire with my 3", and I wasn't pleased with the look. It may be just an inch, but its a big inch.
 
i do not blame lift mfg's for not warrantying shocks... there is waaay too much you can do to ruin them... like running the wrong shocks for your suspension setup.... if you ran the wrong shocks for your suspension, and proceeded to blow out a cheap pair of shocks... thats your problem. your not driving a stock vehicle, modified means modified, put on the big boy pants, and stop asking others to send you free replacements for parts you broke fair and square.

Warrantys are for defects, not mis application, i would be PISSED OFF, if i found out i was paying an extra $5 per shock, for them to ship you free replacements cause you didnt measure... Im not a tj guy, and have never worked with one... but where do the tops of the shocks mount? to the body?


SKIP the AAL crap, even the so called 'long style' ones will sag.... causing other problems like axle wrap and everything that comes with that... do it right the first time.

WOW! I appreciate the advice, but your doing the same thing as the rep from ARBUSA. He assumed that I voided out my warranty by going outside the scope of the shock. He never asked, he just went around on the internet and tried to dig up dirt on my Jeep from various forums. Seriously, he blamed everything BUT my stereo 2 of my shocks going bad. He was an asshole while doing it as well. It was nothing but excuses from Brian I believe his name was. I won't own anything OME or ARB again. That's just my opinion though. We all have our own.

BDS sent me bad shocks for my Liberty years ago. They rode for shit. It turns out the shock body (housing) was the wrong size for the actual shock. They didn't give me any excuses, simply had me verify their stamped # on the shock, apologized profusely, and over-nighted the new shocks to my house.

I replaced the OME shocks on my TJ with Bilstein and it rode like a Lincoln after that. I was simply looking for some ideas for a simple 3" lift for the wife's ride.

Thanks for everyone's input though.
 
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