Lift planning in New Zealand Part1, Lift kit Q's

1995 VIN with 1996 registration and appearance in and out (factory)
UpCountry package, skids, trans cooler...
4.0 / AW4 / NP242 / dana 30 front 35C rear at 3.55

Lifting to achieve good beach and dirt/rut road driveability and to get light to moderate offroading ability while refreshing and improving suspension components.

I am pretty well fixed on a 3.5" lift with full leaf packs as the main lift, running my existing 30" tires. It seems to be best value/quality for money and will allow me to add an inch or so sometime later via shackles and pucks to run 32" tires once I save up for them plus new wheels. ('Taint cheep here in NZ to buy those tires, so I must wait.)

The three lifts that seem to be showing up the most when searching are the Rubicon Express, the Tuff Country, and the Rough Country 3.5"ers. They are similar in what they supply, but have two key differences that I would like your input on.

1) Leaf packs with the super-thick short lower leaf VS. leaf packs that are just normal-looking packs. What's the diff here? (I thought those beefy bottom leafs were about towing not flex, why supply with lift kit?)

2) LCA's shape: bent-style or straight-style are the choices. What is the difference/importance of the bent shape? (doesn't seem to be related to tire clearance since it's a vertical bend, not sure what that's about)

Input?

Nixt said:

1995 VIN with 1996 registration and appearance in and out (factory)
UpCountry package, skids, trans cooler...
4.0 / AW4 / NP242 / dana 30 front 35C rear at 3.55


The three lifts that seem to be showing up the most when searching are the Rubicon Express, the Tuff Country, and the Rough Country 3.5"ers. They are similar in what they supply, but have two key differences that I would like your input on.

1) Leaf packs with the super-thick short lower leaf VS. leaf packs that are just normal-looking packs. What's the diff here? (I thought those beefy bottom leafs were about towing not flex, why supply with lift kit?)
Lift comes from either stiffness or spring arch. Multiple, thin leaves, with sufficient arch to give desired lift, in my opinion, is desired over extra thick leaves. The "thin leaf" pack will give better ride and flex. The thicker, stiffer leaves give better "overload" protection, and are better for controlling spring-wrap. My experience with advertised 3-4 inch lifts (I've purchase 3" Rancho and 5-6" Tomken kits) is that they all resulted in ~ 1 to 2 inch lifts; hardly worth the expense and work. Search this naxja for "rear leaf packs" and consider other people's experience with resulting ride-height and flex, versus "advertised". My most recent experience is with Rubicon Express (RE). I currently have RE 5.5" springs (RE 1461); they have resulted in ~7" of lift! (used in conjunction with their 6" boomarang shackle (RE 2705)). Point: RE's seem to give better than advertised lift; something I have not experienced before! I wish I would have bought the 4.5" spring to achieve a 6" lift.

2) LCA's shape: bent-style or straight-style are the choices. What is the difference/importance of the bent shape? (doesn't seem to be related to tire clearance since it's a vertical bend, not sure what that's about)
The bent arms you are describing are to give clearance between the arm and the front shock mount at full droop. Straight arms will make contact and limit droop. You could use straight arms, but you would need to grind away areas where they hit.

Input?

Click to expand...

An aside to your specific questions, for off-road-ability--especially in sand/mud--a rear locker (not limited slip differential) would improve your off-road performance immensely. With a front and rear locker, you'll truly have 4-wheel drive, and will be able to go anywhere!!

By the way, I've spent a couple of years in NZ--greatest place I've ever visited.

Wow, thanks, bubba! Especially about the shock mount contact with the straight arms. The articulation in front will be needed on these steep beaches, so I think that narrows it right off the bat.

I've read the same comments about the RE packs giving better than listed lift before, but have never done a full-packs lift and don't know any other jeepers here to chat with... though I did use an RE add-a-leaf lift in my last XJ that I liked a lot. It gave advertised lift after settling in, but it was 3/4" higher for a month or so at first, and only sagged 1/2" below listed after a year of mild wheeling.

Hmm. RE is out front, then, for both the bent arms and the spring packs.

And the lockers are on the want-list, but not yet on the 'can afford' list!

And yeah, NZ is a great place - been here a year now and besides the high cost of goods it is just awesome to be living here.

Please, anyone else want to chime in, add to xjbubba's info?

Digging found that RE's kits all have the straight arms.

Bummer.

Based on the other stuff, it may be them anyway.

Anyone know of an RE kit with bent LCAs?

Nixt, i fitted the ZONE OFFROAD 4.5 lift with full rear leaf pack.
FANTASTIC....real good ride as daily driver and excellent offroad, got i little more than 4.5 lift, but after settling it was about 4.5. Really good pricing as well.
The kit include everyting you need.
One really important upgrade is the quick disconnects for your front swaybar. The swaybar restricts a lot of your front axle flex, if disconnected it increases dramatically.
have a look at wwww.zoneoffroad.com

You can then use 31inch wheels that will increase your overall ride height as well.

RE's products have gone down hill(springs mainly) look into clayton or rockkrawler

Curved inward for tire clearance or just curved like these?

http://www.ironman4x4fab.com/Products/LCA-F.html