Best out of box suspension kit

[Sephiroth]

For TJ .

[DanB98TJ]

For a short-arm kit I don't think you can beat Currie. I really like mine.

Can't help on the long arm, although if I were to buy one I'd be looking hard at the Full Traction.

[blkTJ]

out of the box huh???

how about taking a nifty Toyota lift (pick any vehicle and height) and modifying your TJ to run it???

how's that for "out of the box" thinking???

sorry, couldn't resist.

[speaceman]

What height?

Short: OME (shocks and springs with stock control arms.

Medium: Currie

Tall: One of the long arm kits.

[Robert J. Yates]

What do you want to do with it? If you want to continue driving it daily on pavement, I personally wouldn't put a dime into it and swap those 33's for 31's. If you actually want to wheel it and not be concerned with daily driving issues, that is a different story.

[Rockjeep]

I believe that jeep has done all the needed homework on this one. I think there suspenshion is fine stock. I havev't seen to many trails out there that a stock tj can't do. I wouldn't even waste the money.

[DsrtJeeper]

Originally posted by Rockjeep
I believe that jeep has done all the needed homework on this one. I think there suspenshion is fine stock. I havev't seen to many trails out there that a stock tj can't do. I wouldn't even waste the money.

Ohh boy!

[Robert J. Yates]

Its true if you are simply wheeling forest service roads and daily driving it, stock with armor and some recovery gear is plenty. 33's and a bunch of suspension is a waste of money for wheeling Big Bear and the like. Its not needed.

My rig fully built on 35's drives ok but I would hate to have to drive it everyday on a 25 mile or so commute. Sh!tty gas milage, to much noise and a short wheelbase do not make for a good commuter vehicle.

[mrblaine]

The best suspension kit out of the box is the one you install yourself.

[Bermudacat]

Been pretty happy with my Rancho Rock Crawler suspension.


Comes with everything you need except the shocks..........

Front Brake lines
Front track bar
Front sway bar dissconect kit
Springs (duh!)
Rear track bar bracket
Rear sway bar links
Lower control arms
Transfer case linkage bracket
Belly drop kit

[Sephiroth]

Originally posted by Robert J. Yates
What do you want to do with it? If you want to continue driving it daily on pavement, I personally wouldn't put a dime into it and swap those 33's for 31's. If you actually want to wheel it and not be concerned with daily driving issues, that is a different story.

Im ready for the next step up, JV and as I sit now that is not possible with my current set up.

[Paradiddle]

Originally posted by Sephiroth
Im ready for the next step up, JV and as I sit now that is not possible with my current set up.

Currie 4", 1" BL, Anti-Rock, Rancho 9000 or Fox shocks, with a Currie belly up.

Currie makes a great product that is comp tested and tough as hell. The Currie's stand behind everything, they are local, their service has always been great for me.

I can't think of another large manufacturer that has tested their stuff as tough as the Currie's have. Many of them talk about competition tough, but John competed for several years on his 4" kit on a TJ and even won ARCA with that equipment.

Jeff

[Robert J. Yates]

Originally posted by Sephiroth
Im ready for the next step up, JV and as I sit now that is not possible with my current set up.

then you better get your wallet out don.

[Sephiroth]

Its out , it was a matter of time and luck and have the home and the wife to thank for it,


1-buy home
2-fix up home, paint ect.
3- re appraise home
4- refinance home
A round about way of getting there but it worked

Originally posted by Robert J. Yates
then you better get your wallet out don.

[Darrell C]

Originally posted by Sephiroth
Its out , it was a matter of time and luck and have the home and the wife to thank for it,


1-buy home
2-fix up home, paint ect.
3- re appraise home
4- refinance home
A round about way of getting there but it worked

Well then, welcome aboard Don!

It now comes down to the basic question of short arm vs long arm. Once you decide that, the choice of lift to fit that decision has pretty well been defined.

SA = Currie
LA = Full traction...or maybe RE.

I've been pretty pleased with my RE LA setup, but if I had to replace it tomorrow it would be a decision between the two I LA kits I listed.

Whoops, almost forgot. There is another option: the J arm. But I hear that's not exactly a bolt-on proposition

[Jerry Bransford]

Speaking of Full Traction LA kits, I've had three individuals comment independently in the last several days that they've either personally had or seen more problems than expected with FT's LA kit.

One VERY knowledgeable guy I talked with works for Offroad Warehouse where they install a lot of FT kits, as well as RE's LA kit. He mentioned that FT's LA kit has had more problems than expected, mainly heim-joint related, and that he'd never install one on his Jeep after having seen them come back more than he expected for various problems.

The other individual is one of my 4WP area managers and while we are not a dealer for 4WP, he has had several FT kits in various 4WP shops getting them repaired. This guy also has an RE LA kit in his Jeep and is tough enough on Jeeps to have bent two RE LA kit control arms so no lift is perfect... but between those two individuals and a customer I talked to who had a FT kit who also wasn't happy with the heim joints that came with the kit, I'm not as impressed with FT's LA as I used to be.

The common comment that I kept hearing was that FT uses heim joints in parts of the suspension where it isn't appropriate. I don't know if that's entirely true or not but when several people I know to be very knowledgeable say the same thing independently of each other, I have to wonder if it's not true.

I'm even happier with my RE LA kit now... and would be even happier if it were actually installed already... but at least I finally have a definite date to do the installation, the first week of Sept.

[mrblaine]

Originally posted by Jerry Bransford
Speaking of Full Traction LA kits, I've had three individuals comment independently in the last several days that they've either personally had or seen more problems than expected with FT's LA kit.

One VERY knowledgeable guy I talked with works for Offroad Warehouse where they install a lot of FT kits, as well as RE's LA kit. He mentioned that FT's LA kit has had more problems than expected, mainly heim-joint related, and that he'd never install one on his Jeep after having seen them come back more than he expected for various problems.

The other individual is one of my 4WP area managers and while we are not a dealer for 4WP, he has had several FT kits in various 4WP shops getting them repaired. This guy also has an RE LA kit in his Jeep and is tough enough on Jeeps to have bent two RE LA kit control arms so no lift is perfect... but between those two individuals and a customer I talked to who had a FT kit who also wasn't happy with the heim joints that came with the kit, I'm not as impressed with FT's LA as I used to be.

The common comment that I kept hearing was that FT uses heim joints in parts of the suspension where it isn't appropriate. I don't know if that's entirely true or not but when several people I know to be very knowledgeable say the same thing independently of each other, I have to wonder if it's not true.

I'm even happier with my RE LA kit now... and would be even happier if it were actually installed already... but at least I finally have a definite date to do the installation, the first week of Sept.

I'm a bit confused over the disgruntlement with the rod ends. I looked at them and found them to be higher in quality than the ones supplied by Skyjacker that I ran for 2 years with no issue.

I also know that Drew is no fool and if a problem is occurring, he's on top of it and will remedy the design to make it the best it can be.

Where are rod ends not appropriate? Let's start there. If you find the basis of that logic, you will then know the agenda of the person speaking.

As far as you being happy with a product that you have not even driven on over a product you have only heard about, Well????

[Joel77]

I also heard on a few boards concerning the joint issue in the FT LA.

I also heard that they were going to replace the Grade 8 Heim joints with Johnny Joints. Any truth to that???

But by the same token RE Joints aren?t super impressive either.

Anyway I?m gonna go with Full Traction regardless. Drew seems to know his sh$%. And will probably have this worked out in no time.

Joel

[Jeff Weston]

Originally posted by Joel77

Anyway I?m gonna go with Full Traction regardless. Drew seems to know his sh$%. And will probably have this worked out in no time.

Joel

You will not be disappointed! Perhaps the rod ends may or may not have a shorter service life in muddy conditions? I neither know or care the answer to that as it does not apply to my use.

Anyway, going on memory, there are 7 of these ends on the FT system (1 on the 4 lower and 2 front upper arms and one on the front trackbar). The rear upper wishbone is located by a large spherical joint. I certainly don't profess to be an expert, but the joints seem like they'll be up to the task.

Overall, I am very happy with the way my Jeep works and its capabilities far exceed mine as a driver. It feels quite stable both on the rocks and at 85 mph on the freeway (tested it out once .... or twice on the freeway.

[Jerry Bransford]

Originally posted by mrblaine
I'm a bit confused over the disgruntlement with the rod ends. I looked at them and found them to be higher in quality than the ones supplied by Skyjacker that I ran for 2 years with no issue.

I also know that Drew is no fool and if a problem is occurring, he's on top of it and will remedy the design to make it the best it can be.

Where are rod ends not appropriate? Let's start there. If you find the basis of that logic, you will then know the agenda of the person speaking.

As far as you being happy with a product that you have not even driven on over a product you have only heard about, Well????

First, as I have seen on this and every other forum, you don't have to be an owner of a particular product to be able to form an opinion on it. Plus if face-to-face conversations with people in the industry can't also be useful for obtaining credible information, then I guess you have to buy and install every product before you can have an opinion, or so I gather from your comment. So your "As far as you being happy with a product that you have not even driven on over a product you have only heard about, Well????" comment left me cold Blaine. Which of those two brands are you running?

Their "agenda"? What agenda? One shop manager is a dealer of FT, the 4WP area manager is not. They both, independently of each other, told me that they had been seeing FT LA-equipped Jeeps coming into their shops for repairs that neither felt was appropriate of the kit's reputation. What brought all this up was when I mentioned how great the FT kit looked and how I had been hearing reports of its "better" engineering.... so one ORW shop manager who installs FT LA kits and another who doesn't install them but has had them in for repairs both told me that based on what they had both seen, that neither were as impressed with FT's quality as they once had been. Both guys run shops, one guy runs multiple shops.

It's great that you feel Drew will fix any problems that become an issue, I'm sure he will. But for you to imply what I said was invalid and indeed ridicule it because I don't personally own a FT kit and haven't yet installed my RE LA didn't do a thing for me. And I never mentioned tie-rod ends. Go ahead and ban me if you like for my not having appreciated how my input was responded to.

[Sephiroth]

Thanks for all the info on kits but I think my "out of the box kit" was a poor choice of words. A year or so ago Blaine gave me a list to what I need like lockers gears and such, and over time some of the parts like springs the group has gone another direction other then pro comp to progressive type and have found them to be a better option so I am just trying to get feedback so I build it the right way the first time.

[Rockjeep]

I would never take the word from anyone who works at 4WP. They are scam artist. I have also watched and helped quinn install tons of FT kits and am really impressed with there kit. The only reason i did not put there kit on my mom tj when I built it for her was 1 it wasn't out yet and 2 fabtech used her jeep for the prototype other wise I would have used the FT kit. And after having RE suspenshion before I'll never run there stuff again. I think I'll take that pepsi challange anytime. FT against RE.

[DsrtJeeper]

Rockjeep;
What is wrong with RE?

[Jerry Bransford]

I liked reading how all us 4WP people are "scam artist(s)".

[Rockjeep]

i don't have a tj but ever leaf spring I bought or they have replaced for me has either sagged or broken. they ride nice but are weak. just my experance

[Paradiddle]

Originally posted by Jerry Bransford
mainly heim-joint related,

Originally posted by Jerry Bransford And I never mentioned tie-rod ends

Jerry

Heim Joint is to rod end as Kleenex is to tissue as Thermos is to vacuum bottle

Jeff

[Paradiddle]

Originally posted by Jerry Bransford
I liked reading how all us 4WP people are "scam artist(s)".

You do have to admit that that particular vendor has some work to do shoring up their reputation and knowledge in the 4x4 aftermarket parts business.

Jeff

[Jerry Bransford]

Originally posted by Paradiddle
Jerry

Heim Joint is to rod end as Kleenex is to tissue as Thermos is to vacuum bottle

Jeff

Whoops, I realize that, I misread his 'rod ends' as 'tie rod ends'. Thanks Jeff.

[Paradiddle]

Originally posted by Jerry Bransford
Whoops, I realize that, I misread his 'rod ends' as 'tie rod ends'. Thanks Jeff.

PS - I think I'm heading to the Compton store today for some things.

[Jerry Bransford]

Originally posted by Paradiddle


You do have to admit that that particular vendor has some work to do shoring up their reputation and knowledge in the 4x4 aftermarket parts business.

Jeff

I can't argue with that Jeff, I took this job as their San Diego dealer guy with my eyes open. What I've found though is that just about any dealer and provider of aftermarket automotive parts has its share of problems, 4WP included. I've seen more complaints on the forums about less well-known dealers and manufacturers though. We've got some employees that are world-class in terms of 4x4 and industry knowlege and a few others that would probably be better off flipping hamburgers. I do know we try to do a good job, and I'm trying pretty hard myself... though I'm not in their retail operations.