WildlandOutdoors
Observer
Will do!
99 Grand Cherokee Adventure Rig
- Thread starter WildlandOutdoors
- Start date
Jeepinaaron
Adventurer
He also went with larger tires. I don't think OME HD lift has any problem handling the weight. I spent two weeks travelling from NC to CO and Utah with two people and the Jeep loaded with gear, pulling an off-road trailer and I had no issues. You will lose height with any spring lift when you add heavy things like bumpers. I don't think its fair to say the OME can't handle the weight, it has some of the highest spring rate springs out there.
I am running the IRO 5.5 inch lift with 33s and love the ride. I have a Hanson front bumper with a winch and synthetic line. Rockhard rear bumper, sliders and full roll cage. I just recently installed the Bushwackers Fender Flares. Love the ride, but I would suggest upgrading the shocks to some 5100s. I do not think you will be disappointed.
Lecoq
Explorer
I'm a bit late to this discussion but I'll voice my opinion. I'm on my 4th suspension setup with my WJ.
OME HD was great until I added the rear bumper. It wasn't able to handle the extra weight of the tire carrier and fuel. Even with a 2 inch budget boost in the rear it was still struggling and did not handle very well. If I was to do it all over again I would do the long arms from the start. Driving with a 4 inch lift and short arms was not terrible but it wasn't very pleasant. Took me a while to convince myself to do the suspension again. But after getting the long arms on I felt a difference right away.
Spring rates are one thing but you also need to look at free length of the springs. I took me a while to get this figured out and dialled in. I was going by spring rates alone when doing the research and ended up disappointed. The OME HD are only rated to give you a 1.5 inch lift. Most people like myself net a 2.5-3 inch lift with no load but once they are loaded up the go to their designed 1.5 inch of lift.
The IRO HD rear springs I have are the stiffest I could find with a 240 lbs per inch rate. Yet they are still almost 1 inch shorter than their 4.5 inch advertised lenght. I'm currently running OME 10mm rear spacers in top to get almost 4 inch of lift.
I believe the Clayton Off-road are the better springs out there. My front springs are from Clayton and they sit at their advertised 4.5 inch lift with an ARB bumper and the Warn winch. Not to mention the extra weight from other accessories.
I'm thinking of swapping the rear springs to Clayton soon. Still trying to figure out if I'll go with the 4.5 or the 6.
WildlandOutdoors
Observer
So in your opinion with going through what you have would you recommend going with the IRO LA system but using Clayton 4.5" Springs vs the IRO 4" springs? BTW I love your thread, it literally changed the way I was thinking by the end. It was like I was kind of looking into the future seeing what could happen.
Lecoq
Explorer
Thanks! Glad to be able to help out.
I've had no issues with the IRO stuff I bought from them. The only thing I have to say is that the joints they use are different from Clayton. They're a bit of a pain to keep maintaining. I had a hard time greasing them every time and the torque on the bolts holding the joints together is iffy.
If you plan on loading the WJ with a front and rear bumper with some gear in the back, I would definitely look into the Clayton springs.
I've had no issues with the IRO stuff I bought from them. The only thing I have to say is that the joints they use are different from Clayton. They're a bit of a pain to keep maintaining. I had a hard time greasing them every time and the torque on the bolts holding the joints together is iffy.
If you plan on loading the WJ with a front and rear bumper with some gear in the back, I would definitely look into the Clayton springs.
WildlandOutdoors
Observer
Well put my other vehicale up for sale so hopefully I will be able to start buying parts soon. I do have another question for you guys. Bumpers: For the front I am trying to decide between the ARB Bull Bar and the Trail Ready Full Guard what are your opinions here? Also I an thinking about a Rock Hard 4X4 rear bumper and tire carrier with dual jerry can mounts. Any other good suggestions for a rear bumper and tire carrier?
I've always wanted the ARB bumper until I started researching it. I found a few guys that had bent them and they were complaining about the price vs. Quality. My needs at the time we're strength and durability since I do more wheeling than expoing. Trail ready seems nice I've not really read to much good or bad. I ended up forgoing all of what I read and heard and went with a logans metal products bumper.dispite there horrible customer service /support reviews I found online ,I took the chance . Logans is local to me so I gave them a call . Not only were they GREAT to deal with,the bumper was done on time to the day. They had even offered to meet us half way on their way home to drop it off. Their bumper is extremely heavy duty and heavy but I've hit 2 trees at 10 to 15 mph in 4lo and just bounced right off with no damage to the bumper or jeep substructure. My goals for the WJ have changed a bit since and am now building more of an expo rig more than a hard core wheeler but I'm glad I bought this bumper and know my front end is very well ptotected.
One area to pay special attention to is the rad support it is weak at best and should be considered when contemplating a bumper.
I love the hard core rear but never really researched it. I currently have a custom designed rear bumper that another WJ buddy of mine just designed for himself sitting in my garage waiting to be put together and may be put into some type of production pending on our prototype and will be a diy type kit . I will then take his design and tweek it a bit to accommodate a rear winch.
One area to pay special attention to is the rad support it is weak at best and should be considered when contemplating a bumper.
I love the hard core rear but never really researched it. I currently have a custom designed rear bumper that another WJ buddy of mine just designed for himself sitting in my garage waiting to be put together and may be put into some type of production pending on our prototype and will be a diy type kit . I will then take his design and tweek it a bit to accommodate a rear winch.
WildlandOutdoors
Observer
Yea not too many front bumpers out there that offer the radiator support protection. I'm thinking I am going to just have to buy a bumper then have a buddy fab something up. I have read alot saying the Trail Ready mounts horribly and takes for ever to get and that the ARB is fast to get, fits great but can cause overheating and needs trimmed for larger tires. Hoping some ofthe guys with various bumpers will chime in
jeep-N-montero
Expedition Leader
The upside to the ARB is better protection for the headlights.
chasespeed
Explorer
HK offroad has a bumper that flows with the lines on the WJ nicely, best aftermarket one I've seen yet. And if they don't already have it, they will very soon, have the lower radiator protection.
Personally, going with the hidden mount(and make a lower guard) since this area, dont really need much protection.
Chase
Personally, going with the hidden mount(and make a lower guard) since this area, dont really need much protection.
Chase
WildlandOutdoors
Observer
I looked at the HK Offroad bumper and I like it, but I would love to see the bull bar addition and radiator protection finished. I need a bumper that will protect against deer. We live in Iowa so all the states around us including Iowa all have deer problems. That and from what I have read you can get a ARB a bit cheaper than the HK Offroad.
The HK bumper looks great my only concern other than the lack of additional rad protection is the fact that they want you to cut out the front "metal bumper". Not a big fan of that ,this are unibody jeeps and in my opinion (just my opinion ) you need as much structural integrity that you can get. Once you really start to flex that WJ out it does twist a little, once again just my 2 pennies worth
WildlandOutdoors
Observer
Yea I wasn't too sure about that myself. Cutting away steel to add a bumper seems odd. Might work for mild wheeling but not sure I would want to get into a rough spot with it. That's why I am thinking the ARB is the way to go. Any know where the best place to buy one is? I have read they can be found for $700ish but not sure if that's the case anymore or not.