IFS - who has experiance with OMU or AEV shock/springssystems for your Liberty? I am

[enumclaw]

talking to shop owners from Seattle to LA trying to find out whos system will provide the most suspension travel. I am specifically looking for dropping (negative) articulation. I am not going the route of buying equipment strictly for lifting purposes. Both systems will lift the rig 1.5 - 3 inches depending upon springs chosen. This is my daily driver, hunting mule, grandkids adventure wagon, and boat pulling rig. Everyone I have talked to agrees the ride will improve for most stuff. but for the suspension, I am targeting for what is best for extended expo tuning of the suspension. Yes, I have been reading tons of threads here.....

Side question: has anyone had poor performance issues from CURT products?



and Merry Christmas to each and everyone of you. Blessings upon you and the ones you love. Blessings upon our service men and women.

 

[phxtoad]

I run OME stuff as part of the 2 1/2" Frankenlift. I ran the simple Daystar pucks and Rancho's for 5 years prior however. Aside from being stiffer back then, the performance was really about the same. Not that huge a difference IMO - just more supple with the OME. I've heard that going with disconnects on the front sway bar gives you a little more droop (and I mean a little). I never bothered. More droop = more stress on the CV's. The ticking noise is not good to hear. The popping noise following the ticking noise - also sucky. Been there done that.

The vast majority of modified Liberty's run approx. 2 1/2" of lift and 31's or 32's. I doubt there's much of a quantitative performance difference between the lowest quality and the highest quality lift/suspension. The geometry is basically the same - limited by the IFS 'system', wheel well space, and control arm length. Custom SFA is the only way to really increase articulation significantly. But that is a pricey endeavor.

 

[Utah KJ]

OME lift is superior in every conceivable way to a puck lift.

 

[bugnout]

Can't go wrong with OME. I have OME springs and front shocks. Monroe rear shocks with helper springs to keep the rear from squating too much when I tow.

 

[enumclaw]

Please tell me more about your 2.5 frankenlift.

I did install a CURT front reciever the other day .... sits pretty low... the OME install will help gain some elevation back. ....

 

[bugnout]

Check out www.lostkjs.com or www.jeepkj.com

Lots of good info on Liberty's

 

[Cards81fan]

I run a Daystar spacer lift with Rancho rear shocks. Mine went on with less than 20k miles, and I am at 90k now. It isn't necessarily bad, but the stock springs get soft and wear out. Then they need replaced. At least I got my money's worth of of the spacers since they went on fresh springs. A spacer may not be bad on a newer KK with low miles on it. But if you are replacing parts on a KJ with some honest miles and older springs, you might as well just do a full spring lift and skip the spacers.

Also, either the OME pieces or the Frankenlift will articulate more than a stock part plus spacer. You have extra spring to work with that flexes, whereas a spacer cannot extend and add length. So the spacers, while not inherently bad, are not proper for your application. I know you didn't ask about spacer lifts, but I figured I would comment since they were brought up.

For full spring lifts, OME is pretty much the consensus way to go. You can use their coils and shocks, or substitute Bilstein shocks. Info on the Franken Lift is here: http://www.boulderbars.com/frankenlift.htm It's basically the OME parts, fronts pre-assembled, with a few tweaks like custom top plate and poly parts.

To be honest, here pretty soon when my stock springs completely give up the ghost, I will probably order the Frankenlift fronts because they are assembled and I am lazy and the OME rear coils for the back axle. Changing out the assembled coil over "strut" part is easy, but disassembling it and such is a pain.

 

[phxtoad]

All I'm saying is that if you pay for nice coils and shocks you are going to have a better ride. Smoother, and with the ability to absorb bumps better. However, you don't really gain more articulation because it's the other parts of the system that are being restrictive.

I like my Frankenlift. Basically you are just paying for a pre-assembled front strut/coil/plate unit. I believe the components can be sourced individually though. The OME stuff is great. Like I said - supple.

 

[406to417]

For what it's worth I AEV does not offer a system for the Liberty and the shocks they do offer with their suspension are Bilstein.

 

[tommudd]

My first OME lift lasted 100,000 miles ( and is actually on another KJ now) with only a slight adjustment needed to compensate for some sag over that time. This was also with an ARB front bumper. I now have over 45,000 on the second lift which I am using OME springs again but some other parts thrown in as well.
I didn't lift mine until it had over 20,000 and wished I had done it at 100 miles instead of waiting.
Ride is far better, better handling etc.
Can't go wrong using OME springs
But also look at JeepinByAl suspension he has complete kits down to individual parts
We've installed 21 KJ lifts in my garage to date, (one was a Rustys full spring kit which sagged bad quickly) rest have been OME and no complaints to date

 

[enumclaw]

Just spoke to the shop selling the Frankenlift; told the frankenlift does not

fit the KK Liberties. I can still add the springs and shocks; but no frankenlift Package. Heather said the spacer would not fit. So I would get 1.5 inch vertical gain - having to remain with my stock -30" tires.

 

[tommudd]

You would actually get more than 1.5 inches
and then there are some things to do to add almost 1.25 more
245-75-16 tires will work then with no problems at all
We'll be doing another one here real soon at my place

NOW
if you want more go to JeepinByAl and get one of his 4 inch kits, works great but more $$$ but its tuneable and should last a long time. With a KK you can go to lower gears than we can in the KJs since we are limited to 4.10s