TJ Lift Kit Cost

[RUSTEDBUCKET]

Can anybody give me a ball park estimate on lift kit costs for a tj? Is there a huge difference in cost from a 2" to a 4"? Or a 4" to a 6"?  I'm sure a few of you have seen that I'm looking for a tj, and I am just kicking around the idea of buying stock and installing a lift myself. As everybody knows it's easier to find a stocker then it is to find a nice lifted.

(There are a few nice ones in the truck trader though... Maybe this weekend will end my search! Here's hoping.)

Kasey.

[Mudhawg]

i voted buy stock and build it ureself then when something break u know how to fix it because u have installed the stuff youself  

[Bnine]

Unless it was built by someone you know, or someone that can be vouched for like most of the guys here, I'd avoid built jeeps.

Especially if you are looking to wheel it.

Most of the lifted jeeps in places like the truck trader are pavement princesses and are built more for looks then actual trail riding. Those types cost you more in the end as you pay for broken parts that are not up to par for actual offroading.

[Bnine]

On the other hand.

If you can find a reputable built jeep, it will be a lot cheaper then building your own.

For example. For you to build the jeep GIS listed to you.

Base price plus

lift 3000$
Tires 1600$
Shocks 350$
Winch, plate, and line, 1100
Body lift 150
CB 150
Slip yoke eliminator 500
cv driveshaft 500
xm radio, I dont know.

Thats no labor, and no time included. And already you are up over 7k.

You can build smaller and a bit cheaper then those parts, but usually at the cost of quality.

IMHO, you should buy stock, buy quality parts a little bit at a time and build off of that.

[HIWYH8R]

I don't know, what is the problem buying a pavement princess? Most people who have one usually don't know the difference between pliers and cresent wrench, so they haven't screwed around with anything and probably never even seen a gravel road. Most of the time it's been modified by the dealer or other shop that hopefully has some qualified techs to do it. Poor quality is easy to spot. Just have to look carefully.

And what is there to break between a PP and something we built ourselves? Like I mean a susp lift, tires, winch, bumpers. The money you save could make a big diffrence' as long as there are quality parts installed.

[cablesmurf]

Buy it built, but get it inspected. It will save you a ton of time and money.

[Bnine]

I don't know, what is the problem buying a pavement princess? Most people who have one usually don't know the difference between pliers and cresent wrench, so they haven't screwed around with anything and probably never even seen a gravel road. Most of the time it's been modified by the dealer or other shop that hopefully has some qualified techs to do it. Poor quality is easy to spot. Just have to look carefully.

And what is there to break between a PP and something we built ourselves? Like I mean a susp lift, tires, winch, bumpers. The money you save could make a big diffrence' as long as there are quality parts installed.

Thats the whole point.

Most pavement rigs have the cheapest crap you can find on them.

These are the guys who always ask "do I relly need a sye"

"do I have to use adjustable front arms"

"do I really need shocks if Im not going to offroad"

"do I need long brakelines to drive to the mall"

What you will find is overpriced/underbuilt rigs, because the owner thinks that his 4" basic super lift and 33" mall terrains make his jeep somehow worth more then the stocker with same milage and year. It isnt. Its more work to fix/correct all that stuff then it is just to do your own from scratch.

If you are looking for trail reliability.

Either buy a quality built rig, or a stocker and do your own thing.

Thats my 2 cents at least.

The dealers in town that install jeep lifts install procomp 4" fixed, bushing end arms and t-case drops, and a base teraflex saggy spring 3 inch. Both are street lifts, and do not last long if off roaded.

Anything more technical then that, modern and national is doing for them. Dealer installed aftermarket does make it great.

[Bnine]

And what is there to break between a PP and something we built ourselves? Like I mean a susp lift, tires, winch, bumpers. The money you save could make a big diffrence' as long as there are quality parts installed.

To name a few things.

Control arm mounts. Street lifts use stiff arms with bushing. Adds a lot stress to mounts and tears them off.

Sway links. Street jeeps do not install disco's, stock links constantly tear off unless you pull them.

Rear shaft u joints. Just because a driveshaft is set up to ride down the road, doesnt mean it wont shred the joints the first time you do to wheel and droop the rear axle

Blown stock shocks that are to short and end being used to stop downward axle travel

Dusted motors, or a motor that takes a big drink your first time out because it has a "cool" aem type intake tube and oily K&N on it.

List goes on.


We bought a street only driven TJ for my wife almost 2 years ago.

We wondered why we got it for about 1500-2000 less then going the going rate.

It was mint. We inspected it before buying, with a mechanic.

Turned out we didnt drive fast enough in 4 wheel to figure one thing out.

The transfer case has a skip to it anywhere after 50kph. It turned out to be a bad shifter fork because of rotten fluid in the case that had likely never been changed.

The original owner probably got the clunk,and not being mechanical thought it was a huge deal so dropped the price for a fast sale.

Point being, in my opinion, offroaders, for the most part, maintain their rigs a lot better then a to b drivers who have no mechanical inclination at all.

I see it all the time.

anyways, I'll stop rambling  my veiwpoints now.

[fony3]

I think stock is the way to go. Where is the fun if you dont get to do your own mods?

My plan is build it up step by step, pretty much how bnine described it.

[ramtuff]

I voted buy stock, find one owned by someone who never took it off road.

[cablesmurf]

Well, most people know I have sold many Jeeps that I built and I have always taken care of them. They were built, and built well. Not everyone beats the snot out of thier rigs. I mostly sell mine 'cause I get bored and need to build another one.

 There are alot of well built rigs out there for sale and no one will buy them because of this poor attitude. Buying a built rig will save you thousands, 'cause as we all know, you'll never get near your money back when you sell a modified rig.

That's the Smurf's 2 cents.

[apex]

wow, bill... why don't you tell us how you really feel, and quit using my Jeep as an example of what not to build. :lol:

I can not believe no one has asked this question yet...

Kasey, what is the primiary use of your Jeep? Daily driver/commuter, weekend warrior, bushpig/shitbagger, or kick-arse trail destroyer?

Do you need a $6k suspension in a daily commuter? Likely Not

Are you going to get amazing flex from a body lift, coil spacers, and 35's? WTF do you think?

Decide your use and find a middle point.

{thread hijack below}

For me, I have a daily driver with just about everyhting Bill described above. Cheap 4" Short arm lift, No SYE, "Oily" K&N intake, repositioned brakelines, non adjustable front control arms, the list goes on. But I have a daily driver which I wheel occasionally. I spent what I could to get my jeep to a better place.
Do I like it? Hellz yeah, i love it.  I loved it when it was stock.  
Is it done? No, Jeeps are never done.

It is your choice if you want to spend the time and $ building it the way you want. Buying built will save you a lot of $ and $... I mean time and $ i nthe short term.



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