When I first bought my YJ in 2000 I knew one of the first things I would need to do is get a suspension lift. The Jeep came with 31″ BFG At tires and rubbed the flares on any little bump and the ride was very very ruff. The photos below speak for themselves..
Note: This write up was written several years after I did the install. Install was originally done around 2001.
Looks pretty bad eh?
I had several choices but after a lot of research I decided I didn’t want more that 3″ and a full kit. Everyone suggested the Rubicon Express 2.5″ System so I went ahead and ordered it from Yj Enterprises here in Canada.
I’d never done real work on a car before but the guys on Jeep-L assured me it was something I could do myself with simple tools and a floor jack. So the kit arrived, I opened it and arranged ever on the floor of my garage… What have I gotten myself into…
Ok… They said this should take 1 to 2 days but it was a long weekend so I figured I’d be good. Come Saturday night I still had hardly removed a bolt. Every bolt was rusted solid so I went out and rented an electric impact wrench and soaked the bolts over night in peneterating oil.
By Monday night I was ready to go crazy! I don’t normally get frustrated but this was starting to get to me..
A week went by and by the time Friday came I knew it was time to call in the heavy stuff. I went out to and bought an air compressor, heavy duty impact wrench and grinder.
With the cut off tool and Impact wrench I made fast work on getting the front done. All it took was 2 weeks and about $500 in extra tools and as I stand back to enjoy the job well done I realize the back still needs to be done.
The back end went ok I got in the habit of cutting every bolt off. So the max 2 day kit took me about 7 but honestly if it wasn’t for every bolt rusted it would have only taken 2 days. Someone experienced could do this in a day.
Didn’t take many photos because this was before I got my digital camera but below are some scans.
I couldn’t believe how bigger the Jeep was after the lift! It had lifted the jeep 4.5 inchs in the front and 4 in the back and after about 6 months it only sagged about 1/4-1/2 of a inch.
Here is some side to side compares (left are before lift and right is after)
Conclusion Road
The road ride is very nice no more smashing off the bumpstops and everything just feels so much tighter. I did add a rancho 5000 steering stabilizer because the one on the Jeep had no fluid in it. All in all I have nothing bad to say about the road quality.
Off-Road
My only beaf is the Rubicon Quick Disconnects are kinda a pain and if doing it again I’d buy better quality ones
UPDATE In earily March 2001 I bought new 31×10.5×15 Kumho Mts for it and they look very sharp!
In late March 2001 I traded her in for a Tj really nothing wrong with her shes just getting old and I wanted a more solid platform to start with. I did bump into the Jeep in the summer of 2001 and it had nice 33×12.5s on it and they fit very nicely. Wish I had put them on now instead of the 31s.