The biggest, and probably most dynamic modification you can do to your Jeep Wrangler is modify the suspension making way for larger and more off road capable whee/tire combos. On my previous JKU, I decided to go with the Rough Country 3.5″ suspension lift with their v2.0 shocks. It was a nice lift with a smooth ride, but this time around, I really had my eyes on the Rancho kit. This kit comes with quite a bit of gear to properly lift your JK 3″ to make way for larger tires while maintaining a street element that is easy to handle as a daily driver. The kit comes with the following:
-Front & Rear Coil Springs
-Front Adjustable Track Bar
-Extended Length Front Sway Bar End Link
-Upgraded Front & Rear Bump Stop Spacers
-Front & Rear Adjustable Upper Control Arms
-Front Extended Length Brake Lines
-Rear Track Bar Bracket
-Rear Brake Line Drop Brackets
Since the kit did not come with shocks, I decided to upgrade and get the top-of-the-line Rancho RS9000XL fully adjustable shocks. These have an adjustment knob to adjust the ride from extremely firm on 9 down to super soft & smooth on 1. I have mine currently set at 3 all the way around for an excellent on road ride, and can easily adjust when hitting the trail if needed.
I would highly recommend this lift kit to anyone owning a JKU! Although there aren’t many reviews out there on Rancho Jeep lifts (since Rancho is mainly known in the truck industry), I am here to tell you, this kit is SOLID, and a great value!
I also highly recommend Danny & team over at AllSouth Autosports for any and all Jeep or 4×4 work you need done! Couldn’t be happier, and am a repeat customer since they lifted my first JKU!
Hey Matt- these lifts work well on the JK’s red headed step brother Hummer H3 also…totally changes the look and off-road capability/drivability…
Hey, Matt – You’ve run this setup for almost two years. I’d be interested in your opinion now, as well as a brief description on where and how hard you’ve wheeled it. Thanks!
John,
As much as I would love to give you an honest answer, unfortunately I sold the Jeep quite some time ago 🙁 Of course I miss it, but I can’t really give you a good idea of durability.
What I would say is, while on the street, the only issue I noticed on occasion was a quick kick-on of the compressor to keep the pressure while parked.. This was rare, and would literally kick on for 2 seconds and kick off (just a slow bleed I suppose). To me, it was a non-issue.
I would imagine though, if you wheeled the Jeep even moderately, especially in water/mud, I would be careful with this setup as the connections where the shocks connect up with the air lines is just push-&-lock, and to me, although this connection type is apparently common, seems like an easy place to break, come loose or start to leak.
I contacted Rancho when I first got my Jeep lifted with their shocks a bit upset to learn I could no longer get the MyRide kit as it had been discontinued. Naturally I asked why, and they said there were complaints with durability, not of the connections I described, but with the controller circuitry.
I think if you seal it well, mount it under the hood out of direct water/mud access, you should be fine though.
Hope this helps.
Matt
Thanks for the quick reply, Matt. Sorry to hear you sold your Jeep. The new JLs look pretty groovy though. 🙂
Absolutely! I’ll own another one sooner or later 🙂 One of a kind vehicles, no doubt, but with two kids both needing car seats, even the Unlimited models are really tight in the back, especially while the car seats are rear-facing.
Happy Wheeling though!