JL JOURNAL : BETTER BOOST for Your BUDGET - RANCHO JL WRANGLER Sport Lift Kit

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Actually i have two. I've watched both of your excellent lift install videos. In the Rancho video you only used one floor jack under the front diff, is that because you weren't replacing the control arms? Also in the Rancho video, you showed unplugging the same plugs, but was there no need to use a trim tool to pop the cables off?

Ps thanks for mentioning all the required tools, and torque specs

Yes, 2 floor jacks is only helpful to have if you're replacing control arms. Also, if you work on your track bar, sway bar link and shock bolts with the full weight of your Jeep on the ground, it'll make life a lot easier for a first time install. This is what I had done on the EVO lift and I would probably follow it as it's more thorough for that.
 

Alex4LO

New member
VIDEO : JL JOURNAL - BETTER BOOST for Your BUDGET - RANCHO JL WRANGLER Sport Lift Kit

The 2.5" coil spacers only yielded maybe 1.5" of lift up front after we installed our heavy steel front bumper and winch. Completely unloaded in the back, we only got about 2" of lift in the rear after installing our heavy 37" spare tire mounted on a heavy beadlock wheel. Loaded up, we only had about 1/2" of lift in the rear.

These new Rancho coils are doing better to hold up the front end and while we didn't see a big difference up front, it is more than what we had before and in the rear, completely unloaded, we're actually sitting at just over 3" of lift. Completely loaded, we are still sitting at over 2" of lift and that makes a HUGE DIFFERENCE off road.

Are things starting to become a bit more clear for you now?



Thank you and couldn't agree more. For the price and for what all you get, it's definitely what I would consider to be a better budget boost.

Yea I see , thanks for the clarity lol

I get the whole your reviewing rancho , evo , dynatrac the forums vendors. It’s cool and it looks good and all. How about ICON 2.5” full kits or rock krawler 2.5, 3.5” Kit’s. Have you thought about trying them out on your rig?

Hoping for your feedback on these lifts obviously for me ,I’m wanting to clear 38s the whole 2” lifts won’t work.



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notnalc68

That dude from Mississippi
Yea I see , thanks for the clarity lol

I get the whole your reviewing rancho , evo , dynatrac the forums vendors. It’s cool and it looks good and all. How about ICON 2.5” full kits or rock krawler 2.5, 3.5” Kit’s. Have you thought about trying them out on your rig?

Hoping for your feedback on these lifts obviously for me ,I’m wanting to clear 38s the whole 2” lifts won’t work.



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Oh, he could get more than those companies as forum vendors.


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notnalc68

That dude from Mississippi
Yea I see , thanks for the clarity lol

I get the whole your reviewing rancho , evo , dynatrac the forums vendors. It’s cool and it looks good and all. How about ICON 2.5” full kits or rock krawler 2.5, 3.5” Kit’s. Have you thought about trying them out on your rig?

Hoping for your feedback on these lifts obviously for me ,I’m wanting to clear 38s the whole 2” lifts won’t work.



Sent from my iPhone using JL Wrangler Jeep Forum mobile app

Oh, he could get more than those companies as forum vendors.


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wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
I get the whole your reviewing rancho , evo , dynatrac the forums vendors. It’s cool and it looks good and all. How about ICON 2.5” full kits or rock krawler 2.5, 3.5” Kit’s. Have you thought about trying them out on your rig?

We like testing out Rancho products because they're affordable and typically, pretty nice for how much they cost. We have always found EVO to make some of the BEST products bar none but of course, they come at a price. Dynatrac is new to the world of suspension but have a long history of making quality products and that is a big part of why we were so eager to test out their kit. While we wouldn't be opposed to testing out ICON or Rock Krawler products and have done so with the later in the past, it'd be nice to have a specific reason to test out their JL stuff other than your interest in their brand. In spite of what you seem to think, it takes a lot of our time and effort and money to install and test products and of course, to produce videos like this. How about you send their kits to me, I'll consider it. :yup:

Hoping for your feedback on these lifts obviously for me ,I’m wanting to clear 38s the whole 2” lifts won’t work.

38's are kind of an odd size and not something I'd prefer to run but, to each their own. Is there something specific about these kits that have drawn you to them? Past experience maybe or are you just sold on the brand names? Of course, there's nothing wrong with that - just curious.
 

Alex4LO

New member
I agree. The rancho 2" kit is a great price. After seeing your video I'm sure they ride nice. I have had Icon in the past. On both of my Tacomas full coilover kits for my 2nd gen and 3rd gen taco. Since I am new to the jeep world and I traded my tacoma for the new JL. I am just curious and eager to learn which option to go with and which is the best. Since they are a lot of options for the jeep. I guess what I am trying to get at is making sure I get the best lift for the best price. I was just looking for your input on the other kits as well. Since I never heard of them. In the tacoma world ICONS and KINGS is all you hear is the best.

38's I like because I found some milestar patagonias MT's for a great price and load range C. Looking for a quiet soft ride. All the 37's are mostly load range E and pretty expensive for the thread lol. I guess this also goes back to running load range c 33s on my tacoma.
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
I agree. The rancho 2" kit is a great price. After seeing your video I'm sure they ride nice. I have had Icon in the past. On both of my Tacomas full coilover kits for my 2nd gen and 3rd gen taco. Since I am new to the jeep world and I traded my tacoma for the new JL. I am just curious and eager to learn which option to go with and which is the best. Since they are a lot of options for the jeep. I guess what I am trying to get at is making sure I get the best lift for the best price. I was just looking for your input on the other kits as well. Since I never heard of them. In the tacoma world ICONS and KINGS is all you hear is the best.

38's I like because I found some milestar patagonias MT's for a great price and load range C. Looking for a quiet soft ride. All the 37's are mostly load range E and pretty expensive for the thread lol. I guess this also goes back to running load range c 33s on my tacoma.

Ah, that makes sense now. I know that ICON is big in the Taco scene. They make quality products for sure and if that's what you're most familiar with, I'm sure you wouldn't be disappointed with their JL products.

Regarding tires, load range C tires will offer a more comfortable ride at a higher street pressure but they will also have weaker sidewalls. That's the biggest benefit to a load range E tire - sidewall strength. You just need to run them at about 28 psi for them to feel nice and give them a good footprint. Also, the benefit to getting a more common size tire like a 37 is that you can find them anywhere and for less money. This can be helpful especially if you're unlucky enough to get 2 flats and are in need of bumming a spare. You're also more likely to find a replacement with greater ease in the next town you come into. Just some food for thought and based on personal experiences.
 

RLsJL

New member
Install Time

Thanks for the great video!

Approximately how long would it take to install the full kit?
 

Alex4LO

New member
Ah, that makes sense now. I know that ICON is big in the Taco scene. They make quality products for sure and if that's what you're most familiar with, I'm sure you wouldn't be disappointed with their JL products.

Regarding tires, load range C tires will offer a more comfortable ride at a higher street pressure but they will also have weaker sidewalls. That's the biggest benefit to a load range E tire - sidewall strength. You just need to run them at about 28 psi for them to feel nice and give them a good footprint. Also, the benefit to getting a more common size tire like a 37 is that you can find them anywhere and for less money. This can be helpful especially if you're unlucky enough to get 2 flats and are in need of bumming a spare. You're also more likely to find a replacement with greater ease in the next town you come into. Just some food for thought and based on personal experiences.

Great feedback! I will consider that. I watched the video again and it makes more sense to ride the rancho kit.


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wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Thanks for the great video!

Approximately how long would it take to install the full kit?

Depends on who's doing the install I suppose. Someone who's really familiar with installing lifts could easily do it in about 4 hours or less. Someone new to it might be a weekend job.

Great feedback! I will consider that. I watched the video again and it makes more sense to ride the rancho kit.

Well, in terms of cost, yeah, I'd say so. However, if you can afford to spend more, there are better kits available. :yup:
 

Bernard

New member
As mentioned - GREAT videos and explanation and above all, the answers and the feedback afterword, here.
Just great information.
Thanks a lot.

...
Well, in terms of cost, yeah, I'd say so. However, if you can afford to spend more, there are better kits available. :yup:
like... (for example)????
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
As mentioned - GREAT videos and explanation and above all, the answers and the feedback afterword, here.
Just great information.
Thanks a lot.


like... (for example)????

For example, the new Dynatrac EnduroSport lift. But again, it is about twice the cost.
 

Bernard

New member
For example, the new Dynatrac EnduroSport lift. But again, it is about twice the cost.
Yes I can see that - the cost.
But with the Rancho kit, you run the EVO arms - How does it effect the overall ride (on and off road) off the Ranchos? Doesn't it upgrade that basic Rancho kit?
Wouldn't you have to add that to the cost?
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Yes I can see that - the cost.
But with the Rancho kit, you run the EVO arms - How does it effect the overall ride (on and off road) off the Ranchos? Doesn't it upgrade that basic Rancho kit?
Wouldn't you have to add that to the cost?

You don't need to run the Rancho kit or any 2" lift with adjustable control arms. If anything, some would argue that the ride would be slightly nicer with factory arms being that they have bonded rubber for bushings.
 

Deezus

New member
You don't need to run the Rancho kit or any 2" lift with adjustable control arms. If anything, some would argue that the ride would be slightly nicer with factory arms being that they have bonded rubber for bushings.
Eddie, I was wondering, I have a vibration at 70mph and I have the Rancho sport lift. One thing I didn't do was loosen all control arms and then re tighten. Is it possible that's causing me vibe at 70mph? It kinda makes sense if the arms aren't allowing pinion angles to adjust at faster speeds...or am I way off?

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wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Eddie, I was wondering, I have a vibration at 70mph and I have the Rancho sport lift. One thing I didn't do was loosen all control arms and then re tighten. Is it possible that's causing me vibe at 70mph? It kinda makes sense if the arms aren't allowing pinion angles to adjust at faster speeds...or am I way off?

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Is your vibration constant or does it oscillate? Can you feel it throughout the whole Jeep or kinda just in your steering wheel? Either way, what you're feeling shouldn't be related to your lift kit or the fact that you didn't loosen the control arms and re-tighten them.
 

Deezus

New member
Is your vibration constant or does it oscillate? Can you feel it throughout the whole Jeep or kinda just in your steering wheel? Either way, what you're feeling shouldn't be related to your lift kit or the fact that you didn't loosen the control arms and re-tighten them.
Its oscillating for sure driver and passenger can feel it. Steering wheel doesn't shake and steering seems ok. It just started happening or I just noticed it since putting top on. I thought maybe toe was out but I don't think that would cause this...

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wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Its oscillating for sure driver and passenger can feel it. Steering wheel doesn't shake and steering seems ok. It just started happening or I just noticed it since putting top on. I thought maybe toe was out but I don't think that would cause this...

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Check your drive shafts to see if you've knocked off any balancing weights. I know you've been wheeling pretty hard recently and an oscillating vibration is almost always a driveline balancing issue.
 

wibornz

New member
I am thinking about ordering this lift with the Rancho adjustable shocks. Part #RSS66122BR9

I think the only difference is the adjustable shocks.

Has anyone used the Rancho adjustable shocks?
 

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