[rwall43]

So as I type the lift is going in. I will have pics of all the little bits, a total of 6, that are used in the process plus pics of the final effect. The lift is the 2.5 by Rocky-Road

So far I have:

Removed both struts.
Taken struts to shop to have studs removed and bolts inserted in the top mount. More on this later.
Installed the drivers side strut back in and tighten all the bolts except the 4 that hold the top of the strut in.

Total time excluding the trip to the shop, 1.5 hours.

I should have the complete kit installed tonight and tires by next Thursday. It is actually a pretty good installation and does require some hefty tools but most people with a good jack, stands, and a good tool kit can do it.

The more:

The kit instructions say you can get these studs out yourself but that requires some serious effort and you could possibly damage the strut. The studs I am talking about are used in the "Top Mount" to bolt the strut to the jeep. Two of the studs come out pretty easily. Two can not clear the spring enough to come out with out grinding on them. The kit does mention this as the prefered technique if you do not have a spring compressor.

Bob

 

[Kelli]

Do you have pics of your lift?
Do you still like the way it looks, rides, etc???

 

[rwall43]

It is still being installed by me...it should be done around 11:30 tonight...pics to follow.

Bob

 

[rwall43]

Some pics with the stock tires on and the lift installed. More to come when I get time.

Goto the following link:

http://homepage.mac.com/rwall43/PhotoAlbum32.html

 

[Mango~Ridge]

It's a beautiful thing Looks great. We have the fusion red also, I'm jealous!

 

[maximo]

rwall43, let me be the second to say, i'm Jealous, good job. keep pics coming. maximo

 

[ranger31]

Bob,

The pics are nice and the lift looks good. Please let me know how the JC rides and if you notice any warning lights start to come on. I am planning on lifting two or three stock units and I would like some "real" info from an owner before I spend the money.

 

[rwall43]

Ok this will be the first driving report.

I was concerned that I might get the traction control/stability light to come on after I drove it for a mile or two and the computer caught up to the height change. But so far so good. I only drove it about 10 miles or so but will rack an additional 50 on it today. If the light stays off after that many miles, then I think it will stay off for good.

The ride is nice but a little firmer (sp) in the rear. It is not uncomfortable by any means and the noise level is the same. I am going to re-check all the bolts to make sure they have remained tight and to ensure nothing has worked itself loose. I did notice that hitting a sharp bump produces a little more of a jolt than the stock ride height. This could be because of the new suspension geometry. Don't know.

I would recommend this kit from what I have experienced so far. Time will tell and I will post more pics and info after I put some milage on it and get the new tires.

Bob

 

[kidatforty]

A few questions for you. Did the kit come with: steel front spacers, rear urethane spacers and rear shocks only? It looks a little lower in the front than the rear. Stock it sits that way and I would like it to sit more level. Do you agree?

 

[rwall43]

Exactly right. The kit comes with steel spacers on the front and a poly spacer for the spring in the back. I went with the longer shock in the back also. It does keep the same lower in the front factory stance though. I think you could probably get rid of the difference in height by adding an additional 1" spacer in the front. But I think this might be to much of a geometry change for the half shafts.

I wish there was a way to level it out. Any ideas??

Bob

 

[rwall43]

Drive report number 2:

All is still good and no lights on after 150 miles with the lift installed.

I will post again once I get the 265 or 275 size tires on to make sure the increase in height does not throw the stability control light on.

Bob

 

[chipw]

I'm interested to hear about your tire choice, especially if you go with the bigger 275's.

 

[Kelli]

Does anyone know if the stock wheels on the Commander limited would work with 265/70R17's and the 2.25" RockyRoad lift????

Do the stock wheels have zero offset?

 

[Kelli]

Hey all,

I received an email reply from RockyRoad Outfitters, here's what they said about my Tire/Wheel and lift question posted above...

Best to check our webpage where we have pricing for both systems.... AND you can calculate ship costs.
http://www.rocky-road.com/commander.html

Some folks like the Bilsteins. They are a race oriented shock and so ride pretty stiff for most folks though. They're fine if you're pounding thru the Baja desert at 100 MPH, but most folks just want a smooth ride on their way to and from work. For this... the Bilsteins are not the best.

Most of our customers have been sticking with the stock wheels. A few dealerships have been using aftermarket wheels with our suspensions to sell from the showroom.... but they REALLY hike the prices on those. Those 265/70 tires are about as large as you can go. Final fitment can vary from one tire manufacturer to the next though. Best thing is always to install your lift first, then have a tire shop test mount a front tire of your choice to check clearance. A few of our customers have used wheel spacers on their front axles due to the design of the Jeep knuckle. No height lift gets you around this. On some larger tires you either need a wheel spacer, or a different backspacing on the wheel. This is why it is best to have your lift installed first and then test fit before purchasing.

Glenn Wakefield
www.rocky-road.com

 

[thebk]

So what kind of tires can you fit with the kit, factory wheels, and some spacers? I really want to put the biggest tires I can with this lift and if the spacers allow some bigger tires that would be great without affecting safetly or ride too much...

 

[Kelli]

Re: Lift going in...

It seems that the largest suggested Tire size would be 265/70R17 which is quite a bit larger than stock (unless you go with a smaller wheel). I to will be using the stock wheel until I find the just right wheel for me, and one that will fit!

I am really leaning towards the RR lift kit, most likely I will buy one with the suggested shocks. My new Black commander limmeted should be arriving this week, and would like to have all installed right away. BTW anyone know of a place to get all this installed in the Pleasanton CA area????

As far as tires, I am buying the Nitto Terra Grapplers - GREAT tire, AND THEY LOOK AWSOME!

Stock: 245/65 R17 - Overall Diameter=29.5 ~ Overall Width=9.8 ~ Rim Width range=7 to 8.5 Max Load=2039 lbs

Nitto: 265/70 R17 - Overall Diameter=31.57 ~ Overall Width=10.79 ~ Rim Width range=7 to 9 ~ Max Load=2235 lbs

So... if the Nitto's are ar 2" larger diameter and the lift is 2.2, thats 3+ inches taller. The tires are also much wider, better handling and it will look more cool

Here's a link to the Nitto Terra Grapplers - GREAT GREAT TIRE
http://www.neogentire.com/tires_terragrappler.asp

 

[thebk]

That is a nice looking tire! I too have a black commander and am using the stock dark silver painted wheels. I was just wondering if with spacers you could go slightly larger with this kit or if its not even worth it and to stick with the 265/70?

 

[chipw]

I searched around and FINALLY found a wheel with the correct bolt pattern for the Commander(5x5). I found a shop that had some American Racing sidewinders in inventory, 17x8, with 5x5 bolt pattern. American racing had discontinued this wheel but after many calls, I found a place that had them. This is the same wheel shown on the Rocky road website. It has zero offset and I'm hoping to get a little larger tire than 265/70/17. If not I'll be happy with the 265's. Patiently waiting on my Rocky road lift and my wheels then its off to the tire store for the biggest meats I can fit

 

[rwall43]

Tire choice with the lift and stock rims is a tough one as I am finding out. I opted for the BFG AT TKO's but it looks like I will have to change the wheel to get the correct back spacing. This is just speculation as I have not tried the BFG's on the factory rims to see if they will fit. But by looking at it, it is going to be a tight fit. The tires should be here tomorrow so I will know if they will work or not.

I have spent the last 3 days searching the net to find the wheels that would work. Here is what I found:

Centerline wheels will custom make a set of rims with limited design choices. You can goto www.centerlinewheels.com to check it out. You enter the lug pattern (5X5) and the backspacing you want and they will build your wheel for you. About $235 per wheel.

Next option is to go with a steel wheel made by pacer. The backspacing is correct and the bolt patterns are correct. www.Pacerwheels.com and look under the steel wheel section. I think there is only one that works. Soft something...

The final choice is to use the mickey thompson classic II wheels. They are 9" wide but have a 5" backspacing. I hope these fit.

The aforementioned American Racing sidewinder wheels will work also. That might be an option if I can't get the others to work.

The problem with putting 265/70's 17r on the JC is the wheel backspacing is to great. With the RR 2.5 lift on, the top control arm is directly above the sidewall of the tire. The only reason the 245's do not hit or rub on the control arm and the ball joint is they are not tall enough.

I think that you would be able to put the 265/70's on without a lift IF you used a different wheel with the correct backspacing.

You can only use a 17" wheel because anything smaller will not fit over the brakes. This bit of info comes from the guys at AEV. (American Expedtion Vehicles) They are due to have a wheel out sometime this summer for the JC. Size and specs are not determined yet.

That is where I stand with the lift and tires. The transmission leak proved to be a bad dipstick seal. They better be right.

Note for those of you who do not want to lift their JC's: Jangy has the 265/70 MTR's on his JC and says they work great with minimal rubbing.


Bob

The question about the 275/70's tires: I do not know if they will fit. I need to get a rim that works first, then try those on. Let you know shortly.

 

[SYCOHEMI]

Re: Lift going in...

I agree the Nitto Terra Grapplers look incredible.

I am still waiting for the lift kit, and hope it arrives in time to put it on before I go to Big Bear on the 23rd of April.

I guess I am going to have to try a few different sets of tires and see what will work...Thanks for all the info and sizes.