JL Lift Dilemma

Keith_TX

New member
So to start off I want to admit complete ignorance as I am new to Jeeps to begin with. I recently moved up to 35 inch AT tires and installed the LOD Destroyer Front Bumper and Rear bumper/tire carrier and I absolutely love it. This gave the look I wanted and helped to future proof the rear end if I go with larger tires later on. That being said, this did add a ton of weight which was very noticeable, not only in the steering wheel but also in the stance of the Jeep. Prior to the bumpers, I was confident that a Dynatrac Endurosport 2'' lift would be plenty, but now I am starting to think otherwise. I noticed that the AEV 2.5 dualsport RT lift is designed around the idea of a heavier vehicle. I just hate to install the Dynatrac and only get 1.5 inches of lift because of the single rate springs. Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.

Here is a side shot of the current stance of the jeep.
 

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wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
If you plan on sticking with 35" tires for the long haul, the Dynatrac lift will get the job done. You will end up with only 1.8" of lift or less and that sucks but it should be enough to clear them. The AEV lift is nice and it will give you more than the 2.5" advertised and it support the heavier weight you now have well BUT... and it's a BIG BUT, you will have a stiffer ride. You cannot compensate for more weight without using a stiffer spring or one that has a stiffer rate in part of it. As in, the soft part of the AEV coil will get used up and you will only be riding on the stiff side. Now, I should note that ride quality is 100% subjective and for a lot of people, this is not a concern and for some, they prefer a firm ride. Just putting all this out there so that you are aware of what you're getting yourself into with both kits.
 
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Keith_TX

New member
If you plan on sticking with 35" tires for the long haul, the Dynatrac lift will get the job done. You will end up with only 1.8" of lift or less and that sucks but it should be enough to clear them. The AEV lift is nice and it will give you more than the 2.5" advertised and it support the heavier weight you now have well BUT... and it's a BIG BUT, you will have a stiffer ride. You cannot compensate for more weight without using a stiffer spring or one that has a stiffer rate in part of it. As in, the soft part of the AEV coil will get used up and you will only be riding on the stiff side. Now, I should note that ride quality is 100% subjective and for a lot of people, this is not a concern and for some, they prefer a firm ride. Just putting all this out there so that you are aware of what you're getting yourself into with both kits.
Thank you for that perspective. I will probably stick with the 35s for the life of these but 37s will happen at some point down the road. To your point on the Dynatrac, by the time I add the family + gear I would be dragging on everything here at our local OHV parks. I watched your video on the Dynatrac install and I loved the simplicity of it, but the AEV isnt much different other than the geometry correction brackets.

BTW... Thank you for all you do. My son and I love watching your videos together. Hes only 2 and hes absolutely fascinated by jeeps rock crawling :) Yes, I know I'm definitely in for it.
 
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TrailHunter

Hooked
Just to clarify, are you saying add the 3/4'' spacers to the Dynatrac lift?
Correct.. My lift started out as a 3” EVO enforcer… Then I realized my rear was sagging from the my gear, so I added a 3/4 spacer in the rear only… then I added a Winch and my front dropped a bit.. so then I ended up adding a 3/4” spacer up front, swapping in a 4” spring plus a 1/2” spacer in the rear.. (I think - gotta check my build thread) But my point is, the spacers can be helpful to get you where you want to be.
 
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I currently have the AEV JL dual sport installed on my ‘21. You will get 3.5” of lift like Eddie said because it’s made to compress to 2.5” after you load it up with bumpers, winch and booze. Without the weight the ride is very very stiff, with the weight, the ride is still stiff but not as bad. You will be scraping on most things at your park. A true 37” tire helps but not all that much.
 
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Keith_TX

New member
I currently have the AEV JL dual sport installed on my ‘21. You will get 3.5” of lift like Eddie said because it’s made to compress to 2.5” after you load it up with bumpers, winch and booze. Without the weight the ride is very very stiff, with the weight, the ride is still stiff but not as bad. You will be scraping on most things at your park. A true 37” tire helps but not all that much.
Thank you for that insight on the AEV lift. Would you personally go with the AEV lift again after having the experience you now have with the lift?
 
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Andy5160

Hooked
I have EVO Enforcer 3.5 on 37’s and am very happy with it.
Ride quality is very similar to stock loaded or not. It did settle a bit but I never measured actual lift height as everything is leveled and dialed in perfect.
I do have EVO 1/4 pounder front bumper and the winch no nose diving at all. Not sure how my set up compares to LOD weight wise but it is heavy indeed.
If you indeed plan to go up to 37’s then in my opinion 3.5 EVO lift is just perfect. If you’ll be sticking with 35’s 2.5 Enforcer is what I would go with.
 
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Thank you for that insight on the AEV lift. Would you personally go with the AEV lift again after having the experience you now have with the lift?

I wouldn’t do the 2.5” again personally because I scrape everything. I actually do want a different lift. Would like the EVO bolt on coilovers.
Depends. If you're just doing overlandy things and had it stuffed with with gear, then it would be ok. If you wanted a rocklander then the AEV 3.5” lift would be better. Regardless, it’s going to be a stiff ride. If you want a rock crawler, then go a different route.
 
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I was attracted to the LOD Destroyer bumpers (especially the rear) but was not aware that the weight penalty was so high. I would be willing to pay extra for aluminum or stick with stock rather than end up with a lumbering/sagging vehicle.
 
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Keith_TX

New member
I was attracted to the LOD Destroyer bumpers (especially the rear) but was not aware that the weight penalty was so high. I would be willing to pay extra for aluminum or stick with stock rather than end up with a lumbering/sagging vehicle.
I also was drawn to the look of their Destroyer line. Since this is my first set of bumpers on a Jeep, I really do not have anything to compare to. This may be normal sag from the weight.
 
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