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The Coolest Suspension (article) Ever!
The "Cross Trainer" Tells You What You Really Want and Need to Know!
I'm not going to tell you guys how I bolted my suspension on and drove it up a rock to take a picture.
You should expect more from me and this project. If you want to know ow to install the suspension, the instructions that come with the
kit should do you just fine. The suspension actually came with a ery handy step-by-step checklist to make sure you do it right.. So,
hang with me here as we test and review the "Superlift 4 inch ockrunner TJ Suspension System".
"Image is Nothing..."
Admit it! We are guys and gals with Jeeps, we buy stuff just
cause it looks or sounds cool. There are about a billion suspensions
out there for the Jeep TJ. Every story I have heard or read seems to
focus primarily on trail flex and a short "here is how we installed
it" section. I am going to assume a few things here. First, that if
you have a TJ, you are either a) like me and this is Jeep #8 and you
have the technical knowledge to do the install or b) since you can
afford a new TJ you may also be able to afford to pay the shop to
install the lift. These first assumptions mean that I do not have to
write a step-by-step on how to install it. Right? Right!
Six boxes of fun!
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The second assumption is that most of us TJ owners use the vehicle as our daily
drivers. This means that the Jeep spends at least 5 out of 7 days a
week on the road. However, we do want the most capable Jeep we can
get for those other 2 days of the week. So, let us forget about the
image created by the marketing guys at "XYZ" suspension systems and
focus on what really matters in a Jeep suspension.
Why Superlift?
To tell you the truth, I am not totally sure myself. I think
it is what one of the guys at Superlift said to me last year in Moab
at the Easter Jeep Safari. I asked him several questions about
suspension design and engineering. One of the things that he told me
in that conversation was that the first design priority was to make
it handle good on the street where most of the driving time is
spent. Once that's dialed in, then they tweak the design until it
work wells off road too. Because of the goal of Project Cross
Trainer to be the best all-around commuter/trail rig that it could
be, this sounded like the way to go.
What do you get?
One of the most important things to know when you order any
product is: "What do I get?"
There are two basic ways to order
the Superlift four inch kit.
| 4" Suspension Kit |
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· New front and rear springs
· New front and rear sway bar links
· New front and rear shocks with cool yellow boots
· Bump stop extensions
· Rear track bar relocation bracket
· Eccentric cam bolts for adjusting rear pinion angle
· Dropped Pitman arm
· Front limiting straps (mine did not come with these since I went with the Rockrunner upgrade)
· Transfer case drop kit (look for the JB Conversions slip yoke eliminator and Tom Wood driveshaft review coming soon!)
· New bolts for most of the parts. |
| Rockrunner Upgrade |
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VIDEO |
Control Arms Twist |
· The Rockrunner upgrade consisted of new upper and lower control
arms front and rear. The new control arms pivot in the middle
to allow for more articulation and less binding of the
suspension. Download the video to see how and where the
control arms pivot. They are also fitted with grease zerks to
keep them operating smoothly.
· Front and rear sway bar disconnects. These are the easiest disconnects I have ever
used. They have a giant screw-together design that makes them
very simple to use. Much easier than the pin design I had on
my last lift. Being able to disconnect both sway bars made for
a bit more flex. They come with Nylon straps that hold them up
out of the way while disconnected.
· Front steering stabilizer.
· Adjustable track bars (not on the Jeep yet. Look for a review of these in the future) |
The Game Plan!
I am going to cover two main topics here. The first is how
the suspension handles on and off-road. We are actually going to put
the Jeep through a series of closed-course testing procedures that
should give us a feel for its on and off-road handling
characteristics. In the second part we will cover everything that
needs to be done to lift a Jeep right! Hopefully, by the time you
are done with this I will have covered everything you need and want
to know.
The Install --->>>
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