gracias
You knew it was coming....
SuperLift! :headbang::w00t:
I was going to get the SuperLift with upgraded rear shocks but they're discontinued so I got the standard kit. I did get new Bilstein front shocks though, which I highly recommend if you like a more precise ride.
I usually do installs/mods myself because no shop is as meticulous and careful as I am. However, the SL isn't a simple puck/BB install. It requires a good bit of cutting and some welding. I had neither a welder nor the space and time to do the install properly so I [reluctantly] handed my WK over to a local shop to do the install. I made some calls and read a bunch of reviews and decided on
Mumbly's Offroad in MI. They had the best price and great reviews. I was very happy with the service and the work they did. They said the install was a PITA, and some things weren't complete from SL. For example, i think they said something that was supposed to have been tapped, wasn't, so they had to tap it. I don't regret having them do the install at all.
The SL is perfect! The ride is definitely firmer, but in a good way. In stock form, the WK is too "floaty". I like feeling more connected to the road, not floating above it. IMO the Jeep rides 10x better with the lift and big tires than it did stock.
Sparkles was sitting pretty in front of the shop when I went to pick her up
Next mod: painted door handles, and shaved & painted door moldings. I sent them to Daniel in TX because he had done a lot of these. He said it's better to use the black plastic moldings & shave the "GRAND CHEROKEE" than to use the chrome moldings and fill the letters, so I ordered some of the black ones. When I got the moldings back from Daniel, I was pretty surprised with the work because of all the rave reviews I've seen on the boards. There were flaws everywhere (pits/bubbles, paint burn through, creases, chips). However, he took care of me. He was more than willing to correct the flaws, which he did. He said he was super busy and had to rush them, which is why he stopped doing side jobs like this.
I purchased the door handles from
Just for Jeeps and the Laredo door moldings (and SRT8 pedal overlays, and headlight housing covers) from
Mopar Online Parts.
1DG40RXFAB Rear door - Exterior trim - Lower molding - Laredo Black Right
1DG41RXFAB Rear door - Exterior trim - Lower molding - Laredo Black Left
1DG42RXFAC Front door - Exterior trim - Lower molding - Laredo Black Right
1DG43RXFAC Front door - Exterior trim - Lower molding - Laredo Black Left
5290949AC OVERLAY BRAKE AND AC (SRT8 pedal covers)
55157129AA Front lamps - Headlamp components - Headlamp cover Headlamp cover Left
55157128AA Front lamps - Headlamp components - Headlamp cover Headlamp cover Right
The only mechanical issue I had post-lift was grinding/rubbing under hard acceleration (here's my thread on the issue:
Front Drive Shaft Rubbing Under Hard Acceleration). The shop thought it was just the header/down pipe rubbing on the front drive shaft (I told them before the install that I didn't want the pipe flattened too much) so I took it to a guy who makes custom headers and stuff like that and he reworked it to this:
That definitely helped but it didn't cure the problem. Turns out the DS was also rubbing on a nut/bolt on the top side of the crossmember under the driveshaft. A tungsten carbide cutting bit for my Dremel took care of it though.
I forgot to mention my custom AEV Pintler center caps:
I didn't like the yellow AEV center cap dome sticker that came with the Pintlers, I wanted something to match. Because I was powdercoating the wheels, the only way to get perfectly matching center caps was to powdercoat them as well. The actual center caps are plastic so to accomplish this I got a small sheet of aluminum from Lowes/Home Depot then took it to a sheet metal fab shop and had them laser cut some circles the same size as the AEV dome sticker. I then had them powdercoated with the wheels so they match perfectly. To adhere these discs to the center caps, I used a liquid emblem and trim adhesive. So far they're holding up great!