Nth lift height question 4.5" to 6"

[rgstarck]

Just a quick question, does anyone know if the 4.5 inch kit is the same as the 6 inch kit other than the springs? If I start with the 4.5 kit can I later just buy the 6 inch springs and re-adjust the arms for pinion angles?

Just an idea also: How about a section in the forum for Nth degree questions

[rubclt]

I am pretty sure it is spring only... Both use a spacer in front and angle corrector in rear so one could buy the 6" and not put in spacers for shorter lift, maybe?

[xjski03]

You can buy a 4.5" lift to start. Upgrading to a 6" will require a little more than just springs. You will also need to swap out the shocks, rear sway bar end links, and the bumpstop spacers.

[AEV Jim]

You can buy a 4.5" lift to start. Upgrading to a 6" will require a little more than just springs. You will also need to swap out the shocks, rear sway bar end links, and the bumpstop spacers.

Correct!
Jim

[jsongy]

This post is at a perfect timing for me.

I had purchased a 4.5in longarm that when installed measured about 5in in front and about 4.25 in the rear. Through conversation w/Chris@ Nth found that I had the 4.5 springs in the front,3in in rear. New 4.5 rear springs were installed without changing anything else(all bracketry was set up for 4.5in lift). OME shocks were used,springs just unseat at full flex,again Chris told me they'd be fine. Everything has been great, over 50K since install. I've had to replace wearable parts,but no major failure.

Time for new shocks. Right front leaked and is sticking. Question is that since this setup has worked so well and feels well balanced, what should I be replacing these with? I've been told the OME shocks actually have a longer stroke than the correct shocks for the 6in lift and that I could add a post extension to gain more travel up front, is this true?

Thanks

[AEV Jim]

This post is at a perfect timing for me.

I had purchased a 4.5in longarm that when installed measured about 5in in front and about 4.25 in the rear. Through conversation w/Chris@ Nth found that I had the 4.5 springs in the front,3in in rear. New 4.5 rear springs were installed without changing anything else(all bracketry was set up for 4.5in lift). OME shocks were used,springs just unseat at full flex,again Chris told me they'd be fine. Everything has been great, over 50K since install. I've had to replace wearable parts,but no major failure.

Time for new shocks. Right front leaked and is sticking. Question is that since this setup has worked so well and feels well balanced, what should I be replacing these with? I've been told the OME shocks actually have a longer stroke than the correct shocks for the 6in lift and that I could add a post extension to gain more travel up front, is this true?

Thanks
I'm a little confused by your spring history since the heights that you mention for the original lift as installed sound close to correct (i.e. you were supposed to get a little more than 4.5" in front and a little less in the rear - standard for all Nth lifts and most other brands too). If you didn't have a winch on the front at the time, then the heights you had were spot-on for the package. Regardless, I'm glad you're happy with what you wound up with.

The thing everybody needs to know is that spring height has very little directly to do with correct shock length, because:
- uptravel is determined by bumpstops and spacing them correctly
- downtravel is determined by shock length (and should not be more than just a little past unloading the spring fully)
- Spring height only determines 'curb height' (i.e. ride height) and thus what portion of your available travel (between bumpstop and shock length) is going to be uptravel and what's left is your downtravel.

...so for a given bumpstop/shock combo, it's totally acceptable to switch out springs or spacers to change the height, but if you stray too far from the middle of the travel, you'll have either too little uptravel or down, and that will create performance problems either on-road or off (and the shock's tuning should ideally be adjusted depending on which end of the available travel your ride height is closest to).

Yes it is true that the OME N66L (TJ longtravel front) has slightly more travel than the Bilstein or RE monotube shocks that Nth typically recommends for the 6" package. The difference is that the OME's are shorter overall, so as you said if used with a bar-pin spacer, the OMEs can be used on the 6" lift and give very similar travel range to the usual monotubes. In terms of performance this approach would get you a slightly softer ride but also much less fade resistance if you push your rig hard (fast) off-road...the OME's fade pretty fast over large whoops while the monotubes don't (even non-reservoir will far outlast the twin's). The bigger challenge is in the rear where the Shock Shifter (old design) eliminates the bar pin and thus the easy way to 'stretch' the shocks. with the new/current SS design you could do it since the BP's are still there and there's more adjustment available in the lower brackets.

Hope that helps...

Jim

[jsongy]

http://forum.aev-conversions.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=467&stc=1&d=1227131131

http://forum.aev-conversions.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=466&stc=1&d=1227131088

Jim, I think the end result has been great the last 50K. In the photo of the blue one you can see the OME shocks, which is what I have - with a 6in lift and 35in TRXUS. The photo from the Nth site is what my dream was based on,yet I had ordered the 4.5in and was planning on 285s.

My relpy and question were based on the fact that my whole install was completed for the 4.5 kit(including bumpstops),not the 6in.

Thanks

[AEV Jim]

Ah yes, I remember that blue TJ. Well if you're original question was mainly just what's it take to go from 4.5" to 6" (besides the new shocks you're planning), the answer is:

- Springs
- additional bumpstop spacing (add 1" to what you already have f/r).
- longer rear stabilizer end links
- reconfigure the trackbars for 6" lift. In the front this means re-shimming the brace (no new parts). In rear if you have the bolt-on tower it also just re-arranging the parts. If you have weld-on, then just move the trackbar from the middle hole to the top hole and you're done.

...then re-set the toe and steering wheel and consider it done!

Jim

[whitecon]

I'm assuming you would do the opposit if you had a 6" and wanted to switch to the 4.5" (just installed the Genright's version of the Hi-Line). Just to clarify, I would need to purchase new rear springs but not fronts.

[Dirt]

http://forum.aev-conversions.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=466&d=1227131088

What size tires are those? Are they the 285s you mentioned or bigger?

[jsongy]

What size tires are those? Are they the 285s you mentioned or bigger?

Nope. Those are the same 35-12.5R/16 TRXUS as in the photo of the blue TJ.

[AEV Jim]

I'm assuming you would do the opposit if you had a 6" and wanted to switch to the 4.5" (just installed the Genright's version of the Hi-Line). Just to clarify, I would need to purchase new rear springs but not fronts.

Correct you need shorter rears so you can keep the relocators, but in the front you could just remove the coil spacers.

Jim