Daily Living with 3.5" Lift?

jtpedersen

jtpedersen

Caught the Bug
Howdy Folks,

Many of us use our jeeps as daily drivers. I'm 6'1" with 34" inseam; tallest in my family. Stock, my '15 JKUR is about as tall as I find 'easy' to deal with and not be dragging my shoes across the rocker panel. I'm also tallest in the family.

I am beginning to contemplate a lift something in the 3.5" range with 35" tires. Depending on variables, that means a real-world lift around 5".

Paul, with AEV, let me explore his 3.5" lifted machine with 37". To get in, basically had to have my leg straight-out, horizontally, to climb in. Only handhold was the steering wheel. Not something I'd want to live with daily.

So, my question to the group: Is this just the way it is? Or, how do you make it easier to get in/out of your jeeps? Especially for those of you shorter than I. Your thoughts desired:).
 
3.5" of lift is a lot of lift for just 35" tires especially being that most coil lifts end up yielding MORE than what is advertised. I personally would recommend that you try and stick with something that's closer to 2.5". That will help keep your center of gravity lower and will reduce the amount of extra stuff you'll need to buy to complete the lift.

As far as getting in your Jeep goes, install a set of grab handles on the roll bar or on the A-pillar and use them to hoist yourself in.
 
Grab handles. By wife is 5'6 and had a hell of a time with my old jeep. 4'' lift with 35s and she would give me this look every time I said load up. Smittybilt has the Velcro grab handles pretty cheap online and there are some others that actually bolt on to the windshield frame where the hard top connects. Hope this helps.
 
6'0" W/3" Enforcer and 35 TGs on my DD jeep no problem for me. When the wife is a passenger I try place her by a curb or sometimes she uses a stool. When she is not doing so well.
 
Thanks all. I've seen numerous examples of grab handles. Nothing like asking for first-hand experience though.

And, as for 2.5/3.5 lift, I've been sensitive to the fact they often are 'higher' than stated for various reasons, not least of which is total vehicle weight. My 'only' real interest in 3.5" is I've had it suggested that's what you need in order to be able to flip steering gear upside down. I've found it interesting how so few folks seem to worry about even having a front skid plate with all the critical hardware fully exposed. I'm probably just over-thinking it :).
 
Get the EVO skids set for oil and trans protection. If you keep it under 3 you shouldn't need the DL flip @ 3 I felt it was needed. In the two range you can postpone front DS if you choose your shocks for that purpose.
 
I'm 5'10" and my husband is 5'11" -- it is quite a jump with my 35's and a 3.5" lift! I added weld on PS rock rail over my Rubi rails, and they have double as a step for mist everyone trying to get in/on my Jeep and as a leeping ledge for me. I keep a stepping stool handy in the back, for putting the soft top up and down -- I have a double loop short strap wrapped around my back roll bar and the stool clipped to that.
ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1456593119.170200.jpg
 
I had a 2 inch EVO Level on my previous 2014 with 35s. I honestly did feel like it was too much different than stock, just a little bit more of a step getting in. I'm 5'11. Now it was a little difficult for my 5'2 wife. Just one of those things we have to deal with driving JKs :)
ImageUploadedByWAYALIFE1456594443.956338.jpg
 
I hear ya on this. My wife is 5-1 and had trouble holding onto something so I picked up a set of JK grabbars. They're a PITA to install but are very solid. I don't care for the garb handles that are in the middle of door opening - they are awkward to hold and pull yourself up with.
 
Ddays said:
I hear ya on this. My wife is 5-1 and had trouble holding onto something so I picked up a set of JK grabbars. They're a PITA to install but are very solid. I don't care for the garb handles that are in the middle of door opening - they are awkward to hold and pull yourself up with.
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Agreed. I have these in my new JKU and I am not very impressed. They basically serve no purpose because they are too unstable to pull yourself up with!
 
Your way of messuring people is so confusing. 5´1 5´10 ? How do determine what the first digit is going to be? Can you say 3` and some big number after that?
 
Bingobelle said:
Your way of messuring people is so confusing. 5´1 5´10 ? How do determine what the first digit is going to be? Can you say 3` and some big number after that?
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5'1" (5foot 1 inch) is 155 cm and 5'10" is roughly 177cm. Hope this helps
 
Bingobelle said:
Your way of messuring people is so confusing. 5´1 5´10 ? How do determine what the first digit is going to be? Can you say 3` and some big number after that?
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Feet then inches. Anything over 12 inches is another foot.
 
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Awhile ago I came across the slider steps below. I am looking for the "right" setup too for our new Jeep. It's my wife's DD so too much lift without an entry plan isn't going to work. We're still learning all the options available but it's good to hear from Eddie that a 2.5 lift will suffice for 35" since that's the size tire we will eventually run and NAPALM ran just a 2 inch leveling kit with 35's.

Also, I think there are some sliders that don't have an electric step but they do stick out far enough to form a step.

https://www.rockslideengineering.com/product/step-slider/
 
Bingobelle said:
Thats explain it.

Actually it is not such a big difference to meter and centimeter. Anything over 100 cm is a another meter.

Thanks
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It may help to note, the ' apostrophe is used to denote a 'foot,' 12" or (12 x 2.54 = 30.48 cm). The " quotation mark denotes inches, 2.54 cm. So 5' 10" is 5 feet and 10 inches.
 
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