Lift, Drive Shafts, Long Road Trip Question

D1EHARD

D1EHARD

New member
I will be purchasing EVO 3" coils very soon. I understand that I will gain ~3.5 - 3.75" from that, and that's cool with me. However, I will be driving my JK on a road trip to Colorado from Alabama and back again. It is for a camping trip only, so only light wheeling is possible (not disconnected). I will be adding the appropriate suspension components for geometry, etc...but I was planning on drive shafts at a later date.

So those of you that have logged the miles, can I safely proceed with these coils and the trip? Or should I wait till I return and can afford drive shafts? I'm hoping for a "yes" on the first question...:brows:

Thanks.
 
D1EHARD said:
I will be purchasing EVO 3" coils very soon. I understand that I will gain ~3.5 - 3.75" from that, and that's cool with me. However, I will be driving my JK on a road trip to Colorado from Alabama and back again. It is for a camping trip only, so only light wheeling is possible (not disconnected). I will be adding the appropriate suspension components for geometry, etc...but I was planning on drive shafts at a later date.

So those of you that have logged the miles, can I safely proceed with these coils and the trip? Or should I wait till I return and can afford drive shafts? I'm hoping for a "yes" on the first question...:brows:

Thanks.
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I was able to get about 700 miles after installing the 3" plush rides before my center boot ripped. That was road driving and two light wheeling adventures. i personally wouldnt push it that far without a spare. Its the boot at the joints that you wanna pay attention to if they start throwing grease they are pretty much done.
 
If it were me, I'd already be looking for a replacement. In a 2014 you will be hitting the exhaust crossover with 3" of lift and appropriate length shocks that allow axle droop/flex.

The boot is not as much of a big deal as the grease throwing. A boot can tear and still get a few thousand miles out of the shaft before it goes bad. All circumstances (how much lift, driving conditions, amount of wheeling/flexing a bad shaft, exposure to water, etc.) will effect how fast a shaft with a torn boot will go bad. If you rip a boot, check the shaft VERY regularly and once the grease gets to flying, look for a replacement.
 
I pull my driveshaft off and put it on when I get there on long trips.
1752 miles without driveshaft I was getting 18.2 mpg.
Same trip in the snow with front driveshaft was 15.4 mpg. All interstate miles.
 
I've got almost 20,000 miles on my OE front shaft with 3.5" lift. Not much crazy flexing in those 20,000 miles though. I do have exhaust spacers for a little more driveshaft clearance. If you're gonna be mostly highway driving, I would get a set of spacers and keep it mild when wheeling. Get a driveshaft when you can afford it.
 
I did 4000 miles with my fingers crossed everyday with stock shafts and a 4.5 long arm and 37s till the new one came in. but that was only street and max speed was about 60-65 little vibration, i dont no if i would chance a road trip without a spare or the cash for a new one, just m.o.
 
Great feedback guys. I may just wait and do it all at once then. I sure know the trip would feel better on those coils and some good shocks, but probably not worth the risk. It doesn't help matters that I'm a 2 door either.

Thanks.
 
mines a 4 door i have 80,000km on my stock ones with 4" evo coils my dust boot is shredded from the axhaust and im saving for two new shafts but it still gets me where i need to be for now
 
with my tf 2.5" then to 3" plush I never had any driveshaft issues front or rear. I do have the exhaust spacers but I dont think they do much at all. I would say I have around 1500-2k miles on the shafts before I swapped them out and they were both fine. Also did some wheeling in that time and flexed it good. Guess I was lucky tho.
 
hinrichs said:
with my tf 2.5" then to 3" plush I never had any driveshaft issues front or rear. I do have the exhaust spacers but I dont think they do much at all. I would say I have around 1500-2k miles on the shafts before I swapped them out and they were both fine. Also did some wheeling in that time and flexed it good. Guess I was lucky tho.
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When I get home tonight, I'm going to break out the floor jack and lift my jeep to the equivalent of a 3.75" lift. I will have a look at the angles and see just how much room I have.

For this trip, I will also have a roof rack (probably GOBI) with gear and 3 passengers. So I should drop a good .5" to 1" I would think.
 
D1EHARD said:
Great feedback guys. I may just wait and do it all at once then. I sure know the trip would feel better on those coils and some good shocks, but probably not worth the risk. It doesn't help matters that I'm a 2 door either.

Thanks.
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I've got a 4 door, so the rear shaft angle is a lot different. I would be concerned about the rear, but the front should be ok with exhaust spacers if you're keeping it on the highway.
 
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