MetalCloak Game-Change 2.5" Lift - 6-Pack Edition

I started with the game changer kit and figured I would give an update. I've been through two sets of 6pak shocks. They are nice but require more frequent inspection for loss of nitrogen. The travel figures are accurate, but the increase in travel is in unusable compression. I say unusable because a 37" tire hits the fender well before bottoming out the shock. I'm now running Rancho 9000 with 3" bumpstops and max out the shock using all but 1/4" before compressing the bumps metal to metal. Ironically, I have more useable travel because the ranchos compress the same due to physical limits of tire to fender but have a longer overall length. When I ran the 6 pak shocks, I used longer heim jointed ends to gain more useable droop travel. However the complexity of the shocks became an issue eventually. I am happy with the arms and brake lines, which is all I have left from the original kit. Springs changed to 4" Evo Plush with same overall length as the dual rate coils, so no issues unseating coils. Trackbars were replaced due to bushings walking out of the mounts. Metalcloak offered to sell me new updated ones. Thanks a lot. Went back to stock front trackbar with Evo drag link flip. With the additional droop travel, the stock drag link would bind a bit.

Metalcloak game changer is nice but for my needs, only the arms were of use in the end. For the type of maintenance required for the performance gains of the 6pak shocks, I think the $$$$ would be better spent on a set of bolt on coilovers.

Just my :twocents:
 
kpig said:
I started with the game changer kit and figured I would give an update. I've been through two sets of 6pak shocks. They are nice but require more frequent inspection for loss of nitrogen. The travel figures are accurate, but the increase in travel is in unusable compression. I say unusable because a 37" tire hits the fender well before bottoming out the shock. I'm now running Rancho 9000 with 3" bumpstops and max out the shock using all but 1/4" before compressing the bumps metal to metal. Ironically, I have more useable travel because the ranchos compress the same due to physical limits of tire to fender but have a longer overall length. When I ran the 6 pak shocks, I used longer heim jointed ends to gain more useable droop travel. However the complexity of the shocks became an issue eventually. I am happy with the arms and brake lines, which is all I have left from the original kit. Springs changed to 4" Evo Plush with same overall length as the dual rate coils, so no issues unseating coils. Trackbars were replaced due to bushings walking out of the mounts. Metalcloak offered to sell me new updated ones. Thanks a lot. Went back to stock front trackbar with Evo drag link flip. With the additional droop travel, the stock drag link would bind a bit.

Metalcloak game changer is nice but for my needs, only the arms were of use in the end. For the type of maintenance required for the performance gains of the 6pak shocks, I think the $$$$ would be better spent on a set of bolt on coilovers.

Just my :twocents:
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing your experience. You live, you learn. We all do.
 
kpig said:
I started with the game changer kit and figured I would give an update. I've been through two sets of 6pak shocks. They are nice but require more frequent inspection for loss of nitrogen. The travel figures are accurate, but the increase in travel is in unusable compression. I say unusable because a 37" tire hits the fender well before bottoming out the shock. I'm now running Rancho 9000 with 3" bumpstops and max out the shock using all but 1/4" before compressing the bumps metal to metal. Ironically, I have more useable travel because the ranchos compress the same due to physical limits of tire to fender but have a longer overall length. When I ran the 6 pak shocks, I used longer heim jointed ends to gain more useable droop travel. However the complexity of the shocks became an issue eventually. I am happy with the arms and brake lines, which is all I have left from the original kit. Springs changed to 4" Evo Plush with same overall length as the dual rate coils, so no issues unseating coils. Trackbars were replaced due to bushings walking out of the mounts. Metalcloak offered to sell me new updated ones. Thanks a lot. Went back to stock front trackbar with Evo drag link flip. With the additional droop travel, the stock drag link would bind a bit.

Metalcloak game changer is nice but for my needs, only the arms were of use in the end. For the type of maintenance required for the performance gains of the 6pak shocks, I think the $$$$ would be better spent on a set of bolt on coilovers.

Just my :twocents:
Click to expand...

Thanks for posting up your experience. So their R&D department should take advice from the marketing department. What u said about your experience doesn't surprise me at all.
 
I'm an astronaut (in my dreams)

My suspension vertical travel is 22" (on my 22" travel jack)

I'm liquid for $1.4 billion (when I win the lottery)
 
kpig said:
I started with the game changer kit and figured I would give an update. I've been through two sets of 6pak shocks. They are nice but require more frequent inspection for loss of nitrogen. The travel figures are accurate, but the increase in travel is in unusable compression. I say unusable because a 37" tire hits the fender well before bottoming out the shock. I'm now running Rancho 9000 with 3" bumpstops and max out the shock using all but 1/4" before compressing the bumps metal to metal. Ironically, I have more useable travel because the ranchos compress the same due to physical limits of tire to fender but have a longer overall length. When I ran the 6 pak shocks, I used longer heim jointed ends to gain more useable droop travel. However the complexity of the shocks became an issue eventually. I am happy with the arms and brake lines, which is all I have left from the original kit. Springs changed to 4" Evo Plush with same overall length as the dual rate coils, so no issues unseating coils. Trackbars were replaced due to bushings walking out of the mounts. Metalcloak offered to sell me new updated ones. Thanks a lot. Went back to stock front trackbar with Evo drag link flip. With the additional droop travel, the stock drag link would bind a bit.

Metalcloak game changer is nice but for my needs, only the arms were of use in the end. For the type of maintenance required for the performance gains of the 6pak shocks, I think the $$$$ would be better spent on a set of bolt on coilovers.

Just my :twocents:
Click to expand...

Two sets (8) shocks - what was the problem with them? How much backspace do you run and what fenders do you have?

As far as the down travel goes, on my setup the after market driveshaft hits the cross member at droop. Had some issues with 4.5 " backspace, spacers fixed that until I get some beadlocks.

2" bumpstops with 37 KO2 (yes they are undersized). With MC fenders I could get by with 1 ". I have some friends with the six pack with MC fenders with true 37 running 1". Every rig is a little different.

If I had to do it over I would have gone with the MC fenders instead of PSC.
 
dcm80401 said:
Two sets (8) shocks - what was the problem with them? How much backspace do you run and what fenders do you have?

As far as the down travel goes, on my setup the after market driveshaft hits the cross member at droop. Had some issues with 4.5 " backspace, spacers fixed that until I get some beadlocks.

2" bumpstops with 37 KO2 (yes they are undersized). With MC fenders I could get by with 1 ". I have some friends with the six pack with MC fenders with true 37 running 1". Every rig is a little different.

If I had to do it over I would have gone with the MC fenders instead of PSC.
Click to expand...

One set of shocks locked up. Metalcloak replaced them under warranty with a newer set with updated seals. No explanation was provided for why they locked up. The second set became inconsistent from one shock to another.

I'm running 3.5" backspace ATX Slabs with 37" Toyos (13.5" wide) with Genright flat fenders. I'm running Evo 4" coils instead of the Metalcloak dual rate so I am running 3" bumpstop. 2" bump and wider track width allowed too much rubbing on the fenders at full compression when articulating. My crossmember is still there; however, the small skid that runs in front of the crossmember was removed. No issues.
 
kpig said:
One set of shocks locked up. Metalcloak replaced them under warranty with a newer set with updated seals. No explanation was provided for why they locked up. The second set became inconsistent from one shock to another.

I'm running 3.5" backspace ATX Slabs with 37" Toyos (13.5" wide) with Genright flat fenders. I'm running Evo 4" coils instead of the Metalcloak dual rate so I am running 3" bumpstop. 2" bump and wider track width allowed too much rubbing on the fenders at full compression when articulating. My crossmember is still there; however, the small skid that runs in front of the crossmember was removed. No issues.
Click to expand...

I see. Thanks
 
kpig said:
I started with the game changer kit and figured I would give an update. I've been through two sets of 6pak shocks. They are nice but require more frequent inspection for loss of nitrogen. The travel figures are accurate, but the increase in travel is in unusable compression. I say unusable because a 37" tire hits the fender well before bottoming out the shock. I'm now running Rancho 9000 with 3" bumpstops and max out the shock using all but 1/4" before compressing the bumps metal to metal. Ironically, I have more useable travel because the ranchos compress the same due to physical limits of tire to fender but have a longer overall length. When I ran the 6 pak shocks, I used longer heim jointed ends to gain more useable droop travel. However the complexity of the shocks became an issue eventually. I am happy with the arms and brake lines, which is all I have left from the original kit. Springs changed to 4" Evo Plush with same overall length as the dual rate coils, so no issues unseating coils. Trackbars were replaced due to bushings walking out of the mounts. Metalcloak offered to sell me new updated ones. Thanks a lot. Went back to stock front trackbar with Evo drag link flip. With the additional droop travel, the stock drag link would bind a bit.

Metalcloak game changer is nice but for my needs, only the arms were of use in the end. For the type of maintenance required for the performance gains of the 6pak shocks, I think the $$$$ would be better spent on a set of bolt on coilovers.

Just my :twocents:
Click to expand...

May I ask why you switched out the springs? The metalcloak kit is on my short list of lifts I'm interested in. I total agree with what I've herd here about the 6 pack shocks not being worth the money. I've talked to a handful of guy who have run metalcloak and most all have given good feedback on the arms & springs though. I was considering running their kit with conventional shocks but if their springs aren't desirable either it looks like I can shorten the list.
Can u tell me what u didn't like about their springs or what u like about the Evo springs better?
 
RCSRubi said:
May I ask why you switched out the springs? The metalcloak kit is on my short list of lifts I'm interested in. I total agree with what I've herd here about the 6 pack shocks not being worth the money. I've talked to a handful of guy who have run metalcloak and most all have given good feedback on the arms & springs though. I was considering running their kit with conventional shocks but if their springs aren't desirable either it looks like I can shorten the list.
Can u tell me what u didn't like about their springs or what u like about the Evo springs better?
Click to expand...

I wanted a bit more lift height especially in the front. The Metalcloak springs are kind of like a spring on a spacer created by the compressed soft rate. There was a noticeable rake to the front and I didn't want to put a spacer on a quasi spacer created by the soft rate spring. I like the Evo Plush coils and the length is the same as the metalcloak coils but with a level ride height. I have no regrets, but for the money, I would go bolt on coilovers. If you do go with Metalcloak, I would recommend any of the kits with Fox shocks instead of 6paks.

Listen to the guys here because this forum is more of a community for enthusiasts who use the stuff rather than a captive audience to market solely for the sponsors. So many are fans of EVO mostly because they know what works. After speaking with Mel Wade for a brief time, he makes a lot of sense with building a JK with reliability in mind. He builds mild to wild but still gets you home.

Hope this helps.
 
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