Rock Krawler 3.5 X Factor Mid Arm Pro Lift - Opinions?

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skruffysam

New member
Hey guys, just last year I bought my first Jeep (14' Rubicon JKU - Auto Trans). Soooo... I'm still a newbie in this world. I am now prepared to give my baby a lift, and I've been primarily been looking at the Rock Krawler 3.5 X Factor Mid Arm Pro lift... seems like a lot of people love this lift kit. I wanna run the Nitto 35 Trail grapplers with it. Maybe later down the line change to 37's. For those of you with this lift, what are your thoughts? I hope I'm asking this in the right section of the forum... hahaha.
 
Before spending the coin on the lift find someone in your area that has and take a ride. You may not like the ride and nothing worse than buying a lift and not liking it. I did this and now I am on my second lift. Second would be to look at other lifts and get inputs. I running the EVO Plush Ride coils with Rancho RS9000 XL shocks and love them. I also have 35x12.5x17 NITTO Trail Grapplers with flat fenders and have zero rub. Lastly you need to see how much the lift is going to net you. A 3.5 inch lift may net you closer to 4 inches of actual lift which will require at a minimum exhaust spacers and eventually a new front drive shaft for a JKU and an immediate rear drive shaft for a JK because of the rear pinion angle.

R/
Will
 
:cheesy: Sorry, on my phone so I couldn't tell. RK is just real popular with east coast guys.

Any reason why you're so set on this kit? Don't get me wrong but asking someone who has this kit what they think about it is only going to get you fanboys chiming in who will swear by it. Of course, for most, this is the only kit they've ever owned and have nothing to compare it to and I don't know too many people who are willing to admit that they may have made a mistake especially after just spending a few thousand dollars on a lift.
 
Canvas JK said:
Before spending the coin on the lift find someone in your area that has and take a ride.
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^^^ This is solid advice and being that you're in SoCal, you'll have a lot of people to draw from. It may just save you a lot of money and get you what you really want.
 
I have the rk 2.5 kit and after about two years Im just not a fan of it. It was my first time lifting something and everyone on the east coast said RK. I picked up the 2.5 stock mod so everyone said you can slowly add to it however I feel now with lifts that it should be done completely the first time and not slowly add to it. Im slowly switch out all the RK stuff and will go with either EVO or MC. I already have a few MC arms.
 
wayoflife said:
:cheesy: Sorry, on my phone so I couldn't tell. RK is just real popular with east coast guys.

Any reason why you're so set on this kit? Don't get me wrong but asking someone who has this kit what they think about it is only going to get you fanboys chiming in who will swear by it. Of course, for most, this is the only kit they've ever owned and have nothing to compare it to and I don't know too many people who are willing to admit that they may have made a mistake especially after just spending a few thousand dollars on a lift.
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The only reason why I was looking into it was because everyone was swearing by it... for most people, they commented how much they liked the ride both on the street and off road... but yah, I wouldn't want to admit faults on my new add after having spent close to 3 g's also... LOL
 
toxicwaste29 said:
I have the rk 2.5 kit and after about two years Im just not a fan of it. It was my first time lifting something and everyone on the east coast said RK. I picked up the 2.5 stock mod so everyone said you can slowly add to it however I feel now with lifts that it should be done completely the first time and not slowly add to it. Im slowly switch out all the RK stuff and will go with either EVO or MC. I already have a few MC arms.
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The funny thing is, I kinda fell for the "slowly add to it" school of thought also. If you don't mind me asking, what was it about the rk lift that you didn't like?
 
skruffysam said:
The only reason why I was looking into it was because everyone was swearing by it... for most people, they commented how much they liked the ride both on the street and off road... but yah, I wouldn't want to admit faults on my new add after having spent close to 3 g's also... LOL
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If you're not in a rush, do yourself a favor and take a ride in a few different Jeeps with different lifts. It'll help YOU to know what you really like and don't like. And, maybe in the end, you'll still want the RK kit and at least, you'll know you're not making a mistake. Just trying to help out.
 
skruffysam said:
The funny thing is, I kinda fell for the "slowly add to it" school of thought also. If you don't mind me asking, what was it about the rk lift that you didn't like?
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Nothing wrong with the "slowly add to it" philosophy but, it'll cost you more in the long run. I know this wasn't directed toward me but for me, I'm not a fan of control arms that are 1" too long and marketed as being "mid" as in, they're some how half way to being long arms. True long arms are typically about 10" longer than factory and will have new mounts installed on the frame to keep your axles where they need to be - NOT 1" further out. Also, their coils ride on the firm side to me or, at least their older ones did. I do have a new set of their triple rate coils I need to test out and so the jury is out on them.
 
skruffysam said:
The funny thing is, I kinda fell for the "slowly add to it" school of thought also. If you don't mind me asking, what was it about the rk lift that you didn't like?
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Im not really sure. I just have never been impressed to were I have been able to say wow I really like this lift. I agree with the others find a jeep with the setup your considering and go for a drive in it. Over here in the east the only jeeps you see are driving by yups and soccer moms. Seeing a lifted one is almost none existent.
 
wayoflife said:
Nothing wrong with the "slowly add to it" philosophy but, it'll cost you more in the long run. I know this wasn't directed toward me but for me, I'm not a fan of control arms that are 1" too long and marketed as being "mid" as in, they're some how half way to being long arms. True long arms are typically about 10" longer than factory and will have new mounts installed on the frame to keep your axles where they need to be - NOT 1" further out. Also, their coils ride on the firm side to me or, at least their older ones did. I do have a new set of their triple rate coils I need to test out and so the jury is out on them.
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I was looking at the differences between the long arm and mid arm, and due to lack of experience in this matter, I was kinda hesitant in going to the long arms due to all the work (cutting off brackets, etc) and extra labor costs... but my ears are open and I'm ready to learn. I want to do this right the first time through... feel like a kid rushing to open his Christmas gifts! :D
 
toxicwaste29 said:
Im not really sure. I just have never been impressed to were I have been able to say wow I really like this lift. I agree with the others find a jeep with the setup your considering and go for a drive in it. Over here in the east the only jeeps you see are driving by yups and soccer moms. Seeing a lifted one is almost none existent.
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Hahaha... ic ic...
 
Since as you stated still a noob why not when what you have to see what your Jeep is capable of. JAGS rand his Rubicon for 2 years before he finally pulled the trigger on a lift. I have seen and talked to guys who run the Metal Cloak lift and swear by them even the 6 pack shocks; however in the same breath stated they had to send two shocks back for leaking after the lift being on the Jeep for 6 months. Not really what I expect from shocks and a lift. Again just my humble opinion.
 
"Mid arm" is a marketing term. You'll generally have more problems pushing your axle back 1". Actually quite a few problems. Bowed coils, sway bar off, track bar off just to name a few.
 
olram30 said:
"Mid arm" is a marketing term. You'll generally have more problems pushing your axle back 1". Actually quite a few problems. Bowed coils, sway bar off, track bar off just to name a few.
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This ^^^

skruffysam said:
I was looking at the differences between the long arm and mid arm, and due to lack of experience in this matter, I was kinda hesitant in going to the long arms due to all the work (cutting off brackets, etc) and extra labor costs... but my ears are open and I'm ready to learn. I want to do this right the first time through... feel like a kid rushing to open his Christmas gifts! :D
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The ONLY reason to install a set of long arms is to correct your suspension geometry after installing a tall lift. Long arms will NOT give you more articulation and they will NOT stretch your wheel base - that's not what they're for. What corrected suspension geometry will do is give you a more comfortable ride ON PAVEMENT and when driving hard and fast across the desert.

Installing arms that are 1" too long will just push your axles out from where they need to be and without any real benefit.
 
Canvas JK said:
Since as you stated still a noob why not when what you have to see what your Jeep is capable of. JAGS rand his Rubicon for 2 years before he finally pulled the trigger on a lift. I have seen and talked to guys who run the Metal Cloak lift and swear by them even the 6 pack shocks; however in the same breath stated they had to send two shocks back for leaking after the lift being on the Jeep for 6 months. Not really what I expect from shocks and a lift. Again just my humble opinion.
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Yah, I'm gonna have to do some more homework it before I pull the trigger. I really want to build a rig that I can be proud of.
 
keep an eye out for suds n grub's in your area and then you can see the different lifts and talk to the owners about how they perform both on and off road.
 
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