Lift $


ridgerunner

10+ Year Member

Joined
Feb 13, 2013
Messages
445
Points
1,601
City
Tioga County, PA
Vehicle Year
1994
Transmission
Manual
Is it cheaper to install a new Skyjacker 6" class II lift or do a SAS? Gonna regear the 35 and do manual hubs too. What is cheaper?
 
I dont think one is cheaper than the other, per say.

The big difference is the skyjacker kit has everything you need to get the job done, with a SAS you have to get a bunch of shit custom-built for it.

The real question should be which do you want more/are actually able to do. If you want the SAS, and can do it, then go that route. If you question your abilities, then the skyjacker is probably the better option.
 
I won't be installing it anyway, got a local backwoods garage 1/2 mile away that can do the work for pretty cheap. Just was thinking out loud and haven't really looked much at the SAS yet. Just though I'd get a ballpark figure on the cost of a SAS before I spent the $ on the Skyjacker kit, hubs, gears and lockers for the TTB just to compare the two as far as $.
 
If you are not doing it yourself, the SAS will cost way more.

The skyjacker kit is simply following instructions, while an SAS involves figuring out shit on the fly.

SAS involves a lot of decision-making and finding parts, the skyjacker doesn't. For the SAS you need to find an appropriate axle, drive shaft, springs, steering... Not to mention deciding where shocks/springs will go, as well as a bunch of shit Im not even thinking of.

Skyjacker you just buy the kit and bolt it in.
 
Yup, just looked at another thread on here about "price out your SAS" in the "Extreme Suspension" section. Looks like the SAS will be more $, take a lot longer and be a bit of a pain in the arse (at least for me). I guess it's the Skyjacker. Now I wanna run 33" max tires but want to keep the truck as low as possible...will their 4" lift be enough without trimming the chit out of stuff or should I just opt for the 6" and forget about it? Also, this truck will not only be off road but be hauling heavy loads (for a ranger) doing it. Any thoughts?
 
I thought I just wanted a 2" lift... I'm currently 10"/9" over stock...

Most everyone seems to be that way. Build it once, go 6". 6" and 33"s looks good, and won't rub.
 
Surrey said:
Skyjacker you just buy the kit and bolt it in.
Click to expand...

One thing one should probably figure on with the Skyjacker kit (or any 4+" TTB lift for that matter) is getting the steering properly situated afterward so that there's less likelihood of problems with handling & tire wear (the included drop pitman arms are almost invariably much too short on these trucks).

Skyjacker has a longer drop arm (pt# FA600) which matches up quite nicely on a 4" lift, and usually works acceptably on a 6" lift.
There are other (custom) steering options available too (K-link, crossover/swingset, etc.) if you're open to spending a little more coin for better performance.


ridgerunner said:
Now I wanna run 33" max tires but want to keep the truck as low as possible...will their 4" lift be enough without trimming the chit out of stuff or should I just opt for the 6" and forget about it?
Click to expand...

What year is your truck?
 
33s can fit with 4" lift under most rangers with little to no fender cutting, especially if you go with a 10.50 wide rather than a 12.50.

If they dont, you can always do a body lift to make 'em fit without trimming.

Although I do agree with others. Do the 6" lift now, thats about as tall as the TTB front end will let you go while still getting the steering good. That should fit 33s no problem.

If you decide after that, that your 33s are too small, you can cram 35s under it with a body lift, or 37s with a body lift and trimming fenders (Although 37s are a bit big for the stock front axle, they break stuff.)
 
4x4junkie said:
One thing one should probably figure on with the Skyjacker kit (or any 4+" TTB lift for that matter) is getting the steering properly situated afterward so that there's less likelihood of problems with handling & tire wear (the included drop pitman arms are almost invariably much too short on these trucks).

Skyjacker has a longer drop arm (pt# FA600) which matches up quite nicely on a 4" lift, and usually works acceptably on a 6" lift.
There are other (custom) steering options available too (K-link, crossover/swingset, etc.) if you're open to spending a little more coin for better performance.




What year is your truck?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'll be doing the Superlift K-link thingy on the steering and Skyjacker's Kit with the drop pitman arms. I have a 1994
 
ridgerunner said:
Yeah, I'll be doing the Superlift K-link thingy on the steering and Skyjacker's Kit with the drop pitman arms. I have a 1994
Click to expand...

I would recommend agains't the superlift steering. Not because it isn't good, from what I hear it is a fantastic product. The problem is the lift range for it is quite small (only 4.5 to 6" of lift or something?) and that means if you decide you wanna go bigger in the future, you now have a useless steering upgrade. Also, with the bigger drop pitman arm from Skyjacker, you can get the stock steering pretty decent with new bushings and shit.

If you want to build the best thing you can right now, and not give a rats ass about the possibility of future upgrades, then sure, go for it. Im more one to believe a truck is never finished...
 
Surrey said:
33s can fit with 4" lift under most rangers with little to no fender cutting, especially if you go with a 10.50 wide rather than a 12.50.

If they dont, you can always do a body lift to make 'em fit without trimming.

Although I do agree with others. Do the 6" lift now, thats about as tall as the TTB front end will let you go while still getting the steering good. That should fit 33s no problem.

If you decide after that, that your 33s are too small, you can cram 35s under it with a body lift, or 37s with a body lift and trimming fenders (Although 37s are a bit big for the stock front axle, they break stuff.)
Click to expand...

I'll be doing the 6" Skyjacker lift just to be sure (don't like body lifts). I'd love 33X10.5's but options are very limited in an MT (don't like BFG KM2's). Love to go with TSL's, SSR's, etc but they are all 12.5 (radials) and bias plys are very stiff even without air in them I hear. I can get them in a 34" X 9.5" but only in bias.
 
Surrey said:
I would recommend agains't the superlift steering. Not because it isn't good, from what I hear it is a fantastic product. The problem is the lift range for it is quite small (only 4.5 to 6" of lift or something?) and that means if you decide you wanna go bigger in the future, you now have a useless steering upgrade. Also, with the bigger drop pitman arm from Skyjacker, you can get the stock steering pretty decent with new bushings and shit.

If you want to build the best thing you can right now, and not give a rats ass about the possibility of future upgrades, then sure, go for it. Im more one to believe a truck is never finished...
Click to expand...

Do I have to order the longer pitman arm sepparately from the kit (FA600) or does is come with?
 
Surrey said:
I would recommend agains't the superlift steering. Not because it isn't good, from what I hear it is a fantastic product. The problem is the lift range for it is quite small (only 4.5 to 6" of lift or something?) and that means if you decide you wanna go bigger in the future, you now have a useless steering upgrade. Also, with the bigger drop pitman arm from Skyjacker, you can get the stock steering pretty decent with new bushings and shit.
Click to expand...

The Superlift Superrunner steering kit is made for a (non-existent) 2" lift having drop brackets. :rolleyes: (pleeeease don't ask me why or tell me that it's instructions say to use with 3-6" lifts, but that is infact where it's centerlink is positioned for :icon_confused: ).
To make the kit actually work properly with 4" or 6" lifts, you have to lower the centerlink tierod block accordingly (2" for a 4" lift, 4" for a 6" lift). Once that is done, no doubt, it's an awesome upgrade, but if strictly speaking of bolt-on parts (can't do the welding/fabbing needed to lower it), the Skyjacker FA600 drop pitman arm is the better upgrade.
Also, I don't recommend ever lifting a TTB suspension more than 6". If one needs more height than that, adding a body lift is far more practical.


ridgerunner said:
Do I have to order the longer pitman arm sepparately from the kit (FA600) or does is come with?
Click to expand...
Skyjacker's kits come with the #FA400 arm. I would definitely look into having the FA600 arm substituted, and just pay the cost difference.

Some reading about this issue here:
http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/winter2008/steering_tech.htm
 
4x4junkie said:
The Superlift Superrunner steering kit is made for a (non-existent) 2" lift having drop brackets. :rolleyes: (pleeeease don't ask me why or tell me that it's instructions say to use with 3-6" lifts, but that is infact where it's centerlink is positioned for :icon_confused: ).
To make the kit actually work properly with 4" or 6" lifts, you have to lower the centerlink tierod block accordingly (2" for a 4" lift, 4" for a 6" lift). Once that is done, no doubt, it's an awesome upgrade, but if strictly speaking of bolt-on parts (can't do the welding/fabbing needed to lower it), the Skyjacker FA600 drop pitman arm is the better upgrade.
Also, I don't recommend ever lifting a TTB suspension more than 6". If one needs more height than that, adding a body lift is far more practical.



Skyjacker's kits come with the #FA400 arm. I would definitely look into having the FA600 arm substituted, and just pay the cost difference.

Some reading about this issue here:
http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/winter2008/steering_tech.htm
Click to expand...

So to make sure your info has penetrated my thick skull, U are saying to order the FA600 and stick with the stock steering?
 
ridgerunner said:
So to make sure your info has penetrated my thick skull, U are saying to order the FA600 and stick with the stock steering?
Click to expand...

Exactly what he said.

You should look into getting the fa600 instead of the 400 that comes with a standard lift kit, maybe they can hook you up.

As stated, lifting above 6" on a TTB is not typically recommended for a few reasons... You can't buy lift brackets that big, so to do it you need to either fab custom brackets, or not be able to align it. Also, if you try to get full flex out of more than 6" of lift, you'll start binding axle shafts on axle beams and shit. Finally you have the steering problems mentioned before, as the FA600 pitman arm is good for only 6" of lift at most, and its the only long arm on the market.
 
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