Tuff Country Vs. Trailmaster

[The Lone Ranger]

Because of my budget, I am looking heavily at these two lift kits.

Both are 4" kits but I have not been able to find any reviews for a 94 Ranger or any Ranger for that matter.

The Tuff Country seems to be a well-liked "lower" priced lift but I have not heard much from or about Trailmaster.

The one thing I did notice was that the Trailmaster says they do not recommend their lift for extra-cabs because of "vibration". Due to my truck being an extra cab...this may be an issue.

ANY feedback, info, insight, reviews or help on either of the lifts would be GREATLY appreciated! I will not be wheeling very hard but would like it to hold up and serve as a good lift.

Thank you Very Very much!

 

[Nater]

Would be intrested in knowing too, seeing as I also have a extended cab and was looking at the same lift kits.

 

[Downey]

find a used super lift both those lifts arent very good for off road

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

Of the two....the Tuff country kit is the better kit.

The reason for the super cab comment is because once you start lifting super cab trucks, the 2 piece drive shaft will start to vibrate.

 

[The Lone Ranger]

Oh...So my ranger has a 2-peice driveshaft?

 

[BlackBII]

Oh...So my ranger has a 2-peice driveshaft?

I dunno. Does it?

(Hint: Crawl under there and look)

 

[-Nathan-]

It will more than likely have the two piece. My truck is a 94 ext cab as well, and i have a 6" lift, and lots of vibration due to the two piece shaft. Do some searching about teh one-piece swap from a 1998+ ext cab truck, it will pretty much bolt in. That would elminate the vibration. I picked a shaft up at teh bone yard for 90$.

 

[Shran]

Just as a comparison, I got a Skyjacker lift that is supposed to be one of the best built, best performing TTB lifts out there (which is why I got it.)

I don't wheel my truck THAT hard or even very often and I've bent lift brackets, radius arms, radius arm brackets...etc. It's a good lift but TTB stuff is not really very strong and cheap lifts definitely do not perform well for multiple reasons. I also can't imagine cheap ones having the strength that mine does.

If you want cheap, get a body lift. If you want performance, go solid axle.

 

[BlackBII]

Most TTB lifts have their weak spots, but with a little reinforcing, they wont have a problem performing off road.

You get your self some extended arms, soft coils and reinforced bracketry, and you'll have an awesome off road truck, remember though, don't skip out on the steering, it's vital that it's correct with the TTB.

 

[Downey]

^^^ have to agree

 

[4x4junkie]

The biggest issue with Traildisaster is the drop-plate extension bracket they use. It's a disaster waiting to happen to your front diff housing. Tuff Country gives you full new replacement brackets that won't interfere with the movement of the front axle.

Just as a comparison, I got a Skyjacker lift that is supposed to be one of the best built, best performing TTB lifts out there (which is why I got it.)

I don't wheel my truck THAT hard or even very often and I've bent lift brackets, radius arms, radius arm brackets...etc. It's a good lift but TTB stuff is not really very strong and cheap lifts definitely do not perform well for multiple reasons. I also can't imagine cheap ones having the strength that mine does.

If you want cheap, get a body lift. If you want performance, go solid axle.

Is that the Class II kit? If so, what in the world are you doing to that thing??? (and what would you consider hard wheeling?)

Got pics? You might be the first one here that's bent a SJ radius arm.

 

[PlumCrazy]

The biggest issue with Traildisaster is the drop-plate extension bracket they use. It's a disaster waiting to happen to your front diff housing. Tuff Country gives you full new replacement brackets that won't interfere with the movement of the front axle.




Is that the Class II kit? If so, what in the world are you doing to that thing??? (and what would you consider hard wheeling?)

Got pics? You might be the first one here that's bent a SJ radius arm.

I would like to see that too. I added gussets to my drop brackets and now I dont see how it would be possible to harm the bracket without breaking the bolts off first.lol

 

[Shran]

Is that the Class II kit? If so, what in the world are you doing to that thing??? (and what would you consider hard wheeling?)

Got pics? You might be the first one here that's bent a SJ radius arm.

Yup...Class II, leafs, springs, ext. radius arms, everything. I don't know what happens to this stuff, maybe I just have bad spotters, but I swear my TTB just bulldozes its way through the rocks. I have damaged the following:

- d/s lift bracket bent backwards about an inch
- p/s radius arm, slid sideways into a rock, bent inwards about an inch
- tranny crossmember - p/s radius arm pushed into this when it bent
- p/s radius arm bracket - twisted where the r/arm goes through
- d/s radius arm bracket - came down hard on a rock and bent backwards slightly

I should have taken some pics before I fixed all this stuff. I had to put the radius arm in a hydraulic press to get it straight, and it still has a huge dent in the tube. The d/s lift bracket was bent so bad that the p/s axle shaft was rubbing on the head of the pivot bolt.

I don't think I wheel it that hard?? My Dana 28 has not spit out a single piece so I can't have been that hard on it. Perhaps I just suck at driving.

I will try and get a pic of the dent in the radius arm at least...everything else is fixed and on my Bronco II

 

[4x4junkie]

Dang dude! lol Yeah you're supposed to drive the tires over the rocks, not the whole undercarriage.

I'll give you the tranny crossmember though... IMO, the tube could've been made thicker on that, given it's position under the truck (I've seen a couple of those bent or dented in the center). Anything else though sure needs a pretty good whack for it to bend or break.

I'm thinking you need a nice full-belly skid starting out from right below your front bumper, and extending at least up to your rear axle.

 

[Shran]

What can I say, if I move a lot of rocks around, it makes a new trail, right? Then I can name it?

Illustrated pictorial of some damage:

That tranny crossmember is a nice looking piece of tinfoil. I was going to reinforce it with round bar stock but I don't have a piece of the correct diameter so that will have to wait. I agree about the skid plates!