Best cost effect suspension lift for daily drive

Hi all,

I have been mulling over what would be the best 2” suspension setup for me to install and have come to the following conclusion which I am looking for comments on.

I want to make sure that I fit the right setup for my requirements.

Here is my list of requirement, listed in order of priority –
1. Same or better comfort as standard ride
2. Same or only slight worse on road handling (I am taking it that lifting won’t improve road holding)
3. A noticeable 2” lift
4. Black springs (if poss)
5. Black shox (if poss)
6. Keep cost down (if poss)

The car will be daily drive and mainly used on road.

Here’s my solution –
Jimnybits 2” springs
Use the standard rear shox with brackets.
Procomm es1000 front shocks
Castor correction bushes.

My thoughts here are that es1000 on the rear will give a harder ride than the standard shocks. keep the standard rear shocks will also help keep costs down.

Here are my comments the other usual 2" setups.

Trial master - Looks a good kit, but fairly expensive. – ride height is not as high as other 2” lifts (IMO)
OME – I am guessing this is even more expensive. – reported to give best ride
Jimnybits kit with es1000’s – Good price but a hard ride
Bits4Vits – spacer kit – Good price – ride not as hard as jimny (IMO) – front shock extensions have been reported to work loose.

Thanks to Blisset; Goatboy and Dirtydoz who were kind enough to let me try out the ride on their various lifted Jimnys.

Appreciate any comments on the above before make a purchase.

Cheers
Paul
Hertford

I've run the bits4vits lift for ages, imho its dependent on your stock springs being in good shape. You could see it was lifted but if you look at pictures of a true 2" lift they seem to be more noticeable. I suspect my springs have sagged a little so didn't quite get the best results.

Whatever lift you run, the rear shock relocation brackets are a must (again imho).

My front shock extensions did come loose once but i nipped them back up and i've not had a problem since. Dave has since revised the bushes and washers too as people suffered with the washers deforming, again i had the washer push through over the bush when i hit a big rut off road but once sorted its never happened again.
Overall its been a good value lift, allowing room for taller tyres but not so tall that the increase in COG affects the daily drive. I posted in another thread that since changing back to stock sized tyres the ride has improved too, the ride was quite hard.

Like I have said previously if I was in your shoes I would try the spring spacer kit first.
You will need the rear shock relocation brackets that come with it anyway and it saves you having to chuck out your old shocks.
Chances are the ride on your will be completely different to mine (read better) because your shocks are 5 years younger.
If you don't like it stick the spacers on ebay and you should make a good chunk of the money back...

from what customers tell me, the best riding shocks are the Trailmaster comfort and the AVO adjustable's, but 95% of the 2" lifts i do sell are with ES1000's