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My Experiences with Lift Kits!!!
"Good and Bad"


Pictures: (Befor Lift)  (After Lift)  (Broken Parts)

A lift kit is something that every serious "MUDDER" thanks they should have, But do you know what happens when you add this so called "Lift Kit"...... Well I'm going to tell you my experiences with a "Lift Kit" and let you decide for your self.

On October 5, 2001 I bought a Lift Kit from my local dealer, upon inspection of the lift kit's parts I said to my self "why in the hell did I pay $90 for this" after taking some measurements I returned the Lift Kit to my dealer and headed to "Lowes" to buy some 8ft of 3/16x1" steel (8ft for trial and error, only 4ft is needed), 4-3/8 hex bolts and lock nuts, 4-1" spacers, and 2-U-blots with a total cost of under $13.

Once home I began making my lift kit, It took me 3 hours the first time to make and install the "Custom Lift". After installing I jumped 2" to a total of 12" on stock tires, (13" w/27blackwater's, 14" w/28vamps)

During the first 3 months with the lift kit installed, I said to my self how did I ride without one, I was going places others (without lifts) could not, crossing rocks and trees that I've been stuck on before. Then after putting an (estimated) 500-800 miles on the lift kit things began to fall apart, CV-joints, a-frame-ball-joints, tie-rod-ends, wheel bearings, u-joint, and brake cable.

On 12-30-01 I experienced my first Lift Kit related problem, While playing around in some mud I popped my right outer CV-joint ($166), that same day on the why back home my rear u-joint popped ($32) leaving me being towed home with no wheel drive. Once parts arrived I began to repair my Rubicon and noticed I now needed 1 tie-rod-end($22), 1 a-frame-ball-joints($12), and a inner CV-joint($118). NOTE: The inner CV-joint was not broke, but due to the axel rubbing away the CV-cup wall it required replacement.

On 2-03-02 I popped my second CV-joint (left outer $144) while riding at Antioch, SC. Upon replacement I needed a bottom a-frame-ball-joint ($12) and wheel bearings, replaced both sides($24ea) and the inner CV-joint($118), On 2-9-02 I noticed my rear brake sticking, upon inspection I noticed that the cable was torn where it met the frame, like it had been pulled apart.($11). To date (2-20-02) I blame the lift kit for a total of $683+ dollar's in damaged or broken parts.

Lifting any atv puts a tremendous strain on the moveable parts of the front and rear suspension. Such example would be the CV-joints. CV's are made to only handle a angle to a certain degree. Once this degree is maxed out it begins to wear the CV itself, thus causing it to become damaged and eventually to become broke. Tie-rod-ends and A-frame-ball-joints are the same, but with them the boots become worn and the lubercant wahses away and the ball starts to wear away.