Reviews for Quadratec Maximum Duty 2.5" Coil Spring Suspension Lift Kit for 07-18 Jeep Wrangler JK 2 Door
I've had this installed for about 4 years now. Since I've done quite a few off road trips, mostly overlanding, no rock crawling but definitely put through the test - IE CO/NM/AZ/UT ect. Anyways they've held up. They are quite stiff which I enjoy. When you run empty it's noticeable but very comfortable and works perfect when I've got a camping rig going (fully packed). I would give 5 stars but just be aware they you definitely do need to get adjustable track bars, don't go with the their "correction" kit, although I'd recommend adjustable track bars for any install. It's quite easy to adjust toe in and alignment on a jeep so if you're installing a lift kit yourself, you can do an alignment yourself. Google is your friend. Also I did this alone (not a mechanic) but it took me about 6-8 hours so it's doable by yourself.
Overall, for a budget suspension lift, this is not a bad option. Easy enough to install with a basic set of tools. Only issue that I had was with removing the factory brake line bracket - the instructions said to use a pair of locking pliers to bend the bracket open, but I ended up having to pry it open with a hammer and pry-bar.
I installed the Quadratec Maximum Duty 2.5-inch Coil Spring Suspension Lift Kit with Nitro Shocks just over a year ago on a JK with 110K miles. The installation went very well, and improved the look and ride of my vehicle. Soon after the lift kit installation the vehicle started to suffer from occasional uncontrollable front-wheel wobble, requiring me to pull-off the road and stop to get the wobble to settle. After inspection of the front-end and conversations with Jeep experts and Quadratec support, I was told the geometry change from the lift kit may be causing worn front-end parts to cause the wobble problem. The first thing we did was to have the front-end professionally inspected and aligned, the stock 17-inch alloy wheels re-balanced, and tire pressure adjusted, but the wobble persisted.
While the inspection did not reveal any blatantly worn components, the mechanic recommended refreshing the front-end, as high-mileage Jeeps are notorious for wobble problems, and even slightly worn ball joints, tie-rods, and steering components can cause problems on lifted Jeeps. I next installed a new steering stabilizer and JKS track bar. Removing the OE track bar revealed the axle side mounting bolt hole had "ovaled" out from wear. I drilled out the bolt hole and new JKS track bar end to the next size bolt, and installed a grade-8 bolt. I was able to install and adjust the new track bar and get a nice tight fit, but the wobble still occurred occasionally.
Now in a quest to build a "Bullet-Proof" non-wobbling front-end, the next step was to install Synergy ball joints. Jeep experts told me the OE ball joints are of poor design quality, and should always be replaced before 100K miles, especially when lifting an older JK. With new ball joints installed I tested the vehicle, only to find that the wobble still occurred very occasionally.
The next items installed was a JKS Drag Link Flip Kit, tie-rod ends, and a pair of JKS Sway Bar Quick Disconnects. Once these parts were in place and adjusted, I tested the JK for wobble. After several on and off-road miles, I have been unable to recreate the wobble under any circumstance. I believe the problem has been resolved by changing to the much flatter angle on the drag link.
The moral to this story is; the Quadratec 2.5-inch lift is very good quality and a good value, but if you are lifting an older JK, you may want to consider one of Quadratec's more comprehensive lift kits that compensate for the geometry changes in the front-end.
Install went well enough. Took about 3x longer than the suggested timeframe. My issue is that the ride quality is absolutely abysmal on a low-mod jeep. Since installing the kit, I've had the following go wrong:
Front Caster needed HELLA correction: Rancho Geometry Correction brackets fixed this.
Front bump stop is just absolutely shredded, but the coil spring keeps it from falling out so I guess that works.
Tailgate hinges have degraded nearly completely, because the harder suspension keeps throwing kilojoules of force into every bump.
If I could go back and do it all over again, I would go with a softer shock.
100% would not reccomend. Ever since I put it in (stock bumpers and tires) the rear end has sagged. Now about 6 months later my rear end sags so bad I cant even drive without hitting the bump stops constantly. I tried talking to someone about it and they told me to buy 200$ springs to replace the rear. I will be getting rid of this lift ASAP!