Towing with a lifted pathy

[Ale]

I'm planning on installing a 4.5" suspension lift on my 91 Pathy in July, and upgrading my 31" tires to 33". Since I occasionally pull a tent trailer with my pathy and I'm wondering how a lift affects towing performance and what sort of problems I may encounter in terms of stability.

 

Any advice is welcomed.

 

Thanks, :bow:

AL

[RedPath88]

As with any lifted vehicle you will need to adjust your driving style... this is true while towing or not. You'll obviously need a drop hitch if the trailers arm is level now.

 

I have never towed with a raised Pathy so I cant say for sure (I have towed with mine which it is not yet lifted), but aside from normal driving changes a lift requires, it should not be a whole lot different.

 

One thing to remember though is braking distance, adding the 33in tires IS going to change braking, that is even more important to pay attention too when you have a trailer in tow

[88pathoffroad]

Where are you finding a 4.5" suspension lift for a WD21?

[89_trailboss]

TM and then a bit of a tbar crank

[Ale]

Where are you finding a 4.5" suspension lift for a WD21?

Good question. A friend who is a mechanic was shopping for the parts and was going to help me put it in later this summer. I'm not up on the specifics, but he told me I needed to add 4.5" in order to fit the larger tires. Are you aware of something that I am not?

AL

Edited May 27, 2006 by Ale

[RedPath88]

Ahh I see, the 4.5 was an estimate of what you needed to fit the tires you want to run?

 

Look around the site and you will find that many will tell you 3+3 (3in suspension & 3in body) for a 33in tire. Some have run 33's with less lift (only 3in) but of them I think most (if not all) will recommend against it.

 

There are a number of way's to lift a Pathy... body, spring, diff drop or a combination of them any of them

[El Pathfindero]

I've always wondered hoe this goes....so I'm Jackin this post for a little bit

 

I've seen pics on AC of people wjo have wd21's that they say have a 4'' S/L on em (I can't seem to find a 4'' anywhere)

 

everyone on here seems to have a body lift....which I've heard body lifts are bad, especiallyon an SUV so I've steered away from that idea

 

now what is this JGC/ T-bar lift everyone speaks of? You just go out and buy new rear springs and crank the T-bars? and how much $$ are we talking for these springs?

 

Diff drop?

 

and that boys and girls ends my rant

[RedPath88]

I've always wondered hoe this goes....so I'm Jackin this post for a little bit

 

I've seen pics on AC of people wjo have wd21's that they say have a 4'' S/L on em (I can't seem to find a 4'' anywhere)

Trailmaster makes a 4in lift that drops the mounting points of the front diff and rear of the torsion bars. They also provide spacers to raise the backend of the truck to match.

 

everyone on here seems to have a body lift....which I've heard body lifts are bad, especiallyon an SUV so I've steered away from that idea

This one is up for debate.. some say it is bad because it increases body roll (however many who have installed 2-3in BL's say there is little or no difference in the amount of body roll)

Others claim that it is better than a suspension lift because it keeps the center of gravity down (because you are only raising the body and not the entire frame)

 

now what is this JGC/ T-bar lift everyone speaks of? You just go out and buy new rear springs and crank the T-bars? and how much $$ are we talking for these springs? 

Yes it is as simple as that.. you get yourself a set of Jeep Grand Cherokee FRONT Coils, cut the top coil off (or heat and bend it) then install them in the back of your Pathy. That lifts the rear, you then crank the Torsion Bars to raise the front end. In this case it is usually best to also replace the UCA's (Upper Control Arms) to bring the geometry of the front suspension back within tolerances and help limit wear on the ball joints.

JGC Coils can be found in wrecking yards for as little as $20 in some areas. Bought new I think they are running around $100, but I may be wrong on that price

 

Diff drop?

Refer to the Trailmaster lift option above.

 

and that boys and girls ends my rant

[El Pathfindero]

so where do i get the UCA upgrade?

[FLApathy]

so where do i get the UCA upgrade?

-----------------------------------

 

AC

 

 

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Calmini

 

 

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RC

 

gotta call them and ask to get them seperate and dont tell them its for a pathfinder

[El Pathfindero]

im thinking AC looks the best calmini looks plastic

[FLApathy]

im thinking AC looks the best calmini looks plastic

i like the Calmini UCA's, they look beefy as heck to me but i have heard of ppl having some problems fitting rancho 9000s with them

[RedPath88]

There are also Rough Country and Superlift

 

Other than the finish both RC and SL UCA's are the same (Superlift makes them)

Many people here have them. To order either call them directly.

*You only need the UCA's from that picture (That is a Hardbody kit pictured)

 

EDIT: Here is a picture of my Superlift Arms (again same as RC's just different finish

 

 

EDIT: After I posted I noticed that Justin did include Rough Country's.. but now you have the Superlift info and pictures

Edited May 29, 2006 by RedPath88

[El Pathfindero]

so how much for the superlift kit.......would it be cheaper to just go out and buy the 4" kit??

[RedPath88]

SL I am not sure.. people (including myself) have been getting the RC arms for under $150 shipped, directly from RoughCountry.

 

*I originally bought the RC arms, but had a problem with them and SL handled the exchange (because RC was out of stock at the time) so now I have the SL arms.