Lifting the 3G Durango
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Joined: Jun 2013
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Sorry if I'm doing this wrong, I just registered to the site to post my recent lift. So everything we know says the Jeep GC suspension is set up *******ly the same as our Durangos. So far I've only seen the RRO lift installed on durangos but no suspension lifts. So I decided to do it! I bought the Eibach 2" lift for the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. It's almost complete but I had a hiccup with the rear shocks. Should be on this week and I'll be able to post pictures. Hoping to raise some eyebrows. Even with stock rear shocks it looks sweet!! I'll hurry as fast as I can.
Thanks in advance!
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Joined: Dec 2015
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I put the 2.5" Rocky Road Outfitters full lift on last week. Purchased the "deluxe" kit here, http://www.rocky-road.com/wk2-lift-kit.html, for $788.96 out the door. It came in about 2 weeks.
Kit included all necessary hardware, two rolled steel upper control arms (much more heavy duty than the pressed sheet metal stock ones), two Moog Problem-Solver ball joints, two upper puck style spacers for the front shock spring assembly, two upper plate spacers for the rear shocks, and two puck style spacers for the rear springs. Bottom line, it's a puck spacer style lift kit using the stock suspension. Don't get me wrong though, it is heavy duty plate steel NOT $75 cheap rubber bushings. Each puck weighs about ten pounds and is nicely powder coated black.
As for install, it took us (one seasoned shade-tree mechanic and one guy who likes tinkering) about 5 hours total. The first front shock we did took about 2.5 hours, but then we had it mastered. The directions they send with are pretty good and have pictures too boot. If I can say anything, lay out EVERYTHING before you start; we tried laying out just the big stuff and leaving the small lose-able hardware in the bags but it ended up biting us...
Tools you'll need:
-at least two decent height jack stands
-a good jack with at least 3' of travel so you can lift the vehicle a decent ways
-a tire iron
-ratchet and wrench set (we used a lot of 18mm, 1", and some others if I recall so it takes a decent set)
-a grease gun with chassis grease (for the ball joints; they looked greased but the instructions called for grease? we topped off)
-a rubber mallet to knock stuff lose or into place without causing damage
-Some rust buster spray for loosening rusty bolts
-some light gauge locking wire to 'tie up' and hang the knuckle while it was detached came in super handy
-two guys... this would have been a bear to do alone
Tips that aren't covered in the directions (or we just missed them):
1. On the front passenger side is a suspension height sensor, which they mention disconnecting but I don't remember seeing anything about swapping hardware in the directions. Remember how I said lay everything out so you know what you have? We put the stock sensor attachment on the new control arm and it was way too long and wouldn't allow the arm to travel without contacting the frame... pondered that for a good 15 minutes till we just shrugging and put it all together. Then realized that there was a replacement attachment for that reason in the kit... had to take it apart and do it all over again.
2. Loosen (but don't remove) all the lower control arm alignment bolts. It gives you the necessary wiggle room in the control arms when it comes time to reattach the shock to the arms. You'll need to get an alignment anyways so it's no big deal.
3. The instructions mention multiple times to watch how far you move the loose knuckle to avoid damage to the break lines. Unless you have someone who doesn't mind sitting there holding the knuckle through the entire job, we suggest using some locking wire to "hang" the knuckle from somewhere on the frame. Free'd up out hands really well.
4. The last step that isn't mentioned too often, but is very important, is the alignment. Most quick-lube style alignment shops use software now-a-days to put vehicles to a factory spec. You'll need to find a shop that has the equipment and experience to work on aftermarket suspension mods and not just tune to some numbers in a book. Even with the experienced shop I used I had to coach them a little to find all the different adjustment points and to keep trying till they got it to where I was comfortable. They got it within tolerance but it's not perfect. These Durango's aren't meant for this kind of suspension so I'm not surprised it was a challenge.
Sorry I don't have more in-the-moment work pics, but we were getting after it. After a week of driving on it I've noticed a couple things:
1. It finally has the stance of an SUV; looks awesome. Now all it needs is some wheels.
2. The suspension does seem a bit stiffer, taking railroad tracks and big bumps with some more bound and kick, which makes sense since the springs are basically preloaded now. No risk to safety though.
3. There's a tiny intermittent squeak coming from the rear drivers side that I can't identify. It sounds exactly like a mouse...
4. There's a rubber friction squeak coming from the front upper control arms, usually only when I brake the front end strokes down a little. I think we may have over tightened the frame attachment bolts and it might be pinching them too much, causing the rubber bushings to not have enough wiggle room. I plan on talking to tech at the dodge dealership when I go to get my headlights adjusted and see about the torque specs.
5. your headlights will be permanent high beams unless adjusted thanks to the leveling feature of this lift. If you've got the HID projectors then I think you'll need tech support to have them adjust the auto leveling in the computer.... damn technology.
...almost forgot, shout-out to xsheenx, Thekoning and NYHunter1 for the inspiration and for being the guinea pigs
Kit included all necessary hardware, two rolled steel upper control arms (much more heavy duty than the pressed sheet metal stock ones), two Moog Problem-Solver ball joints, two upper puck style spacers for the front shock spring assembly, two upper plate spacers for the rear shocks, and two puck style spacers for the rear springs. Bottom line, it's a puck spacer style lift kit using the stock suspension. Don't get me wrong though, it is heavy duty plate steel NOT $75 cheap rubber bushings. Each puck weighs about ten pounds and is nicely powder coated black.
As for install, it took us (one seasoned shade-tree mechanic and one guy who likes tinkering) about 5 hours total. The first front shock we did took about 2.5 hours, but then we had it mastered. The directions they send with are pretty good and have pictures too boot. If I can say anything, lay out EVERYTHING before you start; we tried laying out just the big stuff and leaving the small lose-able hardware in the bags but it ended up biting us...
Tools you'll need:
-at least two decent height jack stands
-a good jack with at least 3' of travel so you can lift the vehicle a decent ways
-a tire iron
-ratchet and wrench set (we used a lot of 18mm, 1", and some others if I recall so it takes a decent set)
-a grease gun with chassis grease (for the ball joints; they looked greased but the instructions called for grease? we topped off)
-a rubber mallet to knock stuff lose or into place without causing damage
-Some rust buster spray for loosening rusty bolts
-some light gauge locking wire to 'tie up' and hang the knuckle while it was detached came in super handy
-two guys... this would have been a bear to do alone
Tips that aren't covered in the directions (or we just missed them):
1. On the front passenger side is a suspension height sensor, which they mention disconnecting but I don't remember seeing anything about swapping hardware in the directions. Remember how I said lay everything out so you know what you have? We put the stock sensor attachment on the new control arm and it was way too long and wouldn't allow the arm to travel without contacting the frame... pondered that for a good 15 minutes till we just shrugging and put it all together. Then realized that there was a replacement attachment for that reason in the kit... had to take it apart and do it all over again.
2. Loosen (but don't remove) all the lower control arm alignment bolts. It gives you the necessary wiggle room in the control arms when it comes time to reattach the shock to the arms. You'll need to get an alignment anyways so it's no big deal.
3. The instructions mention multiple times to watch how far you move the loose knuckle to avoid damage to the break lines. Unless you have someone who doesn't mind sitting there holding the knuckle through the entire job, we suggest using some locking wire to "hang" the knuckle from somewhere on the frame. Free'd up out hands really well.
4. The last step that isn't mentioned too often, but is very important, is the alignment. Most quick-lube style alignment shops use software now-a-days to put vehicles to a factory spec. You'll need to find a shop that has the equipment and experience to work on aftermarket suspension mods and not just tune to some numbers in a book. Even with the experienced shop I used I had to coach them a little to find all the different adjustment points and to keep trying till they got it to where I was comfortable. They got it within tolerance but it's not perfect. These Durango's aren't meant for this kind of suspension so I'm not surprised it was a challenge.
Sorry I don't have more in-the-moment work pics, but we were getting after it. After a week of driving on it I've noticed a couple things:
1. It finally has the stance of an SUV; looks awesome. Now all it needs is some wheels.
2. The suspension does seem a bit stiffer, taking railroad tracks and big bumps with some more bound and kick, which makes sense since the springs are basically preloaded now. No risk to safety though.
3. There's a tiny intermittent squeak coming from the rear drivers side that I can't identify. It sounds exactly like a mouse...
4. There's a rubber friction squeak coming from the front upper control arms, usually only when I brake the front end strokes down a little. I think we may have over tightened the frame attachment bolts and it might be pinching them too much, causing the rubber bushings to not have enough wiggle room. I plan on talking to tech at the dodge dealership when I go to get my headlights adjusted and see about the torque specs.
5. your headlights will be permanent high beams unless adjusted thanks to the leveling feature of this lift. If you've got the HID projectors then I think you'll need tech support to have them adjust the auto leveling in the computer.... damn technology.
...almost forgot, shout-out to xsheenx, Thekoning and NYHunter1 for the inspiration and for being the guinea pigs
Last edited by that$pit; Dec 24, 2015 at 04:21 AM.
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Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 4
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Project about to start
So I ordered Tuff Country1-75-Inch-Leveling-Lift-Kit from 4 wheel parts for my 2011 D Crew AWD. They are installing it on 3/24/16. So Pics will be coming. Also have a K&N CAI I'm putting on this week as well as taking off the bottom plastic piece from the bumper. Side window vents and hood bug guard should also be this week. I am not sure about rims and tires because I'm not sure what I will be able to fit. Right now running stock rims with 265/60/18 tires.
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Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 1
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From: Colorado
Question guys, new to the site and was wondering if the RT would be different than the lift on a say for example Crew? I was thinking there would be differences due to AWD vs. 4WD, longer brake lines etc.. I reached out to Rocky Road and they couldn't definatively say that it would work on an RT as opposed to a regular Durango. Mine is a 2013 RT blacktop. I would love to hear if it can be done! Thank you all!
Professional
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 103
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From: Long Island, NY
I too have a citadel and am very happy to finally see someone that has done the lift on theirs. Love to chat on the phone if possible and pick your head on your experience with product outcome. If there's a way to chat let me know please.
