Thoughts on AEV...help me understand.

[Yoinkers]

Some places absolutely adore these ready made lifts with springs and shocks.

It seems like the real wheelers dont like them and say they are expensive for what you get.

Im into ride quality as my rig will be primarily an onroad vehicle.

Why are these lifts so polarizing? Love, hate, best, worst, it seems like there is no middle ground at all.

[Rexx19]

I just replied in your shock thread, No doubt the question on shocks came because you are considering AEV's lift.

Heres my opinion since your asking.

The cost of the AEV lift dosent make sense with what you actually get. It wont twist like Currie, Rock Krawler, Teraflex, etc.

Its not made to. Its made to keep the stock ride but make the truck taller to deal with larger tires.

This means no new control arms. Which, if you wheel, are as important as the springs themselves.

You need to more research before you spend the coin this would require. I know people who have taken their AEV lifts off, and changed to RK or TF.

You dont want to do the lift twice.

[Deola]

I have the aev 2.5, and I would not buy it again. Or any other product for them, they are one of only two companies ( both which are have grown significantly in the past several years) that I had bad experiences with. Poor customer service is something I don't forget. As far as the lift goes it does fine on and off road but does not excel in the last. Not a bad lift, the entire experience for me was ruined with the after the sale bs.

[JeepLab]

I have the aev 2.5, and I would not buy it again. Or any other product for them, they are one of only two companies ( both which are have grown significantly in the past several years) that I had bad experiences with. Poor customer service is something I don't forget. As far as the lift goes it does fine on and off road but does not excel in the last. Not a bad lift, the entire experience for me was ruined with the after the sale bs.

Thats sad to hear. AEV does make cool stuff. And I've met the guys, one of them brought a hemi jeep to my house before I ever bought Black Betty. So the people are good. When companies grow quickly, the customer service seems to be the cost in a lot of cases. I personally havent bought anything from them, so cant comment on it.

What I can comment on is their lift. The best part of any lift is the "misaligning" lower control arms. AEV dosent give you these key components.

If those heim joints dont twist, driving off-road is not nearly the fun it could be.

The cost with the lack of changing those arms is a recipe for "look elsewhere" when it comes to lifts.

[Pznivy]

Ive seen some AEV stuff up close.

I think JL said it, The LCA's that dont twist is definatly "Look Elsewhere"

I like their skid plate that goes where the drive shaft meets the rear dif.

[WhiteRavenRR]

From my understanding of AEV lifts is, like stated above, to clear larger wheels and tires but they are more designed as an overland kit that doesn't need the massive flex that other manufacturers cater to.

[Rexx19]

From my understanding of AEV lifts is, like stated above, to clear larger wheels and tires but they are more designed as an overland kit that doesn't need the massive flex that other manufacturers cater to.

X2.

Some people dont want twisty suspension... I dont know anyone like that, but i figure they exist.

[JeepLab]

X2.

Some people dont want twisty suspension... I dont know anyone like that, but i figure they exist.

Pretty funny. If your not going to twist it, but want it taller, this is a route to take. I think its expensive with that in mind, as there are other ways to achieve this that would cost less.

[Pznivy]

I like twisty suspension

[Timmy]

Maybe some quick thoughts and questions about AVE. I've read AVE's "marketing" lit on this, and they seem to claim that the #1 reason for going with their lift is because they retain the stock bushings that are in the control arms, which they feel are supperior to any after market bushing in providing flexibility and ride comfort. Do you guys feel the stock bushings from Chrylser/Jeep are better than aftermarket in this area? 2nd, they claim that by repositioning the stock arm down, that it helps to keep the arm as level as possible, which they feel helps the ride quality for various angular/mechanical reasons such as how a steeper arm angle affects wheel camber during compressions/extension, etc. Do you guys feel this is true as well?

To me, AEV seems to be offering a lift that attempts to provide the best on-road quality possible with as much stock gear as possible. Given that most people who have Jeeps rarely use them for how they could be used (myself included) this doesn't sound like a bad strategy. I have little doubt that if you are a serious off-roader, that you would naturally want a product that excelled in that area a bit more, but my guess is, on-road probably suffers as a result to get the best off-road solution, no different than the question about gearing for highway driving vs. gearing for off-roading.

[JeepLab]

Maybe some quick thoughts and questions about AVE. I've read AVE's "marketing" lit on this, and they seem to claim that the #1 reason for going with their lift is because they retain the stock bushings that are in the control arms, which they feel are supperior to any after market bushing in providing flexibility and ride comfort. Do you guys feel the stock bushings from Chrylser/Jeep are better than aftermarket in this area? 2nd, they claim that by repositioning the stock arm down, that it helps to keep the arm as level as possible, which they feel helps the ride quality for various angular/mechanical reasons such as how a steeper arm angle affects wheel camber during compressions/extension, etc. Do you guys feel this is true as well?

To me, AEV seems to be offering a lift that attempts to provide the best on-road quality possible with as much stock gear as possible. Given that most people who have Jeeps rarely use them for how they could be used (myself included) this doesn't sound like a bad strategy. I have little doubt that if you are a serious off-roader, that you would naturally want a product that excelled in that area a bit more, but my guess is, on-road probably suffers as a result to get the best off-road solution, no different than the question about gearing for highway driving vs. gearing for off-roading.

The stock bushing is punishing offroad. I bashed my head into the pillar a bunch of times. On road, it may be superior. When getting lifted, long arms are superior for ride quality...Im told. The AEV approach of lowering the control arm bracket makes sense and seems to chase the long arm idea of flattened control arm planes.

The draw back is offroad. the bushing is awful for that. and AEV makes parts hang lower than they would with any other lift kit.

So if you dont expect to wheel, and want the look of big tires....

[WhiteRavenRR]

So if you dont expect to wheel, and want the look of big tires....

Go for a Teraflex Performance Budget Boost or something similar and save some cash for other mods.