Superlift/Black Diamond
Of all the shiny new Jeeps we tested, the Superlift stood out as the lone example that looked like it had taken a trip through a coffee mill. We appreciate the fact that the company beats its vehicles like a wife on a Lifetime movie of the week.
On the rack: The suspension is 100 percent bolt-on and is comprised of heavy-duty components. Rubber frame and poly axle ends on the control arms keep quiet thanks to Rockrunner swivel links that prevent bushing bind. The kit keeps the factory driveshafts and steering and employs cam bolts to adjust the track bars. It's a simple yet well-addressed system that covers all the bases.
On the street: We appreciated the smooth and stable feel behind the wheel. Steering inputs were crisp and confident, and the front and rear seemed to work in harmony. We noted no driveshaft noises or vibes. Overall, this would be the suspension we'd want on something an inexperienced person would be driving.
Over the high-speed dirt road: We noticed the front doesn't bite and dig, but even with a little less responsiveness in the steering, we were able to hoof it at seriously high speeds. The rear would get a little loose, but in a controlled manner. We'd like a little more shock rebound for this type of driving, but comfort only really suffered during heavy hits. It was very forgiving and not mentally draining.
In the rocks: We were lifting front tires to the point that we thought the sway bar was still connected. It wasn't. The front shocks seemed to limit droop. Rear flex was on par with the others, and we found the ride to be very smooth with little head toss-you don't get bounced around all over the place. Stability coming down stuff, at angles and climbing, was a dead heat with the best of the rest. However, the need for more front articulation places it in the middle of pack for us overall.
Over the whoops: Halfway through testing, the Bilstein 5100s on the Jeep had totally faded. After a cool-down period, they were better, but still hampered the testing. Although there was a lot of bumpstop slapping, we heard no bad noises from the undercarriage and had little trouble controlling the vehicle as hard as the shocks would allow us to push it. We should note, to our surprise, the vehicles with Pro Comp MX-6 shocks didn't experience half the shock fade as those with the 5100s. It surprised us.
Bottom line: It's an everyday workhorse, daily driver, tough-as-nails system with very few drawbacks.
TeraFlex
Lots of shop owners we know say they carry TeraFlex suspensions because they have fewer call-back problems after installation compared with others. Indeed, to us, the suspension seems simple, complete, and well built.
On the rack: The most complex part of the install should be adjusting the control-arm length, which isn't too hard. The bolt-on kit includes track-bar brackets, bumpstops, brake-line relocation brackets, and strives to maintain as much of the factory JK steering and suspension geometry as possible. The components are well built and durably powdercoated. Control-arm bushing material is rubber on the frame for isolation and spherical ends at the axles for flex.
On the street: The simple twin-tube shocks transferred small bumps and irregularities to the cabin, and we noted the slightest hint of rear driveshaft tickle from the factory shaft. We noted no bumpsteer or ride-quality quirks, but there was a bit of play in the steering and a moderately unstable feel from the front and rear would make emergency maneuvers less than fun.
Over the high-speed dirt road: The spring firmness is middle of the road, which strikes a nice balance. We did get a lot of ESP activity, but we were also pushing the vehicle rather hard. Leaving the factory steering geometry worked because we noted zero bumpsteer no matter how hard we hit stuff.
In the rocks: There was some popping and clanging from the front as the coils unseated and hit the buckets. The shocks were also a little too stiff for comfort and to combat head toss, but otherwise, there were no surprises. Coming down big stuff, off-camber, climbing, steering, and flex were all enjoyable. Some higher-end shocks would make this an absolutely pleasant package in heavy rocks.
Over the whoops: We never thought a twin-tube shock could deliver such a high-performance ride, but other than a little bumpstop slapping and feeling the shocks top out as the axles dropped, it was a really fun time in the whoops. We experienced no bumpsteer, no noises, and enjoyed a rather smooth ride. There was no scary body lean, and the Jeep proved to deliver a well-balanced package of spring rate, shock valving, and control.
Bottom line: It's a great all-around bang for your buck.
Trailmaster
With its dirt-simple design, the Trailmaster will assuredly appeal to the do-it-yourself driveway installer who wants to slap his lift on over the weekend and drive to work on Monday on new 33s or 35s.
On the rack: All of the components are nicely powdercoated. The suspension is extremely simple. The control arms are fixed length and sport poly bushings. The stock steering and driveshafts are retained, and a nice set of coils with lots of thin windings are used instead of a heavier coil with fewer windings. We don't like the track bars because the bends are unnecessarily angled, ugly, and not reinforced.
On the street: We were pretty blown away with the factory-like ride on the road portion. Basically, if you've driven a stock JK, you know how this suspension drives. We had zero issues, quirks, or surprises.
Over the high-speed dirt road: We were hoping for the same stability and predictability as on the street, but we found the rearend a bit chattery and the steering somewhat vague for our liking on this terrain. The ride was a little too soft in the rear and mildly too stiff in the front.
In the rocks: We didn't drive this one in the rocks because one of the lower front control-arm links snapped where they're bent for tire clearance. Clearly, some heavier wall tubing is needed or, at the very least, some reinforcing at the bend.
Over the whoops: With a replacement control arm, we found an overly stiff ride that bucked in the rear. Steering was a bit wallowy when pushed hard, and we just didn't find confidence in the suspension.
Bottom line: This kit is very user-friendly for the do-it-yourselfer who wants the look of a lift and bigger tires with no handling drawbacks on-road.