Which is why there are very few threads about the skyjacker option and in each people w/o experience with them bash them.
I don’t see most bashing skyjacker, most are trying to point out the differences. OME has been developing suspension kits, parts and supporting the LC community for years. Their setups for the 80 have been run/tested on most continents, in all types of terrains, this process has netted, by my count 7 front spring options & 8 rear spring options, allowing you to “tune” your setup to your needs. That said they are primarily a “mass market, bolt on kit” supplier, for most this is a good thing and from my observation the vast majority that run them on 80 series LC’s are happy with their performance.
I got my 80 to hopefully enjoy for years to come and am admittedly frugal, cheap, so I shop for value, part of that is $$$, but there is more to the equation than that. OME has been part of the “community” for years, I don’t see ending anytime soon, so if I need a replacement spring years from now, chances are they will have it, this has value to me. OME has a network of dealers that work on and understand 80 series LC’s, this has value to me. There is a huge installed base here, most of the questions, tips, tweaks are posted here, this has value to me. I see OME stuff on expedition, real wheeling rigs, world wide, sometimes sponsored, I would think that the feedback from this would be used to improve the product, this has value to me.
Skyjacker is a big company with a long history, but I don’t see any LC commitment. Most of their priorities appear to be domestic, the only 80 that I see on their site is a “Real Ride”, customer submitted. If I have a question, what’s the chances of a sales person at one of their dealers even knowing what an 80 series is, let alone ever installed a “kit” on one? One would hope that a big company like them would spend the effort to properly test and tune a suspension kit, but I have never heard or seen anything about it? The “kit” description from their site;
Description
Suspension Lift Kit; 2.5 in. Lift; Incl. Front/Rear Leaf Springs;
Contents
Part # Description Amount
LC28F 2.5"COILS,FRONT, 91-97 FJ80 1 PR
LC28R 2.5"COILS,REAR, 91-97 FJ80 1 PR
Yes, it’s a simple mistake, but what does it say about their priority, commitment to the product that they can’t get the description right or even correct it? One would think that they would at least install the kit on a truck and shoot a picture for the site, or if that’s too much to ask, shoot a pic of the kit? Not to mention that anyone that has spent more than a few minutes researching 80 series lifts, knows that it requires more than a set of springs to make a good handling/wheeling rig.
This isn't a “bash” on Skyjacker or owners of their products, if you own their springs I hope that you like them and get years of enjoyment from them. Just my thoughts, for my $$$, I don’t see the value in them and if I was buying again today, my $$$ would still go to OME or one of the other vendors that works on, understands the needs of the 80 series.