The Best Jeep Lift Kits (Review & Buying Guide) in 2018

Features to Consider When Buying a Jeep Lift Kit

Buying a Jeep lift kit is not a stroll in the park as some folks claim. Unless you’re a seasoned mechanic who has been working with such systems for many years, you’re in much better hands if you get a professional take a look at your current setup and help you determine the kind of Jeep lift kit that will work best with due consideration on the purpose of the lift and your working budget. Installation is also best done by a professional, although there are Jeep lift kits that can be easily installed if you follow the directions properly and you’ve got an extra pair of hands.

The control arms are one of the features you need to consider when going for a lift kit. If you aim to lift your Jeep at least 3.5 inches, then you need to pick the right lower control arms for your vehicle. If you intend to go even higher at more than 4 inches, longer upper control arms are also a must.

The shocks will also have to be considered, for obvious reasons. The greater the lift, the longer is the length of the shocks.

Your brake lines will also have to be considered. Remember that in most lift kits you are increasing the distance between your truck’s body and the axles. As such, your front and rear brake lines will also need to be lengthened, if not replaced. Even your emergency brake lines will have to be addressed.

In most cases, the track bar may also need to be replaced, so it should be worthwhile to check if the Jeep lift kit already comes with such an inclusion.

Types of Lifts

Body lifts perfect for those who only want to increase the distance between the body of their Jeep and its chassis or frame without necessarily gaining any noteworthy increase in ground clearance. It is cheap, usually under $200, and allows you to put larger tires without changing the shocks. However, if you lift your Jeep for at least 1.5 inches, it’s often imperative that the shocks will be replaced to ensure a smoother ride. Additionally, any lift greater than 2 inches may already require the addition of extensions or even the installation of new brackets for various components that may be affected by the lift. These can include the steering linkage, radiator, fuel filler tube, shifter, and others.

Budget boosts are even simpler solutions than body lifts. These are nothing more than coil spring spaces that are placed on top of your Jeep’s coil springs. For it to really work, it is important to install extensions or new shocks as well. This type of lift is basically for aesthetic purposes only as the increase in lift is quite minimal.

Suspension lifts are the preferred type of Jeep lift kits because of the value and effectiveness that they provide. However, you should always be careful in choosing the kind of suspension lift kit as anything over 2.5 inches will already require CV driveshaft and slip yoke eliminator. Suspension lift kits should always include bigger shocks, sway bar links, and coil springs. Some manufacturers may even include steering components, extended control arms, and other components that may be needed. Professional off-roaders always go for suspension lifts that are anywhere from 4.5 to 6 inches as these can provide for greater articulation and ground clearance.

Wrangler Tire Sizes and Lift Heights

If you intend to increase your Jeep’s tires to 33 inches, you can almost always use a 1.5-inch Budget Boost that typically comes with spring spacers, shock spacers, brake line extensions, and longer sway bar links.

If you want to mount larger 35-inch tires into your Jeep, then you can start with a 2.5-inch suspension lift which should already include springs, shocks, sway bar links, track bars, brake lines or bake line extensions, and front control arms.

If a 35-incher won’t be enough to conquer the terrain you’re challenging, 37-inch tires should be your go-to. In such cases, you will need a lift system that can give you a minimum of 3.5 inches of lift. The kit should already include springs, shocks, track bars, brake lines, control arms, and sway bar links.

Other Mods Needed to Run Larger Tires & Lifts

Lifting your Jeep to considerable levels usually entail changes or modifications in some of its parts or components.

For those wishing to upgrade to 33-inch tires, using the basic Budget Boost lift system will usually entail no modification at all. These are simple spacers that are put on top of stock shocks and springs to increase fender clearance and allow you to put a 33-inch tire without any negative effect on the Jeep’s geometry.

If you are going to install 35-inch tires you will be using a 2.5- to 3.5- inch suspension lift kit. Because of the greater distance between the axle and the body of the Jeep, its geometry will be affected. This can be corrected by replacing the track bars both at the front and rear axle. Additionally, the front axle has to be realigned by making appropriate changes in the lower or upper front control arms.

If the aim is to put 37-inch tires which require suspension lift kits with at least 4 inches of lift, expect that your Jeep’s driveshaft and stock suspension will have to be replaced. The Jeep geometry also needs to be realigned and the track bars elongated.

Best Jeep Lift Kit FAQ:

Q:  What is a lift kit?

A:  As you may have already guessed, a lift kit is an aftermarket product that is typically added onto your truck or SUV to raise either the body or its suspension. A body lift kit increases the distance between your truck’s body and its frame. A suspension lift kit, on the other hand, increases the distance between your truck’s body and its axles.

Q:  Why should I lift my Wrangler?

A:  Different folks will have different reasons why they think they need to lift their Jeep Wrangler. However, there are two fundamental reasons why you would want to lift your Wrangle or any truck or SUV for that matter. First, it increases the ground clearance or the space between the lower surface of your truck’s chassis and the surface of the ground. This is the fundamental reason for professional off-roaders as well as those who have to endure the daily grind of traversing over the rocky and uneven terrain.

However, if you’re not really into off-roading and are more into the city-driving type of guy, then lifting your Wrangler will be more for aesthetic reasons. Honestly, rides with humongous wheels look really awesome and powerful. Even if you’re going to drive on asphalt day in and day out for the rest of the week, having larger tires can significantly improve your Jeep’s wow factor.

Q:  When do I need a new driveshaft?

A:  Manufacturers of truck lift kit systems often base their height improvement estimates on a fully-loaded Jeep or any other truck or SUV. This means the vehicle has steel bumpers both up front and at the rear, hefty underside skid plates, and winch, as well as other accessories that are considered a must-have in an off-roader like the Wrangler. As such, if the product says that it can give your ride a 2.5-inch lift they are almost always saying that this 2.5-inch lift is when your truck or SUV is loaded to the max.

The problem is that most of the Jeeps, trucks, or SUVs are not really fully loaded, but rather come in as stock. So, when you do add the same 2.5-inch lift system you could technically be netting a lift of 4 inches. This can lead to issues with your driveshaft. As a general rule, you should always consider replacing your existing driveshaft with a new one if the net lift afforded by your truck lift kit system is anywhere near the 4-inch mark.

Another issue is the possible contact between extra-large lift kit systems and the front stock drive shaft of your Jeep. This is almost always a concern with Jeeps with automatic transmissions built from 2012 and onwards. In such cases, you may also need to replace the driveshaft of your 2012+ Jeep AT. However, some would rather put an exhaust spacer to give enough clearance for the Jeep’s driveshaft.

Our Top Pick

With its easy bolt-on installation, affordable price, and heavy-duty quality construction of its components, the Rough Country 635 2.5-Inch Suspension Kit is easily our top pick for the best Jeep lift kits. It gives you the ability to use tires as large as 35 inches while ensuring the smoothest ride possible without ever negatively affecting its off-road performance.

Whether it’s to improve your Jeep’s off-road capabilities or to simply enhance its aesthetics, choosing the right lift kit is always a must. The important thing to remember is that the greater the lift you want to achieve, the greater the amount of work you’ll need to put into your project. It’s well worth it, though.

Sources:

1. Tips for Buying Your First Lift Kit, Four Wheeler