For decades, Jeeps have been considered one of the best off-road vehicles available on the market, and even in stock configuration, they can take on some very rough terrain. However, if you want to make your offroad adventures easier on yourself and be able to get over even deeper beds of water and more massive rocks, you will need to make a few modifications to your Jeep. The most important one of them is a suspension lift kit. A lift kit completely changes your perception of what is considered rough terrain, and you won’t have to worry about ground clearance any longer, regardless of the situation. If you’re interested in a lift kit for your Jeep and are wondering how to choose one and how much it will set you back, read along.
It's clear that the lift kits differ in price, functionality, and quality - just like all other aftermarket parts. Next to that we also distinguish between lift kits based on the height of the lift it gives to your Jeep and the number of components the kit has (complexity of the kit).
At Extreme Terrain, we have the following categories for the Jeep JL (the same categories apply to other models as well):
In case you haven’t heard about leveling kits yet, they are used to make the height of both the front and rear axles identical. Out of the factory, Jeeps often sit lower in the front and higher in the back. This is mainly done to accommodate for possible transport of heavy goods in the back of the truck but that’s not very useful when it comes to off-road driving, where every inch of clearance counts. The advantage of such kits is the affordability - they generally only include spacers that go on top of the front struts - not much else needed to simply raise your off-roader, even though more complex solutions have their place on the market too.
For a smaller lift of 1.5”, you can go with a very simple kit, which only includes two pairs of spring spacers, thanks to which the installation is quite straightforward. In kits used for raising the ground clearance by more digits, the list of parts is significantly longer - off-road spec shocks, springs, a front adjustable track bar, a rear track bar bracket, front sway bar quick disconnects, bump stop extensions, and front caster lock plates. Kits like that will take much longer to install but the results will amaze you and are worth the extra cost and work.
While spacers are not a bad solution, they’re budget-focused and you’ll recognize that immediately because of the ride comfort. A thorough kit will catapult the off-road abilities of your Jeep while doing close to no harm to the ride quality and handling. And while you’re not so likely to need a 5” lift, it's still worth knowing that these kits include the same list of components as the one above, and can still handle quite well in the corners.
How Much Does It Cost?
There are many different options to choose from when it comes to Jeep lift kits, as we’ve seen above. With a budget (but still high quality) option such as a Teraflex 2.50-inch lift kit with VSS shocks you’ll pay around $950, while a more expensive lift kit will run you about $3,100 in the same height category - EVO Manufacturing 2.50-Inch Heavy Duty Enforcer Stage 3 lift kit. Understandably, the higher the lift, the higher the cost. If you’re not looking to install the new suspension yourself, you’ll also need to put some money aside for the installation cost.
It usually takes about five to seven hours to install a lift kit, and independent shops tend to charge between $70 and $80 per hour, so you’ll need about an extra $450 for that - of course depending on the number of parts that need to be installed. In total, this means that a lift kit will run you anywhere from 300 bucks for a simple coil spring spacer suspension lift kit to $8,000 for a performance JKS kit with shocks, springs, sway bars, control arms, and more. If you don’t have extreme requirements, you’ll realistically spend about $1,800 to $3,000 for a complete lift kit (springs, shocks, sway bar links, arm links) including installation.
Jeep Warranty with a Lift Kit
If the lift kit is installed properly, there is no reason for your Jeep to suffer from any damage or to not function properly. This is why you need to get your kit installed at a specialized service shop, ideally one that specializes in Jeeps or off-road vehicles in general.
As far as warranty goes, you’ll be safe if you get the kit installed through a dealership or an experienced repair shop, which will avoid any procedures that might void the Jeep manufacturer warranty. Yet, nothing is ever a guarantee, and there is still a chance that the manufacturer will make a fuss about the lift to avoid fulfilling any warranty claims. However, this rarely happens, and if it does, it's in dealerships with bad reputations. On the upside, all lift kits come with a warranty of their own, so in case anything goes wrong with the actual lift kit, you’re covered.
Wide Selection of Lift Kits for Your Jeep
At ExtremeTerrain you can find some of the lift kits mentioned above, as well as accessories and other aftermarket mods for your Jeep, or any other off-roader for that matter. Low prices, a wide selection, and dedicated sales techs to support you - those are just a few of the advantages of choosing us as your supplier of a Jeep lift kit.
Share
This site uses cookies to provide you with the best experience possible. Read our Privacy Policy
