Purchasing a 2.5” lift kit for a JLU

[rcadden]

If your primary concern is on-road comfort and drivability, and you’re not off-roading, skip the lift kit and bigger tires. Your Jeep is off-road capable from the factory. If you find you like off-roading, and you’re enjoying challenging trails that push the capability of your Jeep, you can always modify then — and you may decide you want higher quality components.

Second this. Your Wrangler (even a Sport) is more capable than you think off-road.

If you're not sure, here's what I did:

Instead of dropping $5K+ on kit that you aren't likely to use (and will negatively impact your on-road driveability and MPG), I'm in for ~$1.5K total:

• 1.5" Teraflex spacer lift (provides 2" in the front, 1.5" in the rear, to account for factory rake. Measure before you order - my Sahara Altitude didn't actually have any rake, so I had to order additional 0.5" pucks for the rear to level it out) = $250
• Rubicon take-off wheels+tires (17" rims + 33" KO2's) = $1,000 on FB marketplace
• Discount Tire to swap my TPMS sensors from my old wheels to the new ones, and then mount the new ones = $300

Total out of pocket for 2.5" actual inches of lift (2" body, 0.5" axle, as measured) = $1,550. As a light weekend off-roader, I'm extremely happy with the stance, ride, and capabilities. It's plenty for 99% of the off-roading that I'll actually be doing, personally.

Even better since I sold my original Sahara wheels+tires (<9K miles on them) for $600 cash.

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[AcesandEights]

Here's my take on it. You've purchased all the parts needed for a lift, but are you considering how they work for the ride. In general terms, springs carry the load at a given height, and shocks (really should be called dampers) control the way the springs react to the load and road.

So, you've got all the parts to get your height, but do those parts give you the ride you want. Are the shocks (dampers) the ones you want? I don't know anything about RC shocks, but assume they are generic dampers that really are chosen based on their collapsed/compressed and extended lengths. They are probably off-the-shelf stiffer than stock dampers that will degrade your ride quality. That's a completely ignorant and general statement, I don't have personal experience with them, but most "lift kits" don't offer much in the way of damping for ride quality.

The other thing to consider with ride quality is your tires. If you're moving to a 35" tire, I'm assuming you're moving to an "E" load range tire. The tire will be more stiff than stock. So, expect, although it will have more sidewall (given the same size wheel as stock), you'll have a stiffer ride based solely on that.

My point of this very long post is, your ride quality will be based on quality of dampers (shocks) and sidewall stiffness. If you're getting lower quality, stiffer, shocks and stiffer (higher load range) tires, expect the ride quality to be worse, regardless of the ride height or lift.

 

[TheBirdie72]

I would also add that ride quality is a subjective thing, also. I did a rubi takeoff suspension and it is a stiffer ride than my stock suspension was, but I went into it expecting that. The stock sport suspension felt a little “floaty” in my opinion, and you could feel the body roll in turns - like accelerating out of a turn at a traffic light, or on a highway off-ramp at speed. The rubi takeoff ride is noticeably a bit stiffer than stock, but it isn’t bad, and the steering and handling in turns actually improved. Much less body roll and feels like it holds the road more. Wider stance and upgrading to 33’s helped too I’m sure, but I can definitely tell it is a better suspension.

Also, I moved from a 2014 Cherokee into a 2021 Wrangler - so I was expecting more of a firmer, jeepy ride anyway. So all in all, I’m pleased with it. Also got exactly the lift I was looking for without needing spacers or spending a fortune. Got about 2.5 inches in back and 2 inches in front. Given I already had the steel bumper anyway, the 1/2inch rake basically matches what I started with. Before and after below:

That’s one of the great things about Jeeps - so many options to make it what you want!

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