Spacer Lift Install Cost?

[Tynewlon]

Literally just put the Teraflex 1.5" spacer kit on my Jeep last weekend. If [like me] you're not going to be doing extreme rock crawling/flexing and just needed a little more clearance, it's a great kit. I purposefully only wanted ~1-2" of lift, due to the height of my garage and the height of my wife, so any of the other full suspension kits wouldn't have worked for me.

A few tips:

1. I didn't do the LCAs and it actually rides better lifted. Holds the line better on the freeway at speed, IMO. '21 Sahara Altitude, so not sure if the trim affected it.

2. Measure your corners before you order. Mine were 37" floor to fender all around - no factory rake at all. The Teraflex kit assumes you have a rake - it's 2" for the front, 1.5" for the back. They sell an additional 0.5" kit (you can buy fronts only, rear only, or all four) to level things out. I needed the 0.5" in the rear to level it out. They stack just fine. If I'd had both to put in at the same time, I'd have saved myself 3 days of driving around with a half inch squat and an hour's worth of taking the springs out again.

3. You do NOT need an alignment afterwards. With this kit (again, minus the LCAs, which IMO you don't need anyways) you're not touching anything that would impact your alignment.

4. For $800, I'd highly recommend that you just go buy the tools you need. Join a local Jeep club and make friends - it's more fun to do it yourself, you'll learn more about your rig, and this is STUPID easy to do on your own.

PARTS YOU'LL NEED:
1. Floor jack
2. Jack stands
3. Torque Wrench
4. Needlenose pliers (medium)
5. A good socket set. I believe you only need 10mm, 13mm, 15mm, 18mm, and 21mm. Oh, and 22mm for the lugs.
6. 18mm open-ended wrench. Bonus if it's got a ratchet on the closed end, but not necessary.
7. 14mm socket and 17mm open-ended wrench for the back spacer bolt. It's a *pain* so you're going to want another set of hands.
8. Spring for an impact driver. They're stupid cheap right now for the holidays and it'll make this job a million times easier. Plus it'll allow you to do your own tire rotations in the future.

This video is a good walkthrough. You do NOT need to have a floor lift and pole jacks. Just use the jack stands to hold the frame up and then use the floor jack to lower/raise the axles.

Thank you!! This is definitely very helpful!! I think I’m going to join some local groups and see if I can find someone willing to help out. I’m willing to wait on getting it done so there’s no rush. I’ve got the LCAs because I’ve read that they make it ride better. But you are happy with the ride without them?

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[rcadden]

Thank you!! This is definitely very helpful!! I think I’m going to join some local groups and see if I can find someone willing to help out. I’m willing to wait on getting it done so there’s no rush. I’ve got the LCAs because I’ve read that they make it ride better. But you are happy with the ride without them?

Yes. It's only been a week but I think it keeps the line on the highway at speed much better. Less wandering (not that it had much to begin with from the factory).

They're pretty easy to install. You could do the kit without them and see how you like it, then swap them if you need to.

Again, my trim is the Sahara Altitude, which sat at 37 inches floor to fender stock with tires at around 34 psi. Sits at about 39" now. Your trim may be different.

 

[rickinAZ]

I missed the fact that the OP also wanted Mopar LCAs installed. The same independent shop that installed my spacer kit (post #28) also installed my Teraflex LCAs for $100 labor.

https://www.totalautoproswholesale.com/

 

[Pig-Pen]

Space isnt easy to get more of but you could definitely buy the tools for much less than $800.

If you look for someone else to do it, find a general mechanic. Like a mom and pop shop. Dont use a specialty shop. Bonus if they can also do the alignment.

yeah any half competant mechanic can do this if i can do it lol. No need to go to Xtreme off road shop off road shop thats going to charge xtreme prices.

and yeah jeepers are the most helpful automotive bunch ive ever seen.

 

[rickinAZ]

yeah any half competant mechanic can do this if i can do it lol. No need to go to Xtreme off road shop off road shop thats going to charge xtreme prices.

and yeah jeepers are the most helpful automotive bunch ive ever seen.

I had my done at a shop because I'm not a half competent mechanic. The OP was asking about a fair price to have it professionally done.

 

[entropy]

$300~$500 should be the fair price.

 

[Jeffery]

Jeeps and saving money, do not go hand in hand.


Learn to do it yourself or dont do it.

 

[rickinAZ]

Learn to do it yourself or dont do it.

I tackle some projects myself, and some I farm out. The suggestion above may be a bit too binary. I do my own income taxes, but I realize that not everyone wants to learn, and may even be nervous about what they'd miss that a pro would catch. Everyone is wired differently. Exact same thing here.

 

[LooselyHeldPlans]

Thank you!! This is definitely very helpful!! I think I’m going to join some local groups and see if I can find someone willing to help out. I’m willing to wait on getting it done so there’s no rush. I’ve got the LCAs because I’ve read that they make it ride better. But you are happy with the ride without them?

You’re in luck. I see you’re in Denver. There’s a place called DIY AUTO REPAIR. They charge around $40 an hour to rent their lift and have tools… as in every damn tool you could ever need To tear a car down to the bolts and rebuild. They’ll even look your work over to help make sure you’re doing it correctly. If you need help, they’ll give you a hand. Just a question here and there is free, but you can rent one of their mechanics and have them work on it together with you If you find you’ve bit off more than you can handle.

http://diyautorepairshops.com/

I changed my control arms with them in 2 hours for like $90. If I needed to do it again, I could certainly do it in an hour. Sure beats the $700 (not including alignment) High Country 4x4 quoted me.

I need to install a small 0.5” spacer in the front and install airbags in my rear. If you want, maybe we could tackle these together sometime.

Edit: just a FYI, I think I would have had a very hard time doing the front lower control arms on the ground with a jack stand on the frame. It can be done, but I would have had a hard time. I had to really get on it with a crow bar to get the control arm joint in the bracket. It would have been very not fun or maybe impossible if it wasn’t on a lift. Best $90 I’ve ever spent.

Edit 2: I did slightly longer lower control arms and am VERY glad I did. My jeep holds a line a lot better and I feel it needs much less constant adjustment to stay in my lane.

 

[Willys_Wonka]

Yes. It's only been a week but I think it keeps the line on the highway at speed much better. Less wandering (not that it had much to begin with from the factory).

They're pretty easy to install. You could do the kit without them and see how you like it, then swap them if you need to.

Again, my trim is the Sahara Altitude, which sat at 37 inches floor to fender stock with tires at around 34 psi. Sits at about 39" now. Your trim may be different.

I'm thinking about doing a 1.5" Teraflex front spacer and 1" rear to fit 35" tires (minor rake). I already swapped in Rubicon springs that boosted me about 1", so I just need a little more clearance for the larger rubber. The local jeep shop who also services dealers in the area advised to get longer shocks (Fox) since the OEM ones will be almost fully extended after the lift. Longer bump stops, as well. I already got Mopar LCA's to install. I'm hoping for the spacers, FOX shocks and installation its under a grand. What say you?

 

[6th Floor Mule]

I'm thinking about doing a 1.5" Teraflex front spacer and 1" rear to fit 35" tires (minor rake). I already swapped in Rubicon springs that boosted me about 1", so I just need a little more clearance for the larger rubber. The local jeep shop who also services dealers in the area advised to get longer shocks (Fox) since the OEM ones will be almost fully extended after the lift. Longer bump stops, as well. I already got Mopar LCA's to install. I'm hoping for the spacers, FOX shocks and installation its under a grand. What say you?

To be under $1K, you’ll need some cheap labor

 

[Willys_Wonka]

To be under $1K, you’ll need some cheap labor

Front and rear spacers are about 250, shocks another 300. To install everything about another 500 bucks, so is it really that much of a stretch? I already have the LCA's bought, so figure three hours of total labor.

 

[6th Floor Mule]

Front and rear spacers are about 250, shocks another 300. To install everything about another 500 bucks, so is it really that much of a stretch? I already have the LCA's bought, so figure three hours of total labor.

Sorry, you said Fox shocks and I assumed you were buying 4.

 

[Willys_Wonka]

Sorry, you said Fox shocks and I assumed you were buying 4.

Do I need rear, as well?

 

[Kleiss1]

I want to put 1” spacer in the front of mine. Anyone in Phoenix area want to help?

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