How to Lift a Jeep Wrangler

Is there any better place to own a Jeep Wrangler than the Lemon Grove area? With our beaches and nearby desert terrain, there are so many opportunities for adventure in a Jeep. You can increase those opportunities when you install a Jeep Wrangler lift kit. Take a look at why you might want a Jeep Wrangler suspension lift, then shop our new and used Jeep Wrangler inventories to find the right Wrangler to lift!

Reasons to Lift a Wrangler

There are two main reasons to drive a lifted Jeep in San Diego or El Cajon: appearance and performance. While Jeep Wranglers are performance-ready right out of the factory, serious off-road enthusiasts who want to go where few have gone can benefit from a Jeep Wrangler lift kit.

What Do I Need to Lift a Jeep Wrangler

Here are the things to consider before you install a Jeep Wrangler suspension lift:

• Your driving habits: If you’re not an off-roader and primarily want a Jeep lift kit installed for appearances, you can go with a smaller lift.
• How much you want to spend: There are Jeep Wrangler lift kits at a variety of price points from a few hundred dollars to a few thousands dollars for the lift kit alone. Don’t forget supplemental items you might want like adjustable control arms, longer brake lines, adjustable track bars, slip yoke eliminator (SYE), new drive shafts, bigger tires and wheels, lower gears, stronger axles, better steering components, winch, or auxiliary lighting. We also recommend for the sake of safety that you have your Wrangler lift kit installed by our service department, so remember the labor costs.
• Getting a boost from your tires: If you just want a short lift, will upgrading to new tires suffice?
• Installing your lift kit: As we said, we recommend getting your Jeep Wrangler lift kit installed by a professional to make sure it’s done properly.

Jeep Wrangler Suspension Lift

There are multiple types of Jeep Wrangler suspension lift kits available, and they all serve different purposes. Here’s a little bit about each type of available Wrangler lift kit:

• Body Lift: provides a small one to three inch boost that’s inexpensive but mostly serves cosmetic purposes
• Coil Spring Lift: tight coil springs add 1.5 to 3.5 inches to your Jeep’s height. This Jeep Wrangler lift kit gets into improved performance on a variety of road surfaces.
• Short Arm Lift Kit: get two to five inches of added height with this Wrangler lift kit. This is the most popular way to get even better tire articulation without cutting into the body of your Jeep.
• Long Arm Lift Kit: This isn’t the Jeep Wrangler lift kit for everyone. Installation usually requires some fabrication and welding to get 3-6.5 inches of additional height.

Steps to Lift a Jeep Wrangler

Again, we highly recommend professional installation, especially if you don’t have a lot of mechanical experience. Installing a Jeep Wrangler lift kit is a big job that can require tools and skills most amatuers don’t have, like:

• Lift and Pole Jack or Jack and Jack Stands
• ⅜: ratchet
• 15 mm socket
• 16 mm socket
• 18 mm socket
• Extension
• ½” ratchet
• 21 mm socket
• 14 mm wrench
• 15 mm wrench
• 16 mm wrench
• 18 mm wrench
• Trim panel removal tool

 Here’s a general outline of the steps for how to lift a Jeep:

1. Jack up your Jeep Wrangler and remove the wheels
2. Starting in the front remove the brake line bracket and sway bar end link on both sides.
3. Starting with the upper mount, remove the shock.
4. Support the axel with a pole jack.
5. Lower the axel then remove the coil spring.
6. Remove the lower shock.
7. Install the new pedders springs.
8. Install the shocks.
9. With the top mount secure, slip on the dust boot.
10. Fasten the bottom of the shock.
11. Reconnect the factory end links.
12. Tighten the nut and bolt of the end links.
13. Reconnect the brake line bracket.
14. For rear installation, support the rear axle.
15. Remove the bolts holding on the shock.
16. Remove the lower mount for the shock, then the shock.
17. Remove the brake line bracket and leave enough slack so that the axel can drop down without damaging the brake line.
18. Remove all ABS wiring.
19. Lower the axle, remove the springs, and disconnect the sway bar.
20. Place the factory spring pad onto the new Pedders spring.
21. Install the spring.
22. Raise up the axle and reinstall the factory sway bar end link.
23. Starting with the upper mount, install the rear shock. When the top of the shock is in place, align the bottom mount of the shock and fasten tightly.
24. Reconnect the brake line bracket and reinstall the ABS wiring.
25. Reinstall the vent tube.
26. Put on the wheels and lower the Jeep.

Get Your Jeep Wrangler Lifted at San Diego Chrysler Dodge Jeep RamThat’s!

Now that you’ve read our overview on how the lift a Jeep, contact San Diego Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram and let’s get the conversatio started on how to get you into the lifted Jeep Wrangler that suits your style and how you want to drive! Members of our service and parts departments are here and waiting to help you!