Lifted Jeeps

There are many reasons for created lifted jeeps, from being aesthetically pleasing to most, or the basic “coolness” behind it, to a necessity for off-road clearance. This can be accomplished through body or suspension lift kits. Both add height, but in different areas of the jeep. One is also more expensive and possibly more dangerous than the other as well. Overall, they are desired by many jeep drivers across the country and can be purchased at most hot rod or 4 x 4 shops, and in 4 x 4 magazines.

Body Lift Kit- The purpose of this kit is just as the name says, to lift the body and it is fairly inexpensive. It will move the body 1″ – 3″ from the frame and uses spacers or blocks. This kit will allow larger tires to be used but it gives no added ground clearance. In order to accommodate this kit completely, other modifications may need to be made to the vehicle itself. The bumpers might need raising or the gearshift extended.

Even though lifted jeeps sit higher with a body lift kit, suspension isn’t improved and travel isn’t increased. Many offroaders do not use this type of lift kit, due to the lack of increase clearance needed for traveling over stumps and large rocks.

Suspension Lift Kit- This kit raises the vehicle’s suspension due to the replacement of rear and front leaf springs, as well as the shocks. There is greater travel and larger tires are used; both of which increase clearance between the ground and the jeep’s axles. A good suspension lift kit will improve articulation, but stabilizers may need to be added for the affected steering geometry. This kit is the more expensive of the two kinds. It also increases the height between 4″ to 18″, depending on the type of kit purchased.

Although ground clearance is greatly increased, safe handling can be an issue among lifted vehicles that are closer to the 18″ range. Raising the center of gravity of a jeep by this much can make it more likely to tip over during high speed turns.

Braking distance is increase with these lift kits as well, so make sure to allow a bit more time for braking. The rear end of lifted jeeps will need to be re-geared if the tire size is increased by more than two times the original stock size. These kits may need to be installed by a proper mechanic and they will definitely void the warranty that came with the vehicle.