Hey y’all, does anyone have any recommendations for a lift kit for a 2017 Wrangler JKU?
I am looking to out 33s on because it is still my daily driver and I don’t want to have to regear it but I would like a bit more clearance so I can hit some more trails.
Not sure if I should do a 1, 1.5, 2, or 2.5 inch lift… I don’t want my jeep to look all goofy with a lift kit that is too high.
Ideally it’s not too expensive but I don’t want to cheap out with bad quality!
Thanks
You could lift your Jeep without changing the tire size but you won’t gain any clearance under the axle or differentials as you are only lifting the frame.
I am using the AEV Dualsport 2.5" lift on my JLU on 35" tires. It is a moderately priced kit that is more overlanding focused than rock crawling and it provides higher load capacity springs. That lift height for a JLU Rubicon provides the lowest lift height for supporting a 37" tire as well. By switching to 35" tires (and perhaps 37" in the future) that provides the lift for the axles to provide more clearance underneath.
I do think that even a modest 2.5" lift while keeping the 33" tires will look a little odd. It did on mine after I installed my lift before I mounted the larger tires. You may want to research some photo examples of that combination to ensure you like the look.
I did upgrade to 35" tires without regearing and everything is still ok with my stock 4.10 gearing and 8-speed auto transmission on the JL. You would need to research if that is still the case with the 5-speed on the JK but my suspicion is that you would need to regear for your rig even with a modest upsize to 35".
Yeah I am probably going to sit on that idea for a little while. I have been told to get a leveling kit but I would like new shocks anyway for a smoother ride on the trails. I am coming up on 90,000 miles and can’t remember if I ever had my shocks replaced… pretty sure not.
Thanks for the info
Hi Dave—
What trim do you have?
I’ve lifted my share of JKU’s. It’s been awhile since I’ve had one so bear with me–I’ll try to remember. The JK’s are just a little bit different than the JL, but only marginally.
The JKU Coil springs came in a variety of different sizes–each coil spring has a code on it and some are stiffer, some are taller, etc…you get the point. The Rubicon trim came with 32" tires and if I recall could fit 33s without a lift as long as you had proper backspacing on your wheels.
What a lot of people did that had non Rubicon’s was to find a pair of JKU rubicon take off coils on KSL or eBay and then add a small leveling puck, like the Teraflex pucks—they may even come in .25" increments and can be stacked. This will give you a very inexpensive way to get height clearance for 33s.
As another poster said earlier, complete kits are another way to go. AEV was mentioned which is definitely an overland style kit-- very plug and play. They make good products–although their coils are a known to be stiff and designed for a heavier overland rig. Their spring rate is stiffer so if you don’t run a heavy rig, and you end up going with adjustable shocks, you’ll lose the benefit of the plush settings–not something it sounds like you’re going to have to worry about though. Personally I run a very plush coil spring in my jeep, it’s nearly as plush as the factory coils.
Happy to chat more and even help swap the coils out if needed.