Best Lift Kits for the Jeep® Wrangler

Lift Kit Types

Lift kits come in several shapes and sizes, ranging from cost-effective standard lifts to off-road-ready long-arm systems. In this section, we compare each lift type, including its general parts and some pros and cons, beginning with body lifts.

Body Lifts

Rather than modifying your Jeep Wrangler’s suspension components to increase ride height, body lifts take a more unconventional approach. Body lifts function precisely as the name suggests—elevating the body over the frame using several puck-style spacers, traditionally manufactured from robust aluminum or composite material. 

These spacers are installed between your Wrangler’s factory frame mounts and the body, thus lifting its body over the frame by the thickness of the spacer—typically one to three inches. 

While body lifts provide clearance for oversized tires, your Jeep's overall ground clearance remains unchanged due to reusing all factory suspension components. Articulation and ground clearance also stay the same, providing factory-style driving characteristics. For this reason, we’d recommend body lifts for street use or use in conjunction with a suspension lift.

Pros:

• Cost-effective

• Maintains factory ride quality

• Retains payload and towing capacities

• Increases tire clearance

Cons:

• Typically requires cutting and trimming of frame horns for bumper relocation brackets

• Minimal lift—approximately 1–3 inches 

• Time-consuming installation

Leveling Kits

Leveling kits are another budget-minded approach to lifting your Jeep Wrangler. These systems focus exclusively on raising the front ride height until it sits even with the rear, eliminating the factory rake. 

This lift style provides clearance for larger tires and moderate off-road benefits, especially when paired with performance-tuned dampers. 

Pros:

• Balances stance

• Increases front ride height, ground clearance, and tire clearance 

• Retains factory towing characteristics

• Cost-effective

• Bolt-on installation

Cons:

• Can cause a reverse rake while towing/hauling

• Minimal lift—approximately 1–3 inches

Standard (Short Arm) Lift Kits

Standard lift kits, also called short arm kits, employ factory-style link arms (control arms), drop brackets, and taller coil springs for a moderate lift. Standard lift kits are cost-effective, typically bolt-on, and offer solid on and off-road performance. These systems give your Jeep Wrangler a uniform, aggressive stance and significantly improved ground clearance.  

Standard lift kits focus on boosting ride height over outrageous off-road performance. For this reason, we’d reserve standard suspension lifts for daily-driven rigs and weekend warriors. Dedicated wheelers and overlanders would likely benefit from a more capable suspension system.  

Pros:

• Offered in various lift heights

• Improves ground and tire clearances

• Improves aesthetics

• Most affordable suspension lift style

Cons: 

• May alter on-road performance

• May require modifications (cutting, drilling, etc.)

Coilover Suspension Lifts

Coilover suspension lifts offer all the features of standard lift kits and more. These pricier systems ditch conventional coil springs or spring spacers for premium, adjustable coilover dampers. Coilover systems offer extreme off-road performance, solid on-road ride quality, and adjustable ride heights. 

These benefits come at a cost, however. Coilover suspension lifts are one of the priciest lift styles, often coming in at double to triple the price of a comparable basic lift kit.

Pros: 

• Adjustable ride height

• Solid on-road performance

• Improved ground and tire clearances

• Improves aesthetics

Cons: 

• Pricier than similar basic lift kits

• May alter on-road performance

• May require modifications (cutting, drilling, etc.)

Long Arm Suspension Lifts

Unlike other lift styles, long-arm suspension lifts replace the factory short-arms with extended versions, which typically mount further toward the center of the frame using aftermarket mounts. These lift kits reduce control arm angles, improving ride quality, smoothing travel, and boosting off-road performance. 

Pros: 

• Improved suspension geometry

• Improved ride quality

• Smooth, efficient travel

Cons: 

• More expensive than comparable short-arm kits

• May require alterations to the frame and chassis

• May increase body roll on the street

Top Lift Kits

With Jeep Wrangler lift kit styles covered, let’s get into our expert’s top recommended products for JK and JL generations. Each offers exceptional build quality, ride quality, and overall performance. 

Best JK and JL Body Lift: Rough Country 1.25" Body Lift Kit

The Rough Country 1.25” Body Lift Kit is a high-quality, comprehensive system, including everything necessary to give your JK or JL a 1.25-in. altitude adjustment. Rugged fiberglass-reinforced nylon lift pucks space your Jeep’s body over its frame, while durable steel relocation brackets ensure proper gaps between the bumpers and the body.

This kit is the perfect solution to clear slightly larger tires on an otherwise stock Jeep or improve ground and tire clearances on an already lifted application. Rough Country backs this kit with a limited lifetime warranty. 

Features: 

• Uniform 1.25-in. lift 

• Includes front bumper relocation brackets

• Relocates rear bumper with factory hardware

• Fiberglass-reinforced nylon body lift pucks

• Provides additional ground clearance

• Clears oversize tires

• Limited lifetime warranty

Best JK Leveling Kit: MaxTrac Leveling Kits

Level your Jeep Wrangler’s stance with a premium, fabricated-steel leveling kit from MaxTrac. MaxTrac offers simple, bolt-on leveling kits in two heights: 1.5-in. and 2.5-in. Both clear oversized tires, including a 33x12.50 for 1.5-in. systems and a 35x12.50 for 2.5-in. systems. 

All leveling kits feature corrosion-resistant powder coat finishes, ensuring long-lasting, rust-free service in any climate. MaxTrac backs its leveling kits with a limited lifetime warranty. 

Features: 

• Lifts the front of your Jeep without sacrificing ride quality

• Offered in 1.5-in. and 2.5-in. heights 

• Clears oversized tires

• Simple bolt-on installation

• Robust fabricated-steel construction

• Corrosion-resistant powder coat finish

• Limited lifetime warranty

Best JL Leveling Kit: Daystar 1.5" Leveling Kit

Level your Jeep Wrangler JL’s suspension with the Daystar 1.5” Leveling Kit—a durable, polyurethane leveling system offering 1.5 inches of front lift and smooth, factory-like ride quality. 

The Daystar system includes everything necessary to level your Wrangler, including front coil spacers, fabricated steel shock extenders, and hardware. This system offers a simple, bolt-on installation and a limited lifetime warranty. 

Features:

• 1.5-in. leveling puck

• Robust, graphite-infused polyurethane construction

• Subtle black color

• Includes coil spring spacers, extended bump stops, and hardware

• Simple bolt-on installation

• Limited lifetime warranty

Best JK Standard Suspension Lift: Icon 3" Standard Lift Kits

Icon is a renowned name in the aftermarket suspension industry, specializing in performance-oriented, bolt-on lift systems for various pickups and SUVs, including the Wrangler JK. 

The company’s 3” Standard Lift Kit is no exception. This system comes in five stages, with each progressively improving off-road performance. Stage 1 systems add performance coil springs and 2.0 dampers while retaining your Wrangler’s factory track bar and control arms. 

Alternatively, Stage 5 systems employ dual-rate coil springs, extended tubular control arms with adjustable lower links, adjustable front and rear panhard bars, and performance-oriented 2.5-in. CDCV dampers. 

All Icon lift systems are manufactured in the USA and backed by a limited lifetime warranty. 

Features: 

• Premium construction, including fabricated steel components 

• Five stages are available, including different shock packages and performance

• All hardware and components included

• Simple bolt-on installation

• No drilling, cutting, or welding

• USA-made

• Limited lifetime warranty

Best JL Standard Suspension Lift: Superlift 2.5" Standard Lift Kits

Check out the Superlift 2.5” Standard Lift Kit: a premium, American-made lift system offering a convenient bolt-on installation, 2.5 inches of lift, and exceptional ride quality on and off-road. 

The Superlift 2.5” Standard Lift Kit includes everything necessary to lift your Wrangler JL, including performance coil springs, extended sway bar end links, and hardware. Superlift also gives the option of the company’s Shadow Series dampers, FOX 2.0 shocks, or premium King dampers. 

Superlift lift kits are proudly manufactured in the USA and come backed by a limited lifetime warranty. 

Features: 

• Complete front and rear lift kit

• Available with Superlift Shadow, FOX, or King dampers

• Includes all required installation hardware

• Simple bolt-on installation

• USA-made

• Backed by a limited lifetime warranty

Best JL Coilover Suspension Lift: Fabtech 5" Coilover Lift Kits

Boost ride height and performance with the Fabtech 5” Coilover Lift Kit, offering a rugged stance and exceptional off-road performance from a straightforward, bolt-on system. 

The Fabtech 5” Coilover System included front Dirt Logic coilovers for superior performance. Multi-rate coil springs and Dirt Logic 2.5-in. dampers suspend the rear end, matching the front coilover's performance. This kit clears up to 40-in. tall tires with trimming and high-clearance fenders. 

Fabtech 5” Coilover Kits include everything necessary for installation. All kits are backed by Fabtech’s 5-year, 60,000-mile warranty. 

Features: 

• Provides clearance for larger wheels and tires

• Front Dirt Logic coilovers

• Rear multi-rate coil springs and Dirt Logic dampers

• Designed with high-quality components for durability

• Includes all installation hardware

• Clears up to 40-in. tall tires with high-clearance fenders

• Sold as a complete front and rear kit

• 5-year, 60,000-mile warranty

Best JK Long Arm Suspension Lift: BDS 5.5" Long Arm Lift Kits

While coilover suspension kits offer excellent off-road performance, long-arm systems dominate. The BDS 5.5” Long Arm Lift Kit is no exception, featuring extended, tubular steel, adjustable link arms, and robust fabricated steel control arm brackets. 

Performance-oriented multi-rate coil springs provide smooth, efficient travel, while BDS NX2 dampers promote comfortable handling characteristics on and off-road. BDS 5.5” Long Arm Lift Kits include everything necessary for a bolt-on installation—some drilling may be required. 

BDS lift kits are backed by the company’s no-questions-asked lifetime warranty. BDS has you covered if you break a component, regardless of how. 

Features: 

• Adjustable, tubular steel control arms

• Fabricated-steel bolt-on link arm brackets

• Multi-rate coil springs

• Includes BDS NX2 dampers

• Braided steel extended brake lines

• All mounting hardware included 

• Lifetime warranty

Best JL Long Arm Suspension Lift: Superlift 4" Long Arm Lift Kit

For the Wrangler JL, it’s tough to beat the performance of a Superlift 4” Long Arm Lift Kit. Each kit includes everything necessary to transform your Jeep’s bone-stock chassis into a hyper-capable platform, including dual-rate, long-travel coil springs, adjustable link arms with fabricated steel brackets and flex joints, adjustable track bars, and your choice of performance dampers. Order your 4” Long Arm Lift Kit with Superlift Shadow series, FOX 2.0, or King dampers. 

The Superlift 4” Long Arm Lift Kit offers several innovative features, like on-vehicle adjustable control arms, which allow you to lengthen and shorten each adjustable arm without removing it from your Jeep. Dual durometer bushings offer maximum durability off-road and comfortable performance on the street. Whether dominating trails or cruising down the highway, the Superlift 4” Long Arm Lift Kit makes for a comfortable and controlled ride. 

Superlift backs the 4” Long Arm Lift Kit with a limited lifetime warranty. 

Features: 

• Dual rate, long travel coil springs

• On-vehicle HD control arm adjustment

• Dual durometer bushings

• Flex joints with Nylatron races

• Adjustable front track bar

• Choose from multiple shock packages

• Great for on and off-road driving

• Limited lifetime warranty