The new Wrangler JL features larger wheel openings that allow for larger tires right out of the box. The Sport and Sahara are good for 33″ tires while the Rubicon is good for 35″ tires.
As with all of our Jeeps the stock form is merely a template to start from, most Jeep owners will take the liberty at making their Jeep special to them by adding accessories. A lift could rank in the most popular accessory category.
The jeepfan.com 2018 Wrangler JL is a Rubicon so it comes factory equipped with 33″ tires and extra clearance flares. Even still as of this writing JL lift kits aren’t as plentiful as the 11 year old JK. Mopar’s factory made 2″ lift we bought from Quadratec seemed a good fit for our JL.
The Mopar kit consists of four new springs, four JL specific large tube Fox shocks, bump stops and other small accessories. This kit often provides more then 2″ of lift and will allow installation of 37″ tires with plenty of flex room. The addition of the extended front lower control arms keeps the caster angle correct allowing the Jeep to drive better down the road.
The beauty of the Mopar kit is that it’s all Jeep. The components look factory when installed and retain that factory feel if that’s your thing. This kit has a few issues that we will address, it’s not a deal breaker due to the quality and performance of this kit. The kit arrives in this interesting crate that is reusable if you have the space.
Mopar JL lift kit shipping crate |
Installation
In our case this kit is being installed after a spacer lift was installed so a few steps we show may be a little different then you may have with a stock Jeep. Just to note the Rough Country Spacer Lift we installed performed exceptionally well, we just felt our JL needed to move to the next level with an actual spring lift. We’ve discussed spacer vs spring lifts and have had both kinds on our Jeeps. Simply put, spring lifts will allow more articulation.
The supplied instructions are rather simple to follow…and please follow them, most parts have specific locations. Proper support of the Jeep is essential, be safe. Starting in the front or back doesn’t really matter, we chose the rear.
Rear Installation
With the Jeep supported and the wheels off, remove the shocks, lower track bar bolt and sway bar links. Note on our JL the lower shocks were mounted to extensions that were part of the spacer lift.
It’s easier to remove the rear splash guard to gain access to the upper shock bolt. You will notice that the JL features single bolt eye style shock mounts instead of the T style/threaded shaft mounts found on the JK. If the Jeep is a Rubicon unplug the locker wiring from the axle housing. Pull the breather hose off the housing.
Begin gently lowering the axle to allow the weight to be removed from the coil springs. Observe the axle as it lowers, watch for items binding such as parking brake cables. It may be necessary to pull the cables from the body mounts to allow the axle to drop lower.