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How Much Does It Cost To Lift A Jeep in 2022? DIY or Professional Which One Good: Budget, Time, Quality

Even though how much it cost to lift a jeep might not be the first question that comes to your mind when buying such a vehicle, it is a significant factor that you should pay attention to.

Why? It may cost much more than you expect, and it is an upgrade that might become mandatory for those who often drive on rough terrain.

There is a variety of jeep lifting techniques and the costs may also range depending on the type of vehicle you own.

This article explains it all, from reasons why you should lift your car to general costs and possible types of lifting to choose from. Read it whole and you’ll be able to make a decision in no time.

What is a Jeep Lift?

Before learning how much does it cost to lift a jeep, you should first understand what the process itself involves. Jeep lifting is used to raise your vehicle up so that it gains more traction in off-road environments.

Some people opt for lifts just because it looks better, making vehicles imposing. The actual jeep lift consists of adding a specific kit to the vehicle, thus raising it a few inches above the tires.

This also allows for a bigger tire upgrade or leaving the tires as they are for a better off-road grip.

Why Should I Lift My Jeep?

There are plenty of reasons why you might want to lift your Jeep. From the obvious ones stated above to specific reasons like participating in 4×4 competitions, everything is justifiable enough for this upgrade.

Professional, aggressive off-roading is the main reason behind jeep lifting, followed by tire size increase. Depending on the lift type used, the overall driving experience can be changed.

It makes a dramatic change for a reasonable budget, so it’s an upgrade that jeep owners can safely consider.

List of Some Jeep Wrangler Lift Kits You May Like

ImageLift KitsView More
Rough Country 2.5" Suspension Lift
Teraflex JK 2'' Front 1'' Rear
MotoFab Lifts 3'' Front 3'' Rear
TeraFlex 2.5'' Lift
American Automotive 3" Front 3" Rear
TrueTwo 2.5'' Coil Spacer
Mopar 2+'' Lift
Rough Country 2.5" Lift
Skyjacker Coil Spring Lift Kit
Rugged Ridge 2.5" - 3.5"

Benefits and Disadvantages of Jeep Lifting

The benefits are quite obvious: better ground clearance, better aesthetics, overall improved jeep performance, and more. People opt for jeep liftings because of the off-road benefits they bring to the table.

Even though these benefits are plenty, disadvantages have a spot in the picture as well, especially when talking about on-road handling, an aspect that many people tend to overlook.

Larger tires and a lifted vehicle will cause a few disadvantages: lack of tire balance, steering damage, driveline vibrations, and more.

All these will make regular, on-road driving a hassle in time, so think wisely about what you want to do with your jeep – improve its looks or improve its off-road performance?

If you picked the latter, go for a jeep lift without second thoughts.

How Much Does It Cost To Lift a Jeep?

Now, moving on to costs, the price of a jeep lift will be highly influenced by the type of lift you choose. Besides the actual kit, you’ll be using for the lift, you can either pay for the services to get everything installed or you can do it yourself.

The process is not as complicated as you may think – a DIY short guide is included below. Normally, the price can go anywhere between $1,000 and as high as $10,000, depending on the jeep model, selected kit, and the purpose of the lift.

Which Jeep want to lift; Cherokee or Wrangler?

As mentioned before, the model of your jeep will influence the overall cost of the lift. The most common jeeps on the market are Cherokee and Wrangler.

For a Wrangler, a $1,000 lift should do the job just fine if you don’t need heavy-duty off-road performances. For a Cherokee, on the other hand, the price can start as low as $400. The time required for installing the kit might also seriously differ for each model.

When professionally lifting a jeep, it can last anywhere between 6 and 8 hours to complete, depending on the kit’s size and project complexity.

When doing it on your own, expect more hours involved, especially if you’re doing it for the very first time.

Cost variation

Besides the actual jeep lifting, you might encounter other costs that you should consider for the final spending.

Don’t forget to include services such as wheel realigning to avoid what’s commonly known in this niche as “death wobble” (the lack of steering control after installing a lifting kit), which can cost up to $150.

Also, take into account the size of your kit – smaller kits will obviously be cheaper, while larger ones can be very expensive.

Again, it is very important to figure what’s the best fit for your vehicle and the purpose you’re doing this for.

Extra servicing might be required in the eventuality of vehicle damage usually coming from installing lifting kits.

Steering boxes might need to be changed every now and then, tires require changes, lockers might become a problem, same with suspensions or brakes.

Types of Jeep Lifting

When talking about jeep lifting, there are two big types you should consider: body lifting and suspension lifting.

Body lifting involves changing the tire size because you lift only the actual body of the car. This also allows you to upgrade the rim size.

Suspension lifts are the ones you need to opt for if you want to improve the ground clearance to the max while getting as little vehicle damage as possible in the future.

What fewer people know is that you can combine both types for extra performance, both in terms of aesthetics and driving performance.

As a general fact, you should know that body lifts give you around 1-3 inches for a larger tire, while suspension lifts raise your vehicle with up to 6 inches.

Keep in mind that suspension lifts push the frame and the body of your jeep, leaving room for suspension travel.

01. Body lift – pros & cons

Pros

  • It’s the cheapest option you have for a quick upgrade
  • The kit is simpler to install
  • It doesn’t require as many adjustments as in the case of suspension lifts

Cons

  • Less ground clearance than in the case of suspension lifts
  • Modified body roll
  • Slight increase in the center of gravity

02. Suspension lift – pros & cons

Pros

  • You get the best possible ground clearance for your jeep
  • Great aesthetics thanks to the higher lift
  • Better vehicle performance

Cons

  • High increase in the center of gravity
  • Highly increased body roll
  • Stability issues and vehicle damage

Which one should I choose?

You don’t actually have to choose between the two, but rather opt for a combination of them.

If you have the financial resources to do so, adding both a body kit and a reasonable suspension one to your jeep is the wisest decision both performance-wise and design-wise.

You’ll get the best of both worlds without having to face as many cons as you would if opting for just one.

Both body and suspension lifts cause some sort of stability loss in jeeps, regardless of how low the lift is. The gravity center of the vehicle changes, and so driving is affected.

In the eventuality that you have to choose one of the lift types for financial reasons, you should opt for a body lift. It’s cheaper, effective, looks great and it takes less to install. You can also do it yourself without much experience required in a reasonable timeframe.

Suspension Vs Body Lifting For Jeep

Here’s a short version of what’s important about body and suspension lifting respectively:

01. Body Lift

  • Cost

As mentioned before, the cost of a body lift is very convenient, as the kits start as low as $300-400 depending on the brand you choose and how tall do you want your jeep to be.

It is a cost-effective option when it comes to lifting, and most people can afford to invest in this upgrade.

  • Tools

The only tools required will be some basic auto instruments and – of course – the actual body lift kit.

You can buy any kit you want, from a brand of your choice and respecting a price range set beforehand by yourself.

There is a wide variety of such kits, so tools won’t be a problem when opting for body lifting.

  • Time

The time required for jeep body lifting can range anywhere between 2 and 7 hours.

If you opt for professional mechanic services, the install time will be drastically reduced, but you shouldn’t be worried about DIY either, as the install time won’t go longer than 7 or 8f hours tops.

02. Suspension lift

  • 1-2’’ lifting cost

A suspension lifting kit that raises your jeep with 1-2” can cost anywhere between $300 and $15,000. The price can be tremendous for complex kits that require a thorough installation and are built especially for a certain category of vehicles.

  • 25-2.50’’ lifting cost

The higher you go with the suspension lifting kit, the higher the price will be. For a 1.25-2.50” lifting – a more specific value – the price can range between $1,000 and $5,000.

Compared to a 1-2” lifting kit, this one starts at a higher price but tops at $5,000, making it more realistically achievable by people with a reduced budget.

  • 3-3.5’’ lifting cost

On average, the cost for a 3” suspension lift is somewhere around $1,500. As in the other cases, the price can vary tremendously based on the type of kit selected and the installation process required.

It’s important to note that the price starts this high and goes higher with each half an inch.

  • 4-4.5’’ lifting cost

On the same note, a 4” suspension lift should reach somewhere around $2,000 and going up depending on the brand selected.

As you may notice yourself, the prices are in direct relation with how high you want your jeep to be. Of course, it can always be influenced by the kits you’re buying.

Lift Kits or Leveling Kits

Lift kits are the ones described above in heavy detail. They are a popular type of addition or upgrade to jeeps, and they are chosen with a specific purpose in mind.

Lifting trucks not only modifies its aesthetics but also improves ground clearance for off-road performance. A less known aspect is that people can opt for either a lift kit or what’s called a leveling kit.

A leveling kit is meant to raise the front of a jeep so that it matches the vehicle’s raised back. Heavy-duty vehicles like jeeps usually have their rear side slightly higher than the front side.

The purpose of this design is to avoid vehicle sagging when you actually add extra weight to the back. However, many drivers find this aspect unpleasant from an aesthetical point of view.

This is where leveling kits step in – they are made for improved looks, while slightly improving ground clearance. If that’s what you want to improve in your vehicle, you should definitely opt for a leveling kit.

They are much cheaper and much easier to install than full-on suspension lift kits or body lift kits. They just feature a bolt-on installation and you’ll be ready to go, not to mention that they don’ lead to vehicle damage by any chance.

DIY or Professional Lifting: Cost, Time, Benefits and Loss

The cost will perhaps be the decisive factor when picking a side between DIY or professional lifting, but here are some pros and cons of each.

Attempting to install a jeep lifting kit yourself should only be done if you have some mechanical experience.

Without experience or the careful guidance of a professional, you are very likely to damage your vehicle, leading to higher costs than expected.

For experienced mechanics, DIY lifting shouldn’t take longer than 8 hours and it only involves buying the kit and following the required installation procedure.

Visiting a real mechanic for a quick check-up is the wise decision if you opt for DIY. This way, you’ll make sure that you get the best performance out of your vehicle.

DIY lifting only requires buying some tools, so expect spending around $200 besides the actual kit.

Even though professional lifting will be more expensive, easily reaching $2,000 depending on the selected kit, it’s the safer option.

Mechanics know what to do, they have the needed experience and you’ll rest assured that no damage is done to the structure of your jeep. Generally, professional lifting takes less than DIY installations.

Of course, you should choose the option that’s the friendliest with your budget and scope.

FAQ’s About Jeep Lift

What is a jeep lift?

A jeep lift helps you raise your vehicle with a couple of inches so that you get better ground clearance or simply better looks, aesthetically speaking. It makes room for bigger tires and stronger suspensions.

Why should you get a jeep lift?

Jeep lifts are great for those who usually go on off-road tracks and need better ground clearance. A lift is also a good choice for people who want to raise the vehicle’s body for improved design.

Where you can get a jeep lift?

You can either opt for DIY jeep lifts or you can go to a professional mechanic to get your vehicle raised. The latter option is recommended for a safe, long-lasting result if you have the budget for it.

What options do you have for a jeep lift?

You can opt for a body lift or a suspension lift, each lifting the vehicle with a different number of inches. Each option is suitable for a specific purpose. Body lifts are usually chosen for aesthetic purposes while suspension lifts for off-road capabilities.

What kits should you buy for a jeep lift?

This depends on your available budget, but a combination of leveling and lift kits is recommended for the best result possible.

Where can you get jeep lift kits?

You can get them on the internet or from specialized auto shops in your area. Make sure the lift kits fit your vehicle’s model.

Verdict

Now that you have an overview of how much does it cost to lift a jeep, you can make a decision for yourself.

Is it worth it? Are you going to use your car at its peak performance after making this upgrade?

Think twice before opting for this upgrade, as it brings both pros and cons to the table. Take into account each small detail to determine the final cost of the operation. We hope you found this helpful!

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