Since the new Jeep Wrangler JK has hit the market, a lot has been said about it. Some have talked about it being too wide since it's five inches wider than the Jeep Wrangler TJ it replaces. This writer's simple answer to that is; if the trail is that tight, you should be treading lightly and not be there in the first place! Another way to look at it is; five inches wider is only 2 1/2 inches per side, and those extra inches make the JK more stable in turns, equating to better street handling.
Others have talked about it having its gas tank mounted in the center, preventing a long arm lift kit installation. At the SEMA Show last year that was proven wrong by the aftermarket lift companies. With correct engineering work, it can be lifted with a long arm style kit and keep up with the rest of the trail Jeeps, if not pass them.
The lift we used for this article is one of the first out of the box engineered by Rubicon Express. It's a short arm 3-inch lift that requires no cutting or welding for installation. Their design team created a kit that will allow the installation of up to 35 inch tires. It uses the original factory suspension mounting hard points and re-uses some of the original factory parts in different locations, to reduce the kit's cost.
If you have all the right tools, you can install this kit in a weekend, but after installation you will still need to go to an alignment shop - as with any aftermarket lift. You will also need to get the speedometer re-calibrated for the computer control system. If after reading this article, you have any reservations about doing this on your own, then we would suggest you take your JK to your local 4 Wheel Parts store and have them install it. Not included are new shocks for the added travel. They will have to be bought separately. Rubicon Express has designed specific shocks already for both the 2-door JK and the 4-door JK.
In the past when you lifted a Jeep to fit 35-inch tires, you had to also change the gearing and have custom drivelines made, this was an added price that caught you by surprise. Not with this rig. Its factory gearing and drivelines can handle 33' tires and three inches of lift for use as a daily driver. If you plan to hit the hard trails though, like Rubicon or Moab with 35 inch tires, I would look at lowering the axle gearing, and if you have the stock Dana-35 rear end, I would replace it with the Dana-44. For the average wheeler though to get the added lift, this kit is a great deal. It not only gives you the lifted look, but also makes the JK more trail worthy while remaining street friendly.
