I know there's lots of other threads that touch on the topic, but I haven't found one to completely answer my search. Simply - I want to clear 37's on my Rubicon. I don't forsee doing any heavy/frequent rock crawling - mostly wooded trails with some rocks. This is also a daily driver, so I'm willing to pay a little more keep drivability/quality. I also don't want to blindly mod my jeep so much that I easily void my warranty (so maybe 37's I should drop period).

I've looked around at some lifts, for example Full Traction has one that says its bolt on and will clear 37's, but at the same time I read a lot of threads that suggest other mods/upgrades. Sorry - I'm a novice to upgrading my Jeep so I don't want to mess something up from the beginning.

Some more specifics:
I plan on upgrading my sliders to ones that are frame mounted - should this be considered when considering long vs short arm?

It sounds like I'll have to regear - do you think this is an automatic warranty voiding upgrade?

Even the kits that say "complete" - are there "highly recommended" upgrades that should really be done too (but may just not be 100% necessary)?

While I'd prefer not - should I consider just going with 35's to avoid such things as regearing/driveshafts and in a few years reconsider a larger upgrade?

 

Most 4" kits should clear 37" tires. If you don't plan on using aftermarket rims you will need wheel spacers. As for driveability at this height a high steer kit is in order and adj control arms will be needed. If you don't plan on doing serious offroading then short arms will due, therefore you shouldn't have any problems with frame mounted sliders. In my case I have a long arm kit so my sliders had to be modified.

Now, which is the best company in my opinion is Teraflex. They have everything you need so you can clear 37" and maintain drivability. Also, their customer service is the best. Teraflex is a sponser on this forum. Drop Joe at Teraflex a PM. You won't regret it.

Good luck!

Now

 

Since you aren't looking at heavy crawling, maybe a shorter lift and trimmed/flat fenders to clear the 37's and avoid some of the hassles and expense of taller lifts?

Lots of info and conjecture on warranty voiding. Maybe start with talking to all of your local dealers and see which are more mod friendly and get an idea of how far they are willing to go. Don't know that any dealer would warranty aftermarket gears even if they installed them, but maybe you'd have luck with the rest of the axle components?

As far as the 'highly recommended upgrades' goes, there is a whole lot of personal preference involved in any answer you get. It will come down to what is important to 'you'. What level of performance/comfort are you willing to live with vs cost of the upgrades vs whatever else I'm forgetting. Best bet there would be to find specific kits/upgrades that interest you, then ask for advice on them. (since all the kits/vendors/etc will have different components/craftsmanship/etc, that's probably a better way to go)

 

I have been researching this for a while. I decided that with only 4 inches and 37's you could be rubbing under any strong compression.

I also don't want to void warranty, as my jeep is an 09 and I have the lifetime powertrain warranty.

It is very clear that if you use Mopar accesories you should not have any problems on warranty issues. If you use non-mopar accesories you are at the will of your jeep dealer. He could claim that your engine blew up from the strain of taller tires and yada yada yada...

I don't want to fight with a jeep dealer and called several to ask what their take on warranty work on a lifted vehicle was. They all seemed to feel the same... if it is a new in the box Mopar lift, and you either have the Mopar receipts, or it is inspected four authenticity by your dealership, your warranty won't be any issue.

Rubicon Express created a liftkit for Mopar, it is their 4.5 inch Long Arm Kit. Mopar stands behind running 37's with this lift, so again.... warranty good. The kit comes with everything that MOPAR and Chrysler feel you need to safely run 37's. The problem is it is EXPENSIVE with a retail price of 5399.00....... but don't let that get you down, I got one for 1500 brand new on ebay. So if you are serious about running 37's and not wanting to have warranty issues.. start searching for a Mopar LIft.

Mopar also has a 2 inch lift that retails for 1500 over the counter. This will allow you to clear 35's, and maintain your warranty. For me, it wasn't worth spending any money to just go from 32's to 35's. You are only gaining 1.5 inch of clearance and still spending a ton of money. With the 37's you gain a solid 2.5 inches which makes the end cost seem like it was more worth it.

In all my searching on this forum, I never found anyone that had bought 37's and wished they had 35's... it is always the other way around.

I hope I Have helped!!
Good Luck!
Jacob

 

https://www.jk-forum.com/forums/modified-jk-tech-2/mopar-lift-kits-anyone-72212/

Not trying to be argumentative, but I would still guess that this is on a dealer by dealer basis. Be sure to check 'your' local dealer.

 

Thats a good call. From what I have seen it is based on a dealer by dealer basis. Not naming any names but I've seen dealers work on T-cases under warranty for Jeeps running 40's and others turn away those running budget boost pucks. Its all about the dealer...

If you're not going to do a ton of offroading then maybe you would be interested in going with a smaller lift(perhaps 3-3.5 inches) which will help drivability and keep your control arms close to stock angle using the stock control arm mounts. This will keep you from feeling the need to jump into a long arm which are generally more expensive. You will rub at first but you can cut your fenders or run flat fenders. Also, with a lift like this you may also be able to get away with not replacing driveshafts as well which will also save you money.

As far as regearing, if you have a manual, there are plenty of people running 4.10's on 35's which are very happy but at 37's people aren't quite as excited. I have an automatic and am running 35's now and plan to put in 5.13's in the near future. I also have plans to go to 37's when my tires wear out though.

Also, if yours is a 2 door Rubicon, you may want to rethink 37's at all. Personally, I think 35's look excellent on a 2 door(very similar to how 37's look on a 4 door) and with a few inches of lift and 35's on a 2 door, there are going to be very few obstacles if any that you'll come across where 37's would give you that much of an advantage.

To sum it up, if you want to run 35's, maybe even just a TF 2.5-3" coil lift with the stock arms would suffice. The ride quality would be almost identical to what you have stock since you aren't changing much about the suspension geometry. If you wanted to go 37's just cut the fenders. This is also a very cheap way to go since you most likely won't need driveshafts/control arms/suspension components. Dealers are also going to have a much tougher time arguing against this lift and voiding your warranty.

If you want to run 37's with a lot of lift and not cut your fenders or sacrifice ride quality you'll most likely be looking at a 4-6" LA kit to offer the best DD comfort. This will require new shafts and either welded on or bolted on new control arm mounts along with completely replacing the suspension. The downside is of course the cost as well as the dealers having more to argue about with the more upgraded parts...

Just me .02... Enjoy your Jeep.


EDIT: The Mopar lifts are just Rubicon Express lifts, if you really want a kit that Jeep has endorsed then get it elsewhere and not from a dealership, especially a 2" lift for $1500

Many of the smaller kits are very similar since they have fewer components. Whatever you decide to do there are lots of people to help and plenty of different options to research.

 

Don't bet on your warrantee being good when they see you rolling in on 37's with a broken drivetrain component. Unless you are married to the dealer's daughter, and golf with him regularly.

 

I forgot to metion that you can go with a shorter lift and cut your fenders, but then again if you are worried about your warranty 37" tires are probably not a good idea. You could probably get away with 35" and that is pushing your luck.

Is your Rubicon 2dr or 4dr? I ask because if yours is a 2dr once you reach 3" of lift you will have to change your driveshafts.

Is your Rubicon stick or auto? Again I ask because you will want to regear if yours is a auto with 35" or bigger tires. I too have a auto Rubicon and I regeared to 5.13 and wow what a difference.

Remember once you start moding your JK you might as well say adios to your warranty even thought there exists a law that states that the dealership has to prove that the damage done to the jeep is a result of the mods otherwise they must honor the warranty.

Good luck!

 

If you mod everything to be bulletproof and prevent a warranty issue, you would probably be okay. I think a 2.5" Teraflex Coil Lift with Shocks would be a nice choice and flat fenders. With a regear and a calibration you would be in good shape.

 

37" tires are great. It will cost more but it is worth it in my opinion. I drove my JK around 300 miles yesterday and I love driving it with 37's. I have the Full Traction 4" kit + 1/3/4" spacers and it is great. I did change my gears to 513's and I changed both drivelines. With all the trouble some people have at dealerships, I wouldn't let them decide how to build my jeep, I would build it how you want it. If the dealer won't help find another dealer.