4" or 6" lift? This is my first Jeep, so many options.

[realcfer]

This is my first ever Jeep, I love it! 2022 Gladiator Willys Sport. There are so many lift options and vary dramatically in price. Which is the better lift to go with 4 or 6 inch?

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[Rahkmalla]

The only reason to lift is to fit bigger tires. You don't gain more ground clearance by lifting (differentials still sit between the axles) though you do get more breakover, approach, and departure.

So don't decide what size lift you want, decide what size tires you want, then lift the minimum to fully accommodate.

Going too big a lift for not big enough tires will look off, and the more you lift, the worse it gets on the road. Crosswinds on a 6 inch lift won't be fun to drive.

Final question to ponder: are you dailying this thing or is it just a weekend vehicle? That should really impact your lift and tire choices. 6inch lift on 40s for a daily will get old, fast.

 

[realcfer]

The only reason to lift is to fit bigger tires. You don't gain more ground clearance by lifting (differentials still sit between the axles) though you do get more breakover, approach, and departure.

So don't decide what size lift you want, decide what size tires you want, then lift the minimum to fully accommodate.

Going too big a lift for not big enough tires will look off, and the more you lift, the worse it gets on the road. Crosswinds on a 6 inch lift won't be fun to drive.

Final question to ponder: are you dailying this thing or is it just a weekend vehicle? That should really impact your lift and tire choices. 6inch lift on 40s for a daily will get old, fast.

Thanks for your insight! My rig will be a daily driver with mild offloading. Tire size I'm thinking 37's. Will I have to re-gear? Currently have 3:73 gears with Dana 44 front and rear axles.

 

[OffAxis2021]

Crosswinds on a 6 inch lift won't be fun to drive.

 

[Jaxmax]

Probably don't need the 4-6 inch lift with all the extra costs involved, 2 to 3 inch should do plenty for mild off roading, lot of people run the Mopar two inch lift..... Jack

 

[arjeeper]

My suggestion: drive the thing for a while first before you destroy the factory ride of the rig.

A 4-6” lift on Jeeps used to be common, but on the JT and JL era Jeeps, it’s a HUGE lift and unnecessary for most folks not running 40s (are you going to run 40s?!)

It’s easy to spend time on these forums with all these pretty Jeeps and everyone talking about “upgrading” to 37s or whatever. Know that your vehicle is amazingly capable as it is.

 

[Barnaby’sdad]

My suggestion: drive the thing for a while first before you destroy the factory ride of the rig.

A 4-6” lift on Jeeps used to be common, but on the JT and JL era Jeeps, it’s a HUGE lift and unnecessary for most folks not running 40s (are you going to run 40s?!)

It’s easy to spend time on these forums with all these pretty Jeeps and everyone talking about “upgrading” to 37s or whatever. Know that your vehicle is amazing capable as it is.

This. The average person is not going to be happy daily driving a Jeep with a 4-6” lift.

It does not take much of a ride height and tire size difference to significantly alter the ride. I.e. A stock Sport vs. a stock Rubicon.

 

[JD101]

The preface for the the op's question leads me to believe 2-4"(4" at max) would be plenty. Approx 4" on a Willy's with stock fenders will clear 37s and that's already pushing the gearing at minimum. I don't want to presume any undue ignorance because plenty of folks understand the implications of lifting a vehicle without ever owning a jeep platform . But on this platform much over 4" and you either have deep pockets and big plans or no build plan understanding in place yet . Like others have said it's the plan that comes first.

Be honest :
how will you use it ?
Where do you live ?
Where do you wheel ?
Do you have small children?
How much do you want to spend total including support items ?
How important is your factory warranty?

My guess is 35s and a Mopar lift or equiv. And that's a pretty good improvement in its own right.

 

[Kindafearless]

I ran a 3.5 inch lift with 37s very successfully for a couple years, and that was with the Jeep conquering a lot of off-road terrain.

I suggest you find the lightest tires you can find (milestar pats or similar) and the lightest wheels (Method 703s are light and have bead grip), then try that with a 2-3.5” lift. Lots of great products out there. (Evo, RK, Clayton, Metal Cloak are all very well reviewed and documented)

Depending on what you mean by light off roading and how heavy your foot is, I suggest you invest in some axle improvements too. Stronger shafts, skid for your fad, truss it up.

Also remember that every accessory you do adds weight, which decreases performance and increases the strain on parts you haven’t upgraded.

Since you haven’t talked about supporting mods or any wild off-roading goals, I suggest you start by looking at Clayton’s lifts. I don’t run one of those, but know a bunch of people who do. They are straight forward, low maintenance, and perform well on and off the road. They also give you more lift than you think, so the 2.5 might be a good choice.

For reference. This is my Jeep with 3 different tire sizes. 35s with no lift, 37s with a 3.5 RK, 40s with 4.5 RK.

 

[redrider]

Try it bone stock for a while. You may find the Jeep Engineers' base set-up with your options perfectly capable for the scenario you describe. KISS and don't fix it if it ain't broke. M2C

 

[JD101]

I want to add that the key to unlocking the lift vs tire fitment cheat code is in your fenders and wheel offset . Oem Rubicon or aftermarket fenders will allow 37" on a 2" lift all day . And I can honestly say the Gladiator likes 2" alot better than 4" for daily duty . 3.73 gears are not going to cut it with 37s either so budget for gears . They will get you down the road temporarily , but really you will be giving up a bunch performance at best .

 

[Jason Oliver]

This is my first ever Jeep, I love it! 2022 Gladiator Willys Sport. There are so many lift options and vary dramatically in price. Which is the better lift to go with 4 or 6 inch?

The better question to ask: How much money do you have to spend? The list of things needed to properly lift a vehicle can add up very quickly (lift, wheels, tires, axles, control arms, LABOR, etc, etc...)

 

[redrider]

Was there any research done before the purchase or was this an impulse buy? Homework is important and less costly.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Thanks for your insight! My rig will be a daily driver with mild offloading. Tire size I'm thinking 37's. Will I have to re-gear? Currently have 3:73 gears with Dana 44 front and rear axles.

I’m running 37’s with a 3.5” lift. I’d never go higher. It’s great this way. Higher would be tough to use as a daily driver, which I do. Yes, you’ll want to regear for 37’s, especially with the 3.6. I’m on 5.13’s and it’s great. I have the auto and see all 8 gears. You wouldn’t even see 7-8 on 4.10. I wouldn’t go less than 4.88, but if you’re doing it, you might as well do 5.13. Here’s a side view to give you an idea of how it could look.

 

[peterpilot379]

Agree 100% on the drive the stock setup for a while and get a good baseline for how it rides. Bigger tires and lifts will not improve the ride from that baseline. Based on how you say you drive, stock is perfect. If you’re after a beefier look, do 35s (no lift required). Just my 2 cents.

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