How do I determine how much lift my Jeep Wrangler JK has?

Chris

Administrator
Staff Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2015
Messages
32,364
Location
Florence, AZ
So you bought a JK with a lift already installed (or at least you think), but you want to know how much it's been lifted. Well, the good news is that it's very easy to determine your lift height.

See this photo:

8491087748_64d3784844_z.jpg


That photo shows the stock JK dimensions for the front suspension.

You'll see that the spring should measure 9 3/8" from top to bottom. This measurement is taken while the vehicle is on the ground.

Measure your spring, and anything over the 9 3/8" will be how much lift you have.

For instance, if you measure your front spring and you come up with 13 3/8", that means you have a 4" lift.

Simple, right?
 
Just to confirm, this pic is a picture of the front shock and spring? And what is "spring perch"? Is the perch the top of the spring or the housing the spring sits in? Also, are the stock dimensions equal for a Jk and JKU? Thanks.
 
Last edited:
Good info. My wife and I just purchased a 2013 with a rough country lift. I think it is a 2.5" but now I can measure it and see exactly. Any tricks for measuring the front?
 
Good info. My wife and I just purchased a 2013 with a rough country lift. I think it is a 2.5" but now I can measure it and see exactly. Any tricks for measuring the front?
Tricks? Just use a tape measure. Get on the ground and get dirty man, put the lip of the tape measure in the positions pointed out in the picture. I measured mine and it was a 3 1/4" lift. Weird height, so I looked it up. Rough Country sells a lift kit of 3 1/4" with only spring and shocks. I thought that was pretty cool.
 
Tricks? Just use a tape measure. Get on the ground and get dirty man, put the lip of the tape measure in the positions pointed out in the picture. I measured mine and it was a 3 1/4" lift. Weird height, so I looked it up. Rough Country sells a lift kit of 3 1/4" with only spring and shocks. I thought that was pretty cool.
The picture is of the rear and explains how to measure the rear. Where do you take measurements for the front? Or is it the same stock 9-3/8" for the front too?
 
The picture is of the rear and explains how to measure the rear. Where do you take measurements for the front? Or is it the same stock 9-3/8" for the front too?
The picture is of the front my man. The rear has a smaller dimension but all you need is a measurement of the front to determine the lift kit that was installed. X X/X - 9 3/8 = lift height. For example, my measurements were 12 5/8 - 9 3/8 = 3 1/4" lift height
 
So you bought a JK with a lift already installed (or at least you think), but you want to know how much it's been lifted. Well, the good news is that it's very easy to determine your lift height.

See this photo:

View attachment 115851

That photo shows the stock JK dimensions for the front suspension.

You'll see that the spring should measure 9 3/8" from top to bottom. This measurement is taken while the vehicle is on the ground.

Measure your spring, and anything over the 9 3/8" will be how much lift you have.

For instance, if you measure your front spring and you come up with 13 3/8", that means you have a 4" lift.

Simple, right?
I’ve done this measurement several times and either way it comes out 3-3/4 or 3-7/8 over factory. I have Terraflex shocks so i’m assuming it’s a Terraflex kit, yet I only see 3 or 4 inch lift kits they offer. Jeep only has 10k miles so can’t imagine there is much sag happening yet. Still a mystery for me.
 
I’ve done this measurement several times and either way it comes out 3-3/4 or 3-7/8 over factory. I have Terraflex shocks so i’m assuming it’s a Terraflex kit, yet I only see 3 or 4 inch lift kits they offer. Jeep only has 10k miles so can’t imagine there is much sag happening yet. Still a mystery for me.
Lifts dont always yield their exact specified lift height. Depending on the weight if your Jeep, it could be either or, but I'd guess it's a 3" lift. Though, I stress, "guess".
 
  • Like
Reactions: BLACKJKU
I’ve done this measurement several times and either way it comes out 3-3/4 or 3-7/8 over factory. I have Terraflex shocks so i’m assuming it’s a Terraflex kit, yet I only see 3 or 4 inch lift kits they offer. Jeep only has 10k miles so can’t imagine there is much sag happening yet. Still a mystery for me.

It could be a 4" lift, also there are at least 4 different coil springs used on the stock JK's which all will give it a different measurement.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mrjp
This was helpful, due to buying a Jeep that was already modified. Mine has spring spacers and measured out around 2". I have 2.5" lift springs on the way as a replacement.
 
I’ve done this measurement several times and either way it comes out 3-3/4 or 3-7/8 over factory. I have Terraflex shocks so i’m assuming it’s a Terraflex kit, yet I only see 3 or 4 inch lift kits they offer. Jeep only has 10k miles so can’t imagine there is much sag happening yet. Still a mystery for me.
The measurement will vary to a degree with precisely how heavy the Jeep is, not counting the axels, wheels and road tires. Add-ons can load the spring more, reducing the apparent lift. Your measurements suggest a 4-inch lift since both figures you give are over three inches and nearer to 4 inches.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dorite
So you bought a JK with a lift already installed (or at least you think), but you want to know how much it's been lifted. Well, the good news is that it's very easy to determine your lift height.

See this photo:

View attachment 115851

That photo shows the stock JK dimensions for the front suspension.

You'll see that the spring should measure 9 3/8" from top to bottom. This measurement is taken while the vehicle is on the ground.

Measure your spring, and anything over the 9 3/8" will be how much lift you have.

For instance, if you measure your front spring and you come up with 13 3/8", that means you have a 4" lift.

Simple, right?
Chris, could you let me know the source of that diagram? I'm interested in what else the source might say. I'm trying to sort out and inventory the modifications on a used 2016 Rubicon Hard Rock. According that diagram I have a a 1 3/4-inch lift. That low a lift seems trivial compared to the various Teraflex pieces it carries.
 
Chris, could you let me know the source of that diagram? I'm interested in what else the source might say. I'm trying to sort out and inventory the modifications on a used 2016 Rubicon Hard Rock. According that diagram I have a a 1 3/4-inch lift. That low a lift seems trivial compared to the various Teraflex pieces it carries.

Oh man, I wish I could remember the source of that diagram, but for the life of me, I can't.