Dorian Jepsen


Lifting your Jeep Wrangler can be an expensive project that’s also time consuming, especially if you’ve never installed a lift before. Often times, customers will ask if there’s a cheaper or faster way to get 33-inch tires on their Wrangler YJ without parting with the cash for a complete suspension lift. The answer to that is yes, and while it may not be a setup that will perform as well off-road as a full suspension lift, it will certainly make your Jeep Wrangler more trail-worthy than the factory Wrangler setup.

A traditional suspension lift kit for the 1987-95 Jeep Wrangler YJ primarily consists of four leaf springs and installation hardware. The amount of arch in the leaf springs determines how much lift will be attained once they’re installed on the Jeep. Separating the old springs from the axle, then removing them from the vehicle, and then reversing this process to install the new springs can take some effort and is difficult to accomplish alone. Installing a suspension lift kit is not an exact science, but there will certainly be times when you’ll have to get “creative” during the installation process in order to get some pieces to fit and align properly before they can be bolted down. This is where some people cringe and justify that it’s better to spend less money to install a simpler lift that takes less time.

Fortunately, a 3-inch lift on the Wrangler YJ can be attained with a 2-inch body lift combined with a 1-inch shackle lift.

What is a body lift? A body lift is a set of spacers that are placed at the mounting points where the Jeep tub (or body) is bolted to the frame (or chassis). The idea is to use these spacer to raise the body away from the frame, hence the term “body lift”.

What are shackles and what is a shackle lift? The shackles are devices that attach the leaf springs the the frame. They pivot when the spring gets extended or compressed. A shackle lift is a set of replacement shackles that are longer than the factory shackles. By replacing the factory shackles with longer shackles, the frame is moved away from the axle which results in lift, hence the term “shackle lift”. A 2-inch shackle will net approximately 1-inch of lift.

The typical 3-inch Jeep Wrangler YJ suspension lift with shocks can cost anywhere from $600 to $900 (depending on the manufacturer) and take anywhere from five to 10 hours to install (depending on installer experience). A 2-inch body lift for the Wrangler YJ can cost between $100 and $150 and takes approximately two hours to install. A 1-inch shackle lift for the Wrangler YJ can cost between $50 and $100 and takes approximately one to two hours to install.

By combining a 2-inch body lift and a 1-inch shackle lift, you can attain a 3-inch lift on your 1987-95 Jeep Wrangler YJ for a budget cost of about 1/4 to 1/3 the price of a suspension lift and have it installed in less time and still fit the same size tires. In fact, the money you save can be applied toward a new set of wheels and tires.