Jeep Cherokee Forum

Jeep Cherokee 1984-2001: Lift Kit Reviews

If you have decided to lift your Jeep Cherokee and are shopping around for kits, then continue reading for the rundown on the best in the market.

By James Hodgson - October 6, 2015

This article applies to the Jeep Cherokee XJ (1984-2001).

It's hard to talk about your XJ's suspension without thinking about it as the most important component on the truck. It's a little silly to go down that road, though, given that most of the parts on a Cherokee are integral. But suffice it to say that your suspension system is important, especially if you're looking to take your vehicle off-road and into some fun. Which, you know, you should.

What's not fun is spending a ton of cash on a system that doesn't give us the performance characteristics we want. We've put together a comparison of three popular systems here with hopes that it'll help you make the right choice.

Figure 1. Jeep Cherokee with lift kit.

Forgive us for not wading into the long arm versus short arm suspension debate, as that one seems to get the Internet madder than a wet hen every time, but here is a short breakdown on the subject from 4WD.com. We're going to stick with short arm 3" lift kits here, since they're a fairly decent beginner option and leave you with a more street-able truck.

Of course, keep in mind that you can mix and match, because all these manufacturers will happily sell you parts piece by piece. Also, keep in mind that we've done our best to compare like to like, but (manufacturers being manufacturers) there are some differences in the packages.

Okay, enough jibber jabber. Here we go!

Jeep Cherokee Lift Kits
Rough Country
Rusty's
Rubicon Express
Price
 $509 $438 $1,080
Ride Height

3"

3"

3.5"
Adjustable?
 No No No
Warranty
 Lifetime Replacement Limited/Complicated Limited/Complicated
Best Quality: Rubicon Express

Best Value: Rough Country

Rough Country

Price – $509

Height – 3"

Adjustable – No

Warranty – Lifetime Replacement

It's got to be a tough thing to warranty off-road gear, for a lot of reasons. You don't know what kind of crazy madman is installing it, let alone what kind of loose nut the truck has behind the wheel. Even so, in this writer's opinion, the Rough Country warranty was easiest to understand, and possibly even the most generous. Though Rusty's package is a little cheaper, and thus should maybe win on value, you gotta like a straightforward warranty. That's why they win the value nod here. This kit includes Nitrogen N2.0 shocks, coil springs, and lifted rear leaf springs. Recommended for its straightforward warranty.

Rusty's

Price – $438

Lift – 3"

Adjustable – No

Warranty – Limited/Complicated

Rusty's offering is the least expensive of the bunch, but hey, not all of us are packing a lot of cash. If you're like me, and price is the biggest concern for you, snap up one of these Rusty's kits and go a-wheelin'. Reports from the forums are that people who have installed these kits are having just as much fun as anyone else is, they just don't have the "I spent the most!" bragging rights. Recommended for its performance without breaking the bank.

Rubicon Express

Price – $1,080

Lift – 3.5"

Adjustable – No

Warranty – Limited/Complicated

Okay, so, as you can see, the Rubicon Express kit is quite a bit more expensive. In fact, it's more than the other two packages combined. There are two factors at play here. For one thing, Rubicon Express is just generally more expensive. For another, I chose to list packages that include a leaf spring (not just an add-a-leaf), shocks, and the comparable monotube shock package from RC. They also make a no-shock kit and a twin tube kit. Stepping down to the add-a-leaf kit gets you down to the $700 range, so it's still way more than the other guys. That said, you do also get some nice looking end links and a longer rear brake cable, plus new lower control arms. Also, you get an extra half inch of lift. So, it's similar and yet not. Recommended for everything that is included.

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