New Lift Kit Available For Jeep Wrangler Diesel

Legendary off-road vehicle upfitter American Expedition Vehicles is showing the diesel Jeep Wrangler some love this holiday season with a new 2.5″ lift kit aimed squarely at JL Wranglers powered by Chrysler’s 3.0L EcoDiesel.

We know what you’re thinking: “Can’t diesel Wrangler owners just use one of the myriad lift kits offered for the regular gas-powered Wrangler?” Yes, technically, but there’s a bit of a weight issue: all else being equal, diesel engines tend to way significantly more than their gasoline-powered counterparts because they’re built to withstand far greater cylinder pressures. Chrysler’s EcoDiesel V6, with its compacted graphite iron block, weighs in at around 500 pounds – nearly 200 pounds heavier than a 3.6L Pentastar gas V6.

All that extra weight in the nose requires tougher, stiffer suspension components, and while a lesser tuner might not think twice about it, the guys at AEV are pros. They’ve developed a set of diesel-specific progressive-rate springs and in-house-tuned Bilstein 5100 Series dampers, for superior compatibility and performance. The benefits, according to AEV, are increased suspension travel with improved articulation, off-road speed potential, and bottoming control.

The kit doesn’t stop there. To ensure everything works harmoniously together, AEV also includes a pair of heavy-duty control arm geometry-correcting brackets, a rear track bar tower extension, extended front and rear sway bar end links, and bump stop spacers for the front and rear. They even throw in a jack base for the factory jack, for easier and safer wheel-swapping with upsized tires, and a speedometer recalibration tool so your Jeep can compensate for the larger tire diameter.

With this 2.5″ lift kit installed, diesel Wrangler owners can look forward to being able to run tires as big as 35 inches on the Sport and Sahara models, AEV says, or up to 37 inches on the Rubicon. Of course, even with the factory wheels and tires installed, you can still look forward to the extra clearance and imposing stature afforded by a full 2.5 inches of lift.

AEV’s 2.5″ lift kit for EcoDiesel-equipped JL Wranglers is priced at $1,479 before tax – a bit expensive, to be sure, but worth every penny if you’re only interested in the best.