For 35 inch tires on a JL, most owners land on a 2.5 inch lift, and a Rubicon needs less help than a Sport or Sahara because its factory fender flares sit higher. A JK usually needs 2.5 to 3.5 inches plus some trimming or flat flares to run 35s without rubbing at full flex. The lift height is only half the answer. Wheel backspacing, bump stops, shocks, axle centering and gearing decide whether the Jeep drives well afterward.
How much lift do 35s need on a JL?
The JL has more tire room than the JK did, and trim level matters. Owners who have measured Rubicon and Sport fenders side by side report the Rubicon front fenders sit roughly 1.5 inches taller, and Rubicons ride a bit higher from the factory. Those are owner measurements, not Jeep specs, but they match what we see.
TeraFlex publishes the clearest numbers. For its 3.5 inch JL coil kit, it lists 35s as the max tire on Sport and Sahara fenders (with 3 inch front and 2.5 inch rear bump stops) and 35s on standard Rubicon fenders (with 2 inch bump stops front and rear). Its 2.5 inch Performance Spacer kit is also rated for 35s on both Sport/Sahara and Rubicon with the right bump stop setup. TeraFlex also notes that JLs with plastic bumpers need the bumper-to-fender wind deflectors removed to clear 35s.
Can a Rubicon run 35s with no lift?
Technically, yes. Driving Line tested 35x12.50R17s on a bone stock JL Rubicon. The tires cleared at ride height, but they hit the inner fenders when the suspension compressed, so they added 2 inch bump stops front and rear. That cost about 2 inches of up travel, hurt ride quality, and the clearance was still tight. Their conclusion was that a no lift setup works for pavement and gravel, not real trail use. We agree. If you want 35s on a Rubicon and plan to flex it, budget for a 2.5 inch lift.
Jeep itself offers 35s from the factory with the Xtreme Recon package on Rubicon 4-door and Rubicon 392 models. Stellantis lists a 1.5 inch factory lift, 315/70R17 tires and a 4.56 axle ratio for that package.
4xe and heavy builds
Weight eats lift. TeraFlex notes on its 3.5 inch JL kit that on a 4xe the actual gain is closer to 2.5 inches. If your Jeep is heavy, tell us before you order so we can match spring rates.
How much lift do 35s need on a JK?
The JK has less room, and the stock flares are the main limit. Jeep forum guides generally put 35s at 2 to 3 inches of lift, and owner reports vary widely on how much rub you get. Some owners run 35s on a 2.5 inch lift with stock flares and only rub when flexing hard. Others on smaller budget boosts report rubbing the air dam on the road and the rear fenders and bumper off-road.
Rough Country rates its 3.25 inch JK Unlimited kit for 35x12.50 tires with 4.5 to 4.75 inches of wheel backspacing, or 1.5 inch spacers on factory wheels. That is a good real world benchmark. On a JK, plan on one of these:
- 2.5 inch lift plus flat or high clearance flares, and bump stop extensions
- 3 to 3.5 inch lift with stock flares and some trimming of the air dam, pinch seams and splash shields
- 4 inch lift if you want 35s to flex freely with less trimming, or plan to step up to 37s later
One forum warning worth repeating: advertised lift heights are often measured on a Sport, and a Rubicon JK may net a little less or more depending on the kit. Measure hub center to fender before and after.
Backspacing, offset and bump stops
JL owners report the common factory 17x7.5 wheel uses a +44mm offset. That puts a wider 35x12.50 tire close to the suspension and frame. TeraFlex calls for 4.75 inches or less of backspacing for wider tires. Owner advice on JL backspacing ranges from about 4.5 inches to about 5.7 inches depending on the lift brand and how much tire poke you will accept. Sources disagree here, so call us with your wheel and lift combination before you buy.
Bump stops are what actually keeps a 35 out of the fender at full compression. Good kits either include bump stop spacers or specify a bump stop height for each tire size, the way TeraFlex does. Do not skip them to gain up travel. A tire into a flare at speed tears the flare and can damage the tire.
Spacer lift vs coil spring lift vs long-arm
| Type | Typical height | Ride | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spacer lift | 1.5 to 2.5 inches | Close to stock, uses factory springs | Tight budgets, mostly street, mild trails |
| Coil spring lift (short arm) | 2.5 to 4 inches | Tuned new springs, usually better than stock with good shocks | Most 35 inch builds, daily driven and trail used |
| Long-arm lift | 3.5 inches and up | Smoothest at taller heights, better articulation | Serious trail rigs and 37s |
Spacer kits keep your factory springs, so on the JL they are often trim specific, because Rubicon and Sport/Sahara springs differ. Buy the version for your trim. Coil spring kits replace the springs with ones designed for the new height and are where most of our customers end up for 35s. Long-arm kits relocate the lower control arm mounts to flatten arm angles, which pays off at 4 inches and above, but they cost more and the install is more involved. For a 2.5 to 3.5 inch lift on 35s, a long-arm kit is usually more than you need.
What else a lift needs
Shocks sized to the lift
Stock shocks are too short for most lifts. Some kits include shock extensions so you keep factory shocks for now. Others require new shocks or come bundled with them. Read the listing carefully. A "no shocks" kit means exactly that, and you need longer shocks before the Jeep is drivable.
Track bar or adjustable arms for axle centering
Raising the Jeep shifts the axles sideways because the track bar sits at a new angle. On the JK, lifts over about 3 inches generally need an adjustable track bar or relocation bracket to keep the axle centered. On the JL, TeraFlex includes a front track bar bracket in its 3.5 inch kit. Smaller JL lifts often get by with factory bars, but an off center axle will show up as a crooked stance and odd steering feel.
Sway bar links and brake lines
Longer sway bar links keep the bar at a sane angle, and the TeraFlex JL kits we reference include them. Brake line relocation brackets or longer lines keep the lines from being stretched at full droop.
Caster and driveshafts
Lifts above about 3 inches rotate the front axle and reduce caster, which makes the Jeep wander on the highway. Adjustable control arms let you dial it back. TeraFlex recommends caster correction with its 3.5 inch JL kit. At 4 inches and up, driveshaft angles become a concern, and you may need a modified driveshaft. Some JK lifts over about 2.5 to 3 inches also need exhaust spacers for front driveshaft clearance.
Regear for 35s
JL Sport and Sahara models came with 3.45 gears standard and 3.73 optional, and the Rubicon came with 4.10s. Bigger tires make the effective gearing taller, so the Jeep feels slow and the transmission hunts. Quadratec recommends 4.88s for a JL on 35s carrying extra weight, and suggests 4.56s for tires around 34.8 inches. On JKs, owners commonly run 4.88s on 35s, and 3.8L automatic owners often go to 5.13s. Opinions split between 4.88 and 5.13 depending on commute length. A Rubicon on 4.10s can live with 35s on the street, but most owners still regear eventually. You will also need to recalibrate the speedometer for the new tire size.
Our honest recommendation by budget and use
JL, tight budget, mostly street
A 2.5 inch spacer kit with shock extensions, set up with the bump stops it specifies, on wheels in the right backspacing range. On a Rubicon this is a solid way to run 35s. Look at the TeraFlex 2.5 inch Spacer Lift Kit with Shock Extensions for JL Rubicon or the Superlift 2.5 inch Coil Spacer Lift Kit.
JL, daily driver plus trail weekends
A 2.5 inch coil spring kit with matched shocks. This is the setup we recommend most for 35s. Good options include the TeraFlex 2.5 inch Lift Kit with 9550 VSS Shocks and the JKS J-Konnect 2.5 inch Lift Kit with Fox 2.0 Shocks.
JL, heavier build or hard trail use
Step to 3.5 inches so you have room for bump stops and armor weight, and plan for caster correction and a regear. The TeraFlex 3.5 inch Coil Spring Lift Kit with 9550 VSS Shocks or the TeraFlex Alpine CT3 3.5 inch Short Arm System are where we would look. Pair a no shock kit with shocks rated for the height, such as Bilstein 5100 front shocks for 2.5 to 4.5 inch lifts.
JK, budget
The TeraFlex 2.5 inch Budget Boost with Shocks works for 35s if you add flat flares or trim, and accept some rub when flexing.
JK, daily plus trail
A 3 to 3.5 inch coil kit with a track bar solution. The TeraFlex 3 inch Lift Kit with FlexArms, Track Bar and 9550 Shocks includes the arms and track bar a JK needs at this height. The JKS J-Konnect 3.5 inch System with Fox 2.0 Shocks is another good option.
JK, serious trail use
Go to 4 inches with adjustable arms, like the TeraFlex 4 inch Lift Kit with 8 Alpine FlexArms, Track Bar and 9550 Shocks. If you want a long-arm system, call us and we will spec the full kit for your Jeep.
Shop the parts in this guide
- All Jeep Wrangler lift kits and suspension
- Jeep Wrangler shocks
- TeraFlex 2.5 inch JL Lift Kit with 9550 VSS Shocks (see current price)
- JKS J-Konnect 2.5 inch JL Lift Kit with Fox 2.0 Shocks (see current price)
- TeraFlex 3 inch JK Lift Kit with FlexArms, Track Bar and Shocks (see current price)
- Jeep Wrangler JL parts
- Jeep Wrangler JK parts
Need help?
Lift, wheel and tire choices all depend on each other, and getting one wrong means rubbing or a Jeep that drives poorly. Call us at (615) 538-7477 or email sales@franklinoffroad.com with your year, trim, wheels and how you use the Jeep, and we will help you pick a kit that fits the first time. Orders over $149 ship free.