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Teraflex JK 2.5 inch Budget Boost

Teraflex JK 2.5" Budget Boost

Part #:

I picked this kit up soon after the 2007 JK's came out and installed it on my 2 door. I didn't take any pictures at the time, and when I traded the 2 door in for a 4 door it came off and went on a shelf in the garage, all but forgotten for 5 years. So I dusted off the kit, cleaned it up and decided to reinstall it on the 2012 JK. Now the kit has changed over the last 5 years, and all the changes are an improvement to the original. This is a quality kit for an inexpensive price if your looking to just add a couple of inches to your JK, but you don't quite have the money for a spring lift yet. I will always recommend a spring lift over a budget boost if the money allows for it. Eventually this kit will be replaced with 2.5" springs and quality shocks, but for now I want to see how well this wheels compared to my previous experiences with AiROCK and Clayton Lifts. Teraflex does recommend using after market wheels with a backspacing of 4.5" or a 1.5" wheel spacer to clear the antisway bar in the rear.

Additional Parts:

Tools Needed:
10mm Socket
10mm Deep well socket
14mm Socket
15mm Socket
16mm Socket
18mm Socket
19mm Socket
21mm Socket
1/2" Socket
10mm Combo Wrench
14mm Combo Wrench
15mm Combo Wrench
16mm Combo Wrench
18mm Combo Wrench
19mm Combo Wrench
21mm Combo Wrench
1/2" Combo Wrench
Ratchet
Extension
3/8" Drill bit
Drill
Dremel with cutoff wheel or hacksaw blade



Teraflex JK Budget Boost Instructions

Measurements Before After

Total Lift

Front Bumper Driver Side 27 1/8" 29 1/2" +2 3/8"

Front Bumper Passenger Side

27 1/4" 29 3/4" +2 1/2"
Front Fender Driver Side (centered on wheel) 36 1/4" 38 1/2" +2 1/4"
Front Fender Passenger Side (centered on wheel) 36 1/4" 38 1/2" +2 1/4"
Center of Front Door Lip Driver Side 23" 25 1/4" +2 1/4"
Center of Front Door Lip Passenger Side 23" 25 1/4" +2 1/4"
Frame at Mid Body Mount Driver Side 14 1/4" 16 3/8" +2 1/8"
Frame at Mid Body Mount Passenger Side 14 1/4" 16 3/8" +2 1/8"
Center of Rear Door Lip Driver Side 23 3/4" 25 7/8" +2 1/8"
Center of Rear Door Lip Passenger Side 23 3/4" 25 7/8" +2 1/8"
Rear Fender Driver Side (centered on wheel) 37 1/8" 38 3/4" +1 5/8"
Rear Fender Passenger Side (centered on wheel) 37 1/8" 38 3/4" +1 5/8"
Rear Bumper Driver Side 28 3/4" 30 1/4" +1 1/2"

Rear Bumper Passenger Side

28 5/8" 30 1/4" +1 5/8"
       
This kit reduces the amount of rake that the Jeep comes with from the factory. It is really about a 2 1/2" front lift and a 1 1/2" rear lift

 

Rear Installation:
Jack up the rear axle and support with Jack stands in front of the lower control arm frame mount point. Remove the tires
1. Loosen (DO NOT REMOVE) the bolts holding the upper and lower control arms. You will need a 18mm and 21mm socket and combo wrench.
2. Remove the rear trackbar with a 21mm socket and combo wrench.
3. Remove the rear anti-swaybar links with a 18mm socket and combo wrench for the lower bolt and a 18mm socket and 19mm combo wrench for the upper stud.
4. Remove the rear shocks with a 18mm socket and combo wrench for the lower bolt, and a 16mm socket and long extension for the two (2) upper bolts. Be careful, the muffler can be hot.
5. Remove the clips that hold the ABS lines to the lower control arm bracket. You will see two clips, just undo first one down from the frame. Do not undo the clip where it leads down to the axle.
5a. If you need more distance, you can undo the clip that is up on the frame.
6. If you have a Rubicon model, unclip the locker line from the top of the differential.
7. Unbolt the brake line brackets by removing the bolt with a 10mm socket.
8. Unbolt and remove the parking brake bracket with a 10mm deep well socket.
9. Lower the rear axle far enough to remove the springs. Make sure you do not stretch the brake lines, abs wires, or locker wires. The axle vent line will probably pull off it's fitting on the axle. Probably a good time to visit extending the axle vent fittings. Remove the springs, noting which side they came out of. I have run into one instance where the springs had different part numbers.
Note: Teraflex says to be careful not to let the coils fall out as you lower the axle. Great if your working on a lift with axle jacks, but on the garage floor, most likely at least one is going bouncing and rolling across the floor.
10. Remove the factory rubber isolater, if it didn't fall out with the springs.
11. Install the factory rubber isolater onto the teraflex spacer. Place the Teraflex spacer on the floor and press the factory isolator down over the stub sticking out of the Teraflex spacer.
12. Grease the stub on the top inside of the teraflex spacer.
Note: Teraflex says to just install the spacer and you should hear a pop and the spacer should stay hanging from the frame. Haven't been able to do this yet, so next step.
13. Place the spacer on top of the spring and lift into place on top of the axle. Center the spacer on the hole in the upper spring pad and jack up the axle until both spacers pop into place. Lower the axle enough to ensure that the Jeep is resting on the Jackstands.
14. Install the provided trackbar drop bracket on the frame side. The newer kits have a template that you will cut out and wrap around the factory bracket so that you can drill a 3/8" hole in it. I have a much, much older kit that used a drop bracket that bolted into the existing factory bracket and 3 holes on the frame.
14a. Insert the Trackbar bracket into the exisiting factory bracket. Install the provided bolt through factory bracket and Teraflex bracket. Do not tighten yet.
14b. Install the three (3) provided bolts through the trackbar bracket and the holes on the frame. Tighten these bolts and then go back and tighten the trackbar bolt.
14c. Reinstall the factory trackbar. You will need a 21mm socket and combo wrench. Do not torque yet.
Alt. a. Cut out the supplied template.
Alt.b. Use the template included in the instructions to mark and drill a 3/8" hole in the factory track bar bracket on the frame.    
Alt c. Fit the new bracket around the existing track bar bracket and install the 14mm bolt, washer and nut through the drilled hole.
Note: Bolt head goes out.
   
Alt d. Install the provided bolt, washers, crush sleeve and nut into the old track bar mount. Torque the 14mm bolt to 45 ft/lb and the trackbar bolt to 125 ft/lb.    
Alt d. Reinstall the factory trackbar. You will need a 21mm socket and combo wrench. Do not torque yet.
15. Install the brake line drop brackets with the provided hardware. You will reuse the bolt that you removed from the factory bracket to secure the Teraflex drop bracket in place. Ensure that the bracket is flush with the frame and that the bend is pointed towards the inside of the Jeep.
16. Install the new rear anti-swaybar links on the inside of the axle bracket. The head of the bolt should be on the shockside of the anti-swaybar link so that the excess threads will not interfere with the shock.
Note: I have the older style links that are wider than the new Heim joint style links. The new links come with mounting hardware to attach them to the anti-swaybar.
Size Comparison. The old rear anti-swaybar links will be used on the front.
17. Install the rear shock extensions if you have them, otherwise install your new shocks with a 18mm socket and combo wrench for the lower bolt, and a 16mm socket and long extension for the two (2) upper bolts.
17a. Find the rear shock extension bracket, small bolt, small washers and small nut.
17b. Test fit the rear shock extension the hole in the tab on the extension should line up with the hole next to the frame in the mounting bracket. The bracket are side specific and won't fit the opposite side.
18. Install the two shock extension bolts to hold the bracket in place and install the small bolt through the tab. You can either install the bolt from the top or bottom. I did it from the top, but it's easier to do if you install it from the bottom. Just snug the bolt up for now.
19. Remove one of the extension bolts, and loosen up the other far enough that you can slide the end of the bar pin between the washer and the shock extension bracket. Reinstall the other extension bolt. Reinstall the bottom shock bolt and tighten all the bolts with a 18mm socket and combo wrench for the lower bolt, and a 16mm socket and long extension for the two (2) upper bolts. Use a 1/2" socket and combo wrench for the small bolt.
20. I have the older kit, so I had extension for the rear bump stop, not a new pad for the bottom. Remove the bump stop from the bumpstop cup. Just give it a twist sideways and it should pop free.
20a. Push the bumpstop into the bumpstop extensions.
20b. Install the bump stop extension into the factory bump stop cup. Just hook one edge up into the cup and lever it into the other side.
20. The new kit has a block that installs on the axle. The overhang part of the block will point forwards. Just install the two bolts into the provided holes in the axle pad. You will need a 1/2" socket and combo wrench.
21. Reinstall the tires and check for clearance between the rims and any bolts. Lower the Jeep to the ground and tighten the upper control arm bolts, lower control arm bolts, and track bar bolts.
 
Front Installation:
Jack up the front axle and support with Jack stands in behind of the lower control arm frame mount point. Remove the tires
1. Loosen (DO NOT REMOVE) the bolts holding the upper and lower control arms. You will need a 18mm and 21mm socket and combo wrench.
2. Loosen the front trackbar with a 21mm socket and combo wrench.
3. Remove the front anti-swaybar links with a 18mm socket and combo wrench for the lower bolt and a 18mm socket and 19mm combo wrench for the upper stud.
4. Remove the front shocks with a 18mm socket and combo wrench for the lower bolt, and a 16mm combo wrench for the upper nut. You can use a 5/8" wrench to hold the welded nut on the top of the shock while you unscrew the nut.
4a. The Passenger side on the 2012 JK's presents an interesting problem. The plastic tray sits nearly on top of the shock tower.

4b. Just use a Dremel tool, or a hacksaw blade to remove the plastic from just under the top webs and the length of the shock tower. Now you can easily get the 16mm combo wrench to the top nut on the shock. I did have to use another 16mm combo wrench to hold the welded nut on top of the shock to loosen up the top one.
5. If you have a Rubicon model, unclip the locker line from the top of the differential. It is located on the side of the upper control arm.
6. Unbolt the brake line brackets by removing the bolt with a 10mm socket. You do not need to do this on the 2012's, they made a slight change to the brake line in the front, see below.
6a. Unbolt the brake line brackets by removing the bolt with a 10mm socket. Pull the bracket out of the hole that the tab on the bracket is intalled into on the inside.
6b. Carefully cut and remove the zipties holding the ABS line to the bracket. Spray some silicone lube, or WD-40 into the bracket (coat it good). Work the brake line out of the bracket through the slot. It's tight, but once you get it started it does come right out.
6c. Reclip the ABS line into the holders on the brake line.
7. Lower the front axle far enough to remove the springs. Make sure you do not stretch the brake lines, abs wires, or locker wires. Remove the springs, noting which side they came out of. I have run into one instance where the springs had different part numbers.
7a. The axle vent line will probably pull off it's fitting on the axle. Probably a good time to visit extending the axle vent fittings.
8. Remove the bump stop from the bumpstop cup. Just give it a twist sideways and it should pop free.
9. Remove the factory spring isolator. You may need to twist it to get it to come down, I have even had to get a small prybar up in there to break them free, luckily this time I have a new Jeep to install these on and they came right off.
Just a couple pictures of the front spring spacers and the bump stop extensions with bumpstops already in them.
10. Grease up the inside of the Teraflex spring spacer. I used some lithium lube that I had in a spray can, alternately you can use regular axle grease. Do not use WD-40, it will dry out the rubber.
11. Install the Teraflex spring spacer. This will be tight, so a twisting motion will get it to slide over the bump stop cup and up. Reinstall the factory spring isolater.
12. Push the bumpstop into the bumpstop extensions. You can do this after you install the bump stop extension in the bump stop cup.
13. Installing the front bump stop extensions is not as easy as installing the rears. I used the front spring pad to press these up into the spring cup. You can also place a piece of 2x4 between the Teraflex bumpstop extension and the axle spring pad.
14. Reinstall the factory springs. Make sure you get the spring pigtail located into the grove on the axle spring pad.
This is the way the hardware came off of the factory shock.
The new shock hardware.
15. Put some red locktite on the shock stud and screw the shock adapter onto the end of the shock.
This is the way the hardware will go back on the shock. Note that the rubber bushings have been flipped in position.
16. Reinstall the shock into the factory hole. Tighten the top nut with a 16mm wrench. Just enough to cause the rubber bushing to slightly bulge. Reinstall the lower bolt with a 18mm socket and combo wrench.
17. Install the rear anti-swaybar links as the new front anti-swaybar links with a 18mm socket and combo wrench for the lower bolt and a 18mm socket and 19mm combo wrench for the upper stud.
18. Reinstall the tires and check for clearance between the rims and any bolts. Lower the Jeep to the ground and tighten the upper control arm bolts, lower control arm bolts, and track bar bolts.
 
Check all torques after 300 miles.

 

Teraflex, Inc
5241 S. Commerce Dr.
Murray, UT 84107

801-288-2585

www.Teraflex.biz


  N-m Ft. Lbs. In. Lbs.
Front:

Shock Absorber Upper Nut

27

20

Shock Absorber Lower Nut

76

56

Suspension Arm Lower Axle Bracket Nut

169

125

Suspension Arm Lower Frame Bracket Nut

169

125

Suspension Arm Upper Axle Bracket Nut/Bolt

102

75

Suspension Arm Upper Frame Bracket Bolt

102

75

Stabilizer Bar Link Upper Nut

102

75

Stabilizer Bar Link Lower Bolt

102

75

Track Bar Frame Bracket Nut

169

125

Track Bar Axle Bracket Bolt

169

125

Rear:

Shock Absorber Upper Bolts

50

37

Shock Absorber Lower Nut

76

56

Suspension Arm Lower Axle Bracket Nut

169

125

Suspension Arm Lower Frame Bracket Bolt

169

125

Suspension Arm Upper Axle Bracket Bolt

169

125

Suspension Arm Upper Frame Bracket Bolt

169

125

Stabilizer Bar Link Nut/Bolt

102

75

Stabilizer Bar to Link Nut

90

66

Track Bar Frame Bracket Nut

169

125

Track Bar Axle Bracket Bolt

169

125

This page last updated: 14-Dec-2017

Content and Design © 2002-present WanderingTrail,  Ronald Seegert
Common Sense and Safety should always be observed when working on your vehicle or doing modifications. Jackstands, wheel blocks, disconnecting the battery are a few of the basic safety precautions that should be used and may not be mentioned in the write ups on this site. You are responsible for your own installation, these write ups are a helpful guideline and should not be taken as an official installation instruction. My write up may be different from the kits currently out there, so alwasy double check the manufacturers installation instructions when installing anything. I try to keep the site up to date with changes that have occured as I discover them, but may not have the latest unless someone lets me know. If you feel that an install is above your capabilities after reading my write ups, I recommend getting together with a club and getting some help. Only a few times have I needed to employe some actual help from a shop to get something done. Usually welding or A/C work. While I have spent many years working on mechanical systems, I am not an expert, nor do I pretend to be one. I hope these write ups have been useful to you.
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