Iron Rock Off Road 3" Short Arm Lift
IRO's 3" XJ kit (XJ-3) is a Minnesota-built short-arm system with HD coils, a full rear leaf pack, adjustable track bar, and optional control arms — a true mid-grade lift.
Iron Rock Off Road (IRO) builds XJ kits in Minnesota and is regarded on NAXJA as one of the best value/quality choices in the segment. The 3" XJ kit includes IRO HD coils, a full rear leaf pack (3-leaf with overload), adjustable rear track bar, transfer case drop, longer rear sway bar end links, and your choice of shocks (Bilstein 5100, Fox 2.0, or King 2.0 as a paid upgrade).
IRO coils are a tick stiffer than OME but ride better than RC; the front carries heavy bumpers without sagging. The rear leaf pack flexes well for the height and doesn't suffer from the early sag complaints leveled at Rusty's. Build quality is excellent and the company is known for hand-bending track bars and brackets in-house. Pricing is similar to RockKrawler at around $1300-1800.
IRO is also the natural upgrade path to their ROCK-LINK long arm conversion (you can buy the short arm 3" now and bolt on the long arm front later). The 3" lift on its own is short arm and uses the stock UCA/LCA brackets; caster correction can be added with offset bushings.
Why it works
- Excellent build quality
- Carries heavy bumpers without sagging
- Upgrade path to ROCK-LINK long arm
- Adjustable rear track bar included
Trade-offs
- Expensive
- Coils a bit stiff for unloaded daily drivers
- Lead time can be long on bracketry
Tools required
- floor jack
- jack stands
- metric sockets
- spring compressor
- torque wrench
Parts
| Part | Vendor | Est. price |
|---|---|---|
| IRO XJ 3" Short Arm Lift Kit | Iron Rock Off Road | ~$1400 |
Sources
Related
- Old Man Emu 3" Lift (OME)
- RockKrawler 3.5" Stage 1 Lift
- Rusty's Off Road 3" Spring Pack Lift
- Iron Rock ROCK-LINK Long Arm Conversion
- All Jeep Cherokee XJ guides & tools
- Browse the full DIY database
Written and maintained by an AZ wheeler and driveway wrencher. How we source guides. Always cross-reference your factory service manual — modifications affect vehicle safety and warranty. Work at your own risk.