Iron Rock Off Road 4.5" Short Arm Lift
IRO's 4.5" Stage 4 short arm kit is a premium-quality option with HD coils, adjustable arms, and HD track bar; the natural foundation for a ROCK-LINK long arm later.
Iron Rock Off Road's 4.5" short arm lift is built around their progressive-rate front coils (rated for steel bumpers and winch) and a 4-leaf rear pack. The kit ships with HD adjustable rear lower control arms, adjustable front track bar, HD rear track bar, transfer case drop, brake line relocation, and steering stabilizer. Shocks are pick-your-poison: Bilstein 5100, Fox 2.0, or King 2.0 as a paid upgrade.
IRO's coils are correctly rated for the height — front and rear sag is minimal even after 50,000 miles with a winch and steel front bumper. The included track bars are HD construction and resist bending. The rear adjustable lowers are the same units used in their long arm kits, so when you upgrade later, those parts stay.
This is the kit that most NAXJA users recommend for a build that's headed toward harder trail use without committing to long arm upfront. Total cost is around $1700-2200. Caster correction is via offset ball joint sleeves (sold separately, $80). SYE/CV shaft still required.
Why it works
- Excellent build quality
- Coils don't sag with steel bumpers
- Upgrade path to ROCK-LINK
- HD adjustable rear arms included
Trade-offs
- Expensive
- Caster correction sold separately
- SYE/CV shaft not included
- Lead times can be long
Tools required
- floor jack
- jack stands
- metric sockets
- spring compressor
- torque wrench
- ball joint press
Parts
| Part | Vendor | Est. price |
|---|---|---|
| IRO 4.5" Stage 4 Lift Kit | Iron Rock Off Road | ~$1800 |
| Slip yoke eliminator + CV shaft | JB Conversions / Tom Wood's | ~$550 |
Sources
Related
- Rusty's 4.5" Advanced Lift Kit
- RockKrawler 4.5" X Factor Mid-Arm 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.