Jeep Renegade Daystar 1.5" Lift Kit Installation Write-Up

wayoflife

wayoflife

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If there's just one thing that the all new Jeep Renegade could have really used right from the factory, it's a set of tougher all terrain or mud terrain tires. While the Renegade itself is more than capable of getting out and doing some light wheeling, the street tires it comes with have thin sidewalls and really, just lack the kind of tread that you really need to get you to where you want to be. That being said, there's literally next to nothing when it comes to a more aggressive tread in a size that will fit especially on a Trailhawk's 17" wheel and attempting to run anything bigger will require you to run a small lift. Well, thanks to the guys over at Daystar, we now have a 1.5" lift option available to us and it will allow you to run a tire that is approximately 2" taller than stock. In this write-up, you'll get to see all is needed to install this lift on a Jeep Renegade Trailhawk but if you have a Sport, Latitude or Limited, it'll be basically the same thing only with fewer steps.

What you will need
• KJ09168BK - Daystar Jeep Renegade 1.5" Lift Kit
• 10, 13, 16, 17, 18, 22mm Socket & Wrench
• E-14, E-16, E-18, E-20 Reverse Torx Socket
• Torx T-40 Bit
• 7/16" Socket
• 3/8" Drive Ratchet
• 1/2" Drive Ratchet
• 3/8" Drive Ratchet Extension
• 3 lb. Hammer
• Needle Nose Pliers
• Flathead Screwdriver
• Phillips Screwdriver
• Panel Trim Pry Tool
• Vice Grips
• Pry Bar
• Angle Grinder w/ Cutoff Wheel
• Flat File
• Floor Jack
• (2) Jack Stands
• Wheel Chocks
• Marker
• Black frame paint

Installation Instructions
Here's a shot of everything you will get with your new Daystar Jeep Renegade 1.5" lift kit. Be sure to verify that you have all the parts listed in the bill of materials before you begin this installation.
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1. Park your Jeep Renegade on level ground and engage the parking brake. Then, open the hood and remove the windshield wiper caps cover the retaining nuts.
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2. Using a 17mm socket, remove the nuts securing your windshield wipers in place.
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3. Use a marker or grease pencil to mark the position of the windshield wipers and then remove them from the splined stud. This can take some effort to do and you may find it necessary to working the wiper arm back and forth as you pull up on it to free it from the stud.
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4. Once removed, mark the wiper arms to help remind you where they belong.
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5. There are 3 push tabs securing the cowl cover in place. To remove them, you will need to use a flathead screw driver to lift up the locking pin as shown.
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6. With the help of a panel trim pry tool, remove the 3 push tabs.
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7. On each side of cowl cover, you will find a push tab securing the foam filler panel in place. Use a panel trim pry tool to pull the pins out.
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8. You can now carefully remove the cowl cover and set it aside.
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9. While we used a lift to help make it easier to photograph this install, all you will need is a floor jack, a pair of jack stands and wheel chocks. To begin your install, simply place the wheel chocks up against your rear tires, lift the front of your Renegade until the tires are off the ground and then set it back down on jack stands positioned under the frame rails and just behind the front tires.
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10. Using a 17mm socket, remove the lug bolts securing the front wheels to your Renegade.
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11. Remove your wheels and then lay them flat under the frame rails of your Renegade for extra safety.
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12. Starting on the driver side of your Renegade, remove the sway bar link from the strut. To do this, you will need a Torx T-40 bit to hold the sway bar stud in place while you use an 18mm box wrench to remove the nut.
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13. Using a 17mm socket, loosen but do not remove the nut securing the tie-rod to the steering knuckle.
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14. Strike the end of the steering knuckle with a 3 lb. hammer to help ring out the tie-rod end's tapered stud. Once free, remove the nut and rotate the tie-rod out of the way.
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15. As before, use a Torx T-40 bit and an 18mm box wrench to remove the sway bar link from the sway bar arm.
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16. Use needle nose pliers to remove the spring clip securing the brake line to the mount on the strut body.
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17. Pull the brake line free of its mount on the strut body.
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18. Remove the speed sensor line from its mount on the strut body.
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19. Using an E-18 reverse Torx socket and a 16mm box wrench, remove the 2 bolts securing the strut to the steering knuckle.
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20. To help prevent damaging the CV joints, use a floor jack to support the base of the steering knuckle assembly.
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21. Using an E-14 reverse Torx socket and a ratchet extension, remove the 3 bolts securing the strut to the body of your Renegade.
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22. You can now carefully remove the strut assembly from your Renegade.
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23. Apply red thread locker to the threads of the stud extenders provided with the kit.
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24. Use a 16mm wrench to install them onto the top of the strut assembly.
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25. Install the Daystar polyurethane spacer on top of the strut assembly.
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26. Reinstall the strut assembly and loosely secure just the top bolts to help hold it in place.
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27. Secure the strut assembly to the steering knuckle using the factory bolts and then, using an E-18 reverse Torx socket and a 16mm socket, tighten them to 90 ft. lbs. of torque.
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28. Usingn E-14 reverse Torx socket, tighten the 3 upper strut bolts to 70 ft. lbs. of torque.
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29. Reconnect the speed sensor wire to the mount on the strut.
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30. Reconnect the brake line to the strut mount.
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31. Secure the brake line in place using the factory retaining spring.
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32. Using an 18mm wrench to hold the studs in place and a 17mm wrench to fasten the nut, install the new sway bar link provided with the kit onto the sway bar arm.
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33. Again, using an 18mm wrench to hold the studs in place and a 17mm wrench to fasten the nut, install the new sway bar link onto the strut mount.
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34. Using a 17mm socket, reinstall the tie-rod onto the steering knuckle and then secure it in place using the factory nut. You will need to tighten this nut to 75 ft. lbs. of torque.
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35. Repeat steps 12-34 on the passenger side of your Renegade and then reinstall your wheels making sure to tighten the lug bolts to 90 ft. lbs. of torque. Remove the jack stands and set your Renegade back on the ground.

36. Reinstall the cowl cover.
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37. Secure the cowl cover in place using the 3 factory push pins on top and the 2 on the sides.
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38. Carefully align your windshield wiper arms to the marks you made on the threaded studs and reinstall them.
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39. Use a 17mm socket to secure the wiper arms in place and then reinstall the black plastic caps onto the nuts.
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40. If you have a Trailhawk, you will need a 13mm socket to remove the 4 nuts securing your carrier bearing skid plate in place.
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41. Located the 2 round spacers marked M21639 as well as 2 of the 10mm bolts and flat washers provided with the kit.
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42. Using an E-14 reverse Torx socket, loosen but do not remove 1 of the 2 carrier bearing bolts securing it to the bottom of your Renegade.
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43. Using an E-14 reverse Torx socket, completely remove the other bolt, slip in one of the M24639 round spacers between the carrier bearing bracket and the bottom of your Renegade and then, loosely secure the bracket in place with the provided 10mm bolt and flat washer.
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44. Completely remove the first bolt and then as before, slip in the remaining M24639 round spacer and secure the bracket in place with the provided 10mm bolt and flat washer. Use a 17mm socket to tighten the bolts in place.
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45. Chock your front wheels, lift the rear end of your Renegade until the tires are off the ground and then set it back down on jack stands positioned under the frame rails and just in front of your rear tires. Using a 17mm socket, remove the lug bolts securing the front wheels to your Renegade.
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46. Locate the 2 rectangular spacers marked M21640 as well as 2 of the 8mm bolts and washers.
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47. Starting on the driver side, use a 13mm socket and a ratchet extension to remove the bolt securing the muffler hanger to the bottom of your Renegade.
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48. Slip 1 of the spacers marked M21640 on top of the muffler hanger bracket and secure it in place using the 8mm bolt and washer provided with the kit. You will need a 13mm socket for this job.
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49. Repeat steps 47-48 on the passenger side of your Renegade.
 
50. Starting on the driver side, use a phillips screwdriver to remove the screw securing the fender liner to the bottom of the rear bumper.
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51. There are 3 more screws that secure the fender liner to the back of the bumper that will need to be removed as well.
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52. One last screw securing the fender liner to the rocker trim will need to be removed.
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53. Using a 10mm socket, remove the plastic nut securing the fender liner to the body of your Renegade just behind the rear door.
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54. Remove the 2 nuts on either side of the strut securing the fender liner to the body as well.
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55. And finally, remove the 1 nut securing the fender liner to the rear end of the body.
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56. Remove the fender liner from the wheel well of your Renegade.
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57. Repeat steps 50-56 on the passenger side of your Renegade. You will need to know that there is one additional plastic nut that will need to be removed and it is located on near the rear door and underneath the body near the control arm mount.
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58. Place a floor jack under the rear differential and then raise it up just enough to hold it and the rear cross member in place. You do NOT want to go so high that you're raising up the rear end of your Renegade.
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59. Locate and gather the 4 round spacers marked M21642 along with 4 of the 14mm bolts and washers.
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60. Using an E-20 reverse Torx socket, loosen the 2 bolts on both sides of the muffler securing the rear cross member to the bottom of your Renegade.
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61. Using an E-20 reverse Torx socket, loosen the 2 bolts on both sides of the gas tank securing the rear cross member to the bottom of your Renegade.
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62. Slip the round spacers marked M21642 in between the cross member isolators and the bottom of your Renegade and loosely secure them in place using the 14mm bolts and washers.
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63. You made find it helpful to use a pry bar to shift the cross member around so that you can line up the bolt holes.
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64. Once all the spacers have been installed, use a 22mm socket to tighten the 4 bolts to 120 ft. lbs. of torque.
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65. Locate the 2 rectangular spacers marked M21641 and gather 2 of the 8mm bolts and washers provided with the kit.
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66. Starting on the driver side, use a 13mm socket to remove the speed sensor line bracket from the bottom of the frame rail.
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67. Slide 1 of the spacers marked M21641 between the bracket and frame rail and then secure it in place using the 8mm bolt and washer provided. You will need a 13mm socket for this job and you will need to repeat this step on the passenger side of your Renegade.
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68. Starting on the driver side, use an E-14 reverse Torx socket to remove the 4 bolts securing the rear lower control arm mount to the bottom of your Renegade.
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69. With the mount free of the body, you can now use a 16mm socket and an E-18 reverse Torx socket to remove the bolt securing the rear lower control arm to the mount.
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70. If you have a Trailhawk, you will need to make a small notch along the lip of your gas tank skid plate in order to install the new lower control arm drop bracket provided with the kit. To being, hold one of the new lower control arm drop brackets up to the where it gets bolted on the bottom of your Jeep and then, mark the location of where you will need to trim your gas tank skid plate as shown.
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71. Using an angle grinder with a cutoff wheel, make a cut on either side of the notch and then score the bottom of the lip.
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72. Using vice grips, grab a hold of the notched section of skid plate and work it up and down until it breaks free.
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73. Use a file to clean up the edges and then spray some frame paint onto the exposed metal.
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74. Slip the new Daystar drop bracket onto the lower control arm joint and then loosely secure it in place using the factory bolt and nut. To help make it easier to reinstall, reverse the bolt so that the head is facing out and the nut sits next to the gas tank.
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75. Using the factory bolts, secure the new Daystar bracket to the bottom of your Renegade. You will need an E-14 reverse Torx socket to tighten these bolts to 75 ft. lbs. of torque.
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Here is a shot that will help demonstrate why it is necessary to trim the lip of your gas tank skid plate to help clear the new Daystar lower control arm drop bracket.
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76. You will need to repeat steps 68-69 and then 74-75 on the passenger side of your Jeep. Even if you have a Trailhawk, it will NOT be necessary to trim the lip of your gas tank skid plate.
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77. Back on the driver side, remove the speed sensor wire from its mount on the strut.
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78. Remove the E-brake cable from its mount on the strut.
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79. Insert a small flathead screwdriver into the E-brake cable plug release tab. Then, gently lift upwards on the tab until you hear it "click" off it's lock and you can separate the plug with ease.
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80. Using needle nose pliers, remove the retaining spring securing your brake line in place.
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81. Remove the brake line from its mount on the strut.
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82. Using a Torx T-40 bit and an 18mm box wrench, disconnect the rear sway bar from the strut mount and then rotate it down and out of the way.
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83. Using an E-18 reverse Torx socket and a 16mm box wrench, remove the 2 bolts securing the strut to the knuckle.
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84. Using an E-14 reverse Torx socket, remove the 3 bolts securing the rear strut to the bottom of your Renegade.
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85. Carefully remove the strut from your Renegade.
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86. Grab 3 of the spacers marked M20507 as well as 3 of the stud extenders and apply red thread locker to their threads.
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87. Using a 16mm wrench, install the 3 stud extenders on the bottom of your Renegade where the strut gets mounted to.
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88. Using a hammer, tap the spacers marked M20507 onto the strut extenders.
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89. Reinstall the strut assembly and secure it loosely in place using the factory bolts.
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90. Using the factory bolts and nuts, secure the strut assembly to the knuckle and then tighten them to 90 ft. lbs. of torque.
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91. Using an E-14 reverse Torx socket, tighten the 3 upper strut bolts to 75 ft. lbs. of torque.
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92. Reinstall the brake line into the strut mount.
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93. Using needle nose pliers, reinstall the brake line retaining spring.
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94. Reinstall the speed sensor wire into the strut mount.
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95. Reinstall the E-brake line into the strut mount.
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96. Plug the E-brake line back into the socket on the knuckle.
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97. Using a Torx T-40 bit and an 18mm box wrench, reinstall the rear sway bar onto the strut mount.
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98. Repeat steps 77-97 on the passenger side of your Renegade. Note, you will need to remove the EVAP canister which is mounted to the back of the rear wheel well. Using a 10mm socket, remove the 2 nuts securing the bottom of the canister to the body.
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99. Again, using a 10mm socket, remove the 1 nut securing the top of the EVAP canister to the body and then move it out of the way.
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100. With the EVAP canister out of the way, you will now have access to remove the strut assembly and reinstall it with the new spacers.
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101. Before you can reinstall the EVAP canister, you will first need to install the provided lower drop bracket as shown. Using the factory nuts, secure the bracket to the studs on the body. You will need a 10mm socket for this job.
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102. Place the EVAP canister onto the drop bracket mounting studs.
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103. Slip the upper EVAP canister relocation bracket onto the factory studs extended down from the body as shown.
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104. Secure the EVAP canister to the upper mount using the 1/4" nut and washer provided with the kit. You will need a 7/16" socket for this job.
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105. Secure the EVAP canister to the 2 lower mount using the 1/4" nut and washer provided with the kit. You will need a 7/16" socket for this job.
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106. Reinstall your rear fender liners.
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107. Secure the fender liner to the body using the factory plastic nuts. A 10mm socket will be needed for this job.
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108. Secure the fender liner to the rear bumper and rocker trim using the factory screws. A phillips screwdriver will be needed for this job.
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109. Reinstall your wheels making sure to tighten the lug bolts to 90 ft. lbs. of torque, remove the jack stands and set your Renegade back on the ground. With the full weight of your Renegade on the ground, tighten up your lower control arm bolts to 110 ft. lbs. of torque.
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110. If you have a Trailhawk and are wanting to reinstall the carrier bearing skid plate, I have found that you can use a couple of washers on the mounting studs to help make it work but it will still make full contact with the base of the bearing. This is not a problem and you will not hear or notice anything different, there just won't be a gap between the plate and the bearing. That being said, the skid will help prevent the bearing from getting clipped by rocks or other obstacles on the trail. You will need to reuse your factory nuts and a 13mm socket to tighten them down.
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That completes the installation of a Daystar Jeep Renegade 1.5" Lift Kit. Make sure to take your Renegade in to have a 4-wheel alignment done and then be sure to re-torque your lug bolts after 25-50 miles of use and give the entire suspension a look after 500 miles of use. Overall, this isn't a difficult lift to install so long as you have the right tools and a little experience working on vehicles.
 
For our purposes, this lift allowed us to install an agressive set of 225/75R16 Cooper Discoverer STT Pro mud terrain tires mounted on a set of 16" Chevy HHR black steel wheels. On our Trailhawk, it was necessary to also run 1.25" wheel spacers to help clear the brake calipers. Including the lift provided with the new taller tires, we measured almost 2.5" of total lift when all was said and done. Still Here are some photos of what our Jeep Renegade Trailhawk looks like with everything installed.

First off, this is a shot of what our Renegade looked like right after we brought it home.
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And, this is what it looks like now.
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Here are a few more shots.
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A whole bunch more photos can be seen here:

Jeep Renegade Trailhawk Daystar 1.5" Lift
& 225/75R16 Cooper Discoverer STT Pros Photo Gallery

I should note that after doing a quick test drive, I did find that we have some minor rubbing at about a 3/4 turn of the steering wheel. This is being caused by the corner of the tread making contact with a dimple on the back side of the fender well. Here's a shot of the driver side front tire right where the shoulder of it makes contact with the fender liner.
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Looking up behind the fender liner, you can see the pinch seam that the dimple is created for.
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The rubbing really is minor and not that big of a deal but when I get a chance, I will try to bend back or trim the pinch seam to give more clearance at this point and push in the dimple on the fender liner. I will post up a write-up on this as well.

Another thing I need to note is that after having a 4 wheel alignment done, I found that the rear toe was still off by about 1°. Short of installing new adjustable arms, this is about as good as it's going to get and while it will require more frequent tire rotations to keep the tread wear even, it's really not that big of a deal.
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Aside from that, I haven't noticed any other problems or at least, not as of yet. As I get a chance to do more testing, I will be sure to post up what I find. Please let me know if you have any questions.
 
Holy Writeup Batman. Thanks for taking the time to detail that all out. That should really help for someone lifting a Renegade.
 
Holy moly that was a lot of work! Renny looks great...

Thanks for posting this extensive right up and review. I'm sure this will be a huge help for others wanting to lift their Jeep Renegade. :D
 
Wow, when step one of installing a lift kit is "remove windshield wipers," you know you in for a long one... Very cool
 
Holy write up! That's one hell of an install but well worth it for the pay off! Great write up Eddie!
 
I could have sworn that I clicked on the wrong link when I saw removal of windshield wipers for a lift install! :crazyeyes:

Nice write-up and Reny looks great :thumb:
 
Looks awesome! I am always in awe when it comes to the time and attention to detail put into your write ups. You and Cindy definitely put pride in your work, I admire that. :rock:
 
swampdog said:
Wow, when step one of installing a lift kit is "remove windshield wipers," you know you in for a long one... Very cool
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StrizzyChris said:
I could have sworn that I clicked on the wrong link when I saw removal of windshield wipers for a lift install! :crazyeyes:

Nice write-up and Reny looks great :thumb:
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:cheesy: Believe me, that's about what I was thinking too :crazyeyes:

Idaho 51 said:
Awesome, both the lift and the write up.

Can you report the change in mpg? Just curious.
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Will do. Haven't had a chance to do extensive testing as of yet but hope to soon.
 
"Another thing I need to note is that after having a 4 wheel alignment done, I found that the rear toe was still off by about 1°. Short of installing new adjustable arms, this is about as good as it's going to get and while it will require more frequent tire rotations to keep the tread wear even, it's really not that big of a deal."

Which are adjustable arms?
 
salvatore.db81@gmail.com said:
"Another thing I need to note is that after having a 4 wheel alignment done, I found that the rear toe was still off by about 1°. Short of installing new adjustable arms, this is about as good as it's going to get and while it will require more frequent tire rotations to keep the tread wear even, it's really not that big of a deal."

Which are adjustable arms?
Click to expand...

The rear arms have cam bolts and you would need to adjust them.
 
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