If you're tired of that annoying driveline vibration after installing a budget boost or a small suspension lift, a jeep tj motor mount lift might just be the simplest fix you'll ever find. It's one of those modifications that doesn't look like much—just a couple of blocks or taller brackets under the hood—but the impact it has on how your Jeep actually drives is massive.
Most of us start our Jeep journey by wanting a bit more clearance for bigger tires. You throw on a 2-inch or 2.5-inch lift, step back to admire the new stance, and then take it for a spin only to realize your Wrangler now feels like it's trying to shake itself apart every time you hit 30 mph. That's usually the rear driveshaft complaining about the new, steeper angle it's been forced into. While a lot of people go straight for a transfer case drop kit, that's actually moving in the wrong direction if you care about ground clearance. That's exactly where the motor mount lift (MML) comes into play.
Dealing with the dreaded driveline vibes
The whole point of a jeep tj motor mount lift is to tilt the engine and transmission slightly. By raising the front of the engine by about an inch, you're essentially pivoting the entire drivetrain on the transmission mount. This tilts the output shaft of the transfer case downward toward the rear axle.
Why does this matter? Because it flattens out the angle of your rear driveshaft. On a short-wheelbase vehicle like the TJ, even a small lift makes that rear shaft sit at a pretty steep incline. If that angle gets too sharp, the U-joints start to bind or vibrate. By lifting the motor, you often gain back enough angle to get rid of those vibrations without having to lower your belly pan.
I've seen plenty of guys install a transfer case drop because it's cheap and easy. But think about it: you just spent money to lift your Jeep up, and now you're bolting spacers in to push the center of the frame back down toward the rocks. It looks a bit goofy, and it ruins your breakover angle. A motor mount lift accomplishes the same goal of fixing the vibes, but it keeps your clearance intact.
The perfect pairing with a body lift
If you're looking at a jeep tj motor mount lift, you're almost certainly going to hear people talk about pairing it with a 1-inch or 1.25-inch body lift. In the Jeep world, these two are like PB&J. They just belong together.
When you lift the body of the Jeep, you create a gap between the frame and the tub. Normally, when you lift the motor, you run into an issue with the cooling fan. Since the radiator is attached to the grill (the body) and the fan is attached to the engine, lifting the engine by an inch means the fan is now an inch higher than the shroud. It'll usually smack right into the plastic shroud, which is a sound you definitely don't want to hear.
However, if you do a 1-inch body lift at the same time as the MML, everything stays in alignment. The body goes up, the motor goes up, and the fan stays centered in the shroud. Plus, that extra inch of body clearance gives you more room to tuck a high-clearance skid plate up under the frame later on—something often called a "tummy tuck."
Choosing between spacers and full mounts
When you start shopping for a jeep tj motor mount lift, you'll notice two main styles: spacers and complete replacement mounts.
Spacers are exactly what they sound like. They're usually blocks of aluminum or steel that you slide underneath your factory rubber mounts. These are great if your current mounts are still in good shape. They're affordable, they don't change the vibration dampening of the factory rubber, and they get the job done.
But honestly, if your TJ is more than ten years old, those factory rubber mounts are probably looking a little tired. They might be cracked, sagging, or just plain worn out. In that case, it makes way more sense to go with a full replacement mount. These are complete units that are an inch taller than stock.
Most full replacement kits use polyurethane bushings instead of rubber. Now, there's a bit of a trade-off here. Polyurethane is much tougher and will basically last forever, but it's stiffer. You might notice a bit more "feedback" (aka vibration) from the engine transferred into the cabin at idle. Most Jeepers don't mind it—it's a Jeep, not a Lexus—but it's something to keep in mind if you're sensitive to that kind of thing.
The installation headache (and how to avoid it)
I'm not going to lie to you: installing a jeep tj motor mount lift can be a bit of a test of patience. On paper, it's just a few bolts. In reality, you're working in a cramped engine bay trying to align heavy metal components while wrestling with gravity.
The big trick is using a floor jack and a sturdy block of wood. You'll want to support the engine by the oil pan (carefully!), just enough to take the weight off the mounts. The passenger side is usually the "easy" side. The driver's side, however, is often blocked by the airbox or other accessories, and the bolts can be a real pain to reach.
One tip that saved my sanity: don't tighten anything down until all the bolts are started. You'll need that wiggle room to get the engine aligned properly. If you tighten one side completely, you'll find the other side is off by an eighth of an inch, and you'll be fighting it for an hour. Just get everything threaded in loosely, let the engine settle, and then crank them down.
Also, watch your fan shroud! If you aren't doing a body lift at the same time, you must either relocate the fan shroud (using brackets) or trim the bottom of it. If you forget this step and fire up the engine, that mechanical fan will chew through the plastic shroud in about two seconds flat.
Is it worth the effort?
So, is a jeep tj motor mount lift actually worth the weekend work? For most TJ owners, the answer is a resounding yes. It's a permanent solution to a common problem.
If you're running a 2-3 inch lift and you want to keep your belly high and your drivetrain happy, it's the way to go. It's also a prerequisite for almost any high-clearance skid plate setup. Even if you don't have vibrations right now, it's a solid upgrade because it beefs up the connection between the engine and the frame. Factory mounts are known to tear under heavy stress or high-mileage use, so replacing them with a heavy-duty lifted mount is just good insurance for the trail.
At the end of the day, Jeeps are all about balance. When you change one thing—like the suspension height—it affects everything else. The motor mount lift is one of those smart, "behind the scenes" mods that restores that balance. It's not flashy, and nobody at the gas station is going to point at your motor mounts and say "cool rig," but you'll know it's there every time you hit the highway and your mirror isn't vibrating into a blur.
It's about making the Jeep drive the way it was supposed to, even after you've modified it. If you're on the fence, just go for it. Grab a buddy, a couple of cold drinks, and spend an afternoon under the hood. Your U-joints will thank you later.