About our Jeep parts installation difficulty chart.

The shopJEEP4x4.com installation difficulty rating system was designed to help our customers make informed decisions on which parts they can install themselves and which parts installations they should leave to the professionals like the ones here at Arrington Performance. We try to rate products based on the reviews of both the manufacturer and end user. If you have had specific knowledge of the Jeep parts that we offer, please write a review of the Jeep part no matter where you purchased it from. If you have any questions about a specific product and its installation, contact the shopJEEP4x4 parts sales team. Please note that these ratings are guidelines only and may not reflect the actual difficulty of your particular installation. Although we are constantly updating the parts on our Jeep website, the installation difficulty may not be listed for all Jeep parts that we offer.

NOTE: Bolts and other connectors often seize or rust even on relatively new Jeeps especially if they have had a hard life of off-roading. Salt and other atmospheric conditions can also cause plastic connectors to become brittle and other connectors and bolts to corrode. Please use caution during any installation and take care not to damage your Jeep or its components. The replacement or removal of these parts is not included in the difficulty ratings that we provide.

What does the number of gears mean for Jeep part installation?

The number of gears tells you the difficulty level of the install for the particular Jeep part from 0-5 in half gear increments. Zero gears requires no installation and five gears represents only professional installation requiring extensive fabrication and/or specialized tools.

A breakdown of the Jeep Gears Ratings and their Meanings

0 - This Jeep Part does not require installation.

Zero is reserved for items such as Jeep Manuals from Mopar, Jeep Wrangler Coffee Mugs, and Jeep T-shirts. Jeep T shirts do require installation on your body but if you have to have instructions for that you really shouldn’t be driving off road.

0.5 - This Jeep part has a slip on or plug in fitment that requires no tools. Virtually no installation knowledge is required.

A rating of half a gear is for items such as Jeep seat covers or Wrangler stickers. According to our sales staff Jeep T-shirts and Jeep cozies should actually fall into this category but management refused to budge on that.

1 - Minor installation knowledge and general knowledge of your Jeep required. These Jeep parts plug or clip in, installing with no tools.

Replacement Drain Plugs, Jeep Cabin lights, Trail Rated Clip-on Headlamp Covers and JK Wrangler Replacement headlights fall into this category. Typically if you can remove the old piece from your TJ with your bare hands you can install these Jeep parts with your hands.

1.5 - Minor installation knowledge and general knowledge of your Jeep required. Standard hand tools required. Bolt-On fitment using all existing or included hardware. No drilling is required.

These parts are typically Mopar or Jeep replacement parts. Other parts in this category consist of Jeep grab handles and other easily replaceable parts for your Jeep Wrangler.

2 - Minor installation knowledge required. Standard hand tools required. Fabrication not required. Minor drilling is required.

Bolt on modifications to the appearance or performance of your Jeep. These parts consist of Jeep replacement bumpers or fender flares as well as mirror brackets and light brackets.

2.5 - Minor installation knowledge required. Standard hand tools required. Minor fabrication required. Some drilling may be required.

Off-road Fender flares, Jeep side steps and Jeep Bumpers designed for off-road use often use some existing bolt holes and hardware while utilizing some additional drill holes and slight modifications to the body of your Jeep. These installations may be completed with only minor fabrication and drilling.

3 - Average installation knowledge required. Standard hand tools required. Minor fabrication required. Some drilling may be required.

Hood scoops or vents often require modification of your hood to work properly. Jeep snorkels also require the drilling and cutting of your fenders to install functional air tubing. These installations require some general fabrication knowledge and tools but can easily be completed in your driveway or garage.

3.5 - Moderate installation knowledge required. Specialized Tools not required. Minor fabrication required. Some Drilling May be required.

The average “Do-It-Yourself” Jeep Owner can complete these installations with little difficulty. Bolt on suspension upgrades or electrical mods for your jeep, dual battery trays or even electrical distribution blocks for use with winches and accessories such as off road lighting all require minor modification to your vehicle. Body lifts or spring spacers may also be bolted in with hand tools and moderate experience and know how.

4 - Moderate installation knowledge required. Specialized tools may be required. Minor fabrication required. Some Drilling May be required.

Installing custom off-road lighting requires some specialized tooling such as wire crimpers and wire strippers. These also require general electrical knowledge such as wiring gauge requirements and the ability to select fuses based on electrical current draw. Running wires also requires wire ties and drilling holes into appropriate areas of your Jeep’s body tub.

4.5 - Extensive installation knowledge required. Professional installation recommended. These installations require specialized tools including lifts and steering alignment tools. Fabrication required.

Full replacement tube fenders or suspension systems require extensive knowledge of the working parts of your Jeep. If installed incorrectly these components pose more than an average danger to the driver and passenger of the Jeep. Spring compressors required for these installations as well as welders, cutting torches or tin snips are tools that only experienced fabricators should use on their Jeeps due the dangers of permanently and irreparably damaging the vehicle. Steering alignment tools and lifts are required for any installation of this level.

5 - Professional installation by an off-road or performance shop is required. These installations require specialized tools including lifts and steering alignment tools. Fabrication required.

Engine modifications that require machine shop services or custom boring tools and extreme long arm lifts that require welding on tabs and steering components require a trained mechanic or fabricator. These installs are only recommended for experienced performance or Jeep shops and cannot be completed in a driveway or simple home garage. Steering alignment tools and lifts are required for any installation of this level.