The Up Country Suspension package was an optional suspension package offered for the Jeep Grand Cherokee from 1999 until 2003. It included upgraded shocks, springs, and tires, and also came with skid plates and tow hooks.
Overview of the Up Country Suspension Package
The Up Country Suspension package was first released as an option for the second-generation (WJ) Jeep Grand Cherokee.
This package was available as an option for all WJ Grand Cherokee trim levels, with the exception of the 2002-2004 Grand Cherokee Limited with the H.O. (High-Output) V8 engine. It also came as standard equipment with the “Overland” trim level of the Grand Cherokee.
Essentially, the Up Country Suspension package was the off-road package for the Grand Cherokee, similar to the FX4 package sold by Ford for the F-150 and the Z71 package sold by Chevrolet for the Silverado.
The basic Grand Cherokee was already known for being a capable off-roader, but the Up Country Suspension package gave the Grand Cherokee a little bit of an extra edge compared to models with the standard suspension.
It’s worth noting that not all Grand Cherokee Overlands have the Up Country Suspension package. At the end of the 2002 model year, Jeep gave customers the option to delete the package from their Overland models. They did this because they had gotten feedback from many customers saying they preferred the softer, more compliant feel of the original suspension.
Deleting the Up Country Suspension package only got rid of the shocks and springs, however, and didn’t get rid of the tow hooks, skid plates, and upgraded tires. This meant that you still got a little more offroading capability compared to the standard Grand Cherokee.
Many people who bought the Grand Cherokee Overland also ended up deleting the Up Country Suspension package by accident because the order form was confusing. On the order forms of the time, the option to delete this package was a no-cost option, and was listed as “QuadraCoil suspension”.
“QuadraCoil” is actually the name of Jeep’s stock suspension system, but for those who weren’t aware, “QuadraCoil suspension” sounded like a cool new suspension upgrade. As it was also listed as a free option, many customers figured they might as well just get it, not realizing they were actually downgrading some of their equipment.
To make matters more confusing, the window sticker didn’t indicate that the Up Country Suspension package had been deleted, and customers didn’t get any kind of credit for deleting it either.
Up Country Suspension Equipment
So, what did you actually get when you bought a Grand Cherokee with this package? First and foremost, you got springs and shocks that were a bit stiffer than the stock equipment, which would in theory give you a steadier ride compared to normal.
The Up Country Suspension package also gave your Grand Cherokee some additional lift compared to stock, although the exact difference in height that this package gave you got from this package seems to vary considerably.
Jeep claimed that this package would give you 1 “of lift, but some customers who actually got the Up Country Suspension package claim that it only gave them about 5/8” of lift, although other customers claim they got more. In general, however, you can expect to gain at least 1/2 “of lift compared to stock if you have this package installed.
One issue that people tend to have with the Up Country Suspension package is increased body roll, despite the stiffer suspension components. However, this can apparently be fixed pretty easily if you upgrade your rear sway bar.
With this package, you also got new skid plates for your Grand Cherokee. The package came with three skid plates, one for the front of the car (which protected the engine and oil pan), one for the transfer case, and one for the fuel tank. These would protect important parts of your car from being damaged if you happened to bash the underside of your car on a hard object.
The Up Country Suspension package also came with tow hooks for the front of the car, and you could also get rear tow hooks if your Grand Cherokee didn’t come with a trailer hitch. On the Overland trim level and the 2001 Limited trim level, these two hooks were chrome plated.
The package also came with upgraded all-terrain tires. Two different tire sizes were available depending on what trim level you had; Laredo models got a P245/70R16 tire, while the Overland and Limited models got a P235/65R17 tire.
How Do I Know if I Have the Up Country Suspension Package?
If you aren’t sure whether your Grand Cherokee is equipped with this package, there are a few ways you can tell. These Grand Cherokees did not come with any stickers or badging indicating that they were part of this package, so you’ll have to look for other information.
If your Grand Cherokee has tow hooks in the front and if it also has three skid plates in the aforementioned areas underneath your car, this is a pretty good indicator that your car does in fact have this package. In addition, if your Grand Cherokee rides a little higher than normal, this might also mean that it has this package.
If you have a Grand Cherokee Overland with the original window sticker, look to see if the “SDA/QuadraCoil” option is listed. If it is, your car does NOT have the Up Country Suspension package.
If you’re still not sure whether or not your Grand Cherokee has this package, you can also try looking up your VIN to see if it lists the Up Country Suspension package as an option.
Summary
The Up Country Suspension package is relatively rare, and if you’re looking for a WJ Grand Cherokee with this package, it may not be all that easy to find one. Even worse, this package didn’t come with any badging, so it can be hard to determine if a Grand Cherokee even has it to begin with.
If you know what to look for, it can make it a lot easier to identify a Grand Cherokee with this package. Plus, if you have a Grand Cherokee Overland, it’s fair to assume that you also have the Up Country Suspension package.
Hi, I hope this article was helpful to you. If you've ever owned a car before, it's inevitable that you will deal with your fair share of car issues. I know I have, and that's why my passion is to research common car questions and answer them.
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