Just a reminder;

Each mod you do comes with compromises, the bigger the mod, the bigger the compromise. An RRO lift changes the angles on your suspension, so it affects your alignment, wear on components, and some have had issues.

if its just for looks, I would get 15" wheels and some good AT/MT tires first. I think that would give it a much better look than the lift, especially if you lift without bigger tires (that looks funny to me)

I installed my lift myself, took 5 total hours, but I stopped for dinner, and to help my wife put kids to bed during that time, so its not an accurate amount of time. I had to take it in 3 times before the alignment was correct.

 

Does the coil lift have the same wear and tear effects ? And why is it better to have 15" tires wouldn't that make it sit lower in terms of ground clearance?

 

Firstly, welcome, zuponicafe! I'm sure you'll find plenty of ideas for your Riot on this forum!

If you're going to go with an RRO lift, my suggestion would be to take it to the dealership. If you're about to get a new Riot, having anyone else install the lift MAY void your warranty. If you don't have a factory or extended warranty, you could take it to a specialized shop, but make sure that you get a lifetime alignment shortly after. A lot of people on here have complained about vibrations after the lift.

If you want a different kind of lift that I think a lot of owners like more than the RRO lift is a set of STU coils. It's basically just lift springs which doesn't give you quite as much lift, but works so much better.

 

aldo, the smaller rims won't determine loss in ground clearance. You just have to make the sidewall of the tire bigger, increasing the overall diameter of the entire tire and wheel combo.
As far as the STU coils, I haven't heard of any odd wear and tear or issues, but I don't have any lift on my Jeep. The RRO lift just has a list of complaints, but that is the highest you're going to get with the Patriot. Any more lift than 2 1/8" lift will start eating up your CV axles.

 

Out of the options for a 2015 patriot which tires do you think would perform better on sand the 16 or 17"?

 

Any idea how much the dealer would charge to install those coils?

 

The Mopar OEM mud guards really add to the appearance of the Patriot. And, the nice thing about them is that not everyone has them so your Patriot will look a little more unique.

I also added some thin chrome trim above the body side cladding on the sides and some thick chrome trim between the fog lights and the rear bumper to make mine more unique. I have received a lot of compliments on it and I'm sure there are some who wonder what type of factory package it is with the chrome trim.

In my opinion , it is better to keep it tasteful in whatever appearance mods you choose and I probably would not paint the wiper arms because that could make it look ricey if you know what I mean. However, some members have painted their grills black which looks pretty good.

 

I chuckled @ painting the wipers after you put it that way. It would indeed look like a hack job. I had been thinking of small places to put 'pops' of color and got a little carried away.
I'm still leaning towards the under grill, but I will wait until I actually can get up close to it & then see what would look decent.
As far as the lift, I'm just going to nix that idea. No point getting one if I can't even figure out the reason to have it! LOL.
Tires seem much less of a 'Crap, what have I done?' option.
This forum is great! Thanks!

 

Aldo, to answer your question about a good sand tire, the answer is going to vary between owners.
I used to own a Chevy K10 pickup which I jacked up 10" and threw on 38" super swampers TSL's. The tires were 38"x15" wide, so I had a good wide track, and it was impossible to get it stuck, even in sand. There are a couple of owners on here who say that skinny tires are best for sand, and referenced a website to back their side. That is all a matter of trial and error for your specific needs. Just do your research when it comes to your specific off-road needs.
16" and 17" are rim diameters. What you are wondering about is tire diameter. I think stock heights, the biggest tire size you can get into the wheel well without any modifications is a 28" tall tire. Stock size is about 27". You can get up to 30" tires with a lift and a little fenderwell modification.
http://www.jeeppatriot.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=16
Check the 4th sticky down, and you'll see a bunch of 15" rim/30" tire combos that may appeal to you.

It's all a matter of taste!