Bowed front spring

[bobfriesenhahn]

My 2019 2-door JL Wrangler Rubicon has a severely bowed left front spring. This is from a dealer-installed MOPAR 2" lift.

The lift was installed about a week after I bought the Jeep. In some (city driving) situations I heard an annoying rattle on the left front side. I brought the Jeep to the dealership which installed the lift (Rchardson Jeep) several times. The dealership seemed to have a policy that the Jeep must be parked for at least four work days before they would touch it. So the Jeep spent a couple of months in the lot. The situation was that they "could not reproduce" given that the nearest gravel or dirt road is 30 miles away.

A tech thought that the brand new sway bar end links might be to blame, and so the end links were replaced under warranty.

Then I brought the Jeep to a different (better) dealership and paid for a tech to look at it and make sure the torque is correct on suspension components. In this case they did not tell me that they "reproduced" the noise.

On this latest trip to Arizona, the rattle on a dirt road was the same as before and I took a look at the left front spring. The spring is bowed toward the sway bar end link, with a gap so small my pinky finger can't fit between the end link and the spring. The gap between the upper bump stop mount and the spring is also very small

Given the quantity of service, perhaps the spring was bowed since day one, or maybe it shifted.

My question about this issue is if this problem might be reasonably solved by repositioning the spring in the perch or if the spring needs to be replaced.

 

[jeeeep]

according to the Mopar install instructions:
"Properly installed springs will bow outward"

I'd check the upper and lower spring locaters are installed properly; they are side specific.

lower left should be part# 68427380AA
lower right #68342250AC

 

[DirtHeadDavis]

My left front spring was bowed towards the sway bar link after a while on the 2.5" lift as well - so much so that it rubbed it under articulation even. New adjustable control arms to fix the caster did the trick.

I do have a JK though in which there isn't any spring isolators - check what @jeeeep said.

 

[bobfriesenhahn]

according to the Mopar install instructions:
"Properly installed springs will bow outward"

I'd check the upper and lower spring locaters are installed properly; they are side specific.

lower left should be part# 68427380AA
lower right #68342250AC

Do you know if the part numbers are stamped on the spring locators (for verification)? I do know that the springs themselves still have tags on them which must include the part numbers.

I have found an independent shop in Dallas which should be able to do the work for me (once I make it back).

 

[jeeeep]

Do you know if the part numbers are stamped on the spring locators (for verification)? I do know that the springs themselves still have tags on them which must include the part numbers.

I have found an independent shop in Dallas which should be able to do the work for me (once I make it back).

they should be

 

[kevman65]

I think the part numbers are on top on the top one and bottom of the bottom one.

A quick check for each, on top run your hand over the top of the spring perch and see if you can feel the rubber nipples sticking though a hole.
On the bottom, the flat edge of the spring perch should be towards the wheel hub.

 

[Lperdue]

Good or bad depending on how you look at it the Mopar lift tends to sit between 3 to 3 1/2 inches. With that said, the control arms provided aren’t long enough. Mine had the same issue until I went with adjustable lowers.

Option 2: You can also go with a spring correction pads. They work pretty well.

Also to note. You might want to ensure your axles are centered. Since the kit uses the stock track bars.

 

[bobfriesenhahn]

Good or bad depending on how you look at it the Mopar lift tends to sit between 3 to 3 1/2 inches. With that said, the control arms provided aren’t long enough. Mine had the same issue until I went with adjustable lowers.

Option 2: You can also go with a spring correction pads. They work pretty well.

Also to note. You might want to ensure your axles are centered. Since the kit uses the stock track bars.

I did not measure before the lift, so I am not sure how much actual lift was provided. It seems likely that the springs will have settled now (over 5 years), so less lift than after install. Maybe there is a way to deduce the amount of lift?

The spring on the other (right hand) side seems perfect. The back springs seem good as well.

Replacing some parts with adjustable would be fine with me if they help with issues.

 

[Ddays]

I did not measure before the lift, so I am not sure how much actual lift was provided. It seems likely that the springs will have settled now (over 5 years), so less lift than after install. Maybe there is a way to deduce the amount of lift?

The spring on the other (right hand) side seems perfect. The back springs seem good as well.

Replacing some parts with adjustable would be fine with me if they help with issues.

Might be able to figure out what you have lift-wise with this thread

HOW TO Determine the Actual Amount of Lift on a JL WRANGLER

With the exception of a budget boost or coil spacers that come in an exact size, it can be difficult to determine just how much lift a lift kit has actually given your Jeep JL Wrangler. Certainly, just because a kit states that it offers 2" lift, 3" lift or more doesn't always mean that's what...

wayalife.com

 

[bobfriesenhahn]

I took my Jeep to Smith Offroad And Performance in Carrollton, TX, and Aaron had my springs out in a jiffy. Using the part numbers provided by @jeeeep (and the markings L/R), it was discovered that the dealership had installed the spring perch pads on the wrong sides. After swapping them around, the springs sit nicely now. It remains to be seen if most of the annoying rattle on dirt roads is gone now.

Thanks to everyone who provided information and advise!