Yep i am a noob! Suspension questions...

L

Latvia1971

New member
Hello,
I am new jeep Jl rubicon diesel owner i have owned my jeep since November 2021 . I have taken her to some local trails ....pushed the limits at times i feel with friends having a hell of a good time... now comes the question i would like impute on modifications. I would like more suspension travel out of my stock rubicon.....what suggestions and which direction how would some of you recommend building a first jeep for a weekend warrior.....and commute vehicle approximately 200 miles per week. Buget is not too much of a concern i am looking for quality and reliability.

Respectfully, Mark
 
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Hey Mark, being that budget is not that much of a concern, what size tires are you hoping to run? That will determine a lot.
 
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wayoflife said:
Hey Mark, being that budget is not that much of a concern, what size tires are you hoping to run? That will determine a lot.
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That is a great question.......maybe between 35 to 37.....i would still like to have a reliable commuter.....i feel a 40 inch tire would take away from that correct? And also require upgraded axles from my stock Dana 44s for reliability.

Mark
 
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Latvia1971 said:
That is a great question.......maybe between 35 to 37.....i would still like to have a reliable commuter.....i feel a 40 inch tire would take away from that correct? And also require upgraded axles from my stock Dana 44s for reliability.

Mark
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With enough money, you can make 40's just as reliable of a commuter, if not more so. That said, yes, you would need 1-tons to do it right.

With 35's, you will find that most 2"-3" lifts will get the job done fine. Just be aware that MOST kits yield more lift than what is advertised and a lot of the more expensive kits will ride on the firm side. With 37's, You'll, really want to be running more on the 3"-4" side of things and if budget really isn't a concern, I might recommend coilovers like what EVO makes if only because they will give you the most travel and give you the adjustability you'll want to dial in your ride. You just need to be aware that they do require regular maintenance.
 
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Thank you ! You have answered some very important questions i live up in the Pacific northwest area ......do you by chance know of any shops on the west coast or mid west that you would feel comfortable recommending for the type of reliable build i am looking for.

Respectfully. Mark
 
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Latvia1971 said:
Thank you ! You have answered some very important questions i live up in the Pacific northwest area ......do you by chance know of any shops on the west coast or mid west that you would feel comfortable recommending for the type of reliable build i am looking for.

Respectfully. Mark
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Well, if you're willing to make the drive, I would highly recommend Disciple Offroad in central California. They're a supporter of this forum and great people who know their stuff.

www.wayalife.com

Disciple Off Road

www.wayalife.com www.wayalife.com
 
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I would second the EVO suspension either there coil and shock kits or there coilover kits are quality stuff you can add to them as budget and needs change . And you may as well start with 37’s you’ll end up there anyway LOL.
 
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JT@623 said:
I would second the EVO suspension either there coil and shock kits or there coilover kits are quality stuff you can add to them as budget and needs change . And you may as well start with 37’s you’ll end up there anyway LOL.
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Thank you for the impute....i appreciate it!
 
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More on The low budget of things but a 2” spacer lift is really affordable and would give you some time to decide if you want more lift or if 2” would be enough.
I ran 2” spacers with 37’s for about 10K miles & wheeled it kinda hard ($400)

decided to go to a cheaper 3.5” EVO spring lift based on friends telling me I would struggle on the rubicon. I loved the way it rode ($1300 ish)

finally decided to do an EVO long arm coilover kit, on the freeway, off-road and in the desert it rides great. Around town it rides like a freight train. ($9000)
 
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Hey there - trying to keep the threads clean and posting a similar suspension question under here. I'm really struggling on where to start or the order of operations with my Jeep suspension/build.

My goal: a comfy commuter ride, a safe trail ride (on mild/moderate trails 3-5 times a year), and a nice aggressive look - on a modest budget.

My current setup: a stock 2011 JKUR with some new 265/70R17 BFG Baja A/T KO2's.

I was thinking about installing a 2.5-in S/T lift kit with shocks, but then realized for it to look right I'd also need to buy some 33-in tires... then new offset wheels or spacers to prevent rub... then I worried that I'm gonna spend $6k on all of that and end up wanting a 3.5-in lift and 35-in tires. That's where it would end though I likely wouldn't want bigger. But then I worried about mpg and the other expenses of the larger 3.5 lift (sigh).

Lately I've been thinking that maybe I should just get some 1.5-in spacers and keep my current setup until I've made up my mind (and used the new tread on my current tires)? Or maybe get spacers and go up to 33-in tires on my stock wheels? I just feel a bit overwhelmed, which is taking the fun out of it all :(

Thanks for any feedback, guidance, and insights y'all!
 
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LightKeper said:
Hey there - trying to keep the threads clean and posting a similar suspension question under here. I'm really struggling on where to start or the order of operations with my Jeep suspension/build.

My goal: a comfy commuter ride, a safe trail ride (on mild/moderate trails 3-5 times a year), and a nice aggressive look - on a modest budget.

My current setup: a stock 2011 JKUR with some new 265/70R17 BFG Baja A/T KO2's.

I was thinking about installing a 2.5-in S/T lift kit with shocks, but then realized for it to look right I'd also need to buy some 33-in tires... then new offset wheels or spacers to prevent rub... then I worried that I'm gonna spend $6k on all of that and end up wanting a 3.5-in lift and 35-in tires. That's where it would end though I likely wouldn't want bigger. But then I worried about mpg and the other expenses of the larger 3.5 lift (sigh).

Lately I've been thinking that maybe I should just get some 1.5-in spacers and keep my current setup until I've made up my mind (and used the new tread on my current tires)? Or maybe get spacers and go up to 33-in tires on my stock wheels? I just feel a bit overwhelmed, which is taking the fun out of it all :(

Thanks for any feedback, guidance, and insights y'all!
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My opinion, a 3" lift with 35's will give you the look you want, get you to the places you want to go and not to hard on the wallet. An EVO enforcer stage 1, 35's on stock wheels, 1.5" spacers, new front drive shaft, upgrade your tire carrier, C-gussets, and you should be good to go. Then as parts wear you could do some steering upgrades, add control arms, skids, sliders etc... but spread it out as your wheeling progresses.
 
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It's always more expensive to settle on what you want now and end up doing it all over again for what you eventually want.

3-5 trails a year and still concerned about MPG and being a commuter, I would suggest you just leave it right where you're at. Your Jeep is very capable as it sits. Also, considering its age and the 3.8/4spd trans, your wants in the future might just include a JK (or JL) with the 3.6 with the 5 or 8spd transmission.

I personally wouldn't consider a budget lift, or spacers on these late-model Jeeps. The bang-for-you-buck is very minimal, and your stressing all the wear parts of the suspension, steering etc.

I'd suggest just waiting till you're ready for a quality lift with 35" tires. 35" tires have better availability over 33" and are the same price. However, with the 3.8 and 4spd trans, it's gonna bother you if you don't regear as well, so there's another $1500 expense.
 
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