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Suspension/Lift for 35's with emphasis for On-Road manners.

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bastage

bastage

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I have read many posts and most do report that the rubicon springs and shocks will lift it .75-1” over stock.
I just got a full set of take offs from a rubicon and will be adding a 1.5 teraflex at the front to get rid of the rake.
Will report back my final setup.
Thats exactly the one I was thinking of. Almost ordered it last night based on it actually being a 1/2" & 1" spacer so it would give me whatever I needed on hand to get to the level I am looking for.
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Phljeeper

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Thats exactly the one I was thinking of. Almost ordered it last night based on it actually being a 1/2" & 1" spacer so it would give me whatever I needed on hand to get to the level I am looking for.
I am happy to sell and ship my rubicon could with 3/4” spacers. Let me know.
 
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bastage

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I am happy to sell and ship my rubicon could with 3/4” spacers. Let me know.
Thanks for the offer, if you were in my half the country I would probably take you up on it, but shipping would kill it vs what I am paying local for the suspension (150 & including the red tow hooks).
 

Jeeperjamie

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probably varying degrees of impact and you may not notice the difference but just wanted to note that to be complete and feel 100% stock the kit needs to correct all geometry and component length. The kit would need front control arm correction and rear shock correction to be complete. The rear shocks are too short stock for the 2.5” or rear lift which will result in flex issues on off camber trails. For on road use only you may not notice.

All of these issues are corrected with a mopar 2” lift and many other higher cost (Rock krawler, metalcloak, EVO, Teraflex) but similar height lift kits. Some may require buying the more complete version of their kits. Most at 2+” also address the trackbar length as well which without addressing will cause the axle to shift to the side and no longer be centered.
I will probably end up with the rough country adjustable track bar, my axle is off to the driver side a little. It only lifted it 2" in the rear. They told me the shocks would be fine with only the 2" of lift. I plan on going to full length shocks anyway so I'm not adding extenders.

Either way your be in it way cheaper than buying a mopar or any other type of lift, including adding a Rubicon lift and spacers, which doesn't seem smart to me, why not just add spacers instead of Rubicon springs and spacers.
 

RenoRubi

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Having thrown over $18k into our JL Wrangler Rubicon, and going through the dynatrac 2” lift, evo coils, the full accutune lift 2.5” with fox 2.5” dsc shocks and full EVO control arms, then switching out the accutune coils for synergy coils.... I can tell you that if your looking for mostly a daily driving comfortable JT, which is what we mostly do with our JT, a spacer lift will do you just fine especially if your just doing 35” tires which is what we did. The ride of our JT with 1.5” level kit, and handling characteristics are nice paired with fox 2.0 shocks and the 1.5” level kit. Maintains the soft comfort with not a boaty of a feel...

A good majority of the 2.5” coil lift kits are actually level kits (metalcloak, teraflex, icon, RC). Half of the current 2.5” lift kits do not include rear coils or spacers for the rear coils... Just look at metalcloak, teraflex, and others... Of course if you go to 3.5” lift heights they do include the rear coils. This tells you that many companies don’t do much with 2.5” lifts Bc their trying to achieve tire clearance and a leveled look. And the platform for lifting is different than the JK and JL conceptually.

I know others will say that there are kits that include front and rear springs at the 2.5” height (Clayton, mopar, rubicon express).... but they are more than you need. Trust me going to a highly built up expensive lift does NOT equate better ride on the road. In fact most times it’s either stiffer or Maybe equal comfort, as these are made to resist bottoming out offroad. While I don’t like referencing the W-ayA-life website that’s a true concept from lots of experiences jeepers that is echoed repetitively. If you don’t like the Cadillac bump soaking comfort of a stock suspension, aftermarket shocks can help. But if you like a comfortable good on road lift stick with a spacer lift... we are glad we did that for our JT given we have spent a TON on our JL and it’s NOT more comfortable than the stock rubicon suspension. It does handle awesome offroad though. But the JT isn’t far from it on mild to moderate rough terrain.

hope this helps and saves you $$$
 

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Having thrown over $18k into our JL Wrangler Rubicon, and going through the dynatrac 2” lift, evo coils, the full accutune lift 2.5” with fox 2.5” dsc shocks and full EVO control arms, then switching out the accutune coils for synergy coils.... I can tell you that if your looking for mostly a daily driving comfortable JT, which is what we mostly do with our JT, a spacer lift will do you just fine especially if your just doing 35” tires which is what we did. The ride of our JT with 1.5” level kit, and handling characteristics are nice paired with fox 2.0 shocks and the 1.5” level kit. Maintains the soft comfort with not a boaty of a feel...

A good majority of the 2.5” coil lift kits are actually level kits (metalcloak, teraflex, icon, RC). Half of the current 2.5” lift kits do not include rear coils or spacers for the rear coils... Just look at metalcloak, teraflex, and others... Of course if you go to 3.5” lift heights they do include the rear coils. This tells you that many companies don’t do much with 2.5” lifts Bc their trying to achieve tire clearance and a leveled look. And the platform for lifting is different than the JK and JL conceptually.

I know others will say that there are kits that include front and rear springs at the 2.5” height (Clayton, mopar, rubicon express).... but they are more than you need. Trust me going to a highly built up expensive lift does NOT equate better ride on the road. In fact most times it’s either stiffer or Maybe equal comfort, as these are made to resist bottoming out offroad. While I don’t like referencing the W-ayA-life website that’s a true concept from lots of experiences jeepers that is echoed repetitively. If you don’t like the Cadillac bump soaking comfort of a stock suspension, aftermarket shocks can help. But if you like a comfortable good on road lift stick with a spacer lift... we are glad we did that for our JT given we have spent a TON on our JL and it’s NOT more comfortable than the stock rubicon suspension. It does handle awesome offroad though. But the JT isn’t far from it on mild to moderate rough terrain.

hope this helps and saves you $$$
Sounds like the Rubicon components then spacers are the right move then. It will be a week or 2 before I have it all together, but that sounds both cheap & easy.
 

UseThe4orce

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I have the 2” Mopar kit and running 35” Nitto Terra Grapplers on 20” Fuel Blitz wheels. Couldn't be happier with the driving and handling.

On my previous JK I had a 2.5” Teraflex kit with 33” Nitto Terra Grapplers on 18” Fuel Vapor wheels And was just as happy.
 

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Sounds like the Rubicon components then spacers are the right move then. It will be a week or 2 before I have it all together, but that sounds both cheap & easy.
If your getting a Max tow I would not worry about the Rubicon Springs if it was me. I'd save the money and just throw on a complete spacer lift and be done. Maybe the Fox Shocks but to be honest the Heavy Duty shocks on the Max Tow ride as good as the Fox 2.0 shocks. I thought about replacing my shocks on my Max tow with the 2.0s until I rode in a Rubicon and honestly the ride is almost identical. The Max Tow offers a pretty similar setup when compared to a Rubicon, just minus the lockers and sway bar disco and Fox shocks and some of the luxury features. Just seems like a waste of money to add Rubicon springs and then spacers, why not just add the spacers to the Max Tow springs.
 
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If your getting a Max tow I would not worry about the Rubicon Springs if it was me. I'd save the money and just throw on a complete spacer lift and be done. Maybe the Fox Shocks but to be honest the Heavy Duty shocks on the Max Tow ride as good as the Fox 2.0 shocks. I thought about replacing my shocks on my Max tow with the 2.0s until I rode in a Rubicon and honestly the ride is almost identical. The Max Tow offers a pretty similar setup when compared to a Rubicon, just minus the lockers and sway bar disco and Fox shocks and some of the luxury features. Just seems like a waste of money to add Rubicon springs and then spacers, why not just add the spacers to the Max Tow springs.
hmm.. from the reading I’ve done the max tow has the better rear spring but the rubicon has the better front. I was under the impression that the max tows front cool and shocks were the same as a regular sport.
 

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hmm.. from the reading I’ve done the max tow has the better rear spring but the rubicon has the better front. I was under the impression that the max tows front cool and shocks were the same as a regular sport.
From my experience with the 2 and driving a few of them before purchase I could not tell a difference in ride quality. The suspension setups on both are pretty much similar. I'm not knocking the Rubicon suspension at all but it's not going to be a significant upgrade over a Max tows suspension, especially if you just looking at on road drive quality. The shocks aren't a huge improvement either, not saying that the fox shocks aren't going to last longer, but there isn't a huge improvement as far as on road ride quality. I just would not see the benefit in wasting money on Rubicon springs and shocks if your going to add spacers. Your going to get a nice ride out of the Max Tow with spacers and if your set on the fox shocks, you can find take offs for $150-$200 with little miles on them. My thing is if the fox shocks are so good why are people removing them and going with another shock, once again not knocking the fox shocks because I think they are quality shocks, but I'm not inclined to remove my perfectly good shocks to throw them on my Max Tow when it's riding pretty darn close to stock with 2.5" of lift on 35's.
 

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Jeeperjamie

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Not sure if your serious here...
I am serious, you can find them on Craigslist, letgo, offerup, and marketplace. I haven't had any problems finding them when looking for Jeep Gladiator parts. Plenty of takeoffs to find. Here's one of at least 6 listings on Marketplace in my area that has them for sale. Brand new for $180, just saying not sure why they removed them but the did.

Jeep Gladiator Suspension/Lift for 35's with emphasis for On-Road manners. Screenshot_20200420-082707
 
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bastage

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I am serious, you can find them on Craigslist, letgo, offerup, and marketplace. I haven't had any problems finding them when looking for Jeep Gladiator parts. Plenty of takeoffs to find. Here's one of at least 6 listings on Marketplace in my area that has them for sale. Brand new for $180, just saying not sure why they removed them but the did.

Screenshot_20200420-082707.png
Thats not the part I was questioning. I already said I was buying em cheap.

Seriously people lift there jeeps & with lift for offroad comes new shocks & then the factory Rubicon shocks get sold cheap.
 

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Thats not the part I was questioning. I already said I was buying em cheap.

Seriously people lift there jeeps & with lift for offroad comes new shocks & then the factory Rubicon shocks get sold cheap.
My point is most I've talked to that removed them didn't need to remove them as they didn't go much higher in Lift, only maybe a 1.5" spacer lift and still removed the shocks. So why remove them if they are such a good ride over say Max Tow Shocks. I know what your saying, on a well built rig then yeah it makes since if your going 3 or more inches on a $3000-$8000 build then they would come off, I'm talking about the ones that are only going with a minor lift, which is the majority of what I'm seeing for sale in my area. I was seriously considering swapping mine until I noticed the trend and started questioning myself about if I really needed them or not. Then I went and test drove a few Rubicons and realized, not a difference really in ride quality other than a nice leather seat.
 

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I have 35s on a sport s no lift. Works perfect rides like stock but if you set the tire pressure around 28-29 cold it's alot smoother than factory and numbs all the cracks in pavement and small bumps.

Rubicon shocks get removed with small lifts because on a Rubicon with over 1" of lift the shocks need to be longer...

Also over 1" of lift really should get adjustable track bars.

I'm putting a .75" leveling kit on mine and if anything rubs when disconnected I'll trim fenders.

Jeep Gladiator Suspension/Lift for 35's with emphasis for On-Road manners. 20200410_180600
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