Diesel suspension upgrade

[rvets]

Need some guidance. 2021 Jeep Rubicon Diesel. What’s the best way to improve the diesels ride over washboard and bumps without lifting? I feel like I have to crawl over bumps currently. At most I want is a level. This is my daily driver. I would like something composed on the bumps but not too stiff like a diesel 2500.

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[krweatherl]

The diesel has longer bumpstops to stop the front axle from colliding the oil pan at full compression. At stock height there’s very little up travel. A 1 1/2” coil spacer will get you more room and level at the same time. I think you’ll be amazed at how much that will change the ride quality over bumps.

 

[Almost]

Clayton makes slightly stiffer front springs for the diesel for stock height - this helps the bottoming out issue.

Jeep Wrangler JK/JL 1.5" Front Coil Springs, & Jeep Gladiator JT 0.5" Lift Front Coil Springs | Clayton Offroad

The bouncing or pogo stick like feeling you feel is probably due to worn out shocks. I have 30K on my fox shocks and I'm ready to throw them in the garbage. I'm already on my 2nd set and one failed in only about 15K miles. Original set was replaced at 12K as part of the TSB to remedy the bottoming out issue. I'll be moving on to Billsteins as I loved them on my JK.

 

[rvets]

Good thoughts! My truck is new to me with 40k miles. It is unmodified (crazy, I know). The shocks probably need changing! I’ll look into Clayton level springs. Anyone have any significant time on them!?

should I just get it out of my head that I will ever “glide” over washboard at speed with the diesel!?

 

[krweatherl]

Good thoughts! My truck is new to me with 40k miles. It is unmodified (crazy, I know). The shocks probably need changing! I’ll look into Clayton level springs. Anyone have any significant time on them!?

should I just get it out of my head that I will ever “glide” over washboard at speed with the diesel!?

Good shocks make a world of difference. I have the Mopar springs from the 2” lift for the diesel and Falcon SP2 2.1 shocks on the soft ride setting and am very happy with it. I had the same setup on my 2020 3.6 gladiator, worked great then so I did the same on my JTRD. The stock rubicon Fox shocks are way too soft.

 

[Mr._Bill]

should I just get it out of my head that I will ever “glide” over washboard at speed with the diesel!?

The Mojave (with a lighter gas engine) is the only model intended for high speed running.

 

[stewmaster]

The suspension makes a big difference. I got the AEV RT for my diesel, but it gave me more lift than I thought I was signing up for. We are happy with it now, and the ride is a big improvement. I tried rubicon take offs before the AEV and thought they were worse than the sport s oem.

The other secret for washboard is to air down your tires. Some go lower than me but I feel comfy at 17 psi up front and 15 in rear when I’m on bumpy trails. Invest $200 or so in a portable compressor to throw in the back, and a little more for a hose set up to do all four tires at once and you won’t be sorry!

 

[Sweetums]

I have a diesel and I'm trying to figure out the suspension plan. I was leaning towards a 2.5" lift because I still need to tow about once a month and carry stuff in the bed. With the limited uptravel, should I be looking at a 3.5" or would the 2.5" hit the "sweet spot" for a do-anything setup.

We have an LJR on 35"s for the big trails, the truck mostly carries fuel for it and the camping gear until the trail gets hairy.

 

[Rusty PW]

I was the beta tester for the Clayton diesel springs. They lift the front up about 1". Are a stiffer spring rate. Still has a good ride. I have the springs for sale. $100 plus shipping. These springs with a set of Bilstein 5100, and bump stops will make a big difference. The stock Rubi Fox shocks are under dampened. They're too soft.

I have a 4" lift with hydro bump stops now.

 

[Camaroboi13]

I put the cheapest 2” leveling spacers in the front I could find, and it got rid of the bottoming out issues. I went cheap because I knew I would lift later on. My front now rides on Rusty’s 4” diesel specific springs with teraflex 1/2” spacers and Falcon shocks. Rear is lifted 3” with standard springs for all gladiators. The rear is identical whether it’s gas or diesel so no difference in parts back there.

 

[rvets]

Wonder if finding some takeoff springs and shocks from a newer ecodiesel will improve the ride. (This is under the assumption Jeep made improvements after 2021 model year). Anyone have some lying around the garage? Or OEM parts numbers I can order?

 

[Camaroboi13]

Mine was a 22, I threw my old suspension in the trash after trying to get rid of it for 8 months

 

[Escape.idiocracy]

Wonder if finding some takeoff springs and shocks from a newer ecodiesel will improve the ride. (This is under the assumption Jeep made improvements after 2021 model year). Anyone have some lying around the garage? Or OEM parts numbers I can order?

I don’t think they made much of a difference. We have a 22&23 diesels and the biggest help has been a low lift…
Mopar lift diesel springs, 5100 shocks, steer smarts front track bar, Mopar lift lower front control arms ??? HUGE improvement over stock. You can piece meal to save some costs- front track bar and springs, then shocks, then lower control arms.
All in right at $1100? Sway bar link length are 1/2” different stock to Mopar lift…. IMO not worth it.

Having that extra 2” of up travel is really needed on the diesel. As stated above the 1-1/4” longer bump tubes on the diesel kinda kill it, and this makes up for it.

There are 50 different ways to go about lifting this small amount, whatever way you can get a deal on Quality parts will work ???.

The two inch is enough for us to rip down desert wash board roads.- ATLEAST fast enough long enough to make the 5100’s heat up to be the limiting/warning factor. ??

 

[1stXMan]

As a fellow diesel owner in the same situation, what springs would we pair with low lift Claytons in the front for the rear?

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

As a fellow diesel owner in the same situation, what springs would we pair with low lift Claytons in the front for the rear?

Clayton has 1.5" rear springs.

These rear springs are what they list as included with the diesel 1.5" Overland Plus kit:

https://www.claytonoffroad.com/prod...ate-rear-coil-springs-2020-jt?sku=COR-1510151

I'd talk to them first though to make sure you're getting what you want for height.

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