?Just did Sport S Max tow suspension to Rubicon suspension. Feel?

[93civej1]

Ok so I spent this morning putting on the 4 corners of fox rubicon shocks and doing front Rubicon springs (339 driver side and 340 passenger side).
I took off the 4 shocks and front springs from my max tow.
I totally forgot to measure before to see how much it did the front, but it appears to have a little. Everything went fine except I had a heck of a time getting my track bar to line back up to get the bolt back through at the axle. After lots of pushing on my jack, I was finally able to get it in.

I just took it for a ride to make sure everything is good. How is the ride supposed to feel? It feels more "boingy" in the front. The ride is not bad by any means, but it feels a little more bouncy or floaty than the max tow stuff. I’m not sure the exact word to describe it.
I feel like I have always read the opposite that everyone said it felt more stiff and more planted feeling. Did I do something wrong, or is that how it is supposed to feel? I only have 600 miles on the truck, so I didnt have too too much seat time with it before, but I thought I would ask and see from others who have done this.

I have not done a spacer or anything yet to level it on up.

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[mountainpass]

One guy on here did that to his max tow and his wife made him put the max tow springs back on it.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Ok so I spent this morning putting on the 4 corners of fox rubicon shocks and doing front Rubicon springs (339 driver side and 340 passenger side).
I took off the 4 shocks and front springs from my max tow.
I totally forgot to measure before to see how much it did the front, but it appears to have a little. Everything went fine except I had a heck of a time getting my track bar to line back up to get the bolt back through at the axle. After lots of pushing on my jack, I was finally able to get it in.

I just took it for a ride to make sure everything is good. How is the ride supposed to feel? It feels more "boingy" in the front. The ride is not bad by any means, but it feels a little more bouncy or floaty than the max tow stuff. I’m not sure the exact word to describe it.
I feel like I have always read the opposite that everyone said it felt more stiff and more planted feeling. Did I do something wrong, or is that how it is supposed to feel? I only have 600 miles on the truck, so I didnt have too too much seat time with it before, but I thought I would ask and see from others who have done this.

I have not done a spacer or anything yet to level it on up.

I used a ratchet strap to pull the axle so the track bar would go back into place and I could get the bolt back in. Made it really simple. You could use a small come-along, too.

Make sure you did NOT tighten any bolts until the truck was on the floor/ground again. Some people make a huge mistake and tighten bolts with a jack under the truck. No - any time there are bushings don't tighten until it's on the ground.

As far as feel - that's rather subjective and hard to describe. Make sure when you read what others have done, like what I did - you are noting was it a Sport S max tow, or like MINE, an Overland with really soft ride?
339 and 340 front Rubicon springs may be among the softer of the Rubicon fronts from what I've seen.....
If I had a max tow, I'd likely use spacers to "lift" it if I only wanted 3/4" or so.

 

[93civej1]

One guy on here did that to his max tow and his wife made him put the max tow springs back on it.

Yeah I know the one you are talking about but the issue was his rear ones. He changed them out. If I remember correctly.

 

[93civej1]

I used a ratchet strap to pull the axle so the track bar would go back into place and I could get the bolt back in. Made it really simple. You could use a small come-along, too.

Make sure you did NOT tighten any bolts until the truck was on the floor/ground again. Some people make a huge mistake and tighten bolts with a jack under the truck. No - any time there are bushings don't tighten until it's on the ground.

As far as feel - that's rather subjective and hard to describe. Make sure when you read what others have done, like what I did - you are noting was it a Sport S max tow, or like MINE, an Overland with really soft ride?
339 and 340 front Rubicon springs may be among the softer of the Rubicon fronts from what I've seen.....
If I had a max tow, I'd likely use spacers to "lift" it if I only wanted 3/4" or so.

Thanks. I actually barely snugged stuff up with bushings while in the air and then when it was on the ground I tightened / torqued. More than likely I am just not used to the difference in the ride of them.

 

[brianinca]

We named our JTR Tigger for a reason, they like to bounce! It's settled down with longer lower control arms from the Mopar lift kit, which dialed in a lot more caster.

Thanks. I actually barely snugged stuff up with bushings while in the air and then when it was on the ground I tightened / torqued. More than likely I am just not used to the difference in the ride of them.

 

[93civej1]

We named our JTR Tigger for a reason, they like to bounce! It's settled down with longer lower control arms from the Mopar lift kit, which dialed in a lot more caster.

I actually took it for a nice long drive all day today and on some easy local trails. I am much more used to it now and it rode great off the road.
I think maybe at first I just didn’t know what to expect.

 

[bastage]

I did the swap on my Max Tow. Also added 3/4" spacers up front to give me an overall front lift of 1.5"..

The feel was a bit more spongey at times but when hitting a bump it was much less jarring.

 

[93civej1]

I did the swap on my Max Tow. Also added 3/4" spacers up front to give me an overall front lift of 1.5"..

The feel was a bit more spongey at times but when hitting a bump it was much less jarring.

I think this is what I was trying to say. Things on the road like dips seemed more “sponge” or float like up front but once I got off the pavement, it rode excellent.
After more seat time on the pavement it wasn’t as noticeable any longer.

 

[basicGlad]

Make sure you did NOT tighten any bolts until the truck was on the floor/ground again. Some people make a huge mistake and tighten bolts with a jack under the truck. No - any time there are bushings don't tighten until it's on the ground.

339 and 340 front Rubicon springs may be among the softer of the Rubicon fronts from what I've seen.....

Do you know the torque rating for the shocks? I'm going to do those today. Same thing don't torque jacked up?

What's the more stuff rubicon front spring?

 

[93civej1]

Do you know the torque rating for the shocks? I'm going to do those today. Same thing don't torque jacked up?

What's the more stuff rubicon front spring?

More stiff is gonna be your higher number spring. Just follow the numbers on your current springs.

Torque for shocks if I recall was like 79 or something. You can find the torque numbers in some of the online installation instructions for kits / spacers.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Lower shock nut front axle I show 75 ft/lbs
Front upper shock - 80
The chart I have that shows rear is a bit different - t hey show lower rear as 89 which is weird. I figure like for like, same size bolt doing the same work in the same configuration I went 80 on mine.
And yeah, I lowered the truck. Shocks don't pivot much really, the angular action is somewhat limited. They do not go perfectly straight up and down - if they did they it wouldn't matter, but they are angled so should be in normal operating position when torqued.

Sometimes bolts can be a pain to torque wheels on so in some cases I have used 4 jack stands and supported the truck on stands BY THE AXLES and jounced it a bit to settle and normalize things. I prefer wheels on and on the ground, but it's not always easy. At least supporting the truck under the axles puts the weight of the truck ON the suspension and nothing is hanging free.
But then I have enough jack stands to support 2 cars fully and then some, and 3 working floor jacks (one has begun to bite the dust)

How I do things may seem over the top to some - but in 45 years I still have never had a come-back, never had a suspension, brake or steering failure and I don't mind being OCD when it comes to such things. (Other times, it drives me nuts and totally conflicts with my "never do today what you can put off until tomorrow" ADHD. Decisions can be impossible to make)

 

[ShadowsPapa]

More stiff is gonna be your higher number spring. Just follow the numbers on your current springs.

Torque for shocks if I recall was like 79 or something. You can find the torque numbers in some of the online installation instructions for kits / spacers.

IMO 79 would get you there - not far at all from specs in charts I have, which by the way, don't always agree with each other!
Yup - here's the numbers of the Rubicon springs I bought - among the lighter unfortunately, I wanted stiffer Rubicon springs but beggers can't always be choosey!

Rubicon set I bought has 449 and 450 rears
Rubicon front spring pair I bought has 339 and 340.
Those are the last numbers in the complete part number.
Higher number to the right side - meaning I put the 339 on the front left and the 340 front right side. And the truck sits reasonably level left to right, depending on fuel in tank, and who is or is not in it.
There is no level ground in Iowa unless you drive up to Belmond or Goodell or Latimer so it's hard to tell "does my truck sit level".

 

[basicGlad]

339 and 340 front Rubicon springs may be among the softer of the Rubicon fronts from what I've seen.....

Sorry, I mean: have you seen a stiffer front set? Or are all rubicon front springs the same?

Also thank you for the shock torque ratings.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Sorry, I mean: have you seen a stiffer front set? Or are all rubicon front springs the same?

Also thank you for the shock torque ratings.

I would bet the springs from the front of a Rubicon with the optional steel bumper would be a number up form what I bought because the bumper is about 75-80 pounds - not sure what the poly-faced bumper weighs or the difference in skid plate weights.

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