Rubcion vs Max Tow Rear Suspension

[ShadowsPapa]

Be careful, air bags make the suspension too stiff and bouncy for my liking....

He needs to try things out before buying anything, IMO.
Towing with a 500 pound tongue weight will drop the rear MORE than a payload of 500 pounds distributed evenly in the bed. (assuming no weight distributing hitch, that is)
Put the 500 pounds over or just slightly ahead of centered over the rear axle it won't drop the truck much in the rear.
So I'd load it up and take it for a spin first. THEN throw parts at it as needed - with a PLAN.
Just me.........

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[Reasons]

He needs to try things out before buying anything, IMO.
Towing with a 500 pound tongue weight will drop the rear MORE than a payload of 500 pounds distributed evenly in the bed. (assuming no weight distributing hitch, that is)
Put the 500 pounds over or just slightly ahead of centered over the rear axle it won't drop the truck much in the rear.
So I'd load it up and take it for a spin first. THEN throw parts at it as needed - with a PLAN.
Just me.........

Once I decide on a rack to put on the bed Ill have a better understanding on what I truly need. I just thought it was interesting to see how much weight on the tailgate dropped the rear. 250lbs is not much and to see my rear drop 1" was surprising to say the least.

Once I have a friend over I will distribute my camping gear in the bed evenly as if we are actually going out camping. we'll place the RTT on top of the bed and see how much the rear drops then. Ill add an additional 100-150 pounds to the middle of the bed to simulate the weight of a rack. Maybe this will be a more accurate test to show how low my rear drops when I have about 400-500lbs back there.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Once I decide on a rack to put on the bed Ill have a better understanding on what I truly need. I just thought it was interesting to see how much weight on the tailgate dropped the rear. 250lbs is not much and to see my rear drop 1" was surprising to say the least.

Once I have a friend over I will distribute my camping gear in the bed evenly as if we are actually going out camping. we'll place the RTT on top of the bed and see how much the rear drops then. Ill add an additional 100-150 pounds to the middle of the bed to simulate the weight of a rack. Maybe this will be a more accurate test to show how low my rear drops when I have about 400-500lbs back there.

There ya go - pure logic.
Will be interesting to see how it all turns out as I'll be deciding over the winter months how to prep my Overland for car hauling next spring and summer - car show season, swap meet season, means hauling stuff. Engines, transmissions, axles, body parts (not human), and boxes of starters, alternators, wiper motors for me to do restoration on and as cores, it will all be concentrated in a bed a lot smaller than my Chevy had.

 

[RH 67]

Be careful, air bags make the suspension too stiff and bouncy for my liking....

Only use them with a load.

 

[Backwoodsraider]

The rear springs are different the Max tow are stiffer the spring rate is greater than the Rubicon I went from my Max tow rear springs to Rubicon take offs the ride is softer and squats much easier than with the Max tow springs, with hat being said I have a set of Max tow springs you are welcome to just pay the shipping they have 100 miles on them. Brett

Was there any lift on that change? also, front springs the same? softer ride

 

[Moparbrett]

Raised the truck an inch yeah a little softer ride

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Looks like I need to keep my eyes open for a pair of rear max tow springs.............. I still wouldn't have the axles or heavier brakes but would have the spring rate.

 

[WXman]

I dont care for towing. I'm building an overland rig for my camping trips with the family. I'm interested in stiffer springs that don't squat as much when loaded compared to the Rubicon springs.

Plan is to have about 500lbs. In the bed during my trips. My rear end already dropped a full 1" with just 250lbs on the tailgate.

If you're building an overland rig and you have a family, you bought the wrong trim level. Should have gotten a Sport. You can put any spring you want on a Rubicon and add air bags too, but you'll always be legally confined to the 35% lower payload capacity per the door jamb placard. And trust me, with a family inside the truck it's easy to blow right through payload.

 

[Reasons]

If you're building an overland rig and you have a family, you bought the wrong trim level. Should have gotten a Sport. You can put any spring you want on a Rubicon and add air bags too, but you'll always be legally confined to the 35% lower payload capacity per the door jamb placard. And trust me, with a family inside the truck it's easy to blow right through payload.

Thanks for the tip but I already did the math before buying my Rubicon.

My door jam says 1260lbs for max payload. Ive already added 120lbs by adding a winch and steel stubby.
That leaves me with 1140lbs.

450lbs - Family of 4
30lbs - recovery/safety gear
130lbs - RTT
10lbs - Air compressor
150lbs - Rack (dont have it yet but that is the avg weight I am seeing for racks)
50lbs - H2O
30lbs - Food
50lbs - Clothes
____________
Total = 900lbs for all ESSENTIALS.
1140lbs - 900lbs = 240Lbs remaining for additional stuff.

I also watched your recent tire video. Say I went that route and upgraded my Falken Wild peaks to those 35" Yokohamas, those Yokohamas are 20lbs. more than my Falkens so that is an additional 100lbs. for me going to 35". I still have 140lbs. of leeway and STILL BE LEGAL.

I DID NOT buy the wrong Gladiator. I am extremely happy with a Rubicon. You are not only one who thinks they have done extensive research on Gladiators.

Thanks for playing.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

80% of the time when my JT is loaded with car stuff or hauling, I'll be alone. This "family of 4" only fits some.Most of the time it's just me.
That means all I have to take into account is ME, a cooler (maybe 30-40 pounds) and a duffel bag (not even 20 pounds most of the time) and my trailer tongue weight and so on.
My comment for me thinking about finding max tow springs is for the progressive and different rate. I'll still do my best to comply with load ratings - if nothing else because I've been a professional mechanic for decades and have repaired what others have destroyed by overloading a vehicle. That load rating isn't just about legal or not - it's about what your beast can handle without self-destructing.
I've replaced too many burned out bearings, roasted brakes, blue axles, rebuilt too many burned transmissions and so on to say "xxx the sticker, I'll put what I want on it until the springs collapse". When you've seen the stuff I've seen, and seen the stuff my boss towed in other the years off the interstates - you try hard to not put a ton on something made to haul half that much.

Besides, try to haul 2,000 pounds in one of these, burn out an axle bearing and then try to get warranty coverage........

 

[Gatorized]

80% of the time when my JT is loaded with car stuff or hauling, I'll be alone. This "family of 4" only fits some.Most of the time it's just me.
That means all I have to take into account is ME, a cooler (maybe 30-40 pounds) and a duffel bag (not even 20 pounds most of the time) and my trailer tongue weight and so on.
My comment for me thinking about finding max tow springs is for the progressive and different rate. I'll still do my best to comply with load ratings - if nothing else because I've been a professional mechanic for decades and have repaired what others have destroyed by overloading a vehicle. That load rating isn't just about legal or not - it's about what your beast can handle without self-destructing.
I've replaced too many burned out bearings, roasted brakes, blue axles, rebuilt too many burned transmissions and so on to say "xxx the sticker, I'll put what I want on it until the springs collapse". When you've seen the stuff I've seen, and seen the stuff my boss towed in other the years off the interstates - you try hard to not put a ton on something made to haul half that much.

Besides, try to haul 2,000 pounds in one of these, burn out an axle bearing and then try to get warranty coverage........

muser717 mentions in this thread getting Rubicon wheels from an owner who had replaced his axles.. must be wide axles and suspension out there somewhere.
Suspension take off question

 

[PyrPatriot]

The rear springs are different the Max tow are stiffer the spring rate is greater than the Rubicon I went from my Max tow rear springs to Rubicon take offs the ride is softer and squats much easier than with the Max tow springs, with hat being said I have a set of Max tow springs you are welcome to just pay the shipping they have 100 miles on them. Brett

Does anyone know what springs are used? I bought an entire suspension off of a Sport takeoff but dont know if it was a Max Tow. I paid $50 for everything so not too concerned if it is unuseable because of the Max Tow spring differences

 

[Southbayglad]

Does anyone know what springs are used? I bought an entire suspension off of a Sport takeoff but dont know if it was a Max Tow. I paid $50 for everything so not too concerned if it is unuseable because of the Max Tow spring differences

I know there is another thread on here that has part numbers for them. The max tow has an extra coil,

 

[PyrPatriot]

I know there is another thread on here that has part numbers for them. The max tow has an extra coil,

Thanks. Found it

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/coil-spring-part-numbers.17448/

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Does anyone know what springs are used? I bought an entire suspension off of a Sport takeoff but dont know if it was a Max Tow. I paid $50 for everything so not too concerned if it is unuseable because of the Max Tow spring differences

If I could find a set of max tow stuff, including springs, for that I'd be all over it. In a heartbeat.

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