Those Who Swapped to Rubicon Shocks/Springs

[steveorama]

I recently swapped my springs and shocks with some Rubi takeoffs on my '21 Overland. I read quite a few posts here and on the FB groups and the overall consensus was how much everyone liked the swap. So I found some advertised locally on FB marketplace from a forum member and pulled the trigger since they were relatively inexpensive and figured I would do some experiential learning because that's the best kind of learning. I got the softer Rubi springs 339/340 & 449/450 and I love the ride height and the Fox shocks, but I'm still slightly disappointed in the overall ride quality, mostly the rear. I've owned 3 Wranglers previously and daily drove them so by no means am I complaining in that sense (and one of those was a YJ), if anything the ride feels more like a Jeep now, but the ride is so vastly firmer that I'm surprised by the number of people saying how much better the ride was after the swap.

I've had my JT now for a little over a month and I just finished a 1,200 mile road trip before the swap last week. The JTO suspension is plush and is possibly the best riding Jeep I had ever driven. I'm guessing this spoiled me, I never even test drove a Rubi when I bought mine because knowing I was going to be driving 90% street, why even look at the parts I was likely to never/rarely use. So with that being said I can't even compare the ride to a stock Rubi. I'm guessing it's the same though as everything above the axles is pretty much identical on my JTO. My only complaint with the stock springs/shocks was when going off-road, that recent road trip was out to Big Bend NP and we took about every trail out there. The stock setup performed well with very little difficulties, but was extremely bouncy and we bottomed out to the bump stops often. Looking to remedy this is why I decided to do the swap. I haven't had the opportunity to test out the new setup on any trails yet to compare though.

Maybe I'm just getting old, I remember when the JKs came out, how upset I was that they were going to have power windows and locks, the blasphemy! Now I find myself complaining that my fully equipped Jeep with every option rides too much like a Jeep!

Sponsored

 

[Jeeperjamie]

If you want a firmer ride, which most of use do then that's a better ride. Even the softer springs are firmer than sport or overland springs unless you had a Max Tow Sport. Overland springs would be the softest ride available because they are built more for Luxury and driving on pavement or dirt road type trails.

I kept my max tow springs on mine and just did the front stiffer Rubicon springs on the front. Love how mine rides. I also don't have power windows or locks either and love that as well.

 

[InvertedLogic]

I'm surprised that you find the Rubi take off suspension to be firm. Maybe its the extra heft of the Rubi compared to the Overland, but I find the JTR to be super wallowy, under-sprung, and under-damped all around. Especially compared to the JLUR I had before. I bottom out on drainage dips if I go any faster than 10mph.

 

[Jeeperjamie]

I'm surprised that you find the Rubi take off suspension to be firm. Maybe its the extra heft of the Rubi compared to the Overland, but I find the JTR to be super wallowy, under-sprung, and under-damped all around. Especially compared to the JLUR I had before. I bottom out on drainage dips if I go any faster than 10mph.

It's definitely firmer than a Overland

 

[93civej1]

i thought mine felt more bouncy / floaty feeling when I went from my max tow on front to 339/340 rubicon up front and fox all around. I am now used to it and no longer feel this way. it just took me getting used to it.

 

[MPMB]

I'm surprised that you find the Rubi take off suspension to be firm. Maybe its the extra heft of the Rubi compared to the Overland, but I find the JTR to be super wallowy, under-sprung, and under-damped all around. Especially compared to the JLUR I had before. I bottom out on drainage dips if I go any faster than 10mph.

My JT is my first Jeep, so I have no "apples to apples" comparison. But your description fits my similar impressions of the Rubicon package. It's very "lollipop-y," to use a parlance from my racing days. A little floaty, wavy action. But I don't think it's under-sprung or under-dampened.

When I take a corner, the JT rolls over to the outside, but hits a suspension barrier - the progressive springs and shock dampening. And it sits there. It doesn't keep rolling. My other vehicles tend to slowly roll through, there's never a feeling of transitioning to a different suspension package.

It's not bad, it's just different.

I have an inquiry to Fox to find out the baseline set-up. I have enough shock knowledge to be dangerous. ?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I'm surprised that you find the Rubi take off suspension to be firm. Maybe its the extra heft of the Rubi compared to the Overland, but I find the JTR to be super wallowy, under-sprung, and under-damped all around. Especially compared to the JLUR I had before. I bottom out on drainage dips if I go any faster than 10mph.

Absolutely more firm than Overland. Check the spring numbers. Originally for the 2020 models the higher the number the more weight they'd carry, and the more firm. In order to hold weight and not sag, they have to be more firm. You can't have them softer and still support the weight.
I put Rubicon springs under the front of mine and it's definitely different - not as soft and smooth as my original springs. Even the max tow springs weren't as "cushy" as the Overland rears. But then they are made to handle much greater payload.

I've done a number of posts on the differences, the spring numbers and so on.
A year after I made the swap I now believe the truck is bouncy again, the Fox shocks have lost their ability to control the spring oscillations.

 

[steveorama]

If you want a firmer ride, which most of use do then that's a better ride. Even the softer springs are firmer than sport or overland springs unless you had a Max Tow Sport. Overland springs would be the softest ride available because they are built more for Luxury and driving on pavement or dirt road type trails.

I kept my max tow springs on mine and just did the front stiffer Rubicon springs on the front. Love how mine rides. I also don't have power windows or locks either and love that as well.

I fully expected it to be firmer so that's what I had anticipated. Firmer is good for an off-road vehicle. The problem for me really lies in the rear I believe. This may be some of the issue of other reviewers as it seems many that do the swap have the Sport Max Tow so they're not swapping their rear springs. It's not necessarily the bumps that I have the issues it's more of the swales and dips/humps in the road that seem to be the worst. The front hits and has enough sprung weight that the bump is fairly well controlled. The rear hits and seems to "buck" up on the upward travel as there is little to no weight in the rear. I feel most of the bumps and undulations in the seat vs the steering wheel.

FWIW I love having all of the power everything I have now, after coming from a Silverado LTZ the last 6 years it would be hard to go back (my previously cooled seats would be nice though). Once upon a time I never would of thought I would've wanted those "creature comforts". The lack of those is was was part of the allure of owing a Jeep. I had been in such utilitarian conditions that were the previous Jeeps that I owned that I find it ironic that I'm now finding issues in the way it drives and handles, Haha it's funny how Jeeps and Jeep people have evolved.

I'm surprised that you find the Rubi take off suspension to be firm. Maybe its the extra heft of the Rubi compared to the Overland, but I find the JTR to be super wallowy, under-sprung, and under-damped all around. Especially compared to the JLUR I had before. I bottom out on drainage dips if I go any faster than 10mph.

As others said the Overland might as well be an Escalade in how soft and plush the ride is. It's just such an abrupt difference going to the Rubi takeoffs that it's hard not to notice. That's probably all this really is, just a matter of perspective. I imagine those in a Rubi going the opposite to a JTO setup would make the opposite statements I am. I'm not sure what heft though you think the JTR has vs the JTO, I'm not sure what weight difference there is between the two above the axles. Minus those with the steel bumpers, I might actually have slightly more weight than some of the Rubis if not identical.

i thought mine felt more bouncy / floaty feeling when I went from my max tow on front to 339/340 rubicon up front and fox all around. I am now used to it and no longer feel this way. it just took me getting used to it.

I believe the more I drive the more I will get used to it too. It hasn't even been a week yet. Maybe I should of just got a Mojave, but there wasn't many nearby when I was looking and especially with the options I wanted. I suppose I could of ordered one, but I'm not that patient.

Absolutely more firm than Overland. Check the spring numbers. Originally for the 2020 models the higher the number the more weight they'd carry, and the more firm. In order to hold weight and not sag, they have to be more firm. You can't have them softer and still support the weight.
I put Rubicon springs under the front of mine and it's definitely different - not as soft and smooth as my original springs. Even the max tow springs weren't as "cushy" as the Overland rears. But then they are made to handle much greater payload.

I've done a number of posts on the differences, the spring numbers and so on.
A year after I made the swap I now believe the truck is bouncy again, the Fox shocks have lost their ability to control the spring oscillations.

I've read many of your posts, thank you for the contributions. The 2021 spring numbers are even more convoluted than 2020 sadly. So I'm not really sure how my original springs line up.

At the moment my biggest issue seems to fall with the rear. I think the front is fantastic. I even drove a short distance with only the front swapped as I was missing a socket and needed to head to the auto store before I could work on the rear and that combination felt amazing. After that I was very excited to get the rear done only to find that it just feels like the rear needs some additional sprung weight. Maybe if I drove around with a few bags of dirt would solve my issue.

 

[Tony F]

I just replaced all the shocks on my max tow with rubicon shocks and left all the springs alone. I added a teraflex leveling kit as well and my gladiator is noticeably less ’hoppy’ over bumps. I wonder if the front rubicon springs people are using is causing the harshness because i didn’t get any of it.

 

[friskeljr]

I have an overland as well i was blown away and didnt believe how not jeep like it felt. from my old jkur, tj with 4"long arms, 46 willys. the overland is just complete luxury.

I was contemplating and researching the rubi take off. i just found a deal on mojave springs that i can get easier than the rubi set up. since i got order to europe and cant have the lift set up i wanted, figured id try the mojave springs and a set of falcon shocks.

 

[Garemlin]

There really is no rhyme or reason in spring swaps anymore. We are just finding out that the Overland, Willys and 80A apparently share at least the same front springs.

I did the heaviest Rubicon front springs, 340/343, and max tow rear springs as well as Rubicon Fox shocks on my Willys. Ride is a little better but nothing drastic. The thing I notice the most is less wheel hop.

 

[Jeeperjamie]

There really is no rhyme or reason in spring swaps anymore. We are just finding out that the Overland, Willys and 80A apparently share at least the same front springs.

I did the heaviest Rubicon front springs, 340/343, and max tow rear springs as well as Rubicon Fox shocks on my Willys. Ride is a little better but nothing drastic. The thing I notice the most is less wheel hop.

I guess no reason unless your looking for the extra lift in the front that it gives you, 3/4 to 1". Other than that my max tow got a better ride from the Fox shocks from the Rubicon suspension I added. I also added the heaviest springs to mine and kept the rear max tow springs in place.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

There really is no rhyme or reason in spring swaps anymore. We are just finding out that the Overland, Willys and 80A apparently share at least the same front springs.

I did the heaviest Rubicon front springs, 340/343, and max tow rear springs as well as Rubicon Fox shocks on my Willys. Ride is a little better but nothing drastic. The thing I notice the most is less wheel hop.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't the Willys and 80A just "editions" built on the Overland platform? Shouldn't most things be the same? I'm NOT trying to minimize those editions at all, I think they are cool, and I love that Jeep did it in a tip of the hat to their own history and beginnings, but.......... I'd not expect night and day differences in too many places.
I invite any education on my possible misconceptions of those two editions - as that's what my gut was telling me since I've not seen a ton of factual information out there on them.

As to the second paragraph - I can't say I had wheel hop before, but the back of the truck "bounced". It was a beautiful ride, but just a bit much bounce for me. Plus its butt sagged badly with a load is why I swapped rear springs.
I had anticipated a bumper swap, or at least wanted a bit of the rake removed since I expected less butt sag with max tow springs, thus my Rubicon front springs.
It's more truck like across bumps and railroad tracks with these springs. In fact it's nasty across the rough tracks here - you'd better go into crawling mode.
Still not a Jeep-like ride as I remember the older CJs and Wranglers.
My beef now is that the bounce is back. Cross some dip or bump and it's going to oscillate a couple more times before stopping. Not impressed with the Rubicon Fox shocks after having them on a year.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I guess no reason unless your looking for the extra lift in the front that it gives you, 3/4 to 1". Other than that my max tow got a better ride from the Fox shocks from the Rubicon suspension I added. I also added the heaviest springs to mine and kept the rear max tow springs in place.

I think he's referring to the strange spring numbering on the 2021 and later. It used to be the numbers were pretty much sequential - low last 3 digits meant lower rate or stiffness, higher numbers like 339 and 340 were the lighter Rubicon springs while the heavy Rubicon got 340 and 343 or similar. Today there's a mix of numbers that we've not figured out.
THAT's what he's referring to.

Not impressed with the Fox shocks a year later. Great at first, but they act like worn shocks now.

 

[Jeeperjamie]

I think he's referring to the strange spring numbering on the 2021 and later. It used to be the numbers were pretty much sequential - low last 3 digits meant lower rate or stiffness, higher numbers like 339 and 340 were the lighter Rubicon springs while the heavy Rubicon got 340 and 343 or similar. Today there's a mix of numbers that we've not figured out.
THAT's what he's referring to.

Not impressed with the Fox shocks a year later. Great at first, but they act like worn shocks now.

I have to agree after a year as well on the fox shocks comment. I'm thinking of going with Rancho 9000's in the near future. Loved those things on my JKU.

Sponsored