Rubicon Suspension on 2-door Sport

[Mwags]

Here's my quick write-up of the LCA swap, took me about an hour since I didn't use my impact. Link for LCA is here and you need two!
https://www.allmoparparts.com/sku/68322798aa.html
IMO Ramps are best for getting this swapped out, makes it much easier to have decent range for your breaker bar. My ghetto ramps (1 sheet of stacked OSB makes 2 ramps, much stronger than pressed steel ramps) lift about 6" which is fine for this project. And they stack well for a small storage footprint.

One thing you notice is the new LCAs have a different bushing design, the older ones had an outer rubber seal, the new ones have the seal inward. Also like others have mentioned, the new LCAs are heavier, so they must have seen a need for a more rigid bar.

Only tools you I used was 13/16" socket, 15/16" box end wrench, 15mm socket, torque wrench, breaker bar, and a cheat pipe (the handle for my floor jack). FWIW the SAE size sockets are a perfect fit on the bolts/nuts, the 21mm and 24mm that have been used by others ARE NOT a tight fit, and there's been at least one install that I read that had stripped the bolt head, so use those 13/16" sockets especially!

Also a spray of PB blast a day before will help to break the nuts. I only had to use the cheat pipe on my rear passenger side bolt, all others broke w/ just the breaker bar.

Remove brake line bracket w/ 15mm socket.

Not sure if the angled load from the ramps shifted things a bit, but I didn't have to move or pry on anything to get the new longer LCAs installed, the bolt holes lined right up. Removing the bolts from the original LCAs did require just unscrewing them to slowly get them out as they were binding a bit.

I used my 150 ft. lb torque wrench maxed out, then used my breaker bar for another 90 degrees of final torque to tighten the four bolts.

Caster looks to be in the 6 degree range, and steers just as it did prior to my Rubicon spring swap.

Reinstall brake bracket, and drive it like you stole it!

The Mopar LCAs #68322798AA I received are like 4 inches longer!..

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[blnewt]

The Mopar LCAs #68322798AA I received are like 4 inches longer!..

Saw your other posting, yeah, those upper control arms are significantly shorter than the LCAs, glad you got it sorted out and look forward to your driving impressions after the install

 

[cnyjl]

Great write up! We're picking up a 2 door sport for my wife on Saturday. I have the shocks, springs and all 4 control arms from my JLUR as well as the track bar and sway bar links. Do I still need the extended lca's or can I just use the stock ones off the rubicon?

 

[blnewt]

Great write up! We're picking up a 2 door sport for my wife on Saturday. I have the shocks, springs and all 4 control arms from my JLUR as well as the track bar and sway bar links. Do I still need the extended lca's or can I just use the stock ones off the rubicon?

The only parts that are different from the Rubicon to the sport are the longer shocks & springs.
The end links, upper & lower control arms are the same for both models.

You can drive it as-is after you do the spring/shock swap and see how you like it, if you find it too prone to wander off center, especially at highway speeds, then the longer Mopar LCAs should get you back to a happy place

It did for me

 

[cnyjl]

The only parts that are different from the Rubicon to the sport are the longer shocks & springs.
The end links, upper & lower control arms are the same for both models.

You can drive it as-is after you do the spring/shock swap and see how you like it, if you find it too prone to wander off center, especially at highway speeds, then the longer Mopar LCAs should get you back to a happy place

It did for me

Thanks for the reply. No reason to change the rear lowers I assume?

 

[blnewt]

Thanks for the reply. No reason to change the rear lowers I assume?

You are correct

 

[cnyjl]

You are correct

Thanks, appreciate the help!

 

[ayoung]

Thanks @blnewt. I did my swap the other day and I'm sitting at 2 1/2" higher right now. I expect it to settle out a bit over the next few days. I swapped the LCAs also. It took less that 3 hours with a couple of mechanically inclined buddies.

 

[blnewt]

Thanks @blnewt. I did my swap the other day and I'm sitting at 2 1/2" higher right now. I expect it to settle out a bit over the next few days. I swapped the LCAs also. It took less that 3 hours with a couple of mechanically inclined buddies.

Looking good! Mine didn't settle much that I noticed, I doubt yours will either, nice gain for sure. I'm sure it's tracking down the road as good or better than prior to lifting too, since you did the LCA install

 

[DavidRam]

Thanks @blnewt. I did my swap the other day and I'm sitting at 2 1/2" higher right now. I expect it to settle out a bit over the next few days. I swapped the LCAs also. It took less that 3 hours with a couple of mechanically inclined buddies.

Looks great! You used the 59/61 front and 90/91 rear springs??

Op, I am trying to figure out what springs to get, and I keep seeing sequential numbers from passenger to driver side, but it looks like you used 59/61, and not 59/60... Is there a reason for that?

 

[blnewt]

Looks great! You used the 59/61 front and 90/91 rear springs??

Op, I am trying to figure out what springs to get, and I keep seeing sequential numbers from passenger to driver side, but it looks like you used 59/61, and not 59/60... Is there a reason for that?

I had the exact same set of springs, gave my 2dr about the same lift.
Don't know why JLURs w/ seemingly identical options have sets that are different, must be a couple order pkgs that trigger different combos but don't know what that is. Either that or the springs on the shelf were running low in one number so the grabbed the next closest one

 

[ayoung]

Looks great! You used the 59/61 front and 90/91 rear springs??

Op, I am trying to figure out what springs to get, and I keep seeing sequential numbers from passenger to driver side, but it looks like you used 59/61, and not 59/60... Is there a reason for that?

I was lucky to find 61/62 and 90/91. I haven't had much settling at all. The front is still around +2.5" and the rear at +2.25".

 

[drburns]

Do you need to get an alignment after installing the new LCA's?

 

[blnewt]

Do you need to get an alignment after installing the new LCA's?

No, everything seems to be running straight and true, only thing the LCAs affect is caster. If you were to do any adjusting to any steering components then for sure, but just the LCAs and Rubicon springs, shocks won't affect your alignment enough to be an issue.

 

[whodewhodewhooo]

@blnewt thanks for the writeup, this is just what I was looking for! Haven't disconnected the front swaybar yet, have you had any issues with it rubbing while disconnected?

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