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If Rubicons come with a 2" lift from the factory, why add an aftermarket lift of the same amount?

A Sober Animal

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Okay, so I'm trying to understand why anyone would add an aftermarket lift of 2" or 2.5" to their rubicon when rubicons already come with a 2" lift from the factory. I also remember reading that the Recon comes with an additional 0.5" lift, meaning if I were to add an aftermarket lift of 2.5" there would be no real change to my Jeep.

I've seen multiple posts where people have added in, for example, the Teraflex 2.5" lift to their rubicon, and I'm not understanding why someone would spend thousands for half an extra inch. It would seem to me that the 2.5" kids are mostly for the lower trims without factory lifts.
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Actually, most kits use the Rubicon as the starting point. So the lift is about 3.5” for non Rubicons.

Rubicons, don’t have a lift, their suspension is designed to be about 1-1.5” higher.
 

hoag4147

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Okay, so I'm trying to understand why anyone would add an aftermarket lift of 2" or 2.5" to their rubicon when rubicons already come with a 2" lift from the factory. I also remember reading that the Recon comes with an additional 0.5" lift, meaning if I were to add an aftermarket lift of 2.5" there would be no real change to my Jeep.

I've seen multiple posts where people have added in, for example, the Teraflex 2.5" lift to their rubicon, and I'm not understanding why someone would spend thousands for half an extra inch. It would seem to me that the 2.5" kids are mostly for the lower trims without factory lifts.
most all lift companies advertise lift height over current Rubicon. So a 2.5" Teraflex would net approx 4" on a non-rubi. As an example, my Sport S with Mopar 2" lift netted 3.5-3.75" of lift...
 

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A Sober Animal

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Because it’s not a 2” lift. The rubicon flares sit 2” higher than the sport flares.
most all lift companies advertise lift height over current Rubicon. So a 2.5" Teraflex would net approx 4" on a non-rubi. As an example, my Sport S with Mopar 2" lift netted 3.5-3.75" of lift...
Thank you both for the explanations - these responses were exactly what I was looking for. Kinda BS that they advertise it as a lift when it's just raised fenders.
 

hoag4147

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Thank you both for the explanations - these responses were exactly what I was looking for. Kinda BS that they advertise it as a lift when it's just raised fenders.
Thats kind of accurate. Rubicon is actually taller suspension than non-rubi - not just fenders. Many non-rubi owners have added takeoff springs and shocks from Rubi and have recognized 1.5-2" lift. The major misunderstanding is related to advertised lift height. most all companies advertised lift is based on Rubicons that is why non-rubi's see more lift.
 

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Plus, the factory “33”” tires also add some additional height on the Rubicon.
 

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Thank you both for the explanations - these responses were exactly what I was looking for. Kinda BS that they advertise it as a lift when it's just raised fenders.
Daniel,
Just to be clear. The Rubicons do have taller springs in addition to the high line flares.
 

Sean L

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Just to reinforce the previous posts about the difference between a Sport/Sahara suspension and a Rubicon suspension... The Rubi's is definitely taller and my Jeep sits an inch higher than stock. Now I wish I had gotten a pic of the spring difference but I was trying to keep the mess of springs from getting mixed up since we were doing one Jeep right after the other.

Jeep Wrangler JL If Rubicons come with a 2" lift from the factory, why add an aftermarket lift of the same amount? 1607979891704
 

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From ground to frame, my JLUR is ~2" higher than my JKR.
 
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A Sober Animal

A Sober Animal

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Just to reinforce the previous posts about the difference between a Sport/Sahara suspension and a Rubicon suspension... The Rubi's is definitely taller and my Jeep sits an inch higher than stock. Now I wish I had gotten a pic of the spring difference but I was trying to keep the mess of springs from getting mixed up since we were doing one Jeep right after the other.

Jeep Wrangler JL If Rubicons come with a 2" lift from the factory, why add an aftermarket lift of the same amount? 1607979891704
Okay, so then there is a difference in suspension, and the previous comments about it rubicons just having higher fenders is not accurate (as rubis do have higher fenders, but the suspension is higher).
most all lift companies advertise lift height over current Rubicon. So a 2.5" Teraflex would net approx 4" on a non-rubi. As an example, my Sport S with Mopar 2" lift netted 3.5-3.75" of lift...
So then does that mean that any lift kit would add height, or would it need to have specific components (shocks and coils) for a rubicon to gain the height?
This whole thread is retarded
Thanks Chad.
 

hoag4147

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So then does that mean that any lift kit would add height, or would it need to have specific components (shocks and coils) for a rubicon to gain the height?
Any kit you buy for a Rubi would replace your springs and shocks unless you do spacer lift/shock extension brackets. To hopefully be clear - when you add a 2.5" lift on your Rubi you gain at least 2.5" over your stock height.
 

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Maybe a better question is, aside from aesthetic preference of "moar height better," why lift a Rubicon at all, especially a JL? I say this fully recognizing that aesthetics are an important thing, and worth it in and of itself for many people. If you lifted your Jeep because this is America and you like it that way, damn skippy and more power to yah'.

The funny thing is, though, when I crack a cold one with guys at campsites and talk rigs, very very few people say they lifted their Rubicon for looks. Capability is the biggest thing I hear, and when coming from Rubicon owners using their vehicle in an exploring/general purpose application that is most certainly off pavement, but not proper rock crawling, it's worth a friendly elbow to the ribs because that's just a bunch of baloney. Now, before someone swoops in with the talons of justice to school me on tires and angles...I get how suspension works. JL Rubicons sit high enough to clear 33s, disconnected, from the factory. A seat of the pants, zero data estimation here, but I'd reckon well over 95% of Rubicon owners will never need the vehicles factory capability for what they actually do.

This being said, why might a person actually want to lift their Rubicon? A great answer might be:
  1. Weight. After adding some accessories, namely bumpers, winches, tents, etc...the sag is real. Adding some springs meant for the additional weight you want to carry, that will put you at or close to original suspension angles loaded, is a very, very great reason to lift a JL Rubicon.
 
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I get where the original poster is coming from. I didn’t realize a lot either before buying my rubicon. A lot of Jeep dealers say the rubicon’s are lifted vs the other models so I assumed it had the mopar lift kit already on it. I didn’t realize it was 1 inch vs 2 inches. Some dealers told me it was a 2 inch lift so I believed them and then my assumption as above.
I also didn’t realize the mopar lift added more than 2 inches to a rubicon vs 2 inches to another model. I figured it was 1 inch cause the rubicon was 1 inch already and the other models are zero in my head. Again had a dealer say the same. 1 inch.
So I learned that here also.
So I get where he is coming from it is kinda confusing till you learn all this if you aren’t coming from a Jeep or a truck with a lift. I have always only drove trucks or larger SUV’s but never lifted them or did anything to them. I use my truck for the river and woods when going to the cabin and getting into areas to fish but I don’t rock crawl or do anything crazy like a lot of you guys do here so again this was all knew to me too and I have been learning as I go. And I have learned a lot from everyone here. A lot. And I understand a lot more now.
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