Improving Ride Quality of the Rancho Sport Lift (Rubicon)

[r75usmc]

Hey gang. I've been running on the Rancho 2" Sport lift (with optional geometry correction brackets for front LCAs) for my 2018 JLUR since April. I am on 37 x 12.5 R17 STT Pros and I run them at 28 PSI.

I'm newer to this stuff and my best guess is that a move to Bilstein or Fox shocks would give me some improved ride on the road where I spend most of my time. I do wheel the Jeep at Endeavor Bridgeport (Wise County, Texas) and a few other spots but tend toward more interest in overlanding than in the hardcore crawling. (I prefer the 3 diamond trails at Bridgeport.)

I would appreciate any insights you all might share. I realize that the lift kit is a fairly entry-level one and I do plan to upgrade to a Rock Krawler X-Factor 2.5" kit in the future, so an investment in shocks now would still work with that kit from what I understand. I'm just still probably 6 months out from wanting to do that and I may prioritize a re-gear anyway.

Thanks!

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[wibornz]

I run the same lift with the Rancho 9000 series adjustable shocks and have a great ride. I soften the shocks up for around town and on the road and then adjust them up when off the road. They shocks have 9 adjustment click so I would think anyone could find what they are looking for.

 

[Carlton]

The Rancho kit will be one of the smoother/softer lift kits offered. What you are feeling is most likely the tire. Are you not used to MT tires?

Bilstein are a firm shock so I don't see them helping. I don't think changing the shocks will make much of a difference to be honest, spring type/rate is what sets the feel. Shocks just dampen the travel of the springs. With Rancho having a softer spring, I don't see a shock helping.

 

[r75usmc]

I run the same lift with the Rancho 9000 series adjustable shocks and have a great ride. I soften the shocks up for around town and on the road and then adjust them up when off the road. They shocks have 9 adjustment click so I would think anyone could find what they are looking for.

Thanks, Ted. That sounds like what I should be looking at.

 

[r75usmc]

The Rancho kit will be one of the smoother/softer lift kits offered. What you are feeling is most likely the tire. Are you not used to MT tires?

Bilstein are a firm shock so I don't see them helping. I don't think changing the shocks will make much of a difference to be honest, spring type/rate is what sets the feel. Shocks just dampen the travel of the springs. With Rancho having a softer spring, I don't see a shock helping.

Appreciate the insights. Yes - this is my first set of MTs. I'm pretty sure I'll be going for something like a more aggressive AT next time. I liked the ride of the KO2s that came on it and they were a plenty capable tire for me - but I'll probably give Nitto a look. I just figure it is going to be a while before these Coopers need replacing!

 

[Arterius2]

I run the same lift with the Rancho 9000 series adjustable shocks and have a great ride. I soften the shocks up for around town and on the road and then adjust them up when off the road. They shocks have 9 adjustment click so I would think anyone could find what they are looking for.

Why soften for the road and stiffen up off-road? Shouldn’t it be the other way around—you want to stiffen up on the road and and soften up for off-road driving. That softness you feel is the suspension/axles reacting quicker on bumps, tires filling in bump and craters better so that shock absorbing most of the impact and less energy is transferred to the spring, frame and body. Many sports cars have stiff suspension due to their low ground clearance and used to drive on flat roads, also less body roll during turns. that stiffness you feel is your tires not filling in the bumps and craters quick enough and your entire truck just skips and falls into the unevenness, shocks not absorbing the impact and transferring that energy into body and other components in forms of vibrations. not something I want off-roading, all that vibration may cause stress and loosen joints and connection and thus may wear out faster.

 

[wibornz]

Why soften for the road and stiffen up off-road? Shouldn’t it be the other way around—you want to stiffen up on the road and and soften up for off-road driving. That softness you feel is the suspension/axles reacting quicker on bumps, tires filling in bump and craters better so that shock absorbing most of the impact and less energy is transferred to the spring, frame and body. Many sports cars have stiff suspension due to their low ground clearance and used to drive on flat roads, also less body roll during turns. that stiffness you feel is your tires not filling in the bumps and craters quick enough and your entire truck just skips and falls into the unevenness, shocks not absorbing the impact and transferring that energy into body and other components in forms of vibrations. not something I want off-roading, all that vibration may cause stress and loosen joints and connection and thus may wear out faster.

I like the soft Cadillac type ride on the road. I do not want a sports car kind of ride on the road. I want to float. The roads in Michigan are terrible and it is like a bomb when off on some of the roads.

Off road, I am dropping off ledges and do not want the suspension to bottom out causing my bumper to slam on the rocks. So I firm up the shocks. Also running across the dunes and hitting whoops and big dips tend to bottom out the shocks so firm them up I do and at times the Jeep is airborne.,,,,,,,firm shocks

When I tow my camper, I firm them all the way up in the back for the extra support.

Also off road, I am running 37s with anywhere from 12 psi to 4 psi. The tires are a big part of the off road ride and manners.

 

[Hitthegopedal]

I run the same lift with the Rancho 9000 series adjustable shocks and have a great ride. I soften the shocks up for around town and on the road and then adjust them up when off the road. They shocks have 9 adjustment click so I would think anyone could find what they are looking for.

Ted I thought I had read about your install in another thread but I can't seem to find it. Did you end up going with geometry brackets and track bar or were you good without? I have a JLUR as well and I was going to go AEV but I've read some very good things about the Rancho Sport Lift.

 

[wibornz]

Ted I thought I had read about your install in another thread but I can't seem to find it. Did you end up going with geometry brackets and track bar or were you good without? I have a JLUR as well and I was going to go AEV but I've read some very good things about the Rancho Sport Lift.

I installed one on my JLUR. Others in my Jeep club like the ride so much and how it handled that I ended up putting three more on my other Jeep friends JLURs. I have 15000+ miles on Rancho lift, Bill has 10000+ miles on his and I think Amber has around 4000 miles and Phil is around 9000 miles. We have had zero problems. We do not use the geometry brackets or a track bar. Bill, Phil and I have done 10 of the badge of honor trails. One in Michigan, three in Tennessee, five in Colorado and one in Utah. We all have been on the sand dunes in Michigan multiple times and wheel the trails in Michigan often. The lift is quiet, smooth, flexes well, and the JLUR handle well, what more could you ask for....I know have it cost under an thousand dollars and have adjustable shocks.

Make sure you get the kit with the 9000 series adjustable shocks. Well worth the extra money.

Heres a couple flexing picks just so you know they flex great.

 

[RubiRob]

I would reccomend getting king / fox shocks from @AccuTune Offroad . They will get you dialed in and custom valve them for your application and setup.

 

[r75usmc]

I installed one on my JLUR. Others in my Jeep club like the ride so much and how it handled that I ended up putting three more on my other Jeep friends JLURs. I have 15000+ miles on Rancho lift, Bill has 10000+ miles on his and I think Amber has around 4000 miles and Phil is around 9000 miles. We have had zero problems. We do not use the geometry brackets or a track bar. Bill, Phil and I have done 10 of the badge of honor trails. One in Michigan, three in Tennessee, five in Colorado and one in Utah. We all have been on the sand dunes in Michigan multiple times and wheel the trails in Michigan often. The lift is quiet, smooth, flexes well, and the JLUR handle well, what more could you ask for....I know have it cost under an thousand dollars and have adjustable shocks.

Make sure you get the kit with the 9000 series adjustable shocks. Well worth the extra money.

Heres a couple flexing picks just so you know they flex great.

That is quite a testimonial! Several, really.
Makes me feel like I don’t need to worry about spending thousands on a kit from MetalCloak for the type of wheeling I plan to do. I just scheduled my regear, so that’s my next major investment in the Jeep.

 

[oceanblue2019]

I would reccomend getting king / fox shocks from @AccuTune Offroad . They will get you dialed in and custom valve them for your application and setup.

We're talking about a sub $900 lift kit and you recommend $3500 shocks? Come on, yes they are wonderful but at that price out of reach of most.

 

[wibornz]

We're talking about a sub $900 lift kit and you recommend $3500 shocks? Come on, yes they are wonderful but at that price out of reach of most.

and not needed by 95% of the people that have wranglers.

 

[RubiRob]

We're talking about a sub $900 lift kit and you recommend $3500 shocks? Come on, yes they are wonderful but at that price out of reach of most.

I'm sorry you didn't do your research, but you can get fox 2.0 shocks for about $160 each (from accutune, and custom valved). I'm not a scholar but I'm pretty sure thats about $20 or so less than $3500.

 

[oceanblue2019]

I'm sorry you didn't do your research, but you can get fox 2.0 shocks for about $160 each (from accutune, and custom valved). I'm not a scholar but I'm pretty sure thats about $20 or so less than $3500.

I was referencing King but yeah, Fox you can do for under $600 a set. Sorry for being cranky!

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