Drop Brackets

[AVGeek99]

I have a 2021 JLUR with a 3.5" MC GC lift. I got the DB3 rear drop bracket when I first had the lift installed and I installed the front drop brackets a short time later.

I'm in the process of returning my 2021 to stock and will be installing the lift on my new 2025. I'm debating whether I want to install without the drop brackets. The fronts really are never in the way, but when clearing larger ledges the rear brackets tend to hit quite a bit. The bigger hits can kill my momentum, or even sometimes stop me altogether. Then I have to bump it really hard to get over.

I'm wondering how much of an improvement drop brackets give to on road ride and handling. Is it a big difference, or not worth negatie side effects?

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[DustyGladiator]

I dont have any feedbakc, but I wanted to bump and follow incase metalcloak had something to say.

 

[Graphite JL]

I would at least keep the front ones for ride quality reasons. Having owned multiple short arm and long arm lifts, I said I would never go short arm again, but am currently running stock arms with drop brackets and have no complaints at all.

I have no idea on rear drop brackets, honestly didnt even know that was a thing.

 

[Jtphoto]

Keep the front brackets for sure.

 

[BDinTX]

When I swapped my factory control arms with MC I had to also take out the AEV drop brackets. They prevented me from tightening the control arm jam nuts. I immediately noticed a slight degradation in handling and if I already had MC drop brackets I definitely would have put them in even though readjusting the control arms would be a PITA.

 

[AVGeek99]

I ordered the MC 2024+ front drop brackets but I didnt' install them. I wanted to see what the ride and handling was like without them. Right now I just have my cheap BDS temporary shocks installed and I have to say it really isn't all that bad. I do notice a little excess body roll at times when hitting a little uneveness in the road, but it isn't bad. Ride quality wise it is perfectly acceptable, at least on road.

I got my Fox 2.5 DSCs back from being rebuilt at Accutune last Saturday. I'm installing them this weekend. I have every bit of confidence that the ride quality will improve and I'll be able to adjust that little body roll out. Assuming the Foxes don't make things worse (I don't know how they would) I'm not going to install the drop brackets. Problem is I can't return them, even though they are in an unopened box.

 

[AVGeek99]

When I swapped my factory control arms with MC I had to also take out the AEV drop brackets. They prevented me from tightening the control arm jam nuts. I immediately noticed a slight degradation in handling and if I already had MC drop brackets I definitely would have put them in even though readjusting the control arms would be a PITA.

I have a set of MC drop prolignment drop brackets for `18-`23 MYs. I got them new, used them for about 25k miles. Make an offer?

 

[BDinTX]

@AVGeek99 Now that it’s off the jack stands, buttoned up, torqued, and running good I don’t want to mess with getting things dialed in again. Thanks though.

 

[AVGeek99]

@AVGeek99 Now that it’s off the jack stands, buttoned up, torqued, and running good I don’t want to mess with getting things dialed in again. Thanks though.

I know the feeling! Since I got my 2025 I've been in the garge all weekend, every weekend, aside from a round of golf each Saturday. I'm getting my tires swapped tomorrow, then installing the Fox 2.5s Saturday afternoon and then I should be done for a while. Then I just need to sell the `21.

 

[Jtphoto]

I ordered the MC 2024+ front drop brackets but I didnt' install them. I wanted to see what the ride and handling was like without them. Right now I just have my cheap BDS temporary shocks installed and I have to say it really isn't all that bad. I do notice a little excess body roll at times when hitting a little uneveness in the road, but it isn't bad. Ride quality wise it is perfectly acceptable, at least on road.

I got my Fox 2.5 DSCs back from being rebuilt at Accutune last Saturday. I'm installing them this weekend. I have every bit of confidence that the ride quality will improve and I'll be able to adjust that little body roll out. Assuming the Foxes don't make things worse (I don't know how they would) I'm not going to install the drop brackets. Problem is I can't return them, even though they are in an unopened box.

If you already have the brackets why wouldn’t you try them. It’s surprising how much difference they make.

 

[rsmwrangler]

I've done a couple of installs for my JLU friends, in one we removed the Rancho brackets on his 21 JLU Sport 4 doors (he was getting hang by the brackets cause he's got a small 2" lift and 35's) and we installed a set of Clayton front lowers instead set at 24 5/16. He's in love with the offroad clearance and feels no difference in his driving to LA everyday.

 

[Jtphoto]

I've done a couple of installs for my JLU friends, in one we removed the Rancho brackets on his 21 JLU Sport 4 doors (he was getting hang by the brackets cause he's got a small 2" lift and 35's) and we installed a set of Clayton front lowers instead set at 24 5/16. He's in love with the offroad clearance and feels no difference in his driving to LA everyday.

No doubt, the minimum lift for the brackets is 2.5” lift. The front arms are still pretty level at 2”. That being said longer arms alone don’t fix the geometry with higher lifts.

 

[AVGeek99]

If you already have the brackets why wouldn’t you try them. It’s surprising how much difference they make.

I had them on my 2021. Now that I have my lift installed on my 2025 without the brackets, it doesn't seem like a huge difference, and right now I just have my cheap temporary shocks. When I get my foxes on it will be even better.

The main reason I'd like to avoid the drop brackets is better clearance. The fronts were never too much of an issue, but the rears get quite a bit of contact, especially on larger ledges.

The way that it rides and handles right now without the brackets is fully acceptable.

 

[Jtphoto]

I’ve never run rear brackets but all my Jeeps have had fronts once the lift heights got past 2.5”. Never had an issue with them getting hung up but I have pretty much run 37s all the time.

 

[rsmwrangler]

No doubt, the minimum lift for the brackets is 2.5” lift. The front arms are still pretty level at 2”. That being said longer arms alone don’t fix the geometry with higher lifts.

You're preaching to the choire. I'm aware of what the brackets do and how they're get marketed. I don't run brackets myself and i really don't care much for them, but i'm aware some people run them and for some who may not want to spend the bucks on aftermarket control arms and not run anything crazier than some fire roads the brackets seem fine for them. in this instance This is a 21 JLU Sport with the Rancho 2". I'm almost positive is more than 2" in the front.

In our trail grup nobody have them but from time to time you'll see a Jeep with them. Sometimes they'll hit the brackets on rocks sometimes they won't. Experiences will be different because not everybody have the same lift/tires setups, and people don't drive exactly the same and tackle the same lines on an obstacle. Clearance can be/is an issue with those brackets for sure depending on how your drive and your Jeep setup and where you drive it.

I'll also say you don't need the brackets to have have a Jeep that drives nicely in the 2.5"-3.5" area using aftermarket adjustable control arms front and rear, but arms alone won't dictate the quality of your onroad/offroad driving experience. To me the entire setup matter the most as a whole here. In a similar fashion people can opt for the brackets as well if they want to save some dough. i'll still say watch for clearance if doing fun trails. I know for a fact for some the clearance factor will weight more in the decision, for others the price point matters most, for others it may be the look. Whatever the choice is, arms and/or brackets is just a part of the total equation.

In this specific case "My" friend asked me if he could run without them brackets because he has hammered them a couple of times when trying to go up on rocky ledges and he gets hang up by them and wanted to prevent that from happening. I said for sure, He only needed to look around in our trail group nobody has them them but him hahaha. But in all honesty his concerns were clearance and driving qualities. Removing the brackets did the trick on both fronts, heck just last week we did the same trail he got hunged up twice because the brackets and the grin of his face was priceless this time because his Jeep literally jumped on those same obstacles., better yet his Jeep nose is not diving in the front more or less without the brackets,or having any issues with harhsness because the control angles.

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