MOPAR 2" Lift (initial review) - AWESOME!!!

[Spank]

I'm going to install mine this weekend. Got my fingers crossed. All four springs from my kit have different part numbers, so if the issue is some kits are coming with two springs for the same side, that isn't the case with mine.

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[Mojito Mojo]

Went to Earnhardt's in Gilbert today, they had one on the lot. Passenger side was perfect, Driver side was bowed like crazy.

Went to Earnhardt's in Gilbert today, they had one on the lot. Passenger side was perfect, Driver side was bowed like crazy.

I was out there last week and looked at that Jeep. I didn’t notice that bow but at the time I wasn’t aware of the problem either. I test drove a stock Black Rubicon they had on the lot. I thought the steering was a little vague. Others on this forum thought the tire pressure might be too high!

 

[Mattyp1214]

@Back In Black Rubi

I'm a tad concerned about the word "AWESOME" you used in the topic title of this thread.
The Mopar 2.0 lift for the JL appears to be far from awesome.

I feel bad for the poor slug that reads the thread title only and runs out and orders/installs the Mopar lift on his JL.

Reality is, this Mopar lift for the JL is not awesome and in fact is flawed.

No way at this point in time time would I even consider buying or installing the lift or recommending anyone else to do so. To buy and install this lift right now would be a real mistake.

Anyway, hope you will consider removing the "AWESOME" from the topic title. No way in heck is this lift "AWESOME".

Also, no way is there going to be say, a simple adjustment at install time or during a subsequent dealership visit, etc. that is going to remedy the issue with this lift kit.

This is pretty critical. Until we hear from jeep if the issue is a problem with the lift or the actual car we cant just jump to conclusions. Is there something wrong with it, Maybe.
Readylift has just as extreme of a bow on their lift. Maybe it isn't an issue, maybe both lifts have an issue, maybe the JL itself is the problem. We don't know until we get more facts.

 

[DanW]

As far as it drives handles and rides, I still say it is awesome. After speaking to several VERY experienced lift installers/users today, I'm now believing some bowing is normal and safe. I still reported it to Jeep Cares, but I flexed the suspension some today and it never moved closer to the bump stop, so I'm confident it won't rub at the extremes. The bowing never got worse, either under compression or extension. Its arc remained the same. My Jeep is level, too, with the same amount of lift on both sides. Other than a slightly funky look, I'm starting to think this is much ado about nothing, except for the guy whose spring is hitting his bump stop. That's certainly a problem.

I'm pretty sure I would have never, ever noticed it if I hadn't seen it on the forum. The thing drives 100% beautifully. I couldn't be happier with the way it feels.

Time will tell.

However, I've now got an insatiable desire to look at the springs of every lifted JK I see. I hope the owners don't think some wierdo has got a Jeep spring fetish.

 

[AZCrawl]

This is pretty critical. Until we hear from jeep if the issue is a problem with the lift or the actual car we cant just jump to conclusions. Is there something wrong with it, Maybe.
Readylift has just as extreme of a bow on their lift. Maybe it isn't an issue, maybe both lifts have an issue, maybe the JL itself is the problem. We don't know until we get more facts.

I would say that if we don't have a spring bow on stock springs, it is a problem with the springs. There is no way there should be a bow by design, that would be just silly.

 

[AZCrawl]

As far as it drives handles and rides, I still say it is awesome. After speaking to several VERY experienced lift installers/users today, I'm now believing some bowing is normal and safe. I still reported it to Jeep Cares, but I flexed the suspension some today and it never moved closer to the bump stop, so I'm confident it won't rub at the extremes. The bowing never got worse, either under compression or extension. Its arc remained the same. My Jeep is level, too, with the same amount of lift on both sides. Other than a slightly funky look, I'm starting to think this is much ado about nothing, except for the guy whose spring is hitting his bump stop. That's certainly a problem.

I'm pretty sure I would have never, ever noticed it if I hadn't seen it on the forum. The thing drives 100% beautifully. I couldn't be happier with the way it feels.

Time will tell.

However, I've now got an insatiable desire to look at the springs of every lifted JK I see. I hope the owners don't think some wierdo has got a Jeep spring fetish.

There is no way you are going to convince me that this is normal and it probably isn't safe either. You want a consistent spring rate, and I don't see that as being achievable when one side is under more stress than the other at all times.

 

[Mattyp1214]

I would say that if we don't have a spring bow on stock springs, it is a problem with the springs. There is no way there should be a bow by design, that would be just silly.

Adding more height to it could just be exaggerating it more.
I am not saying it is right or normal, I am just saying everything is speculation so for FatBoy01 to bash the OP based on something he has no facts on was a little extreme

 

[DanW]

There is no way you are going to convince me that this is normal and it probably isn't safe either. You want a consistent spring rate, and I don't see that as being achievable when one side is under more stress than the other at all times.

How does it not give a consistent spring rate? How would it cause the spring rate to change? I'm not certain of anything, so I'm genuinely asking. However, What I'm hearing from some experienced folks in the field is that it is common and they have not seen problems from it. Would I like it to be straight? Yes. Would I feel better about it? Yes. Will it drive differently? I'm not sure how it could improve, but if it does, I'll take it.

Can a coil spring actually be made perfectly straight? I seriously doubt it. So, the question becomes, how much of a margin of error is there? If you know, please do tell.

I still want to see what Mopar says about it. I've not found anybody that can give a definitive answer yet. I also have not found an engineer who specializes in springs.

Too bad my grandfather is long gone. He specialized in springs in industrial applications. I'm pretty sure he would have had a very quick answer for us. Maybe we'll find an expert. Everything else is just speculation, including and especially my thoughts on it.

 

[DanW]

Adding more height to it could just be exaggerating it more.
I am not saying it is right or normal, I am just saying everything is speculation so for FatBoy01 to bash the OP based on something he has no facts on was a little extreme

Yep, we are all speculating, no matter how emotional we feel about it. Strong feelings don't make them correct.

 

[BillyHW]

I'm going to install mine this weekend. Got my fingers crossed. All four springs from my kit have different part numbers, so if the issue is some kits are coming with two springs for the same side, that isn't the case with mine.

That's assuming they didn't put the wrong one in one of the bags.

 

[Spank]

That's assuming they didn't put the wrong one in one of the bags.

The bags themselves aren't labeled. The individual springs are.

 

[Mattyp1214]

Hopefully Jeepcares will be in the office tomorrow and we start getting some sort of answers. It doesn thelp this really started escalating on the forum and brewing friday evening!

 

[desert runner]

I thought I would share my thoughts with you folks on the kit... I have driven about 100 miles thus far (on-road), really really impressed!

The spring rate tuning , along with the Fox shock valving feels just like the stock Rubi. Trust me I'm fairly critical, I have run (2) AEV kits and ended up with a 4" Long Arm Teraflex kit with Falcon shocks on my old JK. This MOPAR kit is much nicer than all of those previous kits (on-road) IMHO. I hope I'm as impressed come Moab time this March. Worth noting - I live in Michigan and we are in "Pot Hole" season, so my evaluation is not on smooth roads. We have potholes this year that would completely ruin any ordinary sedan's entire front end, let alone blow out tires or break wheels.

Lastly I'm still running the stock 285 KO2, as my new tires needed a week to deliver - this enabled me to really focus on the lift without introducing another variable into the equation. Many times when we evaluate a kit, we confuse our evaluation because we added the new larger tire at the same time. Having worked for Continental/General tire for 5 years I realize how critical tires can be in the overall NVH of a vehicle - which is why I pulled the trigger on 315/70/17 'Load Range C' BFG KO2. Between the impressive MOPAR kit and the new KO2 (35"), this thing should be very similar to what Jeep engineered it from the get-go.

I'm selling my original Rubicon KO2 tires - anyone interested send me a PM

Hi Harry, visually, it looks like the 2" MOPAR lift added more than 2". Is that your observation, too?

 

[JASPER]

Here is the other side.
It seems a little bowed. It seems to be better than other photos I have seen.
I will inquire with the dealer to get their insight next week.

HOLY CRAP WHAT A BOW.. NO BUENO BUD

 

[AZCrawl]

How does it not give a consistent spring rate? How would it cause the spring rate to change? I'm not certain of anything, so I'm genuinely asking. However, What I'm hearing from some experienced folks in the field is that it is common and they have not seen problems from it. Would I like it to be straight? Yes. Would I feel better about it? Yes. Will it drive differently? I'm not sure how it could improve, but if it does, I'll take it.

Can a coil spring actually be made perfectly straight? I seriously doubt it. So, the question becomes, how much of a margin of error is there? If you know, please do tell.

I still want to see what Mopar says about it. I've not found anybody that can give a definitive answer yet. I also have not found an engineer who specializes in springs.

Too bad my grandfather is long gone. He specialized in springs in industrial applications. I'm pretty sure he would have had a very quick answer for us. Maybe we'll find an expert. Everything else is just speculation, including and especially my thoughts on it.

I don't think this is a problem with the spring being made with a bow in it, if you removed it from the Jeep, it would probably look "straight". It may be too long, causing the bowing. Find a small spring somewhere, make it bow and then push down on it, see what happens. Springs are made to compress vertically. There is probably flexibility due to articulation, but the front springs at rest, "should" not bow.

Could it be possible that the spring was installed upside down, but on the correct side of the vehicle? I will ping a guy that I trust and see what he says about this.

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