Ride height by model

[LKG]

The Altitude package includes heavy-duty suspension, which is the same as the Sahara and Sahara Altitude, so a Sport Altitude is only .75" lower than a Rubicon, equally optioned.

That's about what I assumed but that info isn't exactly easy to find. Thanks!

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[RandomSquirrel]

When you look at the build sheets, it'll state which suspension, brakes, packages, etc...and the heavy duty suspension is the same as Sahara and Sahara Altitude, as well as the brakes are the same as the Sahara/Rubi.

 

[Jtphoto]

So right off the get go the Rubicon suspension is no taller then a Sport. The height difference is from the taller tires. The appearance of height comes from Rubi high line fenders.
springs are allocated by options. A fully loaded Sport S can very likely have the same springs as a similarly optioned Rubicon.
only certain models/pkgs offer a bit of lift like the Xtreme Recon. But there is more to it than just taller springs. Putting heavier springs from a heavy optioned 4 door into a 2 door to get lift is not the correct way to achieve lift and if you do net 2”you will be required to add other parts to get everything back in line. This is not the cheap option to do right.

 

[AnnDee4444]

The best place to measure is the shock eye-to-eye length.

So right off the get go the Rubicon suspension is no taller then a Sport.

Then how do you explain the different OEM caster specifications?

Sport: 5.35° ±1°​

Sahara: 5.05° ±1°​

Rubicon and 3.0L Diesel: 4.80° ±1°​

​

There are also many examples of Sport owners installing Rubicon springs with measured height differences. Jeep also sucks at getting the ride height correct, so there is some variation in height with every trim level, but the generally accepted heights are as @Steph1 stated.

springs are allocated by options. A fully loaded Sport S can very likely have the same springs as a similarly optioned Rubicon.

Out of the 61 spring combinations that I've gathered from this forum & eBay, I've only noticed one instance of a Rubicon & Sport sharing springs, and it was only the rear springs (68249109 & 68249110) on a 2-door Sport with hardtop & 2-door Rubicon without hardtop. If you are aware of more, please share.

only certain models/pkgs offer a bit of lift like the Xtreme Recon. But there is more to it than just taller springs. Putting heavier springs from a heavy optioned 4 door into a 2 door to get lift is not the correct way to achieve lift and if you do net 2”you will be required to add other parts to get everything back in line. This is not the cheap option to do right.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with lifting a 2-door with 4-door springs, but you have to pay attention to what you're doing. I have 4-door/hardtop/tow package JLUR front springs in my JLR to compensate for winch sag. The official specs show the 4-door is 256 pounds heavier, with roughly 53% of the increased weight on the front being pretty close to the winch weight.

My biggest complaint with this setup is that the 4-door spring rate is realatively lower in the front to compensate for the 4-door's additional wheelbase. It rides fine and most people wouldn't notice, but I'm likely going to switch back to my stock springs + spacer at some point.

 

[Jtphoto]

You can play with numbers however you choose. Mopar springs go up by spring rate for added option weight not height. Just because side by side they may look a bit taller doesn’t mean they were designed for that. I’ll bet if you put diesel springs in sport you’d get plenty of lift only because the sport doesn’t weigh enough to settle the springs down. Bottom line is the difference in height between a sport and a Rubicon is all in the tires. Caster difference is a product of difference in construction of the diff housings, it’s all in the degree they weld the Cs on. The Rubi has a totally different housing. There are No guarantees that springs have anything to do with it.
Hey your time, your money but putting stiff Rubi springs on a Sport is not a money saver it’s a compromise and in the end you may as well have just started with a proper lift with all the correct parts from the beginning.

A 2” lift is a 2” lift whether Mopar springs or aftermarket it requires more parts then a simple spring swap. aamof if the Rubi springs give your 2door a 2” lift those factory Rubi shocks are no good to you either without extensions. You still need longer swaybar links , bumpstop extensions and possible track bars to do it right. And yes you have to know what you are doing and most people on here don’t. And you wonder why so many people have ride, handling and death wobble, bump steer issues.
The same with the JK world.

 

[azwjowner]

Out of the 61 spring combinations that I've gathered from this forum & eBay, I've only noticed one instance of a Rubicon & Sport sharing springs, and it was only the rear springs (68249109 & 68249110) on a 2-door Sport with hardtop & 2-door Rubicon without hardtop. If you are aware of more, please share.

I sent you one a few weeks ago where my 2 door Sport with hardtop and a 2 door Rubicon with hardtop both had the same front springs.

 

[Jtphoto]

The JL world has brought on a whole new world of spring combinations all in order to maintain the same suspension height no matter the options. Throw in the Gladiator which also has a line of springs.
Think about it, 2 bumper configurations (plastic or steel), 7 different roof configurations, 5 different motor configurations, 2 transmission configurations, full and 1/2 door configuration, special package configurations and Mopar lift kit configurations. There is no wonder there are 61 spring variations.
There is a reason all models have the same trackbars, control arms, swaybar links and bumpstops. Because they are all suppose to ride at the same suspension height.
Why does a 2” Mopar lift come with all these parts but the Rubi and Sport use the same?

 

[AnnDee4444]

There is a reason all models have the same trackbars, control arms, swaybar links and bumpstops. Because they are all suppose to ride at the same suspension height.

Again, if this were true then how do you explain the different OEM caster specifications? Caster changes with ride height, and Jeep used the same control arms on all JLs. There is no other way to adjust caster on a stock Jeep other than changing the ride height.
Sport: 5.35°
Sahara: 5.05°
Rubicon & 3.0: 4.80°


61 combinations that I've documented... likely many more. There are at least 112 unique JL springs.

 

[Jtphoto]

Again, if this were true then how do you explain the different OEM caster specifications? Caster changes with ride height, and Jeep used the same control arms on all JLs. There is no other way to adjust caster on a stock Jeep other than changing the ride height.
Sport: 5.35°
Sahara: 5.05°
Rubicon & 3.0: 4.80°


61 combinations that I've documented... likely many more. There are at least 112 unique JL springs.

And again there are different housings between the Rubi and Sport there is no guarantee that springs have anything to do with the caster specs in stock Jeeps, it’s about how they are put together.
Wrangler springs are weight rating based not height based. If they are meant to be higher then why are all the other parts the same? Control arms, track bars, swaybar links all the same. Yet buy a 2” lift and all these parts are addressed.

 

[AnnDee4444]

Bottom line is the difference in height between a sport and a Rubicon is all in the tires. Caster difference is a product of difference in construction of the diff housings, it’s all in the degree they weld the Cs on. The Rubi has a totally different housing. There are No guarantees that springs have anything to do with it.

Ok... so what angle are the Cs welded on? Do you have any proof of this?

 

[Jtphoto]

Ok... so what angle are the Cs welded on? Do you have any proof of this?

Do you have proof they are the same? They are totally different housings.

 

[AnnDee4444]

Do you have proof they are the same? They are totally different housings.

No I don't have any technical documentation and haven't measured the C angle myself. How would you explain the difference between Sport & Sahara then? Did Jeep manufacture two different axles for the Sport & Sahara with the only difference being that the Sahara gets 0.3° less caster? Why would they specify even less caster on the Rubicon if each trim level gets a different C angle?


Another question: My JLR front sock measured 20.5" in the front at stock ride height. The Sport's extended shock length is 21.5". If the Sport suspension height was the same as the Rubicon, that would mean the Sport has exactly 1" of droop and 4.25" of bump travel. Is this correct?

 

[Headbarcode]

The JL world has brought on a whole new world of spring combinations all in order to maintain the same suspension height no matter the options. Throw in the Gladiator which also has a line of springs.
Think about it, 2 bumper configurations (plastic or steel), 7 different roof configurations, 5 different motor configurations, 2 transmission configurations, full and 1/2 door configuration, special package configurations and Mopar lift kit configurations. There is no wonder there are 61 spring variations.
There is a reason all models have the same trackbars, control arms, swaybar links and bumpstops. Because they are all suppose to ride at the same suspension height.
Why does a 2” Mopar lift come with all these parts but the Rubi and Sport use the same?

All lift kits are designed specifically for the Rubicon, which is why the Sports and Saharas net a higher increase in height.

The majority of Jeeps that swapped to Rubicon factory takeoffs have indeed seen a gain in ride height.

 

[Jtphoto]

Sports don’t need extended length shocks because they don’t have e disco like the Rubi.
You will drive yourself crazy trying to piece things together like this by assumptions. There is no rhyme nor reason for most of it.
My point is, these are not lift springs, they are weight springs. If you get lift from them you still must add other lift components and you loose the “free length” that proper lift springs give you.
If you have to 2 - 20” springs, 1 rated for 2000lbs and 1 rated for 4000lbs. If you put the 2000lbs spring in and it compresses say 6” that allows you 6” of free length to droop before the springs falls out. Now if you put the 4000lbs spring in and it only compresses say 3” you in fact now, yes, have 3” of lift, but you also only have 3” Of free length before the spring falls out. There is no gain in that.

 

[Jtphoto]

All lift kits are designed specifically for the Rubicon, which is why the Sports and Saharas net a higher increase in height.

The majority of Jeeps that swapped to Rubicon factory takeoffs have indeed seen a gain in ride height.

They only see a minimal gain because on average the rubicon's are heavier But not all 4dr to 4dr see gains. 2dr with 4dr springs yes. Most of it is a myth. If you play the game and watch the part numbers you may see gain but you are not gonna see 2” gain from 4door Rubi springs on a 4dr sport. That right there make a swap pointless.

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