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What do I need to know before putting a JL Rubicon Suspension on my JL Sport S.

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Got it done this weekend and I’m very happy with it. I got about an inch front and rear (no spacers, just the springs, shocks and longer Mopar lower control arms) and it drives great. A buddy helped me and it took about 7 hours total. We’re very methodical and had to break it up over two days due to other commitments. The hardest part was probably breaking the LCA bolts loose. We did overtorque everything and had to back and redo that part. We confused Nm with ft. lbs and didn’t figure it out until we started to torque the LCAs. These are the part numbers and I’m not sure if they came off a soft or hardtop Rubicon etc:

Springs

Front driver 68253659AD
Front passenger 68253660AD
Rear driver 68253590AA
Rear passenger 68253591AA

Shocks

Front P68330209AB
Rear P68330210AA

The before/after pics aren’t the best as the before pic is with 245s and after is with 285s. Also, Plasti-dip doesn’t hold up well to tire swaps. Thanks very much for the advice on this stuff guys, especially the LCA advice!

Jeep Wrangler JL What do I need to know before putting a JL Rubicon Suspension on my JL Sport S. 1612230845285

Jeep Wrangler JL What do I need to know before putting a JL Rubicon Suspension on my JL Sport S. 1612230890120
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Htfan

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Got it done this weekend and I’m very happy with it. I got about an inch front and rear (no spacers, just the springs, shocks and longer Mopar lower control arms) and it drives great. A buddy helped me and it took about 7 hours total. We’re very methodical and had to break it up over two days due to other commitments. The hardest part was probably breaking the LCA bolts loose. We did overtorque everything and had to back and redo that part. We confused Nm with ft. lbs and didn’t figure it out until we started to torque the LCAs. These are the part numbers and I’m not sure if they came off a soft or hardtop Rubicon etc:

Springs

Front driver 68253659AD
Front passenger 68253660AD
Rear driver 68253590AA
Rear passenger 68253591AA

Shocks

Front P68330209AB
Rear P68330210AA

The before/after pics aren’t the best as the before pic is with 245s and after is with 285s. Also, Plasti-dip doesn’t hold up well to tire swaps. Thanks very much for the advice on this stuff guys, especially the LCA advice!

Jeep Wrangler JL What do I need to know before putting a JL Rubicon Suspension on my JL Sport S. 1612230890120

Jeep Wrangler JL What do I need to know before putting a JL Rubicon Suspension on my JL Sport S. 1612230890120
Nice job!
 

blnewt

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x2, looks good and nice work detailing your install!
Thank you sir! I just messaged the person I got the Rubicon suspension from. It came from a 2020 with a factory hardtop towing package. Exact measurements were 36” front and 36.5 rear before the Rubi suspension and 37” front and 38” rear after. Those measurements were with tape measure centered on each wheel to the edge of the Sport fender flare, with 285/70R17 Falkens on it. I hope this helps.
 

MudHorn4xforLife

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Nice! I’m waiting for my LCA’s to come in, already have my takeoffs. I expect a little more lift as mine is a 2 dr soft top. Side note, if you love your wheels check out powder coating for lasting effects. I’ve found people who charge around $200 a wheel. Sometimes less, wheel & deal with
 

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Nice! I’m waiting for my LCA’s to come in, already have my takeoffs. I expect a little more lift as mine is a 2 dr soft top. Side note, if you love your wheels check out powder coating for lasting effects. I’ve found people who charge around $200 a wheel. Sometimes less, wheel & deal with
Thanks, I’ll look into that for sure if it looks like I’ll end keeping them. Good luck with the suspension, you should definitely get a little more lift than I did. I think you’ll be happy with the LCAs as well. I think it drives at least as good as before, maybe a little better.
 

JLAFAKASI

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What is everyone doing with the trackbars when putting on the Rubi Take Offs Springs and Shocks? Do you need to change them to adjustable? or Relocate? Do Nothing? The real question is after the Rubi Parts are added, are the axles still square?

How is your steering after the swap? Ride?

I had a poor experience with my 14 JKU after a mild lift from TerraFlex. Wished I would have left it stock with all the drivability issues it had. Kept throwing $$ at the problem and it kept getting worse. Finally traded it off. So now with the new JLU, it drives great, and I want it to AFTER the swap. I know it will be taller, and drive like it. I have this JLU as a TOAD for an RV, max we plan on doing will be light off roading in the mountains and around Moab. We built the last one for the worst Moab had to tackle. It is just so hard keeping these darn things stock!!!

Thanks for reading.

18 JLU Sport with Rubi 33' KO2s,
Whats your set up looking like now? I have my sport on 33's now too on sport stock suspension and it rides great, I keep looking at mild lifts under 2 inches and maybe 34's or 35's down the road
 

Knel6

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Hello Fellow Jeepers, for those that have done the swap and went with the longer LCA’s curious if the increase in caster will cause problems with changing the pinion angle, or if drive line alignment issues are a concern? Considering long term impacts trying to understand what I might need to look out for... or if the lift and adjustments with the LCA’s are not large enough to cause concern?
 

zeebo56

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I had rubi takeoffs and mopar longer LCAs without any issues for a year. Just had to adjust the toe a little and recenter the steering wheel but those are easy to do. I wouldnt worry about issues with the longer LCAs and the takeoffs.
 

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Knel6

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Thanks to this thread and others I completed the rubicon suspension swap earlier this week. Work was done in the driveway with a couple of jacks and 6 ton stands. From start to finish it took about 5 hours for me and my dad to swap the springs and LCA’s and torque to spec (stock Willys package shocks match Rubi shocks). I am sure it could be completed quicker as others have shared. I ran into a little trouble disconnecting the FAD and with the front passenger spring bowing toward the frame, almost rubbing at compression. After further inspection, removing the spring and re-seating the top spring perch the bow was corrected. Other than that, it was a relatively simple swap.

Stock springs/Rubi springs:
FD - 58/60
FP - 59/61
RD - 87/91
RP - 88/92

Approximate before/after measurements to bottom of fenders:
FD - 36 up to 37 3/4
FP - 35 11/16 up to 37 3/8
RD - 36 1/2 up to 38 3/4
RP - 36 up to 38 3/4

Overall, very happy with the results. I didn’t install any spacer pucks as my intent was to have a bit of a rake so when the back is loaded with gear I can hopefully avoid the rear sag. This swap is a great match for 285/70’s in my opinion. Tires didn’t rub before but this definitely provides more clearance for very little cost. The ride is a bit stiffer on road (haven’t been off-road yet) but not in a bad way. Would recommend to anyone who is considering. In my haste to get started I forgot the before pic, but here is an after shot.

Jeep Wrangler JL What do I need to know before putting a JL Rubicon Suspension on my JL Sport S. B13729C3-AB12-43D8-99C7-927DC04E534B
Jeep Wrangler JL What do I need to know before putting a JL Rubicon Suspension on my JL Sport S. C842DF5C-09E7-4FED-838A-54772BA666B8
 
 



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