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Why is a Sahara taller than my Rubicon?

ken31756

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Seriously one of the better threads in a long time! Some of the posts are funny as hell :LOL:

The forum needs to start a new category.... "All-time Classic Threads" and start by putting this one in it.
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W5MQS

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The gravitational pull of the moon (the moon was full that weekend) coupled with the centrifical rotational speed of the earth at the time of the pictures...albeit would be greater if you were physically located near the equator...and given the fact that the Rubicon has a winch on the front...not to mention the amount of dead insects on the Rubicon compared to the Sahara...could've/would've possibly led to the difference in measurements. Just sayin'.

That's just my SWAG (similar to a hypothesis) and .02 cents at an answer. ;):bandit:
 

aldo98229

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This morning a fellow gym member parked his/her stock Rubicon next to my Sahara. Mine looked slightly taller, but I have 33.2-inch tires —vs 32.7 on Rubicon, and a 3/4-inch front and 1/2-inch rear leveling kit.

BTW, yesterday I mounted a front Mopar steel bumper; that thing is heavy! The Rubicon had plastic bumpers, which weigh less than half of the steel ones.
 

NHjeepingJL

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Rubicon

72D38E24-57DE-4DA7-ADD6-1BAD90D167D7.jpeg
9450D213-E30C-4950-890D-2F62A9556E02.jpeg

Sahara
D5901C31-DD61-40C4-B96D-368602B297FA.jpeg
7BB91F79-B05A-4ECE-9B63-0B5842A01953.jpeg

Tires on both Jeeps are at street pressure
FD699BA1-3E9A-4F47-8EC0-48872C0ECBA5.jpeg
I would say measure your frame height that is what matters. Also measure them in the same location your talking half inch and three quarters of an inch any slop in a different spot could make a difference. Also make sure air pressure is the same in the tires. The Sahara looks to have a bigger gap under the mirror as well.
 

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astglenn

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Huh? The Sahara mirrors are at about 50” and the Rubicon’s are about 49-1/8”
I get the steel bumpers weight it down a bit but shouldn’t the taller tires make up for that and then some?
That seems odd to me too. The sahara has the stock 18” wheels and 265 tires?
 

KenPewPew

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Or maybe you should stop using these Chinese style/Made for China measuring tapes! 😆😆

Jeep Wrangler JL Why is a Sahara taller than my Rubicon? 1638977902397


Or perhaps it would be a good idea to check that your Jeep is the real Jeep instead of some other knockoff and wannabes (ie Broncos and Beijing BJ212)

Jeep Wrangler JL Why is a Sahara taller than my Rubicon? 1638978742108


Just trying to help!!! 😛
 
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Vinman

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That seems odd to me too. The sahara has the stock 18” wheels and 265 tires?
Both Jeeps were 100% stock with original tires.
 

Capricorn

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Jeep Wrangler JL Why is a Sahara taller than my Rubicon? 1638978742108
Jeep Wrangler JL Why is a Sahara taller than my Rubicon? 1638978742108

Sahara
Jeep Wrangler JL Why is a Sahara taller than my Rubicon? 1638978742108
Jeep Wrangler JL Why is a Sahara taller than my Rubicon? 1638978742108

Tires on both Jeeps are at street pressure
Jeep Wrangler JL Why is a Sahara taller than my Rubicon? 1638978742108
The Rubi looks higher in the picture but it may be an optical illusion or confirmation bias. Can you measure from ground to the roof at the same point?
 
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Vinman

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The Rubi looks higher in the picture but it may be an optical illusion or confirmation bias. Can you measure from ground to the roof at the same point?
No can do,, the Sahara was a rental long since returned and the Rubicon is now lifted on 35’s
 

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astglenn

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Both Jeeps were 100% stock with original tires.
Vinman my friend, you got one of those anomalies, brother. I agree with you. It makes no sense. You should be between 1” and 1.5” taller. (Relative)
 

JABCAT

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Both Jeeps were 100% stock with original tires.
Check the spring numbers on both Jeeps. I’ve seen countless Wranglers with random combinations of springs on them from the factory. The Rubicon with steel bumpers and tow pkg should have the highest rate (tallest) springs, but I’ve seen Saharas with higher rate springs than the Rubicon.

My JKU Backcountry Edition came with the Rubicon steel bumpers standard but Sahara “heavy-duty” suspension. I purchased a set of take-off Rubicon shocks and springs only to find out they were lower spring rates than what I had. So I had to sell those springs and look for another set of take-offs with the higher rates.
If you look at the parts catalog there appears to be 6-7 different springs & I’ve never found any rhyme or reason as to which Jeeps get which springs.
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