Rusty’s off-road suspension

Hmmm 2" lift with 33's ?
Probably not optimal but I'll let the Guru's comment.

I had 2.5" with 33" tires on my old Rubicon... It's a little tight for any serious flexing:

IMG_4632.webp


I'm doing the same lift this time around, but now I'm sticking with 32" tires, and adding a 1/2" body lift.
 
I’ll be moving to FL April 1st, only off roading I’ll be doing is probably the beach and light trails getting to some body of water. No crazy trails.
I think the 2” lift and 33’s which are 32.?? Will be fine.
 
I’ll be moving to FL April 1st, only off roading I’ll be doing is probably the beach and light trails getting to some body of water. No crazy trails.
I think the 2” lift and 33’s which are 32.?? Will be fine.
It will if properly bump stopped. You do not want to be smashing the tires into the fenders. Even a hard speed bump or dips in the road can cause a collision if not bump stopped correctly.

You could always add a 1.25" body lift for better clearance.
 
I had 2.5" with 33" tires on my old Rubicon... It's a little tight for any serious flexing:

View attachment 34500

I'm doing the same lift this time around, but now I'm sticking with 32" tires, and adding a 1/2" body lift.

Geez, I just love that black Rubi of yours. Just looks perfect in symmetry to me. I hope to emulate that look, but silver isn't going to compete with clean black. lol
 
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So I pulled the trigger on the ProComp 2” springs and Rancho RS5000X shocks.

Anything else I might need?

You should also extend your bump stops 1". They should go on the bottom for front springs and on top for rear springs. Also, if you run an aftermarket front bumper or a winch I would also recommend some .75" spacers between the springs and isolators on the front to level it out.

The link in my signature shows what parts I used to do all that.
 
So I pulled the trigger on the ProComp 2” springs and Rancho RS5000X shocks.

Anything else I might need?

You'll want a track bar relocation bracket for the rear TB to recenter the axle and get the rear TB's geometry right. Be prepared to lower the TC skid if you get vibes, or install a motor mount lift which will also help if you get vibes. The front axle will go off center too, but not as critical as the rear, unless you are OCD about the axles being off center, then an adjustable TB will be your next purchase.
 
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You should also extend your bump stops 1". They should go on the bottom for front springs and on top for rear springs. Also, if you run an aftermarket front bumper or a winch I would also recommend some .75" spacers between the springs and isolators on the front to level it out.

The link in my signature shows what parts I used to do all that.

Yes, I did order the 3/4 spacers just in case.
I do have a winch bumper but no winch yet.

I believe I already have bumpstop extensions but I’ll have to double check.
 
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With 2" bumpstop extensions and a narrow 33 it's doable. Oh and a washer on the steering stops.
At least throw a body lift in there as well. In my experience, 33s all by themselves require ~1.5" of bump stop extension WITH an 1.25" body lift to keep the tires out of the fenders. No body lift requires more extension.

Any combination less then 3.5" of total lift with 33s and you quickly start to loose the factory 4" of suspension up travel which will negatively impact the ride quality.

2003 Rubicon
 
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Yes, I did order the 3/4 spacers just in case.
I do have a winch bumper but no winch yet.

I believe I already have bumpstop extensions but I’ll have to double check.
You may already have extensions, but are they the correct length for this new suspension and tire combination?

While you are swapping springs and spacers around, fully cycle the axles to make sure.

In my opinion, especially if ride quality matters, an important goal with any suspension modification is to at least maintain that factory 4" of suspension up-travel.

2003 Rubicon
 
You may already have extensions, but are they the correct length for this new suspension and tire combination?

While you are swapping springs and spacers around, fully cycle the axles to make sure.

In my opinion, especially if ride quality matters, an important goal with any suspension modification is to at least maintain that factory 4" of suspension up-travel.

2003 Rubicon
Right now I have stock springs with 2” budget boost spacers. This is how I purchased the Jeep but the ride/ suspension is to ROUGH.

I like the overall stance of the Jeep so I figured new 2” lift springs & shocks would cure my problem and retain the stance.

I hope the previous owner did do the bump stops?
I still have to look.

Thanks for the great info. I’m still learning.
 
My Jeep is my daily driver. In the last year or so, I have become a big believer in good shocks and good up travel. My Jeep currently has 10.7" travel Rancho rs5000x in the front with 6.5" of up, and 12" travel Fox remote reservoirs in the back with 7" of up. Granted this requires cutting and welding to accomplish, but the Jeep has never ridden so well. I placed zip ties on the shock shafts to see how much I use to/from work. Over 5" of up travel!

Never sacrifice up travel. :)

2003 Rubicon
 
Don’t rely on the previous owner having done anything correctly. If you are not comfortable cycling your suspension to get the bump stops correct (especially with 33” tires on your chosen lift) then spend a few dollars and take it to a shop that will.

I was just at an event a few weeks ago here in Florida, and I can’t tell you how many fenders were ripped off of Jeeps. They were all over. It was the result of people not taking the time to properly set up their suspension, but just interested in looking good. The result is either going to be a ripped off fender or a blown up shock.
 
My Jeep is my daily driver. In the last year or so, I have become a big believer in good shocks and good up travel. My Jeep currently has 10.7" travel Rancho rs5000x in the front with 6.5" of up, and 12" travel Fox remote reservoirs in the back with 7" of up. Granted this requires cutting and welding to accomplish, but the Jeep has never ridden so well. I placed zip ties on the shock shafts to see how much I use to/from work. Over 5" of up travel!

Never sacrifice up travel. :)

2003 Rubicon

A whole lot of cutting/welding and some serious coin, right? Mid arms done right don't come cheap.
 
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A whole lot of cutting/welding and some serious coin, right? Mid arms done right don't come cheap.
True. I got lucky on getting them for what I paid... But I paid a price on doing the build all backwards.

Though the shock work isn't specific to mid arms. It could be argued that setting up the shocks right is a more dramatic overall benefit than changing the arm length.

2003 Rubicon
 
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I will cycle the suspension, I have no problem doing it it’s just time to do it. I only have a few more weeks till I move.
The 33X 10.5 BFG’s are abvertised as 32.5 if it really makes a difference from 33”.

I hope my new suspension combo smooths out my ride. Lol

Again guys, thanks a ton for the info.
Next will be adjustable track bars, now which ones are the best bang for the budget buck?
 
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