Suspension Recommendations

ThePaleOne85

ThePaleOne85

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Joined
Mar 7, 2022
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Location
Kyle, Texas
I have a 2013 JK Oscar Mike 2 door. Dana 30 front, Dana 44 3.73 in the rear. Everything on it is stock minus the 35" tires,2" wheel spacers and 2 in spring lift for the body. This is my daily driver, it's just now at 77,754 miles on it. Due to work I am only occasionally taking it wheeling. It still has the factory springs and shocks. Last week went wheeling and I could feel every single bump, rock, everything. My buddy in his mostly stock Rubicon floated over everything and didn't hardly feel a thing. I'm looking for recommendations for getting a smoother ride on and off road. Not looking to put huge lifts or anything. If I ever lift it it'll be probably 2.5" for now I want to replace the shocks, RC is usually crucified and I don't have the money for top of the line. Anyone have any shock/spring recommendation that stays under probably $1,500-$1,800 max? Pros and cons? It's an awesome rig and I love it, I just want to make it to where I'm not slamming my head and slinging my kids like we're in a tornado wheeling and not feeling the full force of every single bump on the road. TIA
 
ThePaleOne85 said:
My buddy in his mostly stock Rubicon floated over everything and didn't hardly feel a thing
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What is not stock about his rig? I agree with @BLACKJKU regarding pressure. What tire is your buddy running and what pressure? That would a good comparison.

For reference I just swapped my OEM Sahara springs/shocks for OEM Rubicon springs/shocks and the ride improved in my mind, but it's not "softer". The springs have a higher rate and I like that. I find that these springs and shocks compliment each other but they were essentially new takeoffs. If your shocks are tired your system will be underdamped and will feel bouncy. Couple that with higher impact harshness from tire pressure that is too high for the conditions and it would be uncomfortable. Every impact will keep on giving so to speak...
 
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BLACKJKU said:
What kind of pressures you running in those tires, lower pressure will make it not so bouncy.
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Currently I run 26psi -27psi full time on road, off road I run about 15. I know and understand it's a 2 door short wheelbase so I'm not expecting it to ride like an Cadillac it just seems more rough than bouncy. I have 2013 stock Chrysler shocks and stock springs, not sure if that matters or not. It drives straight as an arrow aside from the occasional high wind bob and weave, no death wobble. I guess I'm just wondering if there's really much I can do to soak up some of the roughness. It's my first jeep so maybe it's the normal amount idk but if I go over a bump or rocks or anything not level off road or a pot hole on road it feels more like a thump or clunk rather than shocks absorbing most of the harshness is that makes sense. That's the best way I can describe it, almost like riding a bike on a seat with no padding or shocks just feeling every bump more than I feel like I should.
 
tJKrider said:
What is not stock about his rig? I agree with @BLACKJKU regarding pressure. What tire is your buddy running and what pressure? That would a good comparison.

For reference I just swapped my OEM Sahara springs/shocks for OEM Rubicon springs/shocks and the ride improved in my mind, but it's not "softer". The springs have a higher rate and I like that. I find that these springs and shocks compliment each other but they were essentially new takeoffs. If your shocks are tired your system will be underdamped and will feel bouncy. Couple that with higher impact harshness from tire pressure that is too high for the conditions and it would be uncomfortable. Every impact will keep on giving so to speak...
Click to expand...
tJKrider said:
What is not stock about his rig? I agree with @BLACKJKU regarding pressure. What tire is your buddy running and what pressure? That would a good comparison.

For reference I just swapped my OEM Sahara springs/shocks for OEM Rubicon springs/shocks and the ride improved in my mind, but it's not "softer". The springs have a higher rate and I like that. I find that these springs and shocks compliment each other but they were essentially new takeoffs. If your shocks are tired your system will be underdamped and will feel bouncy. Couple that with higher impact harshness from tire pressure that is too high for the conditions and it would be uncomfortable. Every impact will keep on giving so to speak...
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If feels like everything is under dampened like there is almost nothing absorbing the blow. Even with air down it's bouncy and jarring. That's why I think I need new shocks
 
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tJKrider said:
I have similar mileage on my 2016 2dr and my OEM shocks were pretty much done when I removed them recently...
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That is my guess, my buddies Rubicon is a lot newer I believe it's a 2018 and a 4 door so I know that comes into play as well. I've done the bumper test and the front seems slower to come up than the back to with them being 11 years old I figure it's time to get new shocks. Don't have a ton of money to throw at expensive shocks, I'm fine with stiffness as long as it absorbs the initial brunt of the impact. Any recommendations?
 
ThePaleOne85 said:
That is my guess, my buddies Rubicon is a lot newer I believe it's a 2018 and a 4 door so I know that comes into play as well. I've done the bumper test and the front seems slower to come up than the back to with them being 11 years old I figure it's time to get new shocks. Don't have a ton of money to throw at expensive shocks, I'm fine with stiffness as long as it absorbs the initial brunt of the impact. Any recommendations?
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I found mine on FB Marketplace. My net price was $150 for 4 springs and shocks off of a Rubicon with 7k miles on them. Couldn't pass it up. If you can't find some good take-offs (low mileage JK stuff is harder to find for obvious reasons) I would go with a set of Bilstein 4600s:

https://www.shocksurplus.com/produc...4OvEZmOo4MoPeOfNJAFF4gF9OudtR7ZxoCICcQAvD_BwE
 
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How are you moving 35s on 3.75s? That's gotta feel tortuously slow.

One thing you can do if money is a concern is just buy a kit piecemeal. One part here, another part there, etc. If you ask 10 people what they think the best lift kit is, you're going to get 10 different answers. Best thing you can do is do your own research and avoid stuff like RC.
 
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Cimmerian said:
How are you moving 35s on 3.75s? That's gotta feel tortuously slow.
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You folks either have incredibly high standards or are speaking only from an extreme off-road and/or rock crawling perspective.

For reference my auto 2dr with 32" tires and 3.21 is very enjoyable to drive on road. The same vehicle with 3.73s and 35s has more mechanical advantage than mine... Now there is a large mass difference as well that will come into play, as well. Since the OP says it's a mainly a daily driver so the rock crawler condition doesn't apply.

That being said, I'm a big fan of gearing changes to match conditions, but one has to be realistic about what conditions they will see.
 
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@Cimmerian just read your intro post and I have a better understanding of your comment.

Since you have an 07 Auto you have the 2.84 first gear. Mine is a 16 Auto with a 3.59 first gear. Overdrive also isn't as severe (.69 vs .83) and I have an extra gear in between.

Based off first gear they are very similar:

2.84 x 4.1 = 11.64 (2007)
3.59 x 3.21 = 11.52 (2016)

It makes sense why you would see a 3.73 as a downgrade and I would see it as an upgrade! Its all about perspective...
 
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I'll repeat ->

I tow a 12' cargo trailer twice a year and it was incredibly painful to do so with the 3.73s and 35" tires with my 2016. Even just moderately hilly roads had the trans hunting gears. OD was useless. Since the change to 4.88s, my gas mileage has gone up a couple MPGs and the Jeep's a joy to drive again. Perspective and use is key to needs.
 
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Snowbird Tom said:
I'll repeat ->

I tow a 12' cargo trailer twice a year and it was incredibly painful to do so with the 3.73s and 35" tires with my 2016. Even just moderately hilly roads had the trans hunting gears. OD was useless. Since the change to 4.88s, my gas mileage has gone up a couple MPGs and the Jeep's a joy to drive again. Perspective and use is key to needs.
Click to expand...

Towing and hills you will need the 4.88's, like everyone is saying it's all about what you do with the Jeep.
 
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Snowbird Tom said:
I'll repeat ->

I tow a 12' cargo trailer twice a year and it was incredibly painful to do so with the 3.73s and 35" tires with my 2016. Even just moderately hilly roads had the trans hunting gears. OD was useless. Since the change to 4.88s, my gas mileage has gone up a couple MPGs and the Jeep's a joy to drive again. Perspective and use is key to needs.
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Great example of understanding your use case!!
 
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Cimmerian said:
How are you moving 35s on 3.75s? That's gotta feel tortuously slow.

One thing you can do if money is a concern is just buy a kit piecemeal. One part here, another part there, etc. If you ask 10 people what they think the best lift kit is, you're going to get 10 different answers. Best thing you can do is do your own research and avoid stuff like RC.
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I have the 3.73 in the rear Dana 44 HD and have the Nitto Ridge Grappler which are light as hell. Have no issues on or off road.
 
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Thank you all for your recommendations. I ended up with this one. My concern now is for some reason the front end seems much lower then the rear. There were 2in metal spring spacers on the previous springs which I removed. Doesn't seem to have affected anything but I thought it would lift all the way around equally should I put the spacers back in to lift the front up a bit?
Screenshot_20240719_201154_ExtremeTerrain.jpg
 
tJKrider said:
You folks either have incredibly high standards or are speaking only from an extreme off-road and/or rock crawling perspective.

For reference my auto 2dr with 32" tires and 3.21 is very enjoyable to drive on road. The same vehicle with 3.73s and 35s has more mechanical advantage than mine... Now there is a large mass difference as well that will come into play, as well. Since the OP says it's a mainly a daily driver so the rock crawler condition doesn't apply.

That being said, I'm a big fan of gearing changes to match conditions, but one has to be realistic about what conditions they will see.
Click to expand...
I would absolutely change our gearing if I had the extra money to do so. Living in the Texas Hill country going up and down hills and everhthing of 80 on the hwy its fairly smooth. I have no after market heavy bumpers or anything to really weigh it down. If I need to haul something I have an Expedition EL for that so the Jeep is just my daily like you said it it's not sluggish at all with the 35s on 3.73 it'll burn rubber no issue 😂
 
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