AEV Lift Kit Question - Sport VS. Rubicon

[DEFENDERBEAM]

Just curious if anyone has real world first hand data.

Assuming the AEV 3.5" lift should give you about that much, how does it compare when installing a 3.5" lift on a rubicon vs. a sport?

I have read that installing stock rubicon springs on a sport added 1.5"-2" of lift, so does this mean when installing a 3.5" lift onto a rubicon, that you may actually only gain 2" (+/-) on top of the stock rubicon ride height?

trying to decide between 3.5" and 4.5" lift knowing you also lose some height when loaded down. I have 5 passengers on most trips in our JKUR.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

It's called spring rate, each spring is made for a set load based on the vehicle weight. If you install a higher spring rate on a lighter vehicle it will give it a taller lift height, it's called simple physics. So when you take Rubicon springs and put them on a Sport this is what you are doing. Spring height affects it as well but not as much as spring rate, you can have 2 springs side by side the same height but may have different rates and net different lift heights.

 

[aristobrat]

AEV's springs are designed to give 3.5/4.5 of lift for a JK carrying the approx. weight of their front bumper + winch and rear bumper + tire carrier. They don't have different springs for Sports vs Rubicons, so assuming you have a Sport and a Rubicon that are the same weight, AEV's springs will lift them the same height.

If your JK is lighter than the weight of a JK running AEV's accessories, then you'll likely to see more lift than the advertised 3.5/4.5.

AEV's springs are progressive and my experience is that they don't sag that much as you add additional weight (over the weight they designed it for) to your JK. I've had 4 adults and a back full of tools/gear in mine before and if it sagged any, it wasn't immediately noticeable.

I ran their 3.5 lift on 35s for the last 4.5 years, and loved it. I'm 6ft3 and could just step right into my JK at that height. When my 35s wore out earlier this summer, I replaced them with 37s, and swapped over to AEVs 4.5 springs. Now I have to put my right leg in first and then hop to get in my JK (and my shorter friends have to grab on to something and pull themselves in). I knew I'd have to do that, but it's getting kind of old. Not sure if you were considering 37s with a 4.5" lift, but just wanted to throw that experience out there.

 

[DEFENDERBEAM]

Thanks for the responses.

Its clear the final outcome of the lift is the same for sport vs. rubicon.

But, it seems to me if the rubicon is already taller than a sport, the 3.5" lift will not add 3.5" to a stock rubicon (as it would the sport). This is what I am trying to understand.

 

[aristobrat]

Chrysler has different springs for Jeeps based on if they have a hardtop or not, or the tow package or not. This may result in a Rubicon being taller than a Sport, or a Sport being taller than a Sahara, or what not.

When you put a lift kit in, you're replacing the factory springs (which are different, based on the build of the Jeep) with springs that are the same. So if you put AEV 3.5" springs into any similarly weighted JKs, you should achieve the same amount of lift from them, regardless of their trim level.

 

[daveh]

Thanks for the responses.

Its clear the final outcome of the lift is the same for sport vs. rubicon.

But, it seems to me if the rubicon is already taller than a sport, the 3.5" lift will not add 3.5" to a stock rubicon (as it would the sport). This is what I am trying to understand.

Per Chrysler, Rubicon is not taller than the sport from the factory unless it's a 10th Anniversary edition which did have a small bump in height. If you have a standard rubicon and a sport with the exact options ie: trailer tow, hard top they should both have the same ride height although the rubi springs may be a stiffer ride.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

It's funny how many people do not know or understand the impact that spring rate has on lift height.

 

[DEFENDERBEAM]

It's funny how many people do not know or understand the impact that spring rate has on lift height.

I am glad to have amused you.

I wasn't asking a theory/engineering question, but just real actual dimensional differences of ride height differences after lift install between slightly different stock vehicles.

mine has the hard rock package so it could be the same slightly taller than average like the 10A?


Thanks for everyone else's comments.

 

[aristobrat]

I wasn't asking a theory/engineering question, but just real actual dimensional differences of ride height differences after lift install between slightly different stock vehicles.

If you have two Jeeps lifted with the same springs (i.e. you put AEV 3.5" springs in both Jeeps) and there is a height difference, that differences comes from one of the Jeeps weighing more than the other Jeep.

For example, if you take a stock Rubicon and a stock Sport and lift them both with the AEV 3.5", there shouldn't be a noticeable height difference. There's no real weight difference between them. Since AEV designs their lifts to give 3.5" to Jeeps carrying the extra weight of the AEV front/rear bumper, winch, tire carrier, and neither of these Jeeps are carrying that weight, both of them should get more than 3.5" of lift (because neither of them are carrying that extra weight the springs were designed for).

Now if you take a stock Rock Hard package and a stock Sport and lift them both with the AEV 3.5", there should be a noticeable height difference. There IS a weight difference between them. The Rock Hard has heavier metal front/rear bumpers, whereas the Sport still has super-light plastic bumpers. My guess is that the Rock Hard will sit a smidge over 3.5" higher (while it has metal front/rear bumpers, it still doesn't have the weight of a winch and rear tire carrier that the springs were designed to carry). The stock Sport should sit even higher, as it has no extra weight at all.

Essentially, there's nothing special about a Rock Hard that will cause it to sit higher on an aftermarket lift than a Jeep of any other trim level that weighs the same.

 

[Yuccahead]

Jeep's website lists the overall height of a 73.2" for a 2015 (hard top) Rubicon Hard Rock. All of the other Unlimited Wranglers including a regular Rubicon are 70.9" since the 2013 model year. The site doesn't identify the source of the difference since they seem to have the same tires/wheels. I could guess but then I'd be sure to be wrong.

See: http://www.jeep.com/model-compare/detailed-chart/?modelYearCode=CUJ201507


When I was first considering AEV's lift, I asked them what the total height would be for a 2012 Rubicon with their 3.5" lift and 35" tires. I wanted to make sure the Jeep would clear my low garage door. The stock height of 2012 Rubicon was 71.9 inches. AEV told me the Jeep with the "... 3.5” suspension with the 35” Tires will cause the vehicle to stand 76-1/2" at the tallest point." This seems to roughly tie out to getting 3.5" from the lift and and around 1" to 1.5" from the change to 35" tires. This implies that 2013-2015 Wrangler Unlimited will top out at 75.5" with 35" tires and a 3.5" lift. My Jeep, which ended up being a 2013, is right around 75.5" tall with the AEV JK350 package (3.5 lift, 35" BFG MTs. bumpers, etc.).

So if all of the 2.3" height advantage of the Hard Rock comes from springs, I would assume you would only gain another 1.2" from adding the 3.5" lift.

 

[406to417]

What is a Hard Rock edition? Did some google but didnt get a good answer.

 

[aristobrat]

http://www.jeep.com/en/limited-editions/2015/wrangler-hardrock/

 

[RubiconGeoff]

When I installed the 3.5" AEV lift on my 4-door Rubicon, I measured the front and rear fender height to the ground before and after. After letting the suspension settle for a day with a few road-test miles, I netted exactly 4.0" front and 3.0" rear lift. After a 2.5 years of use, the springs have not settled any further.

 

[brianjwilson]

There is no reason to get hung up on how much lift you'll get between different models. Take a sport, rubicon, rock hard or whatever, install the AEV 3.5" lift and they will all sit the same unless the weight is different. The AEV springs don't sag as much when weight is added like the factory springs. The reason most end up with more lift up front is because they are designed to carry a steel bumper and winch up front.

 

[DEFENDERBEAM]

Jeep's website lists the overall height of a 73.2" for a 2015 (hard top) Rubicon Hard Rock. All of the other Unlimited Wranglers including a regular Rubicon are 70.9" since the 2013 model year. The site doesn't identify the source of the difference since they seem to have the same tires/wheels. I could guess but then I'd be sure to be wrong.

See: http://www.jeep.com/model-compare/detailed-chart/?modelYearCode=CUJ201507


When I was first considering AEV's lift, I asked them what the total height would be for a 2012 Rubicon with their 3.5" lift and 35" tires. I wanted to make sure the Jeep would clear my low garage door. The stock height of 2012 Rubicon was 71.9 inches. AEV told me the Jeep with the "... 3.5” suspension with the 35” Tires will cause the vehicle to stand 76-1/2" at the tallest point." This seems to roughly tie out to getting 3.5" from the lift and and around 1" to 1.5" from the change to 35" tires. This implies that 2013-2015 Wrangler Unlimited will top out at 75.5" with 35" tires and a 3.5" lift. My Jeep, which ended up being a 2013, is right around 75.5" tall with the AEV JK350 package (3.5 lift, 35" BFG MTs. bumpers, etc.).

So if all of the 2.3" height advantage of the Hard Rock comes from springs, I would assume you would only gain another 1.2" from adding the 3.5" lift.

Your last statement is EXACTLY what I was wondering. Thanks for the comments and insight from your research.