Btw, I did end up speaking with Dirk and he said he doesn't have any products that fit my needs. Anything and everything he could think of would end up with a lift higher then I am looking for which is a non starter for me.
JKU Suspension dilemma
- Thread starter wandererr
- Start date
Btw, I did end up speaking with Dirk and he said he doesn't have any products that fit my needs. Anything and everything he could think of would end up with a lift higher then I am looking for which is a non starter for me.
Dan Grec
Expedition Leader
I went through the same dilema with mine - I really wanted it to handle all the weight (around 6, 000lbs), but not be sky high.
I started with an AEV 2.5", but they warned me it wasn't designed for the weight, and they were right.
Now I run the AEV 3.5" and it's good, but the weight still is too much.
I would love to run their high capacity lift, but it only comes in 4.5", and I have no interest in going that big - I run 33s and I'll never go up to 35s for a list of reasons longer than my arm.
So that leaves me thinking airbags might be a good solution for what I want and need - not too high, but ability to carry the load.
An overlanding German friend of mine that spent a decade all over north Africa in the 80s ran airbags in his land cruiser, and said they didn't start showing signs of "wearing out" until he'd used them extensively for almost 10 years. So they seem plenty durable enough.
-Dan
I started with an AEV 2.5", but they warned me it wasn't designed for the weight, and they were right.
Now I run the AEV 3.5" and it's good, but the weight still is too much.
I would love to run their high capacity lift, but it only comes in 4.5", and I have no interest in going that big - I run 33s and I'll never go up to 35s for a list of reasons longer than my arm.
So that leaves me thinking airbags might be a good solution for what I want and need - not too high, but ability to carry the load.
An overlanding German friend of mine that spent a decade all over north Africa in the 80s ran airbags in his land cruiser, and said they didn't start showing signs of "wearing out" until he'd used them extensively for almost 10 years. So they seem plenty durable enough.
-Dan
yeah, I'm not discounting the airbags, but for now I will be dropping in the 1.5" TF springs tonight and see what they do for me. I will add a spacer (that I have left laying around in the garage) if I need to to account for the UM top once that gets installed in the fall and if the trailer becomes an issue with the TF springs, I will add airbags at that point.
Kinda wish that I started with the 1.5" TF springs....
Kinda wish that I started with the 1.5" TF springs....
zgfiredude
Active member
I have the TF 1.5s and they don't seem to really be all that "heavy duty" for weight. When I'm loaded for camping (not crazy heavy) and attach my teardrop (150 pounds tongue weight) it will squat. Further, I can see and feel the difference after the recent addition of my Gobi rack which they say is 88 pounds.
I totally get the desire for staying lower. Just sharing my experience with the TF 1.5s.
I totally get the desire for staying lower. Just sharing my experience with the TF 1.5s.
Thanks! I'll see what the TF 1.5" ends up doing for me in the long run but for now (4 hours since the install) they seem like the right fit.
i am at nearly 1.5" still with a steel bumper and a trunk full of tools, parts, cargo carrier on the roof with chairs, shower tent and so on... When I added 184# into the trunk in form of water jugs and cans I dropped about .75".
Nirvana! I'll see what the springs settle at and figure that if needed I can swap the stock coil isolator for either the .75" spacer or maybe a taller one to deal with extra ursa weight and the cargo area fridge.
i am at nearly 1.5" still with a steel bumper and a trunk full of tools, parts, cargo carrier on the roof with chairs, shower tent and so on... When I added 184# into the trunk in form of water jugs and cans I dropped about .75".
Nirvana! I'll see what the springs settle at and figure that if needed I can swap the stock coil isolator for either the .75" spacer or maybe a taller one to deal with extra ursa weight and the cargo area fridge.
I spoke with them and they were surprised I netted as much and indicated that while springs will settle some, they won't settle that much and yes - if I'm not happy I should return them.... god bless amazon for free return shipping. I have 1.5" TF ones coming in that I'm hoping will fit the bill. I pressed again about the differences and turns out the 1.5" ones have spring rate of 180. So going back to my original calculations and thinking, if they net me a hair over what they advertise (probably not as much as the outback ones as they're lighter duty) this might be the ticket. Should they compress more under load, I can always stick the spacer I have to compensate. In general I need to get more lift then I have now and deal with the weight of Ursa Minor top when it comes in....... cue the tune titled "March of the gladiators" as I run around looking for an empty chair(wonder how many will get the joke
Which airbags did you get? How did they mount? Air through the top?
Airlift 1000
They slide inside oem springs
yes air line enters thru the top.
shays4me
Willing Wanderer
I have the ome 2618 springs under my Jeep with an Ursa Minor j30 and they netted me and inch and five eighths of lift in the rear unloaded. They seem to handle pretty good until the Jeep is above 6000 pounds. I bought a set of the 2620 springs which gave me more capacity and lift, but like I stated before in the other thread they were a harsh ride when unloaded. I’ve never experienced a bad ride out of the 2618 springs, even on my previous Jku without an ursa minor top. The 300 pound 2618 spring is a puppy dog. The 600 pound is for overloading!
From everything that I read reports were that OME nets more then 2.5" to start with and are a great spring that doesn't give much so i was afraid that I'll end up with too much lift.
In taking with Dirk @ DPG he indicated the same as well
shays4me
Willing Wanderer
That hasn’t been my experience on either of the Jeep’s I’ve installed them on. Of course spring lift all depends on how much weight it’s holding up so there’s always a variable. The 2620 spring gives my Jeep a good rake with 2619 and OME trim packers up front. It’s definitely around 3” of lift on my current Jeep. The 2618 rear springs were measured using the method shown above from Jeep and they came out to 1 5/8” for me with the Jeep at @5400 pounds. They sag when I really load a bunch of gear and get above 6000 pounds. I tend to weigh the Jeep regularly because I’m trying to control/lose weight overall. I would really like to lose 300 more pounds when loaded. Not sure if that’s doable currently but we all have dreams!
MattJ
Adventurer
dirtlimo
Observer
I started down the AEV route and my opinion was it was too rough of a ride. Ended up with Fox 2.5 with the DSC adjusters with 4" EVO plush rides on 37's. That was a compliant ride but she sagged a bit. Installed JKS ACOS adjustable coil spacers in the rear and I was very happy with the ride and height. 
that_dude
Member
Hard to beat firsthand experience. I think this is excellent information and probably the best option for the OP. An inch and 5/8 might be a little taller than the OP desires, but there’s almost always going to be a compromise that needs to be made.
If it were me I’d put OME springs in the front too, like shays4me.
I'll sort of hijack my own thread: I see you have the short ARB in the back. How do you like it? does it serve you or are you wishing it was bigger and don't use it as much?
Dan Grec
Expedition Leader
I have one too... and it's simply too small. If the rain is even slightly sideways you only get about a 1 foot street of "rain free" space running down the middle (which isn't where my tailgate mounted kitchen is)
With a side wall or two it would be better... but I think it's just too small. I've used mine maybe 20 times in 5 years.
-Dan