I built 8 different Jeeps before entering into the JK world. (1) CJ 5, (2) CJ7s,
(2) YJs and (3) TJs. The CJs and YJs as you all know, are leaf sprung Jeeps. The TJs and Jks are coil sprung. Every single lift kit, no matter who built it, no matter weather it was a leaf spring lift kit or, a coil spring lift kit, for any of those Jeeps, made those Jeeps ride a lot harsher, than the factory springs did. Yes, all of them lifted the Jeeps but, they (the makers of the lift kits and springs) could care less about the ride. All they wanted to make sure of was, that the Jeep(s) were lifted to the expected height, when installed.
I hated the ride of all of them. Beat me and the wife to death. And please don't make any wisecracks about not using the correct shocks with those kits. A STIFF SPRING is a STIFF SPRING, PERIOD!
Skip forward a few dozen years to our now present, newly acquired 2015 JKUR. This Jeep rides SERIOUSLY NICER than any of the previous Jeeps we've owned. This is why I researched, as many of you have also, the LEVELING kits available. I wanted it to ride IDENTICAL, after it was lifted/leveled, to the way it did BEFORE it was lifted/leveled. And the only way I could see that happening was to keep the factory springs.
I figure those boys(and girls) that are in the R&D department for suspension at Jeep, kind-a know what they're doing and, have calculated just what kind of springs, spring rates, spring coil size, shock systems, etc. are needed for the most complimentary ride possible, without jeopardizing any street and or off road handling issues. Another words, the springs are stiff enough to hold the EXACT weight of that JKUR up and keep it handling like it should, without compromising any, or, at the very least, providing the best comfort possible, FOR A JEEP WRANGLER.
Now, the Off-Road Market, as big as it is, with all the big names, making $$$millions$$ totally can't seem to provide a nice, EXACTING ride, as the factory does, while lifting the Jeep. Well, many on here and in other parts of the Jeep world are asked: "hows your jeep ride after it's been lifted?". Many, due to the fact that they just put as much as $3,000 or more into a lift, will reply: "It rides GREAT"!
Well, "Great" is in the eye or, the a$$ of the beholder. In all reality, I've not ridden in very many lifted JKs. Lifted with aftermarket springs I should say. So, based on all my experience in lifts and rides so far, I'm only assuming that it (the harshness of all the early era lift kits) still continues today, in JKs. This is an assumption mind you.
We are incredibly happy with our 2015 JKUR after the 2" TF leveling kit because, it retained the factory springs. Now, being that it's only leveled/lifted 2" and we're sporting the Hancook 315 70 17 A/Ts on it, we're not going to tear up Moab, for sure. But, that wasn't the intent of our lift/level operation.
So, I too, would like to see spring rates vs actual weights of the intended vehicles. That way, I could make a fairly educated/researched guess as to which kit would provide the actual best ride, if and when we decided to go any higher.
Scott