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Who's happy with stock suspension?

13K views 70 replies 46 participants last post by  Mr. Sinister 
#1 ·
I bought my JK roughly 3 months ago. I felt almost obligated to lift/modify right off. It seems its the "thing" to do just because you own one.

I had a Chevy Silverado and two different Toyota Tacomas before this JK and was perfectly happy with them as is. Just maybe a size larger tire and/or a leveling kit at the most.

Is anyone running a stock height JK and actually happy with no desire to lift? Im looking at a set of BFG KM2s in 255/80/17.

BTW...this is my 5th Jeep. Only one, an '04 LJ, was lifted (OME) and that was to run the same height tire that comes standard on my JK. The stock height has always served me well with the right tires, just wanting to hear from some like minds.
 
#3 ·
Cat - I got to drive mine today at the dealership as it rolled off the truck (then I had to go out of town...without it), but I was very surprised by it and almost shocked. I was too thinking lift fast and bigger tires, but I think I'm going to run it a bit, let it work out its kinks etc and maybe do a small lift in the spring, but I might just get the 33's and slap them on and call it good for now. I figured the wife would be happy to hear that, nope her quote "but I like them lifted." Knowing me, it will be done by Xmas, but yeah overall kinda surprised by the stock stuff.
 
#4 ·
I added a 2" spacer lift but the biggest improvement I made to the stock suspension was replacing the factory Sport shocks with Bilsteins. Firmed up the ride and reduced body roll and nose dive when braking.
 
#5 ·
I am going to get the 255/80 KM2's as well. I may do a leveling kit just for looks. I plan to drive it for a while to make sure I know what I want. So far it has done everything I do stock with the GY SRA's. The only reason I'm even doing anything now is because there are 5 or more like mine in town.
 
#8 ·
I owned a 97 Wrangler which seemed primitive to my 13 Rubi Unlimited. Overall, I'm shocked how much I like it stock. I always tend to get carried away with mods on vehicles. I had an 07 Cummins 5.9 with a KORE Racing suspension which was nice and sucked stock. Also a 2012 F250 with a Carli King Shock Pin-Top system that was the best ride I have ever owned. Stock, the F250 was horrible. I have no idea what I will do to this jeep, but love it the way it is right now.
 
#9 ·
Can't complain about my 2012 Rubicon Unlimited's suspension. Compared to the vehicle I used to drive, it rides like a Bentley.

That being said, I think the ride feels wobbly, jiggly, floaty, and when the roads get rough, it feels "disconnected" with the pavement. This could just be the facts of life with an "SUV" with live axles. My wife's 2012 Forester doesn't exhibit any of these issues, but it's also built on an Impreza or Legacy platform.

The only complaint I have is that I wish it felt more connected with the road or more stable. I don't see how adding a lift and raising the height of the center of gravity is going to help me achieve any of that.
 
#11 ·
......That being said, I think the ride feels wobbly, jiggly, floaty, and when the roads get rough, it feels "disconnected" with the pavement.......The only complaint I have is that I wish it felt more connected with the road or more stable. I don't see how adding a lift and raising the height of the center of gravity is going to help me achieve any of that.
That's the description I was looking for when I made my earlier post.
Different shocks worked wonders for making my Jeep now feel more stable and planted to the road.

Even though I raised my center of gravity, I also moved the tires out by using rims with less backspacing.
 
#10 ·
I bought my current JK with the thought in mind that I would NOT modify it. I've owned lots of Jeeps, with the oldest being a 1956 CJ-5, all the way up to my current 2012 Rubi, and including CJs, YJs, TJs, and three other JKs. All of them have been modified, all the way up to V8 motor swaps, axle swaps, and custom long arm suspensions. I bought a 2012 JK Sport back in April with the thought of doing another build with it. A funny thing happened while deciding on which components to use, ... I fell in love with the way a stock JK drove. I absolultely loved the soft ride, the flat cornering, and the crisp quick handling with those tiny little tires. And it was soooo quiet and soooo smooth on the highway. Who cares if it wasn't as good for offroad, I've got another vehicle for that. After driving the JK stock for five months I had completely changed my mind about what I wanted to do with it. I decided to just leave it stock and enjoy driving it. And with that in mind, I decided that if I was going to drive a stock Jeep, it might as well be a little bit more capable of a stock Jeep. I sold the JK Sport and bought a JK Rubicon. I am having a great time driving this Jeep, and I have no plans to do any mods, except a winch. I've even got two full sets of Rubi tires and wheels to burn up before I have to think about new tires (the current set, and a brand new set of take offs from the last Rubi).
 
#12 ·
Love my JKU stock height. The tires are bigger than what I could fit on my 93 YJ which was stock height also. I drove that YJ off road all over AZ, not extreme trails but lots of sand, rock, and creek crossings. I never needed or wanted it lifted. Now I live in CO and looking forward to hitting some more trails but nothing that requires a lifted suspension.

Watch what some of the stock jeeps in this video are doing, and ask yourself if you really need that lift, bigger tires, or "high clearance" bumper. ;) Most of them are put on for looks, not as an actual requirement. Sorry, hope this does not get me kicked off the forum, but keeping' it real...
China Wall 7.17.10 - YouTube
 
#13 ·
Love my JKU stock height. The tires are bigger than what I could fit on my 93 YJ which was stock height also. I drove that YJ off road all over AZ, not extreme trails but lots of sand, rock, and creek crossings. I never needed or wanted it lifted. Now I live in CO and looking forward to hitting some more trails but nothing that requires a lifted suspension.

Watch what some of the stock jeeps in this video are doing, and ask yourself if you really need that lift, bigger tires, or "high clearance" bumper. ;) Most of them are put on for looks, not as an actual requirement. Sorry, hope this does not get me kicked off the forum, but keeping' it real...
China Wall 7.17.10 - YouTube
I agree. This is one of the reasons I get a real kick every time I read about a newbie who has never owned a Wrangler, and they come on here with a laundry list of planned mods just so they can go offroad. In many instances, the stock Jeep is far more capable off road than many people ever dreamed of. Not saying that all of the fancy multi-component lifts and huge tires mounted to expensive aftermarket wheels can't or won't make your Jeep more capable, but in many cases driver skill in a stock Wrangler would do just as well. Disclaimer: I am talking about DDs here, not pure trail rigs.
 
#16 ·
Con Artist said:
Can't complain about my 2012 Rubicon Unlimited's suspension. Compared to the vehicle I used to drive, it rides like a Bentley.

That being said, I think the ride feels wobbly, jiggly, floaty, and when the roads get rough, it feels "disconnected" with the pavement. This could just be the facts of life with an "SUV" with live axles. My wife's 2012 Forester doesn't exhibit any of these issues, but it's also built on an Impreza or Legacy platform.

The only complaint I have is that I wish it felt more connected with the road or more stable. I don't see how adding a lift and raising the height of the center of gravity is going to help me achieve any of that.
My point exactly.
 
#17 ·
MOPWR2U said:
I bought my current JK with the thought in mind that I would NOT modify it. I've owned lots of Jeeps, with the oldest being a 1956 CJ-5, all the way up to my current 2012 Rubi, and including CJs, YJs, TJs, and three other JKs. All of them have been modified, all the way up to V8 motor swaps, axle swaps, and custom long arm suspensions. I bought a 2012 JK Sport back in April with the thought of doing another build with it. A funny thing happened while deciding on which components to use, ... I fell in love with the way a stock JK drove. I absolultely loved the soft ride, the flat cornering, and the crisp quick handling with those tiny little tires. And it was soooo quiet and soooo smooth on the highway. Who cares if it wasn't as good for offroad, I've got another vehicle for that. After driving the JK stock for five months I had completely changed my mind about what I wanted to do with it. I decided to just leave it stock and enjoy driving it. And with that in mind, I decided that if I was going to drive a stock Jeep, it might as well be a little bit more capable of a stock Jeep. I sold the JK Sport and bought a JK Rubicon. I am having a great time driving this Jeep, and I have no plans to do any mods, except a winch. I've even got two full sets of Rubi tires and wheels to burn up before I have to think about new tires (the current set, and a brand new set of take offs from the last Rubi).
I know what you mean...I love my COD Rubicon!
 
#20 ·
I don't have death wobble. But I can only guess you are implying that lifting Jeeps and using rims with different offset will cause death wobble.

Oh wait......owners of stock Jeeps have experienced death wobble.
 
#23 ·
I did put on a tiny leveling kit on my 08 jku and am looking for new springs and shocks just because I don't like the rigid feel on bumps, it's too, I dunno, stiff? Maybe I am used to the DD aspect but when I do get it dirty, it feels rougher than remember from my 98. Dunno, still getting used to being in a tank and not my Mazda3speed. Lol
 
#25 ·
I'd love my Jeep to stop wandering when I take it on the highway. I was surprised--shocked actually--that it didn't drive at least 10 times better than my 99 and while I found it improved it still telegraphs every bump and follows every ridge in the road just as bad as the TJ did. Tomorrow I'm taking it's maiden voyage on the 45 mile drive to work after having the 285s and 17x9s installed and I'm hoping I'll be content for the moment considering the Jeep now has more rubber on the road and a little more spread. We're looking at a 2.5" lift in spring so perhaps some better shocks might help too. I wasn't looking for a Cadillac ride and I completely understand the effect a short wheelbase has on a vehicle's ride but I really was hoping for better than I got with the stock suspension.
 
#26 ·
OP: I've added 30,000 miles to the used 08JK Sahara with stock everything, except an upsized tire Kelly TRS. I like the OEM 18" wheels and will not be changing them. I keep reading my spring rate but forget it soon after, as I have no plans to change.

Given it rides like a hobby horse and handles like a lawn tractor, it still is improvement over my Ram 3/4 t 4x4 pick up. It gives me a smile every time I drive it, which is about 90% of the time on pavement.
 
#27 ·
Thanks for the comments guys. If I had my way I'd go OME again, only problem is finding someone around here I trust to put it on. The place that did my '04 LJ went out of business. I did love the way it rode.
 
#33 ·
Well here is my 2 cents. Had a "83" which I never lifted and drove through more mud and hard trails when the lifted ones got stuck. Never rocks and such, because that's a whole different animal. Had a lot of issues with the manual transmission, carb, and rear end stuff and it cost me big time do to the water, mud, sand and grit, but it was fun.

However 25 years later I still don't plan on lifting, but I do like the oversized tires wheels and other cool mods. So far my 285/70R17 BFG MK2's with Mickey Thompson Classic whees seem just fine with the stock suspension?

With that said I'm quite sure I will never test this "2012" like I did the "83" when I had less cents than cash. (Pun Intended)!

I don't cruise Malls, but I still will do some moderate trails by all means. This is my 50th Birthday present to myself and it's just a toy that sits in my garage. Had her for 4 months and just turned over 1000 miles last week.

That is why I'm:

50 Something... LOL
 
#57 ·
I don't cruise Malls, but I still will do some moderate trails by all means. This is my 50th Birthday present to myself and it's just a toy that sits in my garage. Had her for 4 months and just turned over 1000 miles last week.

That is why I'm:

50 Something... LOL
I bought a Jeep for the same occasion, though a little early. :thumb: And you sound like me when it comes to how you use it. So what changes have you made and how do you define "moderate trails"? Thx!
 
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