Upgrading Stock Suspension W/ NO Lift?

[aquickmopar]

Yes hello, my name is Tony. I recently bought my Wife a Stock 04 Liberty Renegade about a year and a half ago. Her stock Suspension has about had it. Struts and shocks are pretty much done and springs are sagging. I just recently bought some New 225/75/16 Duratracs for her Libby. But am also looking to upgrade her suspension with much better parts. She Does NOT want any Lift. So this needs to stay stock height or as close to stock height if possible.

My questions are which Struts & Shocks should I go with & should I just replace with NEW factory springs or are there any better springs to replace with that offer NO to Little Lift?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks! This is for my Wife it is a Daily Driver that is Stock and Never goes Offroad. We have my 99 Cherokee Classic that sees the offroad abuse.

 

[Cardhu]

The ome "lift" with 925 springs and rear 947 will net you next to zero lift and give you good ride quality. It may put you up an inch, really minor change.

They give near same spring rates as original equipment. ie 300 lbs /inch up front.

Use whatever choice of stock shock lengths. IE the default bilsteins, or OME's.

All libertys' lifted and a like use the same length front shocks as stock so there should be no confusion on part numbers. Rear, just look up on bilstein website or ome 132 , (not 132L)

The remainder of the lifts that you have been reading about net the biggest gains from picking a stiffer spring and adding top plates / clevis spacers. If you don't add those things and just use stock top plates It will be back at the ride height it was when new(+maybe an inch).

Elsewhere somebody replaced the stock springs with the original equipment diesel springs, firmer ride with no lift. Not my recommendation but is a possibility.

Not sure what barebones iron man kit gives you but that is another option that comes recommended by the handful that have tried so far.

 

[4x4kayak2112]

I've have 4k on my Ironman springs and I have a measurement of 21 1/2 inches at all corners.

Here's another option
Go to rock auto and pick up a monroe or moog strut assembly for 100-120 each and rear springs for 45 pair. Get some rear shocks and you are back to stock height.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

 

[aquickmopar]

Thanks for the info. So if I did the OME Struts-F/Shocks-R. And did OME Springs 945/927 It will be close to stock height maybe +1"-1.5" Over stock? Im just looking to giver her a better ride vs what was on there stock but without adding any lift or as little lift as possible.

 

[Cardhu]

Thanks for the info. So if I did the OME Struts-F/Shocks-R. And did OME Springs 945/927 It will be close to stock height maybe +1"-1.5" Over stock? Im just looking to giver her a better ride vs what was on there stock but without adding any lift or as little lift as possible.

less the dyslexia bit, yeah 925 / 947.

monroe quick struts are more or less the same sub par ride quality it had from the factory, but does have zero lift and is cheaper then dirt.

Your haven't mentioned money yet so i'm hard pressed to recommend the quick strut route as there are better / proportionally higher priced options.

A little lift shouldn't make you shying away from it, you can always tell her it was just sagged before and she never noticed and this is where it should be.

I reiterate it will not be much above 20 inches wheel center to fender height. Stock is 19. Full lifts put you in the neighborhood of 21 - 22. See fender height sticky. Wish i could give you a hard fast number as not many choose the no lift / extras option and report back numbers post alignment.

 

[aquickmopar]

Lol. Ya sorry got that mixed up whe typing meant to say 925/947. Well Money wise depends. I'd figure to replace all it would cost around 500-750,.. but is the cheaper stuff like Monroe ride any better than stock or even close to the OME? Or would it be more visible to run Bilstein instead of OME and just run New Stock Springs?

 

[aquickmopar]

Now I've read where some people have said they netted 2.5"-3" from the OME 1.5" lift. Is this true? I can probably persuade her if its only 1.5" total lift over stock but if nets anymore than that like the 2.5"+ than she definitely won't go for it. She likes her Libby the stock height and doesn't want to be lifting car seats in and out of it and she's a little on the short side and doesn't want to be hoping in and out of her Libby either. That's why im trying to upgrade with better parts than what's on there stock but with Little to No lift if possible.

 

[tjkj2002]

Now I've read where some people have said they netted 2.5"-3" from the OME 1.5" lift. Is this true? I can probably persuade her if its only 1.5" total lift over stock but if nets anymore than that like the 2.5"+ than she definitely won't go for it. She likes her Libby the stock height and doesn't want to be lifting car seats in and out of it and she's a little on the short side and doesn't want to be hoping in and out of her Libby either. That's why im trying to upgrade with better parts than what's on there stock but with Little to No lift if possible.

The monroe's are junk,they will be shot in about 30,000-50,000 miles as they are designed to only go that far.

The OME's and Bilstiens will last 2-3 times longer while giving a much better ride and yes they do cost a little more.

 

[aquickmopar]

The monroe's are junk,they will be shot in about 30,000-50,000 miles as they are designed to only go that far.

The OME's and Bilstiens will last 2-3 times longer while giving a much better ride and yes they do cost a little more.

The costing more isn't a problem. I don't mind paying for something that is quality. I just want something that is much better than stock but won't add hardly any lift.

 

[tjkj2002]

The costing more isn't a problem. I don't mind paying for something that is quality. I just want something that is much better than stock but won't add hardly any lift.

The OME 925/947's will give about 1" above brand new stock height.Depending on how yours was driven that could be more due to how much sag the original coils have.

 

[aquickmopar]

The OME 925/947's will give about 1" above brand new stock height.Depending on how yours was driven that could be more due to how much sag the original coils have.

Ok sounds good. 1" over new stock height we can live with. Is the 925's/947's the Medium duty springs?

 

[tjkj2002]

Ok sounds good. 1" over new stock height we can live with. Is the 925's/947's the Medium duty springs?

Light duty coils.

The 926's are medium duty fronts,the 927's are HD,and the 790's are CRD front coils.The rear 947's are the light duty rears while the 948's are the medium duty rears,no HD rears.

Stock coils--300lbs-310lbs rated
OME 925's--350lbs rated
OME 926's--375lbs rated
OME 927's--400lbs rated
OME 790's--500lbs rated

Don't quote me but if I remember correctly the OME 947's are about 180-190lbs rated while the OME 948's are 200-220lbs rated.Couldn't tell you what the stock rear coils are rated for but not much.

 

[aquickmopar]

Light duty coils.

The 926's are medium duty fronts,the 927's are HD,and the 790's are CRD front coils.The rear 947's are the light duty rears while the 948's are the medium duty rears,no HD rears.

Stock coils--300lbs-310lbs rated
OME 925's--350lbs rated
OME 926's--375lbs rated
OME 927's--400lbs rated
OME 790's--500lbs rated

Don't quote me but if I remember correctly the OME 947's are about 180-190lbs rated while the OME 948's are 200-220lbs rated.Couldn't tell you what the stock rear coils are rated for but not much.

Weres the best place to buy well cheapest place to buy. Lol. & is it cheaper to buy the parts individually or buy as a kit? And if bought as a kit are the front springs already installed onto the struts?

 

[Cardhu]

Weres the best place to buy well cheapest place to buy. Lol. & is it cheaper to buy the parts individually or buy as a kit? And if bought as a kit are the front springs already installed onto the struts?

Ome is available at any ARB dealer like jeepinbyal.

kit does not include "strut" mounts, or isolators, you reuse them from stock equipment.

bilstein vs ome shocks, either are fine.

 

[aquickmopar]

Ome is available at any ARB dealer like jeepinbyal.

kit does not include "strut" mounts, or isolators, you reuse them from stock equipment.

bilstein vs ome shocks, either are fine.

Ok thanks for the info. I've pretty much rebuilt my XJ from the ground up, but this will be the first time I tear into her KJ and wanna make sure I don't mess anything up to were she's down for a few days.

Now how about the 1.5" Ironman lift is that comparable to the OME/OME or OME/Bilstein? And are the lift heights the same after install?

 

[4x4kayak2112]

Ok thanks for the info. I've pretty much rebuilt my XJ from the ground up, but this will be the first time I tear into her KJ and wanna make sure I don't mess anything up to were she's down for a few days.

Now how about the 1.5" Ironman lift is that comparable to the OME/OME or OME/Bilstein? And are the lift heights the same after install?

Mines at 21.5 inches all way around....so over stock "19 inches" I got 2.5 inches over stock. Its pretty tall and I didn't even add anything extra to it.

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[tommudd]

Ok thanks for the info. I've pretty much rebuilt my XJ from the ground up, but this will be the first time I tear into her KJ and wanna make sure I don't mess anything up to were she's down for a few days.

Now how about the 1.5" Ironman lift is that comparable to the OME/OME or OME/Bilstein? And are the lift heights the same after install?

Ironman gives you a little more than 1.5 inches
No matter if you use OME springs and shocks or OME springs and Bilstein it comes out the same, springs give the height/shocks control the motion

 

[spideyrdr]

Hey Tony, good to see you're checking this out ahead of time. Interesting choice going with the "smaller" Duratracs on the DD that's not off-roaded. I bet it looks great, might be a bit noisy, but the Goodyears are good looking tires! I'm running 245/75's Duratracs on my Liberty and they look great, punctured one on my first off-road trip of 2013 which hurt the wallet like hell, but what are you gonna do.

You mentioned lifting car seats in and out which means kids - go dad, go!

So on to my point - I don't know if I caught what your hub-to-fender height is now as a reference point. If the existing suspension is sagging, any change / replacement could move the Liberty up some. You're maybe not at stock height NOW so you're going to go up even if you go stock. Just be aware of that so there are no surprises whichever route you go.

Jeep on, buddy.

 

[aquickmopar]

Hey Tony, good to see you're checking this out ahead of time. Interesting choice going with the "smaller" Duratracs on the DD that's not off-roaded. I bet it looks great, might be a bit noisy, but the Goodyears are good looking tires! I'm running 245/75's Duratracs on my Liberty and they look great, punctured one on my first off-road trip of 2013 which hurt the wallet like hell, but what are you gonna do.

You mentioned lifting car seats in and out which means kids - go dad, go!

So on to my point - I don't know if I caught what your hub-to-fender height is now as a reference point. If the existing suspension is sagging, any change / replacement could move the Liberty up some. You're maybe not at stock height NOW so you're going to go up even if you go stock. Just be aware of that so there are no surprises whichever route you go.

Jeep on, buddy.

Hey man, ya I went with the Duratracs cause that's what i'm running now on my XJ and they are a good all around tire, Best All Terrain I've ever ran. I wanted a Stock size tire for her KJ since she didn't want to lift it but wanted a tire that performs really well on dry pavement / wet pavement / Snow covered roads. Especially since she's carrying our kids around and the Duratracs were the answer. So the only size I found them in that was close to her factory 235/70/16 was the 225/75/16 Duratrac.

Also I figured the factory springs are sagging and even if I install New Factory springs that it would rase it up some. But since I see people chiming in saying they gained 2.5"+ of lift from the so called 1.5" OME or Ironman Lifts then I might just go Bilstein Struts and Shocks and some Factory New Springs. Cause I don't think her factory springs have sagged 1"-1.5" under factory height.

 

[aquickmopar]

Ironman gives you a little more than 1.5 inches
No matter if you use OME springs and shocks or OME springs and Bilstein it comes out the same, springs give the height/shocks control the motion

Hey man, thanks for your info. I know Springs give the height and shocks/struts control the dampening / motion. What I meant by OME/OME or OME/Bilstein being around the same was the ride the same? Meaning the Shocks/Struts feel the same compared to one another. Does one give a better ride over the other?