Peter Boyer
The authour’s winter project, a 2011 Jeep JK Sport.
Words and Photos by Peter Boyer
It’s widely known that Jeep manufactured approximately 2.1 million Wrangler JKs from 2006 to 2018, making it one of the most popular Jeep models of all time. The vast aftermarket of parts and accessories for the JK is only exceeded by the availability of used parts. This large-vehicle inventory almost guarantees an infinite supply of parts for many years to come and in almost every price range.
With that in mind, I purchased a winter project Jeep in October 2020, just in time to get it power-washed, degreased underneath, and up on jack stands before the first snowfall. This 2-door, 2011 Wrangler Sport is all OEM; had only one owner; the odometer reads 75,000 km (46,602 mi); and it sports a soft top. With no options, this winter project is about as basic as a 4X4 platform can get.
My Jeep still had the original 16” steel wheels, 225/75/16 tires, and a stock suspension, with the latter seeming like a good place to start for the mods. After perusing Kijiji for a few days, I found my new-to-me suspension, a Rubicon take-off part from a JKU that had a hardtop, 4:10 gearing, and a trailer package. The seller conveniently included the springs, shocks, and rear track bar, which was perfect.
Jeep suspensions are interchangeable and the spring specifications are generally determined by the vehicle options and not the model, but some special edition Jeeps are the exception. The part numbers are commonly referenced by the final two numbers and two letters as shown on the OEM tag, which is attached to each spring. Basic 2-door JK’s like mine have the lower range of the part number series, and the numbers increase for fully-equipped, 4-door, hardtop JKUs.
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Peter Boyer
With solid axles and simple suspension systems, Jeeps are straightforward to work on. You just need a clean, warm space and a few essential tools, even to swap out the suspension. A well-illustrated reference for this project is available online from TeraFlex, entitled JK Spring Removal and Installation. If you have an older Jeep, seized/rusty bolts and nuts will always be a challenge.
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A visual comparison of a 14AC front coil (left) from my stock 2-door JK and the 17AC front coil (right) replacement. The rear springs show subtle differences. Note the serial number tag, which is affixed to all Jeep OEM springs. This is a handy reference when comparing these parts.
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With the shock, track-bar link-lower bolt, and brake-line clip removed, I applied a spring compressor to shorten the spring length so it would clear the bump-stop extension for easy removal.
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During this specific project, the deteriorated OEM bump stop fell out and I replaced it with an aftermarket bump stop by Rugged Ridge.
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Peter Boyer
As the new 17AC coil was slightly longer, I slipped it into place with the use of a spring compressor, making sure that the end of the spring ‘buts’ up against the tab on the lower spring perch.
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I decided to replace all four bump stops. The OEM front and rear bump stop (right) compared with their replacement. A bump stop is an important limiter, which protects suspension components from damage during extreme compression or articulation. They are simple to replace when the springs are removed. Be sure to clean up the extension tube where they are mounted and compress them into place.
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With the new Rubicon take-off parts installed, everything looks good. Tighten everything to snug, and final torquing is required once the vehicle is sitting on its weight. The sway bar link is 75 ft-lbs; the shocks are 55 ft-lbs; the rear track bar is 125 ft-lbs, and the wheels are 95-115 ft/lbs.
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The rear suspension components follow a similar process. Pictured here is the sway bar lower link bolt, shock, bump stop, and track bar that was removed. I also replaced the track bar on the rear suspension since the old one was rusted.
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With the rear track bar, shock, and sway bar link disconnected, a spring compressor was not necessary to slide the rear spring in place. Take care to free the brake line retainer clip to avoid overextending the brake line - as seen here.
I compared the stock springs from my Jeep with the springs that I purchased. After a precise measurement, the JKU spring set was 2.54 cm (1 in) longer in the front, and 2 cm (.75 in) longer in the rear. It would be a lot easier to compare these spring sets if the spring rates/specs were known, so I just used a simple tape measure to get the specs.
Combined with the larger 17,” stock Jeep wheels and 255/75/17 tires, this fairly simple swap could potentially provide a lift of approximately 5 to 6 cm (2 to 2.5 in), resulting in better clearance, space for 33” tires (if I decide to upgrade), and a more appealing profile.
But springs were only part of the equation. I also purchased a set of four Rubicon shocks. Stock Jeep shocks are determined by the model, and the JK’s black shocks have a softer, hydraulic design while the red Rubicon shocks feature high-performance gas shocks.
Nonetheless, Rubicon owners looking for a little more performance often replace the OEM shocks for higher-end aftermarket options. But Rubicon shocks are an ideal option if you’re seeking to upgrade a basic 2-door Sport JK like mine. With 75,000 km (46,602 mi) already on the clock, the soft, stock hydraulic shocks on my project build needed replacing. Let’s take a closer look at the process and the end result.
Peter Boyer
The end result – My Jeep sitting a little higher and more solid.
JK Spring Removal Methods
- Raise the vehicle, place the jack stands under the frame, and remove the front and rear wheels. I prefer to work on the front and rear separately. Suspend one end at a time.
- Place a floor jack under the differential to control the height of the axle and adjust it to take a small amount of weight off. By doing this, the suspension components are not under tension while the various bolts and components are being removed.
- Remove the lower shock bolt.
- Remove the sway bar link’s lower bolt.
- Remove the track bar bolt. This is optional and not necessary if you’re using a spring compressor.
- Remove the brake line clips to give brake lines some increased slack.
- Lower the axle using the floor jack to achieve as much droop as necessary to remove the spring.
- If the spring doesn’t easily clear the bump stop or the spring perch for removal, use a spring compressor to slightly compress the spring until it can be removed.
- Reverse process to reassemble.
Note: Follow these steps to completely remove and/or replace the shock absorbers:
Front: Unless you have a new vehicle or want to reuse the front shocks, cut the stem bolt in the shock tower with a reciprocating saw using a medium metal blade. The rusted nut on the top shock mount is not worth the struggle to remove since it will be replaced anyway.
Rear: The top mount uses captive nuts. Be very careful not to break a bolt during removal or strip the threads of the nut.
No More Bloody Knuckles: 4 Easy Ways to Remove Rusty/Seized Nuts or Bolts
- Power-off with an impact tool or long breaker bar, and hope they don’t break or round off, particularly if they use a captive nut/stud.
- Soak with penetrating oil for 24 hours and keep the threads oiled while removing.
- Heat the nut with a torch.
- Cut the bolt head/nut using a hacksaw, reciprocating saw, grinder, or chisel.
Usually, a combination of the first three will work, and the fourth option is a last resort. If they are not too damaged, the OEM fasteners are worth saving as they can be expensive to replace, generally high quality, and are exact to OEM specs so they can be used for the same or specific application later on.
For my project, the two bolts holding the upper rear-shock flanges in place use captive nuts, and extra care is needed as it’s difficult to repair them if the bolt strips or breaks. When I removed them, I carefully backed the bolts out by hand using a ½” ratchet and extension, kept everything well-soaked in oil, and backed the bolt out a turn-and-a-half, then back in one turn, then out another turn and a half, and so on, until the bolt was free from its rusty threads and ready to be removed. Buff the old bolt threads off with a wire wheel or replace it, and then restore the nut threads with an actual bolt chaser before reinstallation as needed.
How to Install Bump Stops
New bump stops are stiff, non-malleable, and can be resistant to being pressed into their extension tubes by hand. One option I have seen used is to carefully notch the ring of the bump stop to correspond with the retaining tabs. After it’s slipped into place, rotate it slightly to secure it by the retaining tabs.
With the springs removed, there’s enough room to work and compress the bump stop in place using a floor jack. First, remove as much rust and debris from the extension tube as possible, and then coat the bump stop liberally in liquid soap to serve as a temporary lubricant. Then, using the jack on the axle and a block of wood, gently compress the bump stop into place until it’s captured by the retaining tabs and straight and secure. An extra set of hands can be helpful to keep the bump stop centred on the extension.
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Peter Boyer
New bump stops are stiff so a little persuasion with a block of wood and raising the axle with the floor jack will do the trick.
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All buttoned up and ready for final torquing once the vehicle is sitting under its own weight. The chassis corrosion here was later treated with a coat of POR-15 rust paint.