What you see before you will soon be bolted to the underbelly of our 2012 Jeep Wrangler Sport. It's Mopar's new 3-inch "JK Wrangler Pre-Runner Suspension System - Stage III Performance" and we're going to DIY the installation and document the process.
No welding is involved, but there is a wee bit of cutting and drilling. Maybe some swearing. It should be fun.
Mopar sells two versions: part number P5156141 for the 2-door and P5156140 for the 4-door. Each costs $2,400 and includes everything shown on this bench.
The flyer I have here before me figures it take 6 hours to install assuming you are a Jeep dealer mechanic in full possession of the required skill, tools and equipment. The implication for those not looking for a DIY challenge is you can buy this setup at a Jeep dealer and pay them to install it for a nominal fee that probably amounts to whatever they charge for 6 hours of labor.
We fully expect it to take longer as we photograph the process for what should be the ultimate suspension teardown walkaround.
Dan Edmunds, Director of Vehicle Testing
arctica6 says:
02:31 AM, 02/ 9/12
So i assume you'll be doing plenty of this pretty soon.
http://blogs.insideline.com/roadtests/2012/02/2012-jeep-wrangler-who-doesnt-like-jumping-jeeps-with-video.html
Especially if josh gets a hold of the car, apparently ;)
jaguar36 says:
04:22 AM, 02/ 9/12
I can't wait. This should be awesome!
jasond52 says:
05:03 AM, 02/ 9/12
Hmmm, in my book 6 hours of labor ain't "nominal".
200kmiletaco says:
05:37 AM, 02/ 9/12
Looking forward to this! And I don't even own a jeep!
bankerdanny says:
06:58 AM, 02/ 9/12
I'm with Jason, 6 hours of dealer rate labor isn't chump change.
With your lift and a decent set of hand tools you should easily be able to do this job within the 6 hour window.
Do you have a compressor in your shop? If you're going to spend a couple grand on a rotary lift you really don't have any excuse for not spending a few hundred dollars on a mid-sized upright compressor and some basic air tools.
texases says:
07:21 AM, 02/ 9/12
Between the photo taking and the first-time-what's-the-best-way-to-do-it issues, I'm guessing 12 hours.
_feloniousmonk says:
07:28 AM, 02/ 9/12
So, for curiosity's sake... that's some $24,000.00 for the Sport S model itself, roughly $1400.00 for tires, $1300.00 for wheels--and another, what, 300.00 for mounting/balancing?--and now $2400.00 for new suspension bits that bring us to a grand total of $29,400.00, or thereabouts. That's in the Rubicon's territory, but without the lockers and not accounting for additional labor costs/skinned knuckles/frayed nerves. Makes you realize the Rubicon package, while seemingly overpriced "for a Jeep", is still a pretty good deal.
eidolways says:
07:36 AM, 02/ 9/12
"No welding is involved, but there is a wee bit of cutting and drilling. Maybe some swearing. It should be fun."
If you're not swearing, you're not doing the work yourself. That's pretty much how it falls out.
throwback says:
07:46 AM, 02/ 9/12
This should be fun. Who's going to be turning the wrenches?
rioranchonm says:
07:55 AM, 02/ 9/12
@feloniousmonk
+1
A 2-door Rubicon adding no options is $30,795 MSRP. It would be fun to do the wrenching myself and I look forward to this blog, however, IL just made the case for a Rubi.
dinobot666 says:
07:56 AM, 02/ 9/12
Now you're going to have to start wearing Fox apparel like all the kids are doing these days. I mentioned to my niece that I have two Fox shocks on my bikes at home and she looked at me like I was crazy. She didn't even know Fox made shocks.
Either way, you'll still look better than anybody driving a BMW X3, even if you don't know what a Fox shock is.
hybris says:
08:01 AM, 02/ 9/12
I'm surprised that there are no leaf springs in this kit. Or is this a more a coil over conversion?
bankerdanny says:
08:04 AM, 02/ 9/12
I have to agree with Felonius. The Rubicon is a smoking good deal compared to the cost of building up a new Wrangler yourself like IL is doing.
The standard Rubicon stickers for $30,780 with destination. For the extra few hundred over what IL will have into its Wrangler you get a Dana 44 front axle, electric locking front and rear diff's, the electric disconnect for the front sway bar and an upgraded sound system.
Front and rear ARB air lockers would set you back about $1,500 just for the equipment, and the installation is not a simple bolt on like the suspension. An electric sway bar disconnect is going to be a couple hundred more. Then there's the heavy duty front axle.
Clearly if you plan to off road your Wrangler you are far better off to scrape up the extra dough (or pick up the higher payment) for a Rubicon then to try and build an equivalent one for yourself
104wb says:
08:21 AM, 02/ 9/12
I can't find any info on this Mopar pre-runner kit; it must be brand-new. It does look like it shares its design with a Teraflex kit. Are there components that aren't shown on your display table? Long control arms usually need new frame brackets, which I don't see in the picture. Also, are those rubber bushings in the arms (as opposed to poly)? If so, I'm even more interested. I've had both on my daily driver (Ram with 300,000mi), and the poly bushings don't last very long on my dirt road.
milt721 says:
08:23 AM, 02/ 9/12
hybris-
Jeep Wranglers have not used leaf springs since the 1995 model year.
bimmerjay says:
08:53 AM, 02/ 9/12
I also agree that I'd rather just get the Rubicon than go through all this, though I can see why some people would prefer to do it their own way. Good that you get the option for either.
heidis says:
09:56 AM, 02/ 9/12
Good luck. Make sure the first aid kit is well stocked!
And I can't find this kit available anywhere either. Did you guys get some publisher love from Mopar to get this kit early?
I concur with 104wb that this looks a lot like the Teraflex kit, just sans any adjustibility in the arms. I'd sooner not pay the Mopar markup and get the Teraflex kit. But that's me. Each to his own.
miamifan1 says:
10:28 AM, 02/ 9/12
Not a fan of the lift kit idea, given that your Jeep looks perfect as-is. Love the wheels!
But I do admit that it will be interesting to follow this modification and resulting testing.
csubowtie says:
12:02 PM, 02/ 9/12
dinobot666: I feel ya on the kids all wearing Fox stuff. Growing up, circa '95, I was huge into BMX and dirtbiking. I actually had and used Fox riding gear. I had a T-shirt too. Nobody else knew what it was. Now, thanks to the X-games and energy drinks, every poseur under the age of 30 is wearing Fox stuff.
Once they are done with this, it does seem pricewise and functionally the Rubicon would have been the better deal. However, while the Rubicon has capabilities far far beyond what most drivers will ever use, it simply won't look as cool as this one will. There is also the issue of this being a mild build-up. If you are going full on, the Rubicon value disappears as most of it's goodies would be replaced anyways, i.e. Dana 44 swapped for a 60.
lowmilelude says:
02:05 PM, 02/ 9/12
BANANA
and2222rew says:
03:23 PM, 02/ 9/12
I hear people talking about a mark up for Mopar instead of aftermarket Teraflex. Unless I've miss read this the Mopar "costs $2,400 and includes everything shown on this bench." the Teraflex lists for $3,981.99 on their website plus $700 for shocks. That sounds like the Mopar kit is too good to be true. What am I missing?
aggiemo says:
04:08 PM, 02/ 9/12
Yaaaa Hooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
104wb says:
04:44 PM, 02/ 9/12
Teraflex prerunner short arm is $2000. I think that's what this is.
104wb says:
04:48 PM, 02/ 9/12
Oh, with Fox shocks, Teraflex short arm is $2760.
alanscott1 says:
05:49 PM, 02/ 9/12
From what I can tell the main difference between the mopar kit and the Teraflex kit is in the control arms. The teraflex kit includes fully adjustable units compared to the fixed length ones provided with the mopar kit. I would assume the spring rates are also similar for both kits. Interested to see how the install goes, I'll be going with the teraflex kit when it becomes available, albeit with some adjustable king shocks instead of the fox shocks.
compressor says:
05:58 PM, 02/ 9/12
Really interested in this as I may be buying a Rubicon. One question:
Does anyone make a pre-runner type it that does not lift. I am not interested in the higher center of gravity a lift brings along, but I am interested in higher speed bump damping.
smilez says:
07:52 AM, 02/10/12
Is it too late to ask for you guys to maybe take a little longer and do this:
http://www.insideline.com/jeep/wrangler/2009-sema-auto-show-mopar-jeep-lower-forty.html
desmolicious says:
01:25 PM, 02/10/12
IL's Wrangler already costs more then my 2012 Rubicon. Bought new with factory hard top, trailer tow package, tinted windows, heated seats, 6 speed, sat radio, pwr convenience grp.