Jeep owners tend to be well adept at determining the failure point of individual vehicle components. However, few parts bear as much abuse as those associated with a Jeep’s suspension system. Life on the trail is quite unforgiving and often relegates stock suspension components to the scrap pile in short order. However, top manufacturers, such as Rubicon Express, have now stepped up to the plate, providing a better solution for tackling the path less traveled.
For 25 years, Rubicon Express has produced a wealth of premium suspension components, specifically designed for use in extreme-duty off-road applications. As such, Rubicon Express has quickly become the port of call for Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Cherokee owners, seeking to foolproof their ride’s suspension system.
Born Out of Necessity
Most successful business ventures are born out of necessity to address a perceived shortcoming. The birth of Rubicon Express is certainly no exception. The company grew from the common desire of several passionate off-roaders to supply the off-road market with a host of premium Jeep suspension components.
Rubicon Express was founded in 1996, by a group of avid off-road enthusiasts who shared a common interest in Jeep modification. This passion also led to an epiphany of sorts. At the time of Rubicon Express’s launch, few options existed for those wishing to upgrade individual components within their Jeep’s suspension system. This was of special concern for discerning Jeep owners who frequented the most unforgiving of trails.
In a bid to fill the void within this underserved market, those at the helm of Rubicon Express jumped headlong into subsequent manufacturing efforts. The fledgling company’s business model soon proved viable as consumers found a wealth of value in Rubicon Express’s growing catalog of hearty suspension components.
By the end of the 1990s, Rubicon Express had become a household name within the off-road community. The manufacturer’s product line quickly grew to sizable proportions, thereby covering an ever-increasing number of individual Jeep models.
Rubicon Express also gained quite a bit of notoriety, for its creative, hands-on approach to quality control. The company has one of the most impressive product testing venues imaginable at its fingertips. Rubicon Express is headquartered only minutes from the famed Rubicon Trail, which the manufacturer uses as a proving ground of sorts.
Rubicon Express continued to operate as its own entity, free of outside ownership for more than 15 years. Then, in May of 2011, Rubicon Express was purchased by their current parent company, Transamerican Auto Parts.
By the time of this purchase, Transamerican was a name that had already begun to carry weight within the off-road industry. In addition to Rubicon Express, Transamerican Auto Parts also owns such companies as 4 Wheel Parts, DSI, G2 Axle & Gear, Pro Comp USA, and Smittybilt.
Within weeks of this acquisition, Transamerican had already transitioned to handling all Rubicon Express-related warranty claims, thereby continuing the company's rich tradition of premium customer service. This is a principle that is still honored to this day, as illustrated by the company’s implementation of their now famous Rubicon Express Advantage Lifetime Warranty policy.
A Solution for Every Need
Today, Rubicon Express offers one of the most extensive product catalogs of any manufacturer within the aftermarket Jeep industry. The manufacturer is especially known for its endless array of suspension-related offerings. Each of these components is torture tested to provide the highest possible level of durability before ever being made available for purchase.
Rubicon Express also tailors its products to the specific needs of every Jeep owner, as various aftermarket solutions are offered for a wide array of popular Jeep models, both past and present. This includes the Wrangler JL, JK, TJ, LJ, YJ, and CJ, as well as all models of the Cherokee.
The following are several of the most popular categories of products currently offered by Rubicon Express.
• Control Arms
• Front Track Bars
• Rear Track Bars
• Track Bar Brackets
• Front Sway Bars
• Rear Sway Bars
• Sway Bar Disconnects
• Sway Bar End Links
• Leaf Springs
• Long Arm/Short Arm Kits
• U-Bolts
• Monotube Shocks
• Twin Tube Shocks
• Coil Springs
• Shackles
• Steering Stabilizers
• Brake Lines
• Bump Stops
• Skid Plates
• Spacers
• Bushings
Rising to New Heights
Rubicon Express is perhaps best known for its production of premium lift kits, which are available for the vast majority of Jeep models, including the Jeep Wrangler JK and Cherokee XJ. All Jeep Lift Kits produced by Rubicon Express feature quality components of OEM or higher integrity. This is a quality that has garnered a significant amount of publicity and fanfare on Rubicon Express’s behalf.
Many consumers also find favor in the numerous lift kits offered by Rubicon Express due to their compatibility with factory Jeep mounting points and OEM hardware. Many of the company’s lift kits are also designed to preserve the use of stock stability controls. As a result, one can now enhance their Jeep’s off-road capabilities, while also retaining its value as a daily driver.
The manufacturer offers both short and long arm kits, providing unmatched versatility to meet any need. One can also purchase a Rubicon Express lift kit in a variety of heights, making it possible to achieve any level of trail capability that one desires. The most popular of these lift heights, as denoted by name, are as follows.
• Rubicon Express 2”
• Rubicon Express 2.5”
• Rubicon Express 3.5”
• Rubicon Express 4”
• Rubicon Express 4.5”
• Rubicon Express 5.5”
American Made
In a time when the manufacturing of automotive parts is increasingly outsourced to foreign countries, Rubicon Express stands by their commitment to U.S. production. All Rubicon Express suspension components are designed, engineered, and manufactured solely in the United States.
Rubicon Express is also well known throughout the industry for its unwavering commitment to complete customer satisfaction. In a show of this commitment, the company offers an industry leading warranty policy, known simply as the Rubicon Express Advantage.
This policy provides lifetime coverage for all Rubicon Express suspension components and related accessories. This coverage warrants all such components against workmanship and material defects. All claims of this nature are to be directed to Rubicon Express, at which time the detective components will be repaired or replaced, free of charge.
Top Rubicon Express Offerings
Rubicon Express offers a wide array of quality products, designed specifically to give your Jeep the additional edge that it needs to conquer any trail. However, a certain number of these products stand out above the rest, due to their overwhelming popularity with consumers.
The following are several of Rubicon Express’s most popular product offerings.
Extreme-Duty Long Arm Kit
The Rubicon Express Long Arm Kit was the “original” radius long arm suspension available for the JK Jeep Wrangler. This kit is designed to work with the JK Wrangler’s OEM electronic stability controls, thereby allowing drivers to retain the use of all factory safety hardware. When engineering the Extreme-Duty Long Arm Kit, Rubicon Express also implemented a number of practices to ensure that a stock pinion and driveshaft angles are kept in phase.
This kit comes complete with chromoly radius long arms, specialty-valved Rubicon Express shocks, and custom progressive coil springs. The Extreme-Duty Long Arm Kit also includes Super-Flex spherical ball joints, PT-Meg Super-Ride bushings, adjustable control arms, and a full-width replacement transmission crossmember.
Super Flex Short Arm Suspension Kit
The Rubicon Express Super Flex Short Arm Suspension Kit is designed to provide consumers with unmatched performance, along with a strikingly high level of ride quality. This JK Wrangler suspension kit, in its 3.5” form, will allow for the use of 35” tires, while the 4.5” kit provides enough clearance for the use of 37” tires. The Super Flex Suspension Kit also retains the use of the JK Wrangler’s stock mounting points.
This kit comes complete with adjustable upper and fixed lower control arms, Super Flex spherical ball joints, custom lift springs, extended bump stops, and lengthened stainless steel front/rear brake lines. The Super Flex Short Arm Kit also includes a set of Rubicon Express’ signature PT-Meg Super-Ride Bushings, which are highly regarded for their superior durability.
Economy Suspension Kit
If you are looking to enhance your Jeep’s cosmetic appeal with a sight lift yet have a rather strict budget to keep in mind, then there are likely few better options than the Rubicon Express Economy Suspension Kit. This kit comes in several individual lift heights, which are rather modest, though ample enough to achieve an aggressive stance, nonetheless. When equipped on the JK Wrangler, the 2” Economy Suspension Kit allows for the fitment of 33” tires, while the 2.5” kit makes the use of 35” tires possible.
The Economy Suspension Kit includes a set of durable front/rear coil spring spacers, refined bump stops, and extended sway bar links. Also included in this kit is the addition of a modified rear track bar bracket, as well as lengthened brake lines.
Adjustable Reservoir Shocks
Rubicon Express offers a full line of premium reservoir shocks for those wishing to improve their Jeep’s ride quality, while also achieving unmatched stability. These shocks are specifically engineered and tuned to Rubicon Express’ various spring rates and can be purchased as a matched set when selecting a set of custom coil springs for installation.
Rubicon Express Adjustable Shocks include a secondary reservoir, which promotes expedited heat dissipation, due to the fact that energy is expressed across twice the volume of fluid. Shocks of this series also feature eight stages of adjustability, which can be tuned to specific conditions faced along the trail.
