Smooth(er) Ride

[jchadscud]

Was reading another thread about ride quality. Mine isn’t quite “dump truck” but isn’t quite “cadillac” (@Chris description). I need to check my current tire pressures (realized in the thread the importance of the right PSI), but for this setup would you expect a smooth ride and what PSI would you run on road?

RE 3.5” lift w/ 1” body lift
RE adjustable control arms (upper & lower)
RE springs
Rancho 5000x shocks (brand new, break-in?)
Ford 8.8 rear axle (shouldn’t affect ride?)
33” Mickey Thompson Baja MTZ

 

[Chris]

26-28 psi is ideal. That will give you the best ride, paired with a good suspension of course.

 

[cliffish]

yes the shocks and springs will settle in more in the first few hundred miles, my 5000X and h & r springs did.

 

[Rob5589]

Definitely tire pressure. The shocks will "soften" a bit with use/miles.

 

[jchadscud]

Thanks fellas. I’m not sure how old the springs are, but the shop said there wasn’t a need to replace them. I asked when I was getting the shocks replaced.

How do you know when springs need to be replaced other than snapping one?

 

[Rob5589]

They have sagged excessively.

 

[Alex01]

I have had 3.5 re springs and started with ome sport shocks. In an attempt to soften it up I got bilstein 5100's which help a small bit. I came to the conclusion that the springs are just stiff. It's never going to be a Cadillac but softer springs would help.

 

[jchadscud]

Any recommendations on softer springs? The advice I got was “shocks make the ride not the springs”. I have no experience to prove or disprove that advice, but have no doubt it will be remedied by the collective wisdom of the forum!

 

[balfred]

I don't know of any specifically but I have heard there are some dual rate coils out there for TJs which would provide a more cushy ride.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[JMT]

Any recommendations on softer springs? The advice I got was “shocks make the ride not the springs”. I have no experience to prove or disprove that advice, but have no doubt it will be remedied by the collective wisdom of the forum!

Shocks control the ride quality, not springs. You’d bounce down the road without shocks, so the shocks return the springs to ride height. I have Bilstein 5100’s and hate them. The ride is harsh on road. I’m going with Rancho 5000X in the next month or so. Everyone here says I will get a better ride

 

[jchadscud]

Thanks @JMT. I’ll check tire pressure and make sure it’s in range then give the Ranchos time to break in and see if I’m riding like @Chris in the caddy!

Other ride is a 5 series with the air suspension, which I know can’t be compared to the TJ, but with the right setup I hope it’s a little smoother!

Should add that the 5 series has just returned after having to replace two tires for bubbled sidewalls. Dallas potholes! Don’t have to worry about those as much in the TJ!

 

[JMT]

Thanks @JMT. I’ll check tire pressure and make sure it’s in range then give the Ranchos time to break in and see if I’m riding like @Chris in the caddy!

Other ride is a 5 series with the air suspension, which I know can’t be compared to the TJ, but with the right setup I hope it’s a little smoother!

Oh, and I much prefer 24 psi on my Cooper STT PRO 33’s over 26psi. The little difference in psi makes a big difference in ride quality. You might play with yours a little and see where you’re sweet spot is.

 

[jchadscud]

Oh, and I much prefer 24 psi on my Cooper STT PRO 33’s over 26psi. The little difference in psi makes a big difference in ride quality. You might play with yours a little and see where you’re sweet spot is.

Will do. How low before you have to worry about being under inflated and getting bad wear patterns?

 

[Jerry Bransford]

I'd go 24-26 psi max in your 35's. I typically run mine at 24 but for a recent road trip I took them up to 26 but soon realized my Jeep wasn't loaded heavily enough for 26. It was much better on the way back at 24 psi. Overinflated tires are the most common source of a stiff jittery ride, followed by the wrong shock choice. Your RS5000X shocks were a great choice though, I think you'll like the ride between them and 24 psi in your tires when your Jeep isn't fully loaded with people and/or gear.

 

[jchadscud]

I'd go 24-26 psi max in your 35's. I typically run mine at 24 but for a recent road trip I took them up to 26 but soon realized my Jeep wasn't loaded heavily enough for 26. It was much better on the way back at 24 psi. Overinflated tires are the most common source of a stiff jittery ride, followed by the wrong shock choice. Your RS5000X shocks were a great choice though, I think you'll like the ride between them and 24 psi in your tires when your Jeep isn't fully loaded with people and/or gear.

Thanks Jerry, took the advice of the forum on the Rancho’s. Do you recommend that same psi if I’m on 33’s?

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Thanks Jerry, took the advice of the forum on the Rancho’s. Do you recommend that same psi if I’m on 33’s?

26-28 psi max for them. 28 only when it's loaded.

 

[JMT]

Will do. How low before you have to worry about being under inflated and getting bad wear patterns?

I think You have to look at the tread at vsrious inflation’s. For example, I looked at my 33” Coopers at 26psi and the center of my tire was bulging excessively. My track patterns in sand were not close enough to the edge, so I’d be wearing down the centers before the edges. That and the ride quality were why I dropped initially to 23 and later up to 24. My tires also have Armor Tek in the sidewall, so that may stiffen my sidewall over your MT’s. The Mickey Thompson Baja MYZ were my second choice. Only reason I didn’t get them was I play on the rocks and wanted more sidewall protection. What are your thoughts on them so far?

 

[cliffish]

If you like the ride height and it is the same at all 4 corners just replace the shocks. I used the H & R to raise my height 1" + as I had no real need to install a lift. Then I added bumper and winch so a 2" spacer (st0ck one removed) to raise the front to equal all the way around.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

I think You have to look at the tread at vsrious inflation’s. For example, I looked at my 33” Coopers at 26psi and the center of my tire was bulging excessively. My track patterns in sand were not close enough to the edge, so I’d be wearing down the centers before the edges. That and the ride quality were why I dropped initially to 23 and later up to 24. My tires also have Armor Tek in the sidewall, so that may stiffen my sidewall over your MT’s. The Mickey Thompson Baja MYZ were my second choice. Only reason I didn’t get them was I play on the rocks and wanted more sidewall protection. What are your thoughts on them so far?

If you're running the proper Load Range C 33" tire, there's no way its center tread should have been "bulging excessively" at 26 psi unless you're misinterpreting the tread shape. I can only see happening that if it was an improper Load Range D or even worse, a Load Range E. The air pressures I and most here recommend are based on the proper Load Range C tire.

 

[Alex01]

Airing down the tires will make a huge difference. The tire place put 33 psi in mine when they installed and the jeep rode like a dump truck. I have it at 25 psi now and it is significantly better. Shocks obviously also have a large impact on ride quality. In my opinion though a stiff spring has to have some impact on ride quality. If the spring is too soft the jeep would want to bounce endlessly causing the shock to need to work overtime and most likely premature failure. On the flip side is the spring is to stiff then the shock would work much less thus having a smaller affect on the over all ride quality.

Have you lowered your PSI?

For people with short arms and have a good ride quality what is your setup?

Hope you get it to a point where you are happy with it.