Why does my TJ ride like a tank?

Bird said:
I've read this whole thread and really find no debate.
Can't argue that a C rated tire will produce a smoother ride VS an E rated tire.
A thicker less flexible carcass will FLEX less than a thinner more flexible carcass.

The only thing that i find unacceptable is telling a fellow TJ owner that his Jeep can't ride well with E rated tires when in fact it most certainly can as mine does.

Furthermore, there's simply nothing i can do to a short wheel based, solid axle TJ to make it ride anywhere EVEN close to every vehicle in my driveway.......but i love the way it drives.
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I’m not trying to convince anyone of anything. I have been looking for solutions to the crappy ride my TJ has. Defensive much?


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BendLarry said:
I’m not trying to convince anyone of anything. I have been looking for solutions to the crappy ride my TJ has. Defensive much?

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Lol....never paid attention to who said what and never defensive.
My skin is like an E rated tire :D
 
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Starrs said:
I hate to have to drag all this up one more time but what tires and shocks do you have on your tj?
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As I stated a couple of posts back.... Rancho RS5000x . Tires... Hankook load range E 33’s.. this has been a process for me since I have had this jeep a little over a year. I knew it road harsh compared to other Jeeps I have driven. I went to a tire shop to talk to them and I was told I couldn’t find good riding tires with the 16 Rubicon wheels I have. I don’t just throw money at things and I figured tire shops are in the business of selling tires so I was skeptical. Since then I have ready many threads here and other places where guys with Rubicon’s complaining of a harsh ride. I’m clearly not alone. I lowered the psi to 24 psi, a better ride but still crap. After more research I decided to see if it could be my shocks. I replaced my OME nitro shocks with the Rancho shocks and did get some improvement. I don’t care if others like their E rated tires. The more I research my options the more clear the solution is. I’m saving up my money.


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One final comment. I have since been to 4 different tire shops here in Bend Oregon to see if someone had a 16 inch 33 that would offer a better ride. They all said the same thing, go to 15’s and load range C and the ride will be as good as a TJ can be and noticeably better than any load range E.


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BendLarry said:
As I stated a couple of posts back.... Rancho RS5000x . Tires... Hankook load range E 33’s.. this has been a process for me since I have had this jeep a little over a year. I knew it road harsh compared to other Jeeps I have driven. I went to a tire shop to talk to them and I was told I couldn’t find good riding tires with the 16 Rubicon wheels I have. I don’t just throw money at things and I figured tire shops are in the business of selling tires so I was skeptical. Since then I have ready many threads here and other places where guys with Rubicon’s complaining of a harsh ride. I’m clearly not alone. I lowered the psi to 24 psi, a better ride but still crap. After more research I decided to see if it could be my shocks. I replaced my OME nitro shocks with the Rancho shocks and did get some improvement. I don’t care if others like their E rated tires. The more I research my options the more clear the solution is. I’m saving up my money.


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Since opinions are being thrown all over I would suggest ditching the hankooks. Those are notoriously rough tires. Again another “opinion” here, but that would be my guess is to why you are driving a tank.
 
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BendLarry said:
One final comment. I have since been to 4 different tire shops here in Bend Oregon to see if someone had a 16 inch 33 that would offer a better ride. They all said the same thing, go to 15’s and load range C and the ride will be as good as a TJ can be and noticeably better than any load range E.


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You have to get whatever combination works for you! Not everybody is going to like the same thing. This cannot be said enough. @Chris is using the same shocks as you are and is riding on E rated tires and has said numerous times he enjoys his ride. We all like a different ride. It’s as is we are supposed to conform to what what everybody believes is “the best” lol ther will never be a “you have to have this tire size” answer to this question.
 
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Starrs said:
You have to get whatever combination works for you! Not everybody is going to like the same thing. This cannot be said enough. @Chris is using the same shocks as you are and is riding on E rated tires and has said numerous times he enjoys his ride. We all like a different ride. It’s as is we are supposed to conform to what what everybody believes is “the best” lol ther will never be a “you have to have this tire size” answer to this question.
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I agree and have said several times I understand some guys like the ride they have with their Jeep. I’m happy for them. If I didn’t have a friend with a TJ that rides so much better than mine I would probably just think I was being too fussy. His Jeep has stock shocks and load range C tires. That coupled with every tire guy that says get rid of the load range E tires. Your suggestion that it’s my tire brand that’s the problem. That was what I was hoping for, it would save me a lot of money on new wheels plus I like the look of the Moab wheels. I have asked that question of every tire shop and no one has said that they had a load range E tire that was softer. One guy that I have bought a lot of tires from over the years told me they would never recommend a load range E tire for a Wrangler because they have had to many ride complaints.


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BendLarry said:
I agree and have said several times I understand some guys like the ride they have with their Jeep. I’m happy for them. If I didn’t have a friend with a TJ that rides so much better than mine I would probably just think I was being too fussy. His Jeep has stock shocks and load range C tires. That coupled with every tire guy that says get rid of the load range E tires. Your suggestion that it’s my tire brand that’s the problem. That was what I was hoping for, it would save me a lot of money on new wheels plus I like the look of the Moab wheels. I have asked that question of every tire shop and no one has said that they had a load range E tire that was softer. One guy that I have bought a lot of tires from over the years told me they would never recommend a load range E tire for a Wrangler because they have had to many ride complaints.


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Believe you me... if I wasn't so attached to the look of the Moab wheels, I would have ditched them a long time ago for 15" wheels and C load tires. I just really dig the look of them.
 
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I don’t know much about the rancho series but with lifts it can be a rough ride if you don’t match the shaft angles back up. It might be tires or alignment like other people are saying but the real question is, how’s the shaft, and transmission drop? My is rough due to a slightly bent track bar up front.
 
Jesse164521 said:
I don’t know much about the rancho series but with lifts it can be a rough ride if you don’t match the shaft angles back up. It might be tires or alignment like other people are saying but the real question is, how’s the shaft, and transmission drop? My is rough due to a slightly bent track bar up front.
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Improper drivetrain angles can cause vibrations and a bent track bar will shift the axle to the side but they won't cause a rough ride.
 
C vs E, I've had both on my TJR and yes, the C rated 15s are definitely more compliant and comfortable than the E rated MTR 16s and KM2 17s I've had. YES, I could live with either but fact, the C rating delivers a smoother ride.

Anyone with an engineering background should have no trouble with that statement.
 
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BendLarry said:
I don’t have any vibrations. I’m pretty happy about that.


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Which totally amazes me with that nose bleed lift you have. This brings me to another thought about your setup, and correct me if I'm wrong, but you're on short arms, right? We may have already touched on this before, but just interested in your thoughts.
 
bobthetj03 said:
Which totally amazes me with that nose bleed lift you have. This brings me to another thought about your setup, and correct me if I'm wrong, but you're on short arms, right? We may have already touched on this before, but just interested in your thoughts.
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Yes it’s a short arm lift. I believe it’s a Rubicon express lift, at least I had my alignment guy tell me he thought my control arms were Rubicon express. To be honest, I’m surprised i don’t have a pinion angle issue and vibrations. You may remember, i found that my caster was way out of spec which led me to believe the lift might not have been installed by an expert. On smooth highways the Jeep has a very quiet drivetrain.


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billiebob said:
C vs E, I've had both on my TJR and yes, the C rated 15s are definitely more compliant and comfortable than the E rated MTR 16s and KM2 17s I've had. YES, I could live with either but fact, the C rating delivers a smoother ride.

Anyone with an engineering background should have no trouble with that statement.
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Nobody is disputing this statement. The debate lies in the statements were E load tires give a harsh ride and in my experience they do not. The tj Rubicon came with E load tires. It isn’t bad and if it is on a particular Jeep I would be looking into psi, shocks, and brand of tire. BFGoodrich KM2s in load range E are excellent in my personal everyday driving experience paired with OME shocks. I would install this setup all over again and not look back.
 
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BendLarry said:
Yes it’s a short arm lift. I believe it’s a Rubicon express lift, at least I had my alignment guy tell me he thought my control arms were Rubicon express. To be honest, I’m surprised i don’t have a pinion angle issue and vibrations. You may remember, i found that my caster was way out of spec which led me to believe the lift might not have been installed by an expert. On smooth highways the Jeep has a very quiet drivetrain.


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Did you determine how much actual lift your lift kit netted vs. stock?
 
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