How fast should you be able to go?

I belive the max I've had mine was 90 mph but I usually keep it around 80 mph on the interstate on a 2" lift and 33x12.5 tires with zero issues. It doesn't feel squirrly or dangerous at all.

However, when I first bought it, it had the 2" lift and 32x10.5 tires and it felt like it floated at around 50 mph. It felt a little dangerous and I payed extra attention while driving it.

After new wheels, tires and a front end alignment, it drove perfect. I can take my hand off the wheel driving down the road and it stays straight as an arrow. An alignment and properly aired tires will make a big difference.
 
starkey480 said:
I can go 80 comfortably in my TJ and I’m on 35s and 4 inch lift. When my control arm bushings were worn out it also made my Jeep feel squirrelly so I would start by checking all your joints for wear. Control arms, tie rod ends, ball joints’ etc.
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Mine is set up the same and I can go 80 on a nice road, usually I cruse about 70 on the freeways
 
This thread is the kind that really catches my eye... When I got my TJ I really didn't know what I was looking at... And boy did I assess it terribly.

really my ownership of it has been a pursuit to make the thing Drive something like a modern vehicle... And thanks to this forum and pretty much this forum only I've been able to do that.

As I made corrections to the vehicle I noticed that every time I would drive it afterward that I got a new comfort range... 60 felt like 50 did... Then 70 felt like 60... Then 80 felt like 70 had.


if you asked me what I thought about several if I walked up to them in a parking lot... I would say the size and type of tire would be a factor if everything else is equal.

Psychologically I'm very comfortable at 65 to 70... As I get beyond 75 and 80 I start thinking things like ..."I wonder if I could save this thing if something happened?"

I think I've pushed my 2003 up to about 90 at the most... But it was just to see if I could.... But I started to feel like Lee Majors when the Six Million Dollar Man used to come on and his test aircraft was breaking up.

Even though I don't recommend driving these things faster than whatever is safe for your current road situation... I do consider the speed that you're able to maintain as a barometer of how well things are set up.... And the reverse just as true.... If you have to work to drive the thing, you may need to look closer into it.
 
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I dont think i got an alignment read out. But Ill check my receipts folder. The guy actually said it didnt need the alignment. Or it didnt need adjusting rather. I think ive had two alignments in the last year. When i had my tires replaced. And iirc when i had my control arms replaced.

I have very new JK rims and tires. 255/65r17s? I used to have a vibration problem at 65. But a rebalance solved it.

After reading everyones response. I think half of it is the sh*tty 405 that i drive most on. My discomfort isnt driving it over 70 so much as im waiting for the next big dip or hump in the pavement. At 70 it really reacts to the bad parts in the road. And i have to correct.

I had to swerve around a stalled driver at around 40 on the freeway. And that was an adventure. The Jeep overcorrected three or four times swerving left and right. Until i got it under control. Im a good driver. I spent much of my life doing vehicular surveillance as a private investigator. But i dont have illusions that a '99 TJ is going to perform like even a normal car.

I do have maybe an inch or so play in the steering. Measuring at the top of the steering wheel. Its a stock Jeep. But it was neglected several years before i bought it. Maybe ill take it in and have the steering and suspension looked at. But i did put a $1000 into suspension repairs when i got it. Based on a dealership inspection. ( i had my local garage do the work. The dealership wanted like twice that.) Ill see if i can find that receipt too.

I would suspect that i might have a rotted bushing or two maybe. It sat for a long time before i bought it. But like i said. I had it gone thru a year or so ago. But that was not at a 4x4 place. It was the dealership.

I wish i lived closer to @mrblaine (its not terribly far. Like 1.5 hrs maybe. Just notdown the street. Lol) Id not only have him drive it. But do any repairs as well. At some point i have a rear tire carrier i want him to install. So ill certainly have him drive it then.

Thanks for all the input guys.
 
80+mph is comfortable. Though I gravitate towards the low 70s.

35s, 4" spring, 1.25 body, good shocks.
 
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Chris said:
90 MPH, because I-10.

Posted speed is 75 MPH, average speed is 80 MPH, and if you aren’t going at least 75 MPH you will be run off the road. I regularly see people doing 100 MPH plus.
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Ha ha! Got to love those Phoenix freeways. Speed limits are truly just suggestions.
 
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06lj said:
Ha ha! Got to love those Phoenix freeways. Speed limits are truly just suggestions.
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No one believes you until they experience it for themselves. I’ve found that 15 MPH over the speed limit is the average. Cops don’t care either, they must have their radar guns set for 20 MPH or over.
 
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Moab said:
I dont think i got an alignment read out. But Ill check my receipts folder. The guy actually said it didnt need the alignment. Or it didnt need adjusting rather. I think ive had two alignments in the last year. When i had my tires replaced. And iirc when i had my control arms replaced.

I have very new JK rims and tires. 255/65r17s? I used to have a vibration problem at 65. But a rebalance solved it.

After reading everyones response. I think half of it is the sh*tty 405 that i drive most on. My discomfort isnt driving it over 70 so much as im waiting for the next big dip or hump in the pavement. At 70 it really reacts to the bad parts in the road. And i have to correct.

I had to swerve around a stalled driver at around 40 on the freeway. And that was an adventure. The Jeep overcorrected three or four times swerving left and right. Until i got it under control. Im a good driver. I spent much of my life doing vehicular surveillance as a private investigator. But i dont have illusions that a '99 TJ is going to perform like even a normal car.

I do have maybe an inch or so play in the steering. Measuring at the top of the steering wheel. Its a stock Jeep. But it was neglected several years before i bought it. Maybe ill take it in and have the steering and suspension looked at. But i did put a $1000 into suspension repairs when i got it. Based on a dealership inspection. ( i had my local garage do the work. The dealership wanted like twice that.) Ill see if i can find that receipt too.

I would suspect that i might have a rotted bushing or two maybe. It sat for a long time before i bought it. But like i said. I had it gone thru a year or so ago. But that was not at a 4x4 place. It was the dealership.

I wish i lived closer to @mrblaine (its not terribly far. Like 1.5 hrs maybe. Just notdown the street. Lol) Id not only have him drive it. But do any repairs as well. At some point i have a rear tire carrier i want him to install. So ill certainly have him drive it then.

Thanks for all the input guys.
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Sometimes all that is needed to solve a problem is the lack of lack of creative problem solving. I happen to know someone who lives much closer to you than I do. I don't suspect it would be out of the realm of possibilities to have him drive your rig out here. Especially since I see him several times a week.
 
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Chris said:
No one believes you until they experience it for themselves. I’ve found that 15 MPH over the speed limit is the average. Cops don’t care either, they must have their radar guns set for 20 MPH or over.
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However in the world do all of those big trucks stay on the road here with everyone zipping by them?
 
Cruising at 85 feels fine for me on 33's. I had hit the limiter at I believe 95 a super long time ago screwing around and noticed the same needle peg behavior mentioned above like the Jeep was doing "WTF do you think you're doing?!?!" I tested it again after Ryan started tuning it just to see if he removed the governor. He did 😃 But going 100mph in a TJ was much scarier than going whatever 267kph is in a Skyrine. The Jeep felt like it could have easily kept accelerating but I didn't want to lol.
 
mrblaine said:
However in the world do all of those big trucks stay on the road here with everyone zipping by them?
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Those big trucks are going 80+ as well. I’ve never seen semi-truck drivers drive so fast in my life. It’s scary when one passes you going that fast.
 
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Chris said:
Those big trucks are going 80+ as well. I’ve never seen semi-truck drivers drive so fast in my life. It’s scary when one passes you going that fast.
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My point was that you won't be run off the road if you go slower. The speed limit in CA for any semi or vehicle towing a trailer is 55. I have towed thousands of miles on CA roads at 20-30 mph slower than the rest of the freeway traffic and not once have I been run off the road.
 
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mrblaine said:
My point was that you won't be run off the road if you go slower. The speed limit in CA for any semi or vehicle towing a trailer is 55. I have towed thousands of miles on CA roads at 20-30 mph slower than the rest of the freeway traffic and not once have I been run off the road.
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Oh, I missed the point. I wasn’t trying to be literal when saying you’d be run off the road, I just meant to say that you’ll piss a lot of people off as they’ve very aggressive drivers here. Of course I can imagine you purposely going slower and giving everyone the bird as they fly by you only to see a shit grin on your face 😆
 
mrblaine said:
My point was that you won't be run off the road if you go slower. The speed limit in CA for any semi or vehicle towing a trailer is 55. I have towed thousands of miles on CA roads at 20-30 mph slower than the rest of the freeway traffic and not once have I been run off the road.
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You’re probably a better driver than @Chris

Plus, if he gets passed he feels obligated to sell that vehicle
 
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Did 109 mph trough Colorado safely.
In a straight line, TJ is fairly stable and safe. Once it loses grip and starts to rock from side to side, it is like rolling a dice on whether you will recover it, even at 45mph
 
Chris said:
Oh, I missed the point. I wasn’t trying to be literal when saying you’d be run off the road, I just meant to say that you’ll piss a lot of people off as they’ve very aggressive drivers here. Of course I can imagine you purposely going slower and giving everyone the bird as they fly by you only to see a shit grin on your face 😆
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I don't like the ticket. The CHP has no sense of humor about you (a) "flipping folks off" and (b) exceeding the speed limit while towing. Kat once irritated a CHP officer who pulled her over and gave her the choice of do overs without the excessive use of horn or the ticket. She did do overs.
 
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