Poor Ride Quality

You need to have the helper turn just a little bit more both ways to really load up the joints to show any deficiencies. Now you know that this is the test you should have started with.

I’m gonna chalk a lot of this up to installer error (myself). The flag nut was caught on the outside of the axle bracket giving the illusion of it being tight via the ratchet. Removed it, straightened it, made sure it was flush inside the bracket housing and tightened her home. I was actually able to get 4-5 full turns more out of it. Night and day difference as far as steering goes, but still not perfect. No bump steer either. Just some unwanted feedback from the steering that feels like looseness in the gearbox/intermediate shaft

I did the dry steering test again and had a helper turn the wheel farther than the first time and the axle end is rock solid now. All other joints are good to go (one upper ball joint may have a hint of play via feel test). However, the frame side of the track bar moves about somewhat. Is this enough to worry about or just send it? I’m gonna try and tighten it some more since I just installed it last week and everything has had a good shake down.

 
Interesting. So Im incorrect, that as you lift a Jeep the angles of the control arms have nothing to do with how they handle expnasion gaps and bumps on-road driving? Serious question.

I think the ride gets progressively stiffer the closer they get to perpendicular to the road surface. :D
 
I think the ride gets progressively stiffer the closer they get to perpendicular to the road surface. :D

Right, that's how I understood it too. Correction brackets and long arms being the example of attempting to make the arms as parallel to the road as possible. Thus helping to smooth the ride. So I was thrown off by JJWV's response to my earlier post. But Im not here to argue. Just learn.
 
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Right, that's how I understood it too. Correction brackets and long arms being the example of attempting to make the arms as parallel to the road as possible. Thus helping to smooth the ride. So I was thrown off by JJWV's post response to earlier comment. But Im not here to argue. Just learn.

Don't get @mrblaine started on long arms lol
 
Interesting. So Im incorrect, that as you lift a Jeep the angles of the control arms have nothing to do with how they handle expnasion gaps and bumps on-road driving? Serious question.

Unless you are at lift heights in excess of 4.5 inches the control arm angle is not severe enough to cause any appreciable difference in ride.
 
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Interesting. So Im incorrect, that as you lift a Jeep the angles of the control arms have nothing to do with how they handle expnasion gaps and bumps on-road driving? Serious question.

Correct. That is incorrect within the confines of any reasonable spring lift heights we do on a TJ. Arm angle is irrelevant to the ride quality. This gets argued and discussed on almost every long arm thread.
 
Right, that's how I understood it too. Correction brackets and long arms being the example of attempting to make the arms as parallel to the road as possible. Thus helping to smooth the ride. So I was thrown off by JJWV's response to my earlier post. But Im not here to argue. Just learn.

There were already enough cats and chickens to herd without bringing in misconceptions about how suspensions work into this.
 
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The claims that long-arm suspension manufacturers and long-arm enthusiasts make about short arms riding stiffer at typical lift heights are complete BULLSHIT. They are nowhere close to being steep enough at typical suspension lift heights to cause a stiffer ride. I guess if you had a 8-10" suspension lift the short arm angles might then be steep enough to make the ride stiffer but not with typical suspension lift heights but that's it.

As can be seen below my short control arm angle with a 4" suspension lift height is flat enough that my ride is superb. I have to laugh when I see long-arm suspension lift owners bragging about their better rides due to the long arms. It's bullshit.

Control Arm 1.jpg
 
Ok, can we not derail the thread. No one replied to OPs latest post and instead are discussing irrelevant things.

I’m gonna chalk a lot of this up to installer error (myself). The flag nut was caught on the outside of the axle bracket giving the illusion of it being tight via the ratchet. Removed it, straightened it, made sure it was flush inside the bracket housing and tightened her home. I was actually able to get 4-5 full turns more out of it. Night and day difference as far as steering goes, but still not perfect. No bump steer either. Just some unwanted feedback from the steering that feels like looseness in the gearbox/intermediate shaft

I did the dry steering test again and had a helper turn the wheel farther than the first time and the axle end is rock solid now. All other joints are good to go (one upper ball joint may have a hint of play via feel test). However, the frame side of the track bar moves about somewhat. Is this enough to worry about or just send it? I’m gonna try and tighten it some more since I just installed it last week and everything has had a good shake down.

Ill try to answer. That joint has a poly bushing inside is designed to have some give. Now the question is how much give too much? That I am not sure.

EDIT: Also don't forget to tighten the trackbar bolts.
 
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The claims that long-arm suspension manufacturers and long-arm enthusiasts make about short arms riding stiffer at typical lift heights are complete BULLSHIT. They are nowhere close to being steep at typical suspension lift heights to cause a stiffer ride. I guess if you had a 8-10" suspension lift the short arm angles might then be steep enough to make the ride stiffer but not with typical suspension lift heights but that's it.

As can be seen below my short control arm angle with a 4" suspension lift height is flat enough that my ride is superb. I have to laugh when I see long-arm suspension lift owners bragging about their better rides due to the long arms. It's bullshit.

View attachment 359412

Please just don't post that longarm photo from JV.