Going fast on rough roads

mistermeeseeks

mistermeeseeks

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Joined
Dec 20, 2020
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47
Location
Aurora, CO
Hey guys, I got my 97 TJ specifically for hunting. I want to be able to take it anywhere an ATV can go. Not really into rock crawling. Anyway, I went out to scout for elk season yesterday and got a sense of the kind of roads I'll be driving on. These are some pretty rough old logging roads, some of them very rocky. I'm trying to go like 15-20 mph down these roads and it's absolutely rattling the teeth out of my head. I currently have Rancho RS9000XL shocks with the dampening adjusted as forgiving as I can. It seems like I need a new shock setup. I know people are going to say you need to just slow down, I know. These roads are long and if I'm crawling at 5 mph it's going to take me 2 hours to get to my hunting spot. I would really like to be able to go like 25 mph down really rough roads with out getting absolutely beat up. You guys have any suggestions for me? Thanks for your help!
 
I know exactly what you're describing and only two shocks I have personally owned out of 7-8 i installed on my TJs allowed me to drive at reasonably high speeds on rough dirt roads.

First were my OME Nitrochargers, discontinued several years ago, and my previous Rancho RS5000X shocks. I replaced the RS5000X shocks with the Rancho RS9000xl shocks due to lots of trailer towing, I figured adjusting them to a stiffer setting would be good when towing, but that proved a bad decision. They did not hekp. I really don't like my current RS9000xl shocks even when set to their least stiff #1 (out of 9) position. So I get what you're saying about them.

I don't drive my TJ much since retiring to Florida last year but I'm now thinking of going back to RS5000X shocks because why not?

I really liked them, especially since they allowed me to 'haul ass' on rough desert dirt roads.
 
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Shocks could be the issue, but the factory sway bar is way to firm for roads like this. An anti rock would help a lot!

The Factory sway bar doesn’t allow for a lot of movement side to side independently.

Next time try disconnecting your front sway bar and see if that helps. If it does, something like the antirock would be a good choice
 
For my TJ between changing to Blackmax shocks, airing down to 10ish psi, and disconnecting the sway bar it truly makes if feel like your running a Baja racing rig with a professional shock set up. Imo of course. Very very forgiving though and can comfortably carry a pretty decent speed through ruff rocky sections, washouts, etc. I'm also running courbeau seats that keep you pretty snug.
 
gatertamer said:
Always the smartass 😄
Click to expand...

But he's right! you can do only so much to these tractors other then airing down but it still shakes the shit out them. It's not the discomfort I'm worried about, it's breaking something in the doors or dash that are hard to replace, and they're 20 years old.
 
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ATV - shmATV.

What would be best is a side by side. Don't ask me what brand or size or anything, I really don't know but I have seen a couple of them going crazy fast on a couple different terrains including a railroad track where they just ignored the rails and cruised along the ties at what looked like at least 50 mph.

I will say I'm lucky that they didn't make those things in the 1980s or 90s. I probably wouldn't have lived through owning one back then.
 
With 35s I can tell it starts to ride a little better below 15psi. It gets quite smooth at 5.
 
mistermeeseeks said:
Hey guys, I got my 97 TJ specifically for hunting. I want to be able to take it anywhere an ATV can go. Not really into rock crawling. Anyway, I went out to scout for elk season yesterday and got a sense of the kind of roads I'll be driving on. These are some pretty rough old logging roads, some of them very rocky. I'm trying to go like 15-20 mph down these roads and it's absolutely rattling the teeth out of my head. I currently have Rancho RS9000XL shocks with the dampening adjusted as forgiving as I can. It seems like I need a new shock setup. I know people are going to say you need to just slow down, I know. These roads are long and if I'm crawling at 5 mph it's going to take me 2 hours to get to my hunting spot. I would really like to be able to go like 25 mph down really rough roads with out getting absolutely beat up. You guys have any suggestions for me? Thanks for your help!
Click to expand...

#1 Air down to ~10psi
#2 Rancho 5000X shocks

Or

#2 Outboard and get tuned shocks! $$$$
 
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My TJ is my ATV.

Blackmaxx shocks, sub ten PSI, load range C tires, don't overload the Jeep, SwayLoc or disconnect the sway bar.

Love to afford to outboard and do Fox 2.0s. Y'all need to subscribe to my channel so YouTube will pay for better toys.

-Mac
 
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