OP
Brutally Harsh Ride - Out of Ideas
- Thread starter BDiddy
- Start date
thanks for the recommendation!
You will know fairly quickly how much of an uncontrollable Cadillac of a boat ride you really like.
I'm not sure it will be as definitive as you'd think. It will certainly bounce around a lot more but without the shocks to slow it down ahead of the bump stops making contact you'll probably just make more bump stop contact and may lead you to incorrect conclusions.
It's peculiar to me that you seem to have the correct amount of uptravel between the bump stops but are making contact regularly enough to leave witness marks on the pad.
Not knowledgeable enough to offer any advice or ideas, but this improvement in ride quality with added weight makes me wonder if the shocks are not compressing and rebounding as they should at normal weight. I think overly stiff shocks would follow my logic, but the impact marks on your jounce pad would be caused by shocks that are too soft, not too stiff. Hmm...
KennethS
TJ Enthusiast
LONGJP2
TJ Expert
OP
@YonderNorthwest Yeah I was shocked by how smooth the ride was with a bunch of extra weight in the back and 2 people up front. Has me thinking that @Jerry Bransford was right that there's something going on here other than tires.
@freedom_in_4low The marks on the jounce pads could simply be from me jacking up the front using a floor jack on the axel tube near the front dif? Maybe? That requires compressing the suspension before it lifts the jeep up. I tend to do that in the front and use the rear dif in the back.
@freedom_in_4low The marks on the jounce pads could simply be from me jacking up the front using a floor jack on the axel tube near the front dif? Maybe? That requires compressing the suspension before it lifts the jeep up. I tend to do that in the front and use the rear dif in the back.
I would think you'd have to have it pretty high to do that. Like with the tire 6" off the ground or more. Your technique may be different but I can't think of a time I've ever done that.
Just lurking on the thread, but my $.25 bet is on bound up control arms. Rust frozen bolts, old rubber, over torqued at the wrong angle, something in that mix. Someone else recommended loosening and re-torquing the bolts at ride height. Costs nothing, easy to do, and rules out the issue.
AdelaideTJ
Member
Stock 15" wheels (as in thumbnail). Mine required a general refresh just from having its original 18 year old sagged springs, worn out factory shocks, steering parts etc.
New 0" lift springs and new shocks made the biggest difference initially. I replaced the old G/Y Duratrac tires just because they were seriously hazardous at their age with G/Y Silentrac A/Ts.
Those changes gave me great stability and removed the boat rocking feeling going around corners etc, but I still have some road shocks come through because I haven't been able to change the control arm bushings, sway bar links, body and trans mounts as of yet.
My guess would be to inspect things like control arm bushings and other rubber components to see if they have ever been changed, you might be on the original 23 year old bushings; they could be bound up, or have become cheese and aren't doing their job properly anymore.
Hopefully replacing some of those components will dampen some of the road shocks you are feeling. The rest is probably just the joy of owning a TJ!
LONGJP2
TJ Expert
Lifting the axle does not compress the spring much; normally.
OP
Appreciate the thoughtful reply. I would be willing to bet all these components are original, aside from a couple sway bar endlinks and bushings I replaced. In the condition I got it in, looks like not much was replaced aside from shocks and tires. Probably will start replacing some of these things along with wheel bearings and u joints which are making some light noise.
It doesn't take much over the course of normal driving to find the jounces. Don't be distracted by that.
KennethS
TJ Enthusiast
Depends upon the spring rate and height. But assuming these are factory original springs your assessment is correct.
KennethS
TJ Enthusiast
Yeah, the vehicle weight is already compressing the springs, so lifting the axle simply raises the entire system.
Springs do not affect the ride quality. Let's not do this again.
OP
Thanks... yeah I was gonna say.... I really don't think it's the springs guys...
OP
Thru and thru brother. Def love my jeep and to be honest I've been driving the hell out of it like this for 2 years. Hasn't stopped me from loving the vehicle more than anything I've ever driven, and if I can't figure this out it won't take anything away. It's not intolerable, just seems off and finally getting around to asking for opinions.
OP
LOL I genuinely have thought about just putting a bunch of weight in and calling it good enough. Is what it is. I love this thing regardless.
Just took it out after work and hauled ass through some gravel road with giant puddles by the mountains here.... just because it feels gooooood man.