How fast should you be able to go?

Moab

Moab

TJ Expert
Supporting Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2018
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3,154
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El Segundo, California
65 is about as fast as i can safely go on socal freeways. Granted they are buckled and full of hills and valleys from all the earthquakes and heavy traffic. But if i hit 70 i really have to pay attention.

How fast should you be able to safely drive in your TJ?

Further, what should i have checked out? Considering my Jeep is stock. And just had a front end alignment done.

It doesn't have death wobble or anything. It just feels like it could easily get out of control if i had to make any kind of quick maneuver in traffic.
 
Moab said:
65 is about as fast as i can safely go on socal freeways. Granted they are buckled and full of hills and valleys from all the earthquakes and heavy traffic. But if i hit 70 i really have to pay attention.

How fast should you be able to safely drive in your TJ?

Further, what should i have checked out? Considering my Jeep is stock. And just had a front end alignment done.

It doesn't have death wobble or anything. It just feels like it could easily get out of control if i had to make any kind of quick maneuver in traffic.
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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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I have done 70, but don't push beyond that..maybe 75 to pass. You should be able to go faster but these are not sports cars so going to have to "drive" it more than a typical car.
 
I have had the Jeep up to 90 mph and that was on a straight section of level road with very few vehicles on the road.
Not saying it was the safest of ideas, but the Jeep handled the speed very well...
Usual highway speeds are 65-80 mph.
 
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It's a SWB vehicle, so it's going to have a different feeling from a highway cruiser. I just give myself enough clear distance from other vehicles for the road conditions and I feel confident up to 75. More typically, though, I cruise the highway around 65 and let folks pass me because I'm usually trying to save fuel for the trail I'm driving to.
 
I can keep it around 70 on the highway and still feel comfortable. I don’t think ive ever had it over 80mph though. Im on 33s.
 
When I was working at Chrysler’s Desert Proving Grounds in the late 90s to mid 2000s we had a number of TJs and later TJLs running power train tests.

One step of the power train test involved somewhat sustained hi speed.
A driver would enter the 4 mile oval and accelerate at WOT (wide open throttle) to I believe 95 mph during daylight hours (85 after dark). You would finish the first lap holding at that speed and then do another full lap at the same speed for a total of roughly 6+ miles. Total hi speed mileage depended on how the vehicle was ballasted.

Note: I was a mechanic and worked afternoons. I seldom test drove a full shift so I’m not positive about 95mph but I have done many, many laps at 85 mph in a TJ.

We had one “hump” in the top lane referred to as the “jump”. This unplanned feature sorta got your attention at first but after a few laps of experience it was no big deal. In fact, I would rather hit that bump at 85 in a TJ than at the same speed in a early Liberty. (Later Liberties improved with development)

Note: These were stock vehicles up to and including the Rubicon pkg.
Also, due to the controlled environment, there was never, ever supposed to be any sudden, unplanned maneuvers.

If a critter runs in front of you, DO NOT SWERVE!
The worst you are going to hit is a fairly small deer.
 
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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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Now that I've straightened out the front end issues I had when I bought it, I've done 80+. But not for long. I will cruise it at 70-75 without issue.

I've always taken every car or truck I've ever owned out on a deserted freeway to see just how fast it will go, but not the Jeep. The short wheel base doesn't make me feel comfortable at speeds in excess of 80mph. Though I may get there some day! 🤪
 
Hey Moab, did they give you a print out of your alignment specs when they were done? What were they? Sometimes that can give you a clue to what you might need to address.
 
I got mine up to 100 going down a very straight stretch of empty interstate just to see if I could. I know folks say these have governors on them but that needle had no issue going to 100 nor did I feel the engine cut power. It was definitely squirrelly but it didn’t feel outrageously dangerous. I can go 85 with no issues though.

4.0/5-speed/3.73s/31s
 
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I have comfortably bounced my stock LJR off the ~95ish mph speed limiter a handful of times in the past. After 35s and 5.13s ... forgeddaboutit!
 
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60-65, 33’s, 4:88’s pushing 5300#.
80 mph freeway. I take back roads.
With my 4-Runner, semis pass at 80+ but I catch up with them when johnny law is near.
 
L J said:
I have comfortably bounced my stock LJR off the ~95ish mph speed limiter a handful of times in the past. After 35s and 5.13s ... forgeddaboutit!
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Ha I’ve hit the limiter on my 35’s and 5.13’s. Smooth as can be.
 
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