Rear end feels like it's floating

[Fitzpatrick]

Trying to make my Jeep freeway worthy for going further from home to wheel. Toady I took it on the freeway with an over the tire rack. Seemed to feel like it was floating. Went home took off the rack went for another drive and still feels the same. At 60-65 is ok anything over that feels dangerous. I have a full traction long arm lift about 4.5”. With 4 link rear no trackbar. I can’t find one that fits with the truss for the link. I just put on new rear shocks. Not sure what the issue is but it seems unsafe to drive on the freeway. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Chris]

Has it always been this way or is this a recent occurrence?

 

[Fitzpatrick]

First time I’ve tried to take it on the freeway since purchasing it about a year ago.

 

[Chris]

I suspect it has something to do with that long arm lift and 4-link rear. Have you checked all the control arm bushings and the bolt torques for the control arms?

Also, is there a rear sway bar?

 

[Fitzpatrick]

Yeah looked at all that today everything is tight.

 

[Fitzpatrick]

I wonder if trying a pan hard bar like the stinger j would help and be able to fit with the truss.

 

[Fitzpatrick]

I suspect it has something to do with that long arm lift and 4-link rear. Have you checked all the control arm bushings and the bolt torques for the control arms?

Also, is there a rear sway bar?

Forgot yes there is a rear sway bar that all looks good too.

 

[jjvw]

If the FT long arm is triangulated, then a track bar will rip things apart as the axle moves.

If it isn't triangulated and is missing the track bar, then the Jeep sounds kinda dangerous.

 

[Fitzpatrick]

If the FT long arm is triangulated, then a tank bar will rip things apart as the axle moves.

If it isn't triangulated and is missing the track bar, then the Jeep sounds kinda dangerous.

So are you saying a track bar would be a bad thing or a good thing.

 

[Fitzpatrick]

So are you saying a track bar would be a bad thing or a good thing.

Oh I miss read your post it is triangulated.

 

[jjvw]

Oh I miss read your post it is triangulated.

A track bar probably isn't a solution.

Assuming all the connections are tight, look at the shocks and the sway bar.

 

[Fitzpatrick]

A track bar probably isn't a solution.

Assuming all the connections are tight, look at the shocks and the sway bar.

Shocks are new just put on a couple months ago. Would a stronger aftermarket sway bar help? It seems like it’s a factory rear sway bar

 

[jjvw]

What shocks? What is the tire pressure?

 

[Fitzpatrick]

What shocks? What is the tire pressure?

Shocks are billstein 5100 tire pressure is 26psi on load range E 285/75R16

 

[Fitzpatrick]

This is the lift that on it but I think there are som upgrades also

 

[jjvw]

Is this body roll or something else?

 

[Chris]

Seems to my like it might just be body roll, which isn’t abnormal by any means.

 

[Fitzpatrick]

Is this body roll or something else?

Not really sure that’s why I’m asking doesn’t seem like body roll though seems like the rear is just floating. I don’t know possibly bump steer

 

[astjp2]

My wife's stock TJ always felt loose in the back, never did get it to change for the better with new bushings and shocks...

 

[jjvw]

Body roll affects both ends together and usually happens during a turn. Shocks and sway bars typically address this.

Bump steer is at the front and occurs as the suspension moves up and down causing unwanted steering input resulting from poor steering geometry.

A generally soft, mushy, wallowing feeling is possibly the shocks not controlling the movement. That doesn't describe Bilsteins.

A loose sloppy feeling would be from loose sloppy connections and are also probably noisy.