I know... it's a crazy idea...


But due to work schedules (and a fear of breaking something expensive), I haven't been on a decent trail in over a year, so it doesn't seem as crazy...

You see, my problem is this: The jeep is driving crappy: On the highway, she's shimmying around (a little dip in the road can send me off in another direction). Bumps shoot right through your spine... And the body roll on the on-ramps is getting progressively worse.


So, will returning the jeep to stock help (Returning to stock will be a PITA, seeing as the bolts are rusted over... the dog bones are no longer factory, and the amount of loc-tite on the spider-trax spacers may be a bit excessive...)? Or is my problem something else???

 

I'm sure that returning it to stock would help, but it may not be the only way to fix it. I can tell you that I have spent just as much time correcting the effects of mods as I have working on mods.

We could probably start a list pages long, here are some things to think about:

1. Did your BB come with track bar brackets?, maybe get adjustable front track bar
2. Tire pressure was a biggie for me
3. Stiffer shocks to help prevent body roll, this will also make bumps harder though
4. Wheel balancing?
5. Are your tires worn even?
6. Spacers, if correctly made, should not cause problems, but you would have to take them off for MA inspection, wouldn’t you?
7. Alignment (it toe), does it drive straight down the highway?
8. Steering stabilizer upgrade?
etc.....

 

how much pressure is in your tires? You are running the same shocks and springs as stock, so your ride should not be any harsher really. Your control arm has a steeper angle now, but at 2.5" it shouldn't be enough to matter. Maybe it is just the tires?

You said when you hit a bump it shoots you in a direction... that sounds like bump steer to me. If you hae not added a rear track bar bracket, add one. That should fix that. The 2 doors are a little more proned to bump steer and walking anyway. If you like being lifted and want it to drive better, you could add a set of adjustable control arms in the front to increase your caster. Add a trackbar bracket in the rear and it should drive pretty nice.

 

Hmmmm.


I just have the shock adaptors, with the stock X springs.


I have the trackbar relocation bracket on in the rear. Shouldn't that take care of the trackbar issues for now???

 

ya. You shouldn't have any trackbar issues then. You deff. dont need control arms... I was just saying the increased caster makes even stock jeeps drive better. You might want to make sure everything is tight under there. Did it just recently start driving bad?

How much PSI is in your tires right now?

 

I've tried 33lbs and 35lbs.... I think I'm at 35 now (They're the stock 17" sahara wheels/tires)....


I wonder if it's the springs and/or shocks???

 

Do you have the dinky stock shocks or the gas charged ones?

 

Lol... No idea.... Whatever came on the jeep.... Probably the dinky ones: It was a base model X... with 16" wheels and 30" tires...

 

If they don't say gas charged on them , they're not. I know a couple people personally so far that were running the shock ext on the dinky ones and they didn't ride very well with the ext and both of them blew out a shock their first or second wheeling trip. If I were you I'd get some OME or Bilsteins, you won't be disappointed.

 

New, stiffer shocks made a significant difference in high speed handling. They will keep your course more true and, in front, they will help with stopping distance.

I have also read on here that larger tires on a lifted JK may actually handle better than the stock size. I had the esp going off like crazy when I put the small ones on for inspection. I think this is a toe thing.