I have a stock 2017 recon unlimited with a 6spd manual. Only changes I have made are a thicker rear sway bar (I used to have a roof top tent), and a Gobi rack.

Years and years ago I was heavy into off-roading, I had a heavily modified YJ and the ride was harsh no matter what. Now I have had a JKU for a few years. While off roading alone I noticed a lot of side to side head toss but it did not bother me much, lately I have been bringing my dogs and they are getting tossed around the back seat pretty bad. Is it the shocks? Factory springs? Both? Will some fox 2.0 ifp shocks help? Falcon 3.3? Fox 2.5 with dsc? Small lift kit with either of those shocks? Or is it just the way coil springs work off road? The only way I have found to mitigate the side to side head toss is 4 low, 1st gear and idle. But it’s so slow and monotonous when wheeling all day.

Thanks
Mike

 

Suggest adding a sway bar disconnect to the front, and going back to the stock rear sway bar. I know it sounds like the exact opposite of what would help, but letting the axles tilt easier smooths out the rocks. What are you airing down too?

 

It has the factory front sway bar disconnect, which I use anytime 4 low is needed. I air down to 18-20. Since I am on the factory 32 MTs I don’t want to sacrifice too much clearance.

 

Don't watch Indie movies..

 

Adjustable shocks. Even the cheaper Ranchos are awesome. The key is to dial them down to 1 when off-road. It will softly rock the dogs to sleep. Gets rid of a lot of abrupt movement. Then when you get down, turn them up to 9 and you can take corners like a race car (if you have a re-geared 6 speed!). I only run adjustables at min or max.

 

You will always get the head toss bit like the Muppet Show opener. Friend who had a Lancair 360 kitplane used to do lots of aerobatics and he took his dog which hated being upside down but loved going in the plane otherwise.

 

Airing down and disconnecting bout all you can do. You could spend a lot on adjustable shocks but at the end of the day you're still in a solid axle vehicle regardless of coils vs. the old leaf spring YF you had. I'd agree with Mr.T that the beefier rear swaybar isn't helping you any, but it's also not going to solve your issues if you reverted back. I feel similar in that when I'm wheeling alone these things don't bother me as much, but when I have passengers I am really conscious of trying to keep things as smooth as possible, and a lot of trails are just aggravating. It's salt in the wound moving at a snail's pace and then having side-by-sides with IFS flying by. Seems like that is the one area something like Bronco would shine.