Hey all, I've got a pavement princess. I feel the ride is too harsh and flighty. This is my 5th wrangler so I'm used to it but I feel it can be better. Its never been off road, ever .. I've put 150,000 miles on her ,currently the last 40k miles this is the setup . The lift kit comes w fixed upper lower arms and fox shocks made for 3" springs, but I added 1.5-2" spacers on top. I want a plush ride and not feel bumps and potholes so much

1-Do you think the 1-5-2" coil spacers cause a worse ride quality. Adding the extra 2"?. Should I remove the spacers ?
2-are my fox 2.0 reservoir shocks made for off-road and are just stiffer causing harsher ride, maybe get rancho 9000's? Or new springs?
3- could my 38x13.5x20 toyo mt tires be the issue . I can get up to 90mph no issue but they are huge and heavy at 85pds . 30psi , Maybe some light AT 37's?

JKU Sahara 3.8 manual , 4.88 gears beefed up Dana44
Mopar/teraflex stage 3 lift /control arms , FOX 2.0 reservoir shocks
1.5" coil spacers all around
Custom front DS
Toyo MT 38/13.50/20
Teraflex track bar
RC dual steering stabilizer
Aries aluminum black flat fenders
PSC brawler light bumper/skid
PSC rear bumper / tire carrier
Synergy tie Rod
Synergy drag link

 

Have you had an alignment done? If so, post the numbers.
Fixed control arms, correct? So they are designed to correct the Caster for those 3" coils. And when you added spacers on top, you lowered the Caster again, causing flighty steering. Assuming the caster is currently low, raising it will help with the flightiness.

Is there a draglink flip or drop pitman? If not, you should research doing a flip.

Have you experimented with lower pressures to see if that makes a difference with the harshness? Do a chalk test and see what it shows at 30, then try 28, 26, whatever and see what you come up with on the chalk and for the harshness.

Are the shocks adjustable?

 

It has a pitman arm no flip. I've tried psi down to 24 and no change . It's been a while since an alignment so that I will certainly do . . I figured I may have screwed up the angles with the spacers but now I'm not sure I can fit the 38's with only 3", now that I think about it there's a lot of space and I don't off road so it might work. And when these wear out I can size down.
I would take the spacers out but from reading online it seems the shocks and springs need to come out as well. Which in that case I might as well add softer shocks/springs and sell these . I assumed removing the spacers was a quick ordeal with some spring compressors but I guess that's not the case

 

Fox uses a higher psi in their shocks and tend to be on the stiff side. Your tires likely have an E rating and have a very stiff sidewall and mounted on 20's does not help the ride quality. The extra 2" of lift decreases caster and geometry sucks at 5" of lift without relocating control arm mounts.

Tires and shocks are the main reason for feeling the bumps and potholes. The poor geometry will cause excess body roll in corners and a wandering feel while driving down the road.

 

Those E rated Toyos are very stiff, especially on a bigger wheel with less sidewall. I would lower the pressure and do a chalk test.

The Fox shocks are definitely one of the firmer ones, so a shock change would help but I would try and lower the air pressure in the tires first.

Being you are now in the 4.5"-5" lift range, you really should look into a drag link flip to help with the flightless.

Also, not sure what your wheel width and offset is, but those wider tires definitely grab more in the roadway and that can add to the flighty feeling somewhat.

 

I don't know if I can go too much lower then 25 PSI for daily interstate driving... About the drag link flip, I think I may already have one. Can someone confirm? (Video in link)
Does anyone else feel like the steering wheel is not tight enough. Like there is too much play ? I can turn it an 1-2" left or right before it actually turns . Then if I hit a bump or hole, you feel the 1-2" play in the wheel

 

Yes, you have a DL flip installed in those pictures. The play in the steering wheel does not seem normal.

 

Guys after doing some research. People said to adjust the steering box when the steering wheel feels loose w play and boy does that make a huge difference. No more steering wheel play... keep rides better now just a bit harsh when I hit potholes.

 

I missed where you had said you were already at 25 psi with the tires. It probably won't get a while lot better with the 10 ply tires and 20" wheel combo. A softer shock may help some.

Another thing to consider would be to put softer springs in it..

 

ARB BP51s changed my life but have 39" load range C BFGs. I could feel the better ride instantly.