Better Ride....

Better Ride....
C

Chmelarj

Jeeper
Posts
58
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8
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0
Location
West Michigan
Vehicle(s)
1946 CJ2A, 1978 CJ5
Just got back from taking my CJ5 on a 6 day excursion, highway there, 5 days of beat-up rough as in small rock trails, sand, mud, washboard, and highway home. Which is the type of trips I generally take.

I'm staying away from any huge lift kit because I want to install a roof rack but I need to improve the ride.

I've still got original 34 year old springs with rancho 5000 shocks. I've read about more but thinner springs, removing springs, spring over, etc. But everyone here has be great on the experience side so I'm looking for a good solid solution.

Thanks in advance!
 
If you are looking to replace the springs, You have a bit of research and decision making ahead of you. OME is pretty well known for a good ride, and there are plenty of others as well, BDS, Rubicon Express are just a couple that come to mind. There should be others that will chime in with what the have and what their ride is like.
 
Try a shakle reversal kit with YJ front springs.and YJ rear springs.
 
CJKrawler said:
The shackle reversal may help, here is a thread, with good links that has more information about them. http://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/f19/shackle-reversal-pros-cons-5958/ I would still look at replacing the old worn out springs. Also, what is going on with the ride? Is it rough, squirrely, bouncy?
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The ride is ok without the meyers hardtop but that with camping gear stowed in the back end, tent, food, etc (nothing that heavy) it flattened the springs right out. I could really feel the difference on the trails and bottomed out a handful of times where it really shouldn't have. Most of the trails were small rocks.

I'm doing an expedition trailer build this winter that will remove the weight from the Jeep but put it on the back end.

I'm not so much after lift but just trying to improve the ride.
 
From what you are saying, it sounds to me like the springs are just worn out. Rubicon doesn't make a direct bolt in that is stock height. OME has some 2 1/2" lift springs, which would be enough for 31's, and isn't too high. A couple guys on here run, or have run BDS, plus, there are plenty more to look at. Cost varies, as well as what comes with them.

BTW, nice CJ.
 
CJKrawler said:
The shackle reversal may help, here is a thread, with good links that has more information about them. http://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/f19/shackle-reversal-pros-cons-5958/ I would still look at replacing the old worn out springs. Also, what is going on with the ride? Is it rough, squirrely, bouncy?
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The shackle reversal helped my CJ7 out in the "squirrely" department.

I saw a CJ the other day with a lift and big ole' coils on it too. Mine has about the same lift, but no big fat coils under there. I wonder how the ride is in that Jeep?
 
Vvajk said:
The shackle reversal helped my CJ7 out in the "squirrely" department.

I saw a CJ the other day with a lift and big ole' coils on it too. Mine has about the same lift, but no big fat coils under there. I wonder how the ride is in that Jeep?
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I would imagine that sitting on coils it would ride like a TJ, which would be a big improvement.
 
CJKrawler said:
I would imagine that sitting on coils it would ride like a TJ, which would be a big improvement.
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That's kinda what I thought. That might be a mod I'd be willing to look into a bit more.
 
Food for thought. If you could put very soft no lift leaves and then install coils in between the frame and leaves that will lift up the jeep a few inches then the coils would provide the spring rate. I wonder if it would ride more like a tj but keep the simpleness reliability of leaves.
 
That's a big cost just for ride improvement, IMO. Was a nice ride, though, even on 33's, my TJ rode pretty well. 75-85 mph, no issues.
 
people talk about how their jeeps are like death trap over 60 mph but my Jeep has always been very stable at any speed. I have buried the needle before when I raced a Dodge Dakota RT and the Jeep tracked fine. I think keeping the suspension tight and inspecting the bushings and hardware often will keep the vehicle safe and sound.
 
Kane said:
people talk about how their jeeps are like death trap over 60 mph but my Jeep has always been very stable at any speed. I have buried the needle before when I raced a Dodge Dakota RT and the Jeep tracked fine. I think keeping the suspension tight and inspecting the bushings and hardware often will keep the vehicle safe and sound.
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If only more people woulr think to do that, there would be a significantly greater number of safe vehicles on the road.
 
Kane said:
people talk about how their jeeps are like death trap over 60 mph but my Jeep has always been very stable at any speed. I have buried the needle before when I raced a Dodge Dakota RT and the Jeep tracked fine. I think keeping the suspension tight and inspecting the bushings and hardware often will keep the vehicle safe and sound.
Click to expand...

Absolutely! I have no problems hitting 75 mph and have a good stable ride.
 
Ride is a bit of a problem, especially on long trips. I feel your pain, believe me. I put Skyjacker 2.5 lift on mine a long time ago and have no problem recommending it to you.My set up rode so much better than stock it was remarkable. I am sure there are several that will ride as well, old man emu has a great rep for being smooth. Don't cheep out on this, your going to have to live with this for a long time.
The only time My CJ5 gets flaky on the road is when I over load it. I have to remember that it isn't a truck. Travel light and when pulling a trailer remember you are very light and very short. It will surely pull it but the trick is stopping it. there is a reason you can't rent a u haul with a CJ.( At this point about 30 people will tell me they do it all the time.)
As the ride goes a CJ ia a CJ, it rides like a buffalo. I try to think of it as part of it's charm, and try to avoid trips over two or three hundred miles.:cool:
 
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