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Rough Ride Over Rutted Road

3K views 25 replies 13 participants last post by  Jacalore 
#1 ·
Took the Jeep out to where the paved roads end. Haven't really put it thru the paces in 4x4 mode yet. 4H and 4L worked as expected but the road was like a washboard, and the ride was exceptionally rough. Even in 2WD the Jeep bounced all over. Is this normal?

I'm setting up for the beach so this won't be my normal routine, but it took me by surprise. Ten year old Wranger X with relatively low miles... shocks? Or is that just the way it is on rutted roads?
 
#2 ·
Air pressure. You need to air down, it will make the washboards a lot better. Also speed. You need to find the speed where you glide over the washboards but still are in control. To slow and you are bouncing around.
 
#6 ·
This is the reason I went with a Antirock swaybar. I am on dirt roads a good bit, being for work or for play. Getting your air pressure right is going to help some. Completely disconnected was not working for me, just too much sway. Got the antirock and it helped a good bit.
 
#11 ·
https://youtu.be/IfnQzJ-IRIs

These caught my eye blousing.. just browsing through a Q-catalog. Watched a few videos and haven't done a ton of research yet, but for people who don't plan to disconnect as much or don't need to, these seem pretty nice for those who spend more times on backroads and easier trails like me. Like I said I have to look into them more, so use your best judgement


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#12 ·
https://youtu.be/IfnQzJ-IRIs

These caught my eye blousing.. just browsing through a Q-catalog. Watched a few videos and haven't done a ton of research yet, but for people who don't plan to disconnect as much or don't need to, these seem pretty nice for those who spend more times on backroads and easier trails like me. Like I said I have to look into them more, so use your best judgement
Serious stuff. Really, though, I don't see myself disconnecting up front or any rock crawling in my future. Just a dune buggy. The aftermarket accessory and upgrades availability of Wrangler parts is mind boggling!
 
#17 ·
There's a bunch of good advice from others, but it's also the nature of the beast that solid-axle vehicles just suck on washboard. They pick up a resonance at various speeds that magnify the tiny bumps. Change your speed when it gets particularly bad.
 
#19 ·
I have the Bilsteins but am lifted 2.5". I think on highway the ride is smooth... for a solid axle setup. I have Teraflex lift. So the ride is firmer instead airy. I said I want going to lift mine at first.. oops. I also debated the rancho. If I ever had to replace these, I may try those. But at the rate I'm going And mileage on my Jeep that won't happen lol


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#22 ·
To answer your question, yes, it's normal for your JK to be harsh on washboards or any rough surfaces. The reason is mostly because of the solid axle suspension. Solid axle suspension results in a lot of unsprung weight and it's this large mass bouncing up and down that the shocks attempt to dampen, makes for a rough ride. This gets worse when you add a lift which steepen the suspension link angles causing an anti-dive geometry with is great on the brakes but add to the harshness on rough surfaces.

You can go with softer shocks but that would make your Jeep handle poorly on pavement so its all a trade off. Best thing is to air down if you're driving one rough surfaces for an extended period of time but that's not always practical when you just need to pass a small section so you it's basically something you just have to accept.
 
#25 ·
If you are interested in something that will help smooth out those washboard roads then a Griffen attenuator is a product you should look into. Plenty of threads about it here.

But if you do mostly beach and sand driving...then maybe not. The Griffen does much more than help on washboard roads btw. Check it out.
 
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