Have you checked the tire pressure?Hi folks
Ive always done full lifts on my Jeeps, that said, I just picked up a 2017 Recon with 17k miles and thought I would keep it mild.
I put on Toyo 33s and it rode great. Yesterday I had the dealer put in the TF 1.5 kit (1 spacer up front and one in the back) stock Recon shocks.
The on-road ride changed pretty drastically, it feels like E rated tires at 80 psi on a dirt road. All my searches on here and reviews of the lift speak to how the ride stays the same. Man, mine sure didn’t and I’m not picky but it ruined the ride.
Anyone have some insight that might help.
Harsh ride after Teraflex 1.5 level install
Hi folks
Ive always done full lifts on my Jeeps, that said, I just picked up a 2017 Recon with 17k miles and thought I would keep it mild.
I put on Toyo 33s and it rode great. Yesterday I had the dealer put in the TF 1.5 kit (1 spacer up front and one in the back) stock Recon shocks.
The on-road ride changed pretty drastically, it feels like E rated tires at 80 psi on a dirt road. All my searches on here and reviews of the lift speak to how the ride stays the same. Man, mine sure didn’t and I’m not picky but it ruined the ride.
Anyone have some insight that might help.
Ive always done full lifts on my Jeeps, that said, I just picked up a 2017 Recon with 17k miles and thought I would keep it mild.
I put on Toyo 33s and it rode great. Yesterday I had the dealer put in the TF 1.5 kit (1 spacer up front and one in the back) stock Recon shocks.
The on-road ride changed pretty drastically, it feels like E rated tires at 80 psi on a dirt road. All my searches on here and reviews of the lift speak to how the ride stays the same. Man, mine sure didn’t and I’m not picky but it ruined the ride.
Anyone have some insight that might help.
1 - 20 of 60 Posts
Have you checked the tire pressure?
Yes, it’s the first thing I did. It’s at 35 pounds on C rated Toyos.
I had the tires on prior to the lift. It’s funny my wife and I both said how much plusher the ride was than our 2” Mopar lifted Gladiator.
LOL Now it’s more like our old CJ 7. it seems like something has to be wrong because what I’m experiencing would be talked about in reviews, but everybody claims it’s the same ride as prior to the lift.
I had the tires on prior to the lift. It’s funny my wife and I both said how much plusher the ride was than our 2” Mopar lifted Gladiator.
LOL Now it’s more like our old CJ 7. it seems like something has to be wrong because what I’m experiencing would be talked about in reviews, but everybody claims it’s the same ride as prior to the lift.
+1, perhaps the dealer inflated your tires to 80 psi 
I did 1.75 front spacer and 0.75 rear in my Jeep initially and it drove exactly the same as it did stock since it had stock shocks. i even tested 3 different shocks and i never experienced any harshness. Granted, with the spacers i also installed Synergy fixed front lowers, replaced shortly after with Clayton offroad adjustable fronts (The synergy fixed are too short for my taste)
I did 1.75 front spacer and 0.75 rear in my Jeep initially and it drove exactly the same as it did stock since it had stock shocks. i even tested 3 different shocks and i never experienced any harshness. Granted, with the spacers i also installed Synergy fixed front lowers, replaced shortly after with Clayton offroad adjustable fronts (The synergy fixed are too short for my taste)
You have to go lower with those tires. if you have a 2 door people here swear by 26-28 psi with LT tires. Later on once you get a better suspension setup you may try something different.yes, it’s the first thing I did it’s at 35 pounds on C rated Toyos.
I had the tires on prior to the lift. It’s funny my wife and I both said how much plusher the ride was then our 2” Mopar lifted Gladiator.
LOL Now it’s more like our old CJ 7
Its not the tiresYou have to go lower with those tires. if you have a 2 door people here swear by 26-28 psi with LT tires. Later on once you get a better suspension setup you may try something different.
They were on there before. Its a JKU and I always run that psi or even a little higher and usually run e rated tires.
It all changed day and night with the lift. Ive done 7-8 jeeps over 40 years of cjs tjs jks and a jt and now back to JK 👍 LOl feel like a Axxhat for cheaping out now
Truthfully 1.5 of lift shouldn't really change the ride all that much especially considering the shocks and springs didn't change. If the only real thing that changed would be the angle of the control arms, and with the lift they're more at an angle VS horizontal like from the factory. I would pick up a set of AEV or Rancho control arm drop brackets, which will level out the control arms and possible add some castor back into the alignment. Both of which should really help improve the ride.
I hear you, I run 33 cold on mine, BFG 315/70/17 E rated and i don't have harshness issues, it's not cushy like stock though but it's a different riding Jeep all together. i didn't like the stock ride, it was too wallowy and the stock shocks will top out so easy i have to wonder how the engineers could desing something that drove that poorly in the dirt considering Jeeps are vehicles designed to live in the dirt and be awesome in the rocks and all thatIts not the tires
They were on there before. Its a JKU and I always run that psi or even a little higher and usually run e rated tires.
It all changed day and night with the lift. Ive done 7-8 jeeps over 40 years of cjs tjs jks and a jt and now back to JK 👍 LOl feel like a Axxhat for cheaping out now
Just for the sake of it, lower them to 30 and see what happens.
Holy chit now the anchor brackets are good even at 1.5 lift as well?Truthfully 1.5 of lift shouldn't really change the ride all that much especially considering the shocks and springs didn't change. If the only real thing that changed would be the angle of the control arms, and with the lift they're more at an angle VS horizontal like from the factory. I would pick up a set of AEV or Rancho control arm drop brackets, which will level out the control arms and possible add some castor back into the alignment. Both of which should really help improve the ride.
Go lift your Jeep up 1.5" but lower the belly by 3" with drop brackets and with 33's none the less on a 4 door Jeep.....
A stock Jeep Gran Cherokee will have better offroad clearance and still better onroad manners.
I appreciate taking the time to respond but I’ll say it again it’s not the tires. They been on there for two weeks. As a matter fact I drove home on the six year old KM MTs at 38 psi for 11 hours and it was plush.
It happened after the lift
It happened after the lift
If you didn't do this, try it... loosen all the bolts in your control arms, shake the Jeep out front and rear, torque them back to specs.I appreciate taking the time to respond but I’ll say it again it’s not the tires. They been on there for two weeks. As a matter fact I drove home on the six year old KM MTs at 38 psi for 11 hours and it was plush.
It happened after the lift
Could it be your stock shocks are going to max extension and bottoming out? Regarding the tire discussion, I dont think people are questioning that you have the same tires, instead I think people are asking you to check and see if the shop that put in the lift "helped you" by putting more air in the tires without telling you. Also, if you are still running the stock control arms, your caster is probably a bit low now. It shouldnt affect your ride but the jeeps handling may seem worse.
i wonder if the dealer did not reset the bushings and just set this at 1.5" lift and all the bushings are in tension. Now if you had say spherical type ends. say like a Johnny Joint or Hiem. they do not care about return to center where rubber ones do.
shocks should be at center of travel. Jk is 8" so 4" up and down. now he has 2.5 down and 5.5 up. assuming stock shocks and bump stops. it does effect valving a bit. since your return to center is off by 1.5".
Arms are hardly at any angle greater. DP brackets are a anchor and worse then a long arm kit to make Less ground clearance.
my jk has 4.25 front and the arms are not at that much angle. rear has shorter arms but they trail not lead. my rear is at 5" with nothing in the back. half the gear its at 4.7 loaded down like a pack mule rear goes to 4-" and front goes to near 3.5.
shocks should be at center of travel. Jk is 8" so 4" up and down. now he has 2.5 down and 5.5 up. assuming stock shocks and bump stops. it does effect valving a bit. since your return to center is off by 1.5".
Arms are hardly at any angle greater. DP brackets are a anchor and worse then a long arm kit to make Less ground clearance.
my jk has 4.25 front and the arms are not at that much angle. rear has shorter arms but they trail not lead. my rear is at 5" with nothing in the back. half the gear its at 4.7 loaded down like a pack mule rear goes to 4-" and front goes to near 3.5.
So that was my thought on the shocks.i wonder if the dealer did not reset the bushings and just set this at 1.5" lift and all the bushings are in tension. Now if you had say spherical type ends. say like a Johnny Joint or Hiem. they do not care about return to center where rubber ones do.
shocks should be at center of travel. Jk is 8" so 4" up and down. now he has 2.5 down and 5.5 up. assuming stock shocks and bump stops. it does effect valving a bit. since your return to center is off by 1.5".
Arms are hardly at any angle greater. DP brackets are a anchor and worse then a long arm kit to make Less ground clearance.
my jk has 4.25 front and the arms are not at that much angle. rear has shorter arms but they trail not lead. my rear is at 5" with nothing in the back. half the gear its at 4.7 loaded down like a pack mule rear goes to 4-" and front goes to near 3.5.
If the more sensitive travel of the shock is at stock height by raising it 1” the shock is now running at a different rate, and now picking up the normal road bumps it didn’t before sitting at the stock position. I’m assuming there is some progressive travel resistance as you move away from its stock position…that I don’t know.
They did a full alignment on the jeep after the install.
Welcome to the Forum!So that was my thought on the shocks.
If the more sensitive travel of the shock is at stock height by raising it 1” the shock is now running at a different rate, and now picking up the normal road bumps it didn’t before sitting at the stock position. I’m assuming there is some progressive travel resistance as you move away from its stock position…that I don’t know.
They did a full alignment on the jeep after the install.
Sorry to hear about this. Welcome to the forum. I am not a fan of spacer lifts but I don't have any great answers for you. A member with the screenname of Pressurized is an expert at these things and I am sure he will be along here in a bit. I will say that it does seem strange that such a small adjustment made it ride like that.
A couple of years ago, I installed the 2 inch rancho lift on my JKU. The ride after was much harsher than stock and I was disappointed. A few weeks later, I added adjustable swaybar disconnects and leveled the swaybar. The ride since then has been much better. I wasn't even thinking about it affecting the ride, but immediately noticed it was smoother. I posted here asking opinions and all responses were that there is no way it can affect the ride. Maybe it was coincidence, but it feels much better to me. My thoughts are that the new down angle of the front control arms and sway bar were fighting against each other. May be worth a try to temporarily disconnect the swaybar end links and take it for a test drive.
I was wondering about this too. You should ask your shop if they loosened all the control arms during install first of all. Then ask if they torqued them on the lift, wheels in the air or with the tires on the ground with suspension loaded. From everything I have learned here, you want the latter.If you didn't do this, try it... loosen all the bolts in your control arms, shake the Jeep out front and rear, torque them back to specs.
I’ll do that now. Teraflex said to put on the longer sway bar links even with doing the 1 vs 2 spacers up front. I’m not sure if that would make a difference being slightly too long that is.A couple of years ago, I installed the 2 inch rancho lift on my JKU. The ride after was much harsher than stock and I was disappointed. A few weeks later, I added adjustable swaybar disconnects and leveled the swaybar. The ride since then has been much better. I wasn't even thinking about it affecting the ride, but immediately noticed it was smoother. I posted here asking opinions and all responses were that there is no way it can affect the ride. Maybe it was coincidence, but it feels much better to me. My thoughts are that the new down angle of the front control arms and sway bar were fighting against each other. May be worth a try to temporarily disconnect the swaybar end links and take it for a test drive.
UPDATE. no change with swaybar off.
OK. This is just a guess after re-reading this. So, you used spacers to take up 1.5" of travel of the spring and shock. I wonder if that freaked out your stock shocks. Or, it may have just pre-tensioned your springs just enough to create a much stiffer ride. That's my .02
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