Smoother ride opinions?

[silverback24]

I have a 2018 JL coming over from a family truckster equinox. I sometimes take long drives for hockey trips, seems like whether a short drive or long drive the JL drives like a tank, any suggestions to make the ride smoother?

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[SaintNick]

Continue driving the Equinox.

 

[GATORB8]

Well, you basically bought a tank.

Not a lot is going to ride softer than stock, but you can inspect your shocks and bushings and make sure everything is operating as intended. Make sure your tire air pressure is at or slightly below the door pressure if you are on stock wheels/tires.

If all else fails, IFS?
https://www.kibbetech.com/products/ifs-jeep-front-suspension

 

[Phrank]

Trade it in - Wranglers aren't everyone's cup of tea.

 

[dsgrey]

If it's a pavement princess then street tires will help. But it's a truck so it will never ride as smooth as your other vehicle.

 

[roaniecowpony]

I have a 2018 JL coming over from a family truckster equinox. I sometimes take long drives for hockey trips, seems like whether a short drive or long drive the JL drives like a tank, any suggestions to make the ride smoother?

The JL is undoubtedly the best riding Jeep they ever built. But it's a solid front axle, short wheelbase vehicle. It's going to ride like crap compared to a street car/suv. It would ride better, IMO, with 35" or 37" tires at around 28 psi than any street tire running 38 psi. Mine does. But it ain't no Equinox and never will be.

 

[Heimkehr]

On those infrequent occasions when I'm distracted by the JLU's ride quality, I remember the buckboard driving experience of my leaf-sprung YJ. Instantly, those Princess-and-the-Pea thoughts vanish from my head.

 

[autotragic]

On those infrequent occasions when I'm distracted by the JLU's ride quality, I remember the buckboard driving experience of my leaf-sprung YJ. Instantly, those Princess-and-the-Pea thoughts vanish from my head.

Isn't it amazing what a little perspective will do for one's mindset?

 

[autotragic]

I have a 2018 JL coming over from a family truckster equinox. I sometimes take long drives for hockey trips, seems like whether a short drive or long drive the JL drives like a tank, any suggestions to make the ride smoother?

It's a body on frame solid front and rear axle short wheelbase SUV. Smooth is subjective but it's never going to be as smooth as any CUV. It is the smoothest Jeep Wrangler they've made yet.

 

[rcadden]

A few concrete (and more cost-effective) things you can do to improve the road trip experience:

• Get a dead pedal. I have the Hooke one - cheap, easy to install, sturdy, etc. Super helpful, IMO.
• Investigate @DesertDoesIt's SeatSlammers, if you're tall. These are on my list, so I can't speak from personal experience, but from what I understand, they raise the front edge of the seat a little, so that it provides more support for your legs/knees - probably will feel more like your Equinox.
• I believe it was @wibornz who took his JL to a local furniture upholstery. For $70 they replaced the foam in the seats (maybe just the drivers'?) with better quality foam to provide better support and make the seats more comfortable. (Sorry for incorrectly saying @BDinTX earlier)
• Perform a chalk test (search on YouTube) to make sure your tires are inflated to the proper PSi. Many people/dealerships (even the factory) over-inflate tires. It provides better gas mileage but sucks for the ride.
• Make sure you have appropriately sized rims for your tires. Generally speaking, your wheels should be ~1/2 the diameter of your tire. 17" rims should be used on anything up to 35s. This provides more sidewall, which basically means there's more air between the outer edge of the wheel and the inside of the outside of your tire, for more cushion.
  • My Sahara came with 32" tires on an 18" rim. I went to 33" tires on a 17" rim and noticed a *huge* difference in how soft the ride is.
• New shocks can help soften the ride without changing much else.

But otherwise, you're driving a metal shoebox on solid axles 70 MPH down the freeway. It's *always* going to be rougher than an aerodynamic IFS vehicle.

 

[BDinTX]

@rcadden negative, I just ate more junk food to increase the padding built into my butt.

 

[rcadden]

@rcadden negative, I just ate more junk food to increase the padding built into my butt.

My bad, it was @wibornz.

 

[autotragic]

@rcadden negative, I just ate more junk food to increase the padding built into my butt.

This method is fairly effective until you get older and your back decides it doesn't like to carry the added padding around.

 

[m3reno]

Put in Rancho 9000XL shocks as that will smooth the ride out a lot. I changed mine out as soon as I got my Jeep and I couldn't be happier. The shocks are adjustable, I put mine on setting 4 from the softest side.

 

[knox]

I have an AEV dual sport 2.5, just put on BFG K02's and love the ride. It is a Jk, maybe more comfy seats, but with new tires, I enjoy more than my DD.

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