Sponsored

I love everything about my JLUR except for the way it rides.

TravisRogers

Well-Known Member
First Name
Dan
Joined
Jun 19, 2018
Threads
20
Messages
223
Reaction score
391
Location
Annapolis, MD
Vehicle(s)
2018 Jeep Wrangler JL Sahara
I have had my JLU Rubicon for about 4 months now with just about 3,000 miles on it. It is still pretty stock except for the addition of ROAM sidesteps. I knew when I bought the Rubi, it would be a mall crawler about 90% of the time. I plan to do some trips out to Colorado during spring/summer for some off-roading, but my choices are limited locally. I honestly bought the Rubi because that has been the dream for years, and a Sahara would have cost me nearly the same to get the look and feel I was going for. I test drove Sports, Saharas and Rubicons on numerous occasions and really did not notice much of a difference in ride quality.
I was extremely excited to finally join the Jeep family, but some of joy has deminshed due to my ride quality. The Rubicon I ordered seems to have a couple of issues, but I am not sure if they will be fixed by taking it to the dealer.
First of all, I feel some decent shaking whenever I am parked. It’s almost like a constant massage, but no the good kind. I have video of a fast food bag shaking like crazy on my passenger seat, if interested. I have seen a few other have this issues@, but the answer seems to be...”learn to live with it.”
The second issue is awkward jerky shifting at low speeds with my automatic transmission. When I pull out of my parking spot at work, I often get jerked back a couple of times while going less than 10 mph in the parking lot. Not horrible, but adds to my frustration.
The biggest issue I have is with the suspension/shocks. When I bought the Rubi, the idea is that all trips would be made in this vehicle, but the ride is so rough, I am not sure I can do it. There is a highway by my home that literally causes everyone in the car to become bobble heads. I can see the front end of my Jeep shaking and bouncing up and down while a truck next to me barely does any hit get. My other car and van travel the highway with barely a blip. I have played with tire pressure, but that barely changes anything. Is this normal? Will getting a different suspension help? I am not really interested in a lift as my very short wife has trouble getting in the Jeep now. I am open to any other suggestions. I do love the Jeep, but I want to be able to use like I intended to. Thanks.
Couple of things:

1) The Wrangler ride is an acquired taste. You either love it or you hate it. I came from the G Wagon which is designed to make you feel assaulted after every ride. Personally, I absolutely love the unrefined feel of the Wrangler. It's bouncy, jittery, rough–wonderfully unrefined. My wife, on the other hand, hates it. She likes the smoothness of a proper, more civilized, SUV.

2) The other things you mentioned are things I've already brought up several times to my dealership. Unlike your prior Asian vehicle, they "perform as designed" which means they're basically things you have to forgive as flaws and poorly implemented components. I've learned that the Jeep community is a very forgiving bunch. Rough idling, engine knocking, awkward shift points, etc are what are called "Jeep Things." In fact, I was surprised to learn that the owner's manual even advises that valve knocking (which is considered not normal by pretty much every other manufacturer) is acceptable in your Jeep. When a non-Jeep person gets in your Wrangler and starts pointing out oddities, simply say what we all say: "It's a Jeep thing."

The good news is that your standards will soon realign and you'll learn to overlook the shortcomings of your Wrangler. The first time you ride along the beach with the doors and top off you'll forget about most shortcomings.
Sponsored

 

Kurtj29

Well-Known Member
First Name
Kurt
Joined
Feb 22, 2018
Threads
5
Messages
165
Reaction score
257
Location
Seattle, WA
Vehicle(s)
JLUR Billet Silver
Vehicle Showcase
1
Sometimes I wonder wtf people were expecting when purchasing a Wrangler. I just don’t get it. Anyone who is anyone knows it’s a rugged SUV with solid axles. I don’t understand what part of that equals to soft Lincoln towncar Highway like feel.
I guess I believed all the hype about how the JL was so much better than the JK. I test drove a JL and it seemed to be great, I guess I wanted to believe it was lively and agile and let the passion of the moment overrule a cold hard look at its on the road manners. I did not expect the JLUR to handle like a towncar but I was surprised from my perspective how poorly it rode on the interstate. Some say it is great, in my opinion it was poor - and it did not fit what I wanted from my vehicle.


Definitely something wrong. There are plenty of people on here that complain, and a lot of the advice is laughable. I came from an Audi Q7, and my JLUR is every bit as comfortable as that. Hard to believe there are some people on here that actually traded theirs in after less than a year. Yeah, it’s a truck frame, but the ride is still great!
Well I did trade my JLUR in after 7 months and 10K miles. Better to say it was a bad decision and get rid of it rather than suffer and stay with something you don't like or care for. So yes, you can laugh at me, heck my wife and family are laughing at me for trading it out so soon. But that is fine.


Agreed! I knew what I was getting in to and I'm more than perfectly fine with all of it (although still adjusting to some of it). Anyone that flip-flops in under a year didn't understand the difference between a Wrangler and all the "modern" vehicles on the market.
No I guess I did not fully understand the difference between a Wrangler and a full size 1/2 ton pickup. But hey, I wanted to try a Jeep, I did and thankfully Jeeps do have a high resale price. Plus I caught the GMC right at the end of the model year so in the final analysis I don't think it was all that bad a trade off. I like to think that I "rented" a Jeep for 7 months, put 10K miles on and then turned it in.

You keep mentioning wind noise as a major problem to you. What vehicle did you come from to get your JL? Compared to my old Jk my JLUR is much quieter and feels great on the road. I’m wondering if you were just used to very quiet vehicles or were one of the people affected by hard top malfunctions resulting in excessive wind noise.
I came directly from 2012 Chevy Avalanche and I have a 2002 Suburban - which are both quiet vehicles. Maybe my Jeep did have a hard top defect - it was really loud at highway speed. But since it's gone I will never know. I will say the 2018 GMC Sierra is super quiet in comparison and the ride at highway speeds - there is no comparison - plus the 6.2L V8 is pure joy to hit the gas. It has no problem getting up the mountains around here where the JLUR felt a little out of breath. Its hard to believe but after 1,900 miles the computer says I am getting 16.8 mpg v. the low 16s with the JLUR.

Jeep does - Ever hear of the Cherokee? Understandable, not everyone is cut out for the Wrangler. When you take the roof and doors off your Denali, you may make the comparison.
I am really not interested in Chrysler in general, I was concerned about getting a Jeep. I will say I was impressed with the quality of my JLUR. But I have been a GM truck and Ford truck person, really did not even consider Ram. In my heart, I learned I am a pickup guy and not a Jeep guy. I tried the Jeep, did not really take to it as I thought I would and really missed a lot of aspects you get with a full sized pickup.
 
Last edited:

GreyFox

Well-Known Member
First Name
Brandy
Joined
Oct 11, 2018
Threads
15
Messages
3,059
Reaction score
6,215
Location
Ohio
Vehicle(s)
17 JKU, 19 JL
I own a TJ, JKU, and have my JL on order. I love my little TJ but it will literally beat the crap out of you for long rides. You just need to take breaks. The JKU drives much nicer than the TJ. And when my husband and I test drove JLs we thought we were riding in a Cadillac lol. However, a nice set of aftermarket shocks will change everything and make your ride much smoother. I personally like the way @RanchoShocks ride. But do your homework and decide for yourself. Good luck.
 

jeremyjeep

Well-Known Member
First Name
Jeremy
Joined
Mar 10, 2018
Threads
55
Messages
1,952
Reaction score
1,501
Location
Jeep, USA
Vehicle(s)
JLUR

StrikeZ

Well-Known Member
First Name
TJ
Joined
Mar 26, 2018
Threads
3
Messages
247
Reaction score
246
Location
Maryland
Vehicle(s)
2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited
I am really not interested in Chrysler in general, I was concerned about getting a Jeep. I will say I was impressed with the quality of my JLUR. But I have been a GM truck and Ford truck person, really did not even consider Ram. In my heart, I learned I am a pickup guy and not a Jeep guy. I tried the Jeep, did not really take to it as I thought I would and really missed a lot of aspects you get with a full sized pickup.
The Cherokee and Grand Cherokee are Jeeps. Why do you lurk on these boards if you moved on from the Wrangler? Doesn’t GM have a community for Denali owners? A place to share your Denali experiences, Denali mods and get Denali advice? You may always go to the next Denali Jamboree or local Denali Club meetups. Will you spend your time trying to beat down Wrangler owners, because it was not pulpous enough for you?
 

Sponsored

viper88

Well-Known Member
First Name
Nick
Joined
Apr 22, 2018
Threads
44
Messages
5,510
Reaction score
5,588
Location
IL
Vehicle(s)
'19 JLR 2.0T (past), '22 JLR 3.6 (present)
I have had my JLU Rubicon for about 4 months now with just about 3,000 miles on it. It is still pretty stock except for the addition of ROAM sidesteps. I knew when I bought the Rubi, it would be a mall crawler about 90% of the time. I plan to do some trips out to Colorado during spring/summer for some off-roading, but my choices are limited locally. I honestly bought the Rubi because that has been the dream for years, and a Sahara would have cost me nearly the same to get the look and feel I was going for. I test drove Sports, Saharas and Rubicons on numerous occasions and really did not notice much of a difference in ride quality.
I was extremely excited to finally join the Jeep family, but some of joy has deminshed due to my ride quality. The Rubicon I ordered seems to have a couple of issues, but I am not sure if they will be fixed by taking it to the dealer.
First of all, I feel some decent shaking whenever I am parked. It’s almost like a constant massage, but no the good kind. I have video of a fast food bag shaking like crazy on my passenger seat, if interested. I have seen a few other have this issues@, but the answer seems to be...”learn to live with it.”
The second issue is awkward jerky shifting at low speeds with my automatic transmission. When I pull out of my parking spot at work, I often get jerked back a couple of times while going less than 10 mph in the parking lot. Not horrible, but adds to my frustration.
The biggest issue I have is with the suspension/shocks. When I bought the Rubi, the idea is that all trips would be made in this vehicle, but the ride is so rough, I am not sure I can do it. There is a highway by my home that literally causes everyone in the car to become bobble heads. I can see the front end of my Jeep shaking and bouncing up and down while a truck next to me barely does any hit get. My other car and van travel the highway with barely a blip. I have played with tire pressure, but that barely changes anything. Is this normal? Will getting a different suspension help? I am not really interested in a lift as my very short wife has trouble getting in the Jeep now. I am open to any other suggestions. I do love the Jeep, but I want to be able to use like I intended to. Thanks.
I recommend taking in your JL to the dealer for the shaking. Ride quality can be altered. Tires, shocks, springs will make the biggest difference ride wise. I would first double check your tire pressure. I would consider replacing the stock Rubicon shocks with Bilsteins before abandoning the JL. You can drastically improve/change the ride quality by replacing the shocks with very high quality replacement shocks. Bilstein makes a excellent product with a lifetime warranty. I tried Bilsteins on my TJ and JK. Both had much less bounce, better control, improved street ride. There are other companies with adjustable features also. Rancho makes a set and offers a money back guarantee I believe? Fox is another great company. Personally I have only used Bilstein and highly recommend the brand.

http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/suspension-brakes/129-1007-wrangler-jk-bilstein-shock-upgrade/
 

Kurtj29

Well-Known Member
First Name
Kurt
Joined
Feb 22, 2018
Threads
5
Messages
165
Reaction score
257
Location
Seattle, WA
Vehicle(s)
JLUR Billet Silver
Vehicle Showcase
1
Hey, at least you're willing to admit that you were the problem, not the Jeep. You didn't really do your homework and it didn't fit your lifestyle, needs or what you were accustomed to, so you got rid of it. Kudos to you. So many people will just continue to complain about something rather than doing what's necessary to rectify the issue.

I question the intelligence of anyone who buys a Jeep Wrangler for the image. If you're actually going to wheel it, that's one thing....but it has so many drawbacks just in terms of reliability and build quality for an everyday driver, it honestly makes little sense for those types of prospective buyers.

LOL, thanks for insulting my intelligence - no offense taken. But seriously I was not interested in the JK because I knew of the issues. I did a lot of research on the JL and read all the reviews and watched a lot of Youtube vids and then went down to the dealer to do a test drive. Remember back in March JL's were few and far between. Everyone who had just purchased was writing how wonderful the JL was and saying the ride on the JL was significantly better and it was an acceptable daily driver. Many said it had solved a lot of the issues. I guess I believed a little too much of the hyperbole and was caught up in "buy" fever that even though I test drove it and it was not great - I still really wanted a Jeep. No one here has ever let their emotions get the better of them on a purchase? And seriously guys, and for everyone on this forum the good news is that JL's command a really high trade in - high enough that it really was not that painful to trade in and get a new ride - credit to Jeep for making a vehicle with a high resale - that is a fantastic benefit.


The Cherokee and Grand Cherokee are Jeeps. Why do you lurk on these boards if you moved on from the Wrangler? Doesn’t GM have a community for Denali owners? A place to share your Denali experiences, Denali mods and get Denali advice? You may always go to the next Denali Jamboree or local Denali Club meetups. Will you spend your time trying to beat down Wrangler owners, because it was not pulpous enough for you?
Thanks, I did find a great community here. I have over a 150 posts - so invested a lot of time on the forum. I still appreciate Jeeps and like to read the forum - I have been "lurking" since I sold my JL but thought I would chime in on this thread. I probably should not have but hey - everyone has an opinion and... as the saying goes. And don't fear I have moved on to the GM Truck forums - my time here is limited and this is most likely my last post.
 

FranklinFlyer

Well-Known Member
First Name
Stanley
Joined
Dec 1, 2017
Threads
0
Messages
143
Reaction score
118
Location
Germany
Vehicle(s)
2007 Grand Cherokee Overland 2017 Jeep Renegade Limited
Occupation
Producer
Ever tried a Grand Cherokee?
 

Gadgetguru

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2018
Threads
2
Messages
61
Reaction score
34
Location
Pennsylvania
Vehicle(s)
2018 Jeep Wrangler JLU Sahara
I specifically said "vehicles" ...you're the one that painted yourself into a corner and then mentioned a caveat that is in a completely different class of vehicle (Since we're apparently comparing apples to dildos, I'll return the favor later ;) ).

First of all, you're driving around in an IFS full size truck with caprice sized tie rods. That doesn't exactly scream off road capable.

Second, solid axles and CoG don't automatically mean you're going to have a poor highway ride. My buggy's 110" wb and it rides phenomenally well at speed....over some really nasty terrain. The body roll is a bit much on highway...but that could easily be remedied with a Sway-Loc or Currie Antirock up front (I only run a rear AR currently). Since I don't use it for my commute, it's sort of a non-issue considering its intended purpose.

The point is, for a vehicle that's going to actually be wheeled, 118" is a very long wheelbase; solid axles don't necessarily ride poorly on the road (the WJ was a great example of this AND it was around 106" WB) and more wheelbase in general, doesn't guarantee a good highway ride. I've got over 138" WB on my 3/4T tow rig with solid axles and unless it's loaded or towing, it rides significantly more harshly than the JLUR does. Heck, even when loaded the tow rig rides rougher.

Third, ride quality is largely subjective. So you and your wife thought your JLUR rode rough....there are plenty of other folks here that think theirs rides fine.

Finally, 176" wheelbase is not at all common in non-commercial applications....for anything other than (as I already said) full size trucks.

But I'm glad your happy with your truck...GM caters specifically to your type of vehicle owner.
As usual on forums, someone gets butt hurt over a simple reply.

Your first paragraph makes no sense, except for maybe implying you are gay. Is a truck not a "vehicle"?

I said I do NOT think the JL rides rough at all. We don't have a Rubicon. I think you are mixing/confusing posts.

176" wheelbase is the standard wheelbase for a crew cab long bed Ford. Not GM, not commercial, doesn't have IFS, and isn't made for off-road. Simply said to me the 118" wheelbase was short in comparison. My "type" of vehicle owner likes the capability to tow 32,000 pounds, including my fifth wheel and other trailers.

List the thousands of vehicles with a wheelbase shorter than 118. Let's narrow the list, vehicles since 2010. Then filter "cars" from that list, meaning remove all vehicles that do not have solid front and rear axles. Your statement, you do the work .
 

smithrd65

Well-Known Member
First Name
David
Joined
May 11, 2018
Threads
1
Messages
818
Reaction score
698
Location
San Antonio
Vehicle(s)
2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited JL. BMW Z4 35is, Tesla Model X90D, Chevy 2500 LTZ
My Rubicon rides great. But what I do hear is people trying to compare the Jeep to other vehicles it's not it is unique type of vehicle with great capabilities and people fail to understand those capabilities come at a cost.
It's not a Honda CRV, or a Lease it's a Jeep it's going to shift drive different than the average vehicles.
Enjoy it or sell stop complaining unless there is a real world issue.
 

Sponsored

Gadgetguru

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2018
Threads
2
Messages
61
Reaction score
34
Location
Pennsylvania
Vehicle(s)
2018 Jeep Wrangler JLU Sahara
"Apples to dildos" is just a funny way of saying the two things you're attempting to compare have nothing in common. The fact that I have to explain that to you is actually pretty sad. Not everyone has a sense of humor though.

Whatever.

Towing 32K lbs. and Jeeps are apparently synonymous in your mind. :facepalm:

Yes, I did mix my response to both you and the other folks here that think their full size trucks are comparable to a Jeep in any way that actually matters. Congratulations on finally figuring out what everyone else already knew. But, I do apologize for mixing the responses together since it confused you and I should have done a better job of delineating exactly which full size truck owner I was addressing. Mea culpa.

As for the rest of your commentary...perhaps look up the word "vehicle" and you'll see it encompasses all manners of transportation including passenger cars. See, words have meaning and I chose that one specifically to convey my meaning.

BTW, GM's crew cab long box is 168"; same ball park as your Ford example.

And if you would actually objectively look at what I posted before you jumped into the conversation, all I was saying is that wheelbase is not the sole determining factor for ride quality and that 118" wheelbase isn't short when one looks across the spectrum of (here comes that word again) "vehicles". To claim that one needs a super long wheelbase to get a good highway ride is to ignore plenty of examples to the contrary (Again, Jeep WJ anyone?....SFA and 106" WB...as one example).

Care to argue ANY of those points on a factual basis?
Yeah, typically people use apples to oranges. And that is not the part that didn't make sense.

There's nothing to argue. You win. Feel better? I'm going to go back to "jumping into conversations" about Jeeps. Since that's what this forum is for.
 

Kurtj29

Well-Known Member
First Name
Kurt
Joined
Feb 22, 2018
Threads
5
Messages
165
Reaction score
257
Location
Seattle, WA
Vehicle(s)
JLUR Billet Silver
Vehicle Showcase
1
I am sorry I think my comment started the whole wheelbase thing. BTW my half ton GMC wheel base is 143". For what ever reason - IMO the ride on a JLUR is poor, poor enough to take a small financial hit to trade it in and get a new vehicle.

You have to remember this forum also influences a lot of people on whether to buy a Jeep. All the hype on this forum got me to come from a half ton -sized pickup to a Jeep - BECAUSE - everyone was saying how great the new JL was and how it mitigated a lot of the issues with the JK. The JL was a "luxury" Jeep and could easily be a daily driver. Hopefully someone considering a purchase will pause if they read my posts and the others here with a contrary opinion based on experience.

We are here to round out the discussion.

In my opinion - after purchasing a Jeep, driving it for 7 months, putting over 10,000 miles on it all over Washington State - I can say - if you are coming from a full sized pickup - you may be disappointed in the Jeep. In my case to the point of trading it in for a new pickup. The JLUR is a great vehicle, with a great community but it makes a lot of compromises to be a great off-road vehicle. I would say if you daily drive and 95% of your travels are on interstates and you are not going to go to off-road specific parks and if your "off-roading" consists mainly on forest roads - then maybe think twice. Don't believe all the hype here and in no universe is a Jeep capable of delivering the same ride a half ton pickup will deliver on the interstate - a JL Jeep will still beat you up on a 4 hour drive at 75 mph on the interstate or going over a twisty mountain pass.

For me - the failing "use-case" was - after driving a couple of hours and then doing a 2 to 5 hour hike up and down a mountain - getting back to the parking lot bone-tired and then contemplating fighting the Jeep on the ride back home was not a happy thought.

Finally, I just got really tired of having to pay attention to the vehicles coming at me and waving at every passing Jeep... Man that is just nerve racking - I just want to listen to my pod-cast or music and not be stressed that I offended someone by not waving. It took a couple of weeks, but I finally stopped looking for Jeeps and waving. I am sure there are a few Jeep owners in the Seattle area wondering why that dude in the pickup was waving at them.
Sponsored

 
Last edited:
 



Top