Ride Quality Question

[MDawg]

I purchased an Unlimited Sahara earlier in the year for my daughter. Yesterday I picked up my Rubicon 4xe, and the ride quality difference blew me away. The 4xe drives SOOOO much better than the Sahara. What exactly is causing the ride quality difference between the two? Is it the Rubicon package or the 4xe (weight?)? I ordered a Sahara for my wife last month, and I think she is going to be pissed when she finally has a chance to ride in mine.

Sponsored

 

[AcesandEights]

You need to provide more detail, but I'm guessing you have "car" tires (18" wheels with lower profile) on the Sahara and floatation tires on the Rubicon. I'm guessing the Rubicon is considerably heavier and has different shocks.

ETA: I should have said it a different way.

Tire sidewall provides more cushion. You would expect, all other things being equal, the vehicle with a taller sidewall would ride more smoothly.

Shocks (misnamed in my opinion) are dampers. They dampen the ride, so they have an enormous impact on ride quality.

Weight of a vehicle impacts the suspension, so the tires/wheels are "under" the springs, and the vehicle is over the springs. The amount of weight of the vehicle impacts the way the suspension reacts to the vehicle moving. More weight "can" have a positive impact on ride quality because it causes the suspension to cycle or absorb and dampen the ride.

You have different vehicles with different tires, suspension, weight, etc. It's all different.

 

[Deleted member 72291]

Honestly, ride is so relative to each person. I have a Sahara 4xe and to me, the ride was significantly better than the rubicon 4xe’s I drove prior to buying.

 

[Heimkehr]

+1 to what Aces said above.

Yes, ride quality is subjective. For example, I certainly feel more comfortable on cloth seats than I do on the slippery church pews that are passed off as leather seating in modern vehicles.

 

[rcadden]

@AcesandEights has it nailed.

Your 4xe is running 33s on 17" rims. The Sahara is running 32s on 18" rims.

I bought some Rubicon take-offs for my Sahara and immediately noticed a softer ride, which makes sense given that there is ~1" of additional sidewall to cushion things.

 

[Steph1]

4Xe weight makes all the difference. I had the same reaction when my brother took me for a ride in his.

 

[Xspurt]

Honestly, ride is so relative to each person. I have a Sahara 4xe and to me, the ride was significantly better than the rubicon 4xe’s I drove prior to buying.

And when I test drove both it was the exact opposite for me.

 

[BXFXJeep]

Most likely the weight, my Sahara 4xe with Gladiator Falken Wildpeak MT, drives/handles significantly better than my 2018 Sahara JL with the same wheels.

The 4xe with stock 20" also ride better than the 18JL with the same Falken, or the stock 18" or the 17" Rubicon K02s I had on before buying the Falken".

The 4xe also handles the speed bumps in my underground a lot better regardless of wheels.

 

[BDinTX]

Not an apples to apples comparison but I’ll second the weight theory.

We have a 2020 2.0T and a 2021 diesel.
Both rubicons and besides color and tops everything else is the same. The wheels, tires, lift (brand only, engine specific), bumper, winch, etc.

I think the additional weight helps the moderate caster to keep the wheels straight, and the needed stiffer springs reduce body roll.

Of course the trade off is a rougher ride off-road. On a long stretch of washboards nearby, I need to drive about half as fast in the diesel to keep my teeth.

I’ve been reading lately that the 4xe uses the same front springs as the diesel and something different (but stiffer than normal) in the rear. Can’t say that it’s true, just repeating what I’ve seen.

Edited to use the right word

 

[GATORB8]

Not an apples to apples comparison but I’ll second the weight theory.

We have a 2020 2.0T and a 2021 diesel.
Both rubicons and besides color and tops everything else is the same. The wheels, tires, lift (brand only, engine specific), bumper, winch, etc.

I think the additional weight helps the moderate camber to keep the wheels straight, and the needed stiffer springs reduce body roll.

Of course the trade off is a rougher ride off-road. On a long stretch of washboards nearby, I need to drive about half as fast in the diesel to keep my teeth.

I’ve been reading lately that the 4xe uses the same front springs as the diesel and something different (but stiffer than normal) in the rear. Can’t say that it’s true, just repeating what I’ve seen.

MC uses the diesel front, and standard + spacers rear.

The 4xe has the same front axle weight, but several hundred more pounds out back.

 

[AcesandEights]

Not an apples to apples comparison but I’ll second the weight theory.

We have a 2020 2.0T and a 2021 diesel.
Both rubicons and besides color and tops everything else is the same. The wheels, tires, lift (brand only, engine specific), bumper, winch, etc.

I think the additional weight helps the moderate camber to keep the wheels straight, and the needed stiffer springs reduce body roll.

Of course the trade off is a rougher ride off-road. On a long stretch of washboards nearby, I need to drive about half as fast in the diesel to keep my teeth.

I’ve been reading lately that the 4xe uses the same front springs as the diesel and something different (but stiffer than normal) in the rear. Can’t say that it’s true, just repeating what I’ve seen.

I don't think camber would change, based on weight, on the solid front axle JL, not like on a IFS/MacPherson. Caster could though.

 

[BDinTX]

@GATORB8 I was thinking what I saw was regarding stock or maybe mopar lifts with diesel fronts. I’m far from an expert though

 

[HBDiesel]

Weight

 

[BDinTX]

I don't think camber would change, based on weight, on the solid front axle JL, not like on a IFS/MacPherson. Caster could though.

Crap yes, caster. See above - far from an expert.
“Give me a word that starts with a C”

 

[AcesandEights]

I think it's pronounced wait.

Sponsored