Rough Ride

[thirdmotion]

Hi,

I'm shopping around for KJ Renegade Edition and test drove a few of them. I love the car(especially the looks with roof lights and riveted fender flares) but the ride is too rough and bouncy. Are there any aftermarket suspension systems for a smoother ride that i can swap out?

 

[tommudd]

What years and how many miles
If its older model and also over 30,000-40,000 miles then more than likely the suspension is shot
OME springs and either OME or Bilstein shocks all around
read the posts lots of good info already on here

 

[thirdmotion]

Thanks for the reply. I have my mind set on a 04 with 47,000 miles.. Only thing thats holding me back from driving it out is the rough ride... I also have a 2 year old daughter and i'm concerned it might be harsh on her... Upon some research, i found out that short wheel base suv's like this libby, tends to have rougher ride than a fullsize suv... How much smoother ride can i expect with OME Springs and Bilstein shocks? Also, there are 3 different options available, Heavy, Medium and Light Load. Are there any differences in ride quality between these three options?

 

[tommudd]

Never heard of anyone saying the ride is too harsh, well maybe one person, I think the stock ride sucked pretty bad and was way too soft.
BBUT yes OME has springs which have different ratings
the 925s are like stock about 320 lb , 926s are one step up from that and 927s are rated at 400 lb
You sound like you may be more interested in a longer wheel base though

 

[HoosierJeeper]

Go test drive an LR3, and that's about how my KJ with OME medium duty springs and Bilstein shocks rides. Firm, yes, but not harsh. Handles great.

 

[thirdmotion]

well, im not looking for a firm ride, are there any suspensions that can help with feeling less pavement and more comfort?

 

[Bullett55]

I recently purchased a used, 64K, completely stock '05 Rennie 4X4 w/ Yokohama Geolander HT-S tires. I was amazed at how civilized the ride was (even @ 35psi). Tires (brand and model.., how much wear, inflation, LT or P metric type, and especially how old they are) can dramatically effect the ride and handling of a vehicle. I just did an "all OME" medium duty lift with LT245/75R16's. The ride is noticeably more harsh, but the whole package suites my particular wish list.

With that said, ARB tells me that the OME light duty spring/strut/shock package will give you ride quality similar to stock(MOPAR), which IMO is quite civilized for a "real 4X4", but with improved handling. This is good stuff. Check out what everyone here has to say. BUT again, tire selection (and inflation) can also make a big difference in ride harshness. JMO. Good luck, yer gonna love a Rennie!

 

[tjkj2002]

well, im not looking for a firm ride, are there any suspensions that can help with feeling less pavement and more comfort?

Yeah put on a OEM suspension(coils and shocks) with 150,000 miles on them,you'll be floating like a caddy then.Oh and this will make for a mushy ride which is very unsafe as it will effect your cornering and braking ability.

I would opt for a firm ride for the safety of your child over a mushy ride.Kids can handle it so much better then adults anyways,they think it's fun.

 

[journeyjim]

Smooth ride and good mpg, shouldn't be used in the same sentence with jeep.
These are real four wheel drive, off road capable vehicles, so it's not going to ride good on the pavement.

 

[New Liberty]

My newborn has been riding in "his" Jeep since the day we brought him home from the hospital. He falls asleep instantly.

I'm riding of OEM suspension that was replaced just before I bought the Jeep in the spring.

 

[tommudd]

Smooth ride and good mpg, shouldn't be used in the same sentence with jeep.
These are real four wheel drive, off road capable vehicles, so it's not going to ride good on the pavement.

Have to disagree to a point,
I think looking at the KJs they get great mileage when comparing to other makes and similar models, I pull over 21 on the road with mine and its current setup.
my ride is firm but not hard and rides better than anything I have had in the last 15 years,going down the road its like riding in a Caddy only better! And I'm running way stiffer springs and shocks all around than most everyone else :Bye:

 

[ptsb5a]

I have to agree with Tomm. I'm running the OME790/948s and my KJ handles like it's on rails. Well, as much as a 2 tonne SUV can anyways. It corners flat, absorbs big bumps and rides awesome. Not like my dads old drop top Chrysler 300G, that thing floated all over, didn't feel connected to the road at all. If that's what the OP is after then I've got some bagged Rusty's springs and blown hydraulic shocks for him. He can have them for free, just pick up the shipping tab.

 

[thirdmotion]

thanks for all the input, its very appreciated. Its very relieving to hear New Liberty's post about baby falling asleep in the car with new OEM setup. From what i've researched and read so far, OEM shocks gets shot after 40k miles thus causing the bouncy ride and OME sounds like the way to go for overall better handling and firmer ride with a little lift. Another question i have is, which suspension would feel less bumps on the road OME vs new OEM?

 

[tjkj2002]

Another question i have is, which suspension would feel less bumps on the road OME vs new OEM?

Depends on what aftermath you want but both you will still feel all the bumps but how they control them is 2 different stories.The firm ride of the OME will handle the bumps(you will feel them still) with a predictable control that will last 100k or more.OEM will be the same for only about 30k-40k more then will get very impredictable control after hitting said bumps.

The price difference between OME and OEM is not much with one lasting up to 3 times as long and have better road manners.

 

[J-Thompson]

Wow the KJ rides harsh try a YJ or CJ
as far as the kid we drove our daughter home
from the hospital in a KJ with OME springs and 245/75 MTR's
2 years or so later I drove my self to the doctor
in the KJ and found out I had a broken back
now as far as how it compares to others
they will beat it out in most catorgies
We now have a VW Tiguan
The front and back seats have more room
The cargo area is a little smaller
The ride is much better
The mpg's push an average of 28 with split
driving 40/60 city/highway
We could not even come close to that with the KJ
the same drive was getting us 17-18
The VW will get to 100 mph before the KJ can
get to 60 and still get better mpg and ride better
The KJ has the off road edge over the VW but I have a TJ

 

[Clyde Frog]

I don't know that the VW is a fair comparison for the KJ. Both totally different classes of vehicle made for totally different reasons with totally different suspension goals.


Sent from my iPhone

 

[J-Thompson]

I don't know that the VW is a fair comparison for the KJ. Both totally different classes of vehicle made for totally different reasons with totally different suspension goals.


Sent from my iPhone

Really why not?
Both are "compact suv's"
If not then what? RAV-4? CR-V?
You could try to lump the Patraiot in that
class but it would get smoked in every catorgy ,even off road trust me the other
have the tech. edge
Any thing else you get full size
This is also what gives the Liberty
The market share it gets
It is a litter bigger and cost a little less
but also offers less for 95% of the people who buy them just that people don't really
shop
My wife was 1
She had it in her mind that the CR-V was the way to go ,good mpg good ride lower cost
Then we drove the VW
better mpg better ride and FASTER
even the others V6 can not come close
Yeah the KJ has it's place no doubt
and if it were not for the 70+ mile daily
drive my wife does we would still have ours
but if some one wants good ride and good mpg then the KJ is by no means the best option

 

[tjkj2002]

Really why not?
Both are "compact suv's"
If not then what? RAV-4? CR-V?
You could try to lump the Patraiot in that
class but it would get smoked in every catorgy ,even off road trust me the other
have the tech. edge
Any thing else you get full size
This is also what gives the Liberty
The market share it gets
It is a litter bigger and cost a little less
but also offers less for 95% of the people who buy them just that people don't really
shop
My wife was 1
She had it in her mind that the CR-V was the way to go ,good mpg good ride lower cost
Then we drove the VW
better mpg better ride and FASTER
even the others V6 can not come close
Yeah the KJ has it's place no doubt
and if it were not for the 70+ mile daily
drive my wife does we would still have ours
but if some one wants good ride and good mpg then the KJ is by no means the best option

Let's see the VW,rav4,CRV,Escape are all crossover SUV's that are car based from the base unibody and the drivetrain,they all will ride better and get better mpg's due to this fact and are in no way a vehicle you want to take to MOAB and run Hells Revenge.They all use a 4 wheel idependant suspension with McPherson struts on each corner.

The KJ/KK are a uniframe design NOT based on a car platform and are RWD(in 2wd mode),they use a solid rear axle and coilover front IFS with a selectable 4wd system.They are 700lbs+ heavier then a crossover which accounts for the mpg difference.They are more bult to handle rougher terrian that would leave your VW in the shop for a week and a big repair bill.


Oh did I mention the KJ/KK weigh alot more then those car's.

 

[Clyde Frog]

crossover SUV's that are car based

This.

If I were to compare the VW to anything from Jeep I'd say the closest would be the Compass.

To compare the KJ I'd choose maybe an Xterra - to compare the VW I'd choose a CR-V or RAV4, like already said.

It's not to say that the VW isn't a nice vehicle because it certainly is for what it's made for. However, in comparing the KJ to other vehicles, I don't think the VW is comparable (aside from that they both have 4 wheels and 4 doors) given that they're in no way the same class.

EDIT: Also, with the weight difference and the VW having a turbo, I'd hope it is faster. This is what Consumer Guide Auto lists for the Tiguan:
"COMPETITION
Consumer Guide Automotive places each vehicle into one of 18 classes based on size, price, and market position. Among utility vehicles, Compact SUVs are typically the least costly and offer the best fuel economy. Most utilize a car-type chassis and are not designed for heavy-duty, off-road use. Nearly all are five-passenger vehicles; some offer seating for seven.

Our Best Buys are the Honda CR-V, Suzuki Grand Vitara, and Volkswagen Tiguan. Our Recommended picks are the Saturn Vue and Toyota RAV4"

 

[tommudd]

I had to look up to even see what that VW whatever:shrug: looked like, but it is in no way even close to the same as a Liberty, worlds difference. Now it you can call a CAR! :happy175: