Tippy JK with RTT and rack, need professional advice!

[Ryanmb21]

The reason I recommended to unload the roof is that the OP said it felt tippy. It would be a mistake to ignore that feeling.

 

[Finlay]

The forum does have a feature to hide posts from particular users. I recommend it - It's a +3 to your saves vs insanity.

As to your question - Honestly, the only way to really know how much more tippy the truck is would be to get a forklift and a strap and lift one side till it goes. I suspect that your COG isn't that changed by that much. Truck weighs 5000 lbs ? 300 is less than 10% of that.

What's really changed is the moment about the COG, and you can ameliorate that somewhat. First is better springs/shocks - I don't know much about jeeps, but stiffer springs are what you are after. This will reduce articulation though, and have other effects, but it will counteract body roll a bit. Upgraded springs were a big win on my truck.

Second is knowing that your truck will handle differently, and adjusting for that. When my truck is loaded for a trip (RTT and 1000lbs of other farkles, dogs and wife crap, etc.), it takes a few hours for me to really acclimate to the new handling. But once I do, its fine - and after I get back, the truck feels weird again.

But you know, drive carefully, avoid sudden swerves and such, and keep your speed a bit lower to compensate and it's safe enough given the other risks involved in being on the highway.

Alright. Bait accepted.

MOguy, you are a jerk. I don't want to talk to you, and will not do so again.

 

[MOguy]

The forum does have a feature to hide posts from particular users. I recommend it - It's a +3 to your saves vs insanity.

As to your question - Honestly, the only way to really know how much more tippy the truck is would be to get a forklift and a strap and lift one side till it goes. I suspect that your COG isn't that changed by that much. Truck weighs 5000 lbs ? 300 is less than 10% of that.

What's really changed is the moment about the COG, and you can ameliorate that somewhat. First is better springs/shocks - I don't know much about jeeps, but stiffer springs are what you are after. This will reduce articulation though, and have other effects, but it will counteract body roll a bit. Upgraded springs were a big win on my truck.

Second is knowing that your truck will handle differently, and adjusting for that. When my truck is loaded for a trip (RTT and 1000lbs of other farkles, dogs and wife crap, etc.), it takes a few hours for me to really acclimate to the new handling. But once I do, its fine - and after I get back, the truck feels weird again.

But you know, drive carefully, avoid sudden swerves and such, and keep your speed a bit lower to compensate and it's safe enough given the other risks involved in being on the highway.

The OPs Jeep weighs about 3700lbs stock. It will probably be narrower and have a shorter wheelbase tban a 5k vehicle. 300lbs is signicant, the OP himself knows this. Suspension is not the fix. How he loads his vehicle is. He can easily carry an additional 300lbs, but not all of it in the roof.

 

[GFA]

Do you sleep in the scamp with your wife when she goes? I think if I were in your position I'd be looking into having one or the other but not both. I can say I completely understand the bathroom issue for the wife though, I've made midnight runs to find a bath house in the past. And that scamp should have brakes on it if it doesn't if being pulled by a 2dr JK.

Maybe sell the RTT and get a good ground tent, helinox cot and sleeping pad for the times you go solo? I can tell you that combo is every bit as comfy as a RTT and you'd have money leftover from the sale of the RTT to put towards other improvements.

 

[jacobconroy]

I had a gobi rack and a cvt hardshell tent and the top heavyness was terrible I had AEV springs and wound up running air bags in them until I could swap out the springs and shocks to OME
get a hellwig bar for sure, look into the OME heavies as well I have 660lb rears and 330 lb fronts and swapped all the rooftop stuff out for my ursa minor j30 and that has been a great weight redux

and everyone please remember this isn't Pirate? the guy is asking for assistance not judgement.

This is what I was looking for. Thanks. Must not be just me. We happen to have a new Outback, and a little searching reveals that I can get a Yakima rack that would support the Espace. But, as with all of this stuff, I'll need to gamble another 500 dollar bill on a rack for the Subaru to try it out. Yesterday I took the Jeep on a 40 mile drive up into the hills and wasn't comfortable driving over 60 on the highway (might not have been able to go faster than 60 with all the drag). Took the Subaru on the same drive immediately afterword...and boy was it a more comfortable drive.

Of course, the Suby might not drive so nice with 130 lbs added to the roof. I can't decide if I will give it a try. I've been googling M416s, but they look like a lot of work before a fella can get camping. The added bonus of a trailer is that I would get to be "Topliss" again. Kinda miss that.

 

[jacobconroy]

Do you sleep in the scamp with your wife when she goes? I think if I were in your position I'd be looking into having one or the other but not both. I can say I completely understand the bathroom issue for the wife though, I've made midnight runs to find a bath house in the past. And that scamp should have brakes on it if it doesn't if being pulled by a 2dr JK.

Maybe sell the RTT and get a good ground tent, helinox cot and sleeping pad for the times you go solo? I can tell you that combo is every bit as comfy as a RTT and you'd have money leftover from the sale of the RTT to put towards other improvements.

Well, I haven't actually talked her into going yet. We have a campout in a month (thus all the planning), but she just isn't outdoorsy. I mentioned elsewhere that we bought a 16 Subie, and we picked that because it's rated to tow 3000lbs and the Interwebs told me not to tow over 2/3rds of my rating. If I get it to the dealership for a hitch then I will probably take that when she goes camping. We custom ordered the Scamp with brakes. It's a really cute little trailer, but I'm not sure if we can both sleep in that 60 X 76 inch bed. I need to lie in it diagonally to fit (same with the RTT).

I have several high-dollar cuben fiber tents, but it's still sleeping on the ground. I woke up in a 3 inch deep mud puddle last fall at 28 degrees while 9 miles from the Jeep. Kinda ruined my enthusiasm.

Yes, I'm having second thoughts about the RTT. Seemed like the answer to all my problems when I ordered it. Pretty disappointing so far.

Thanks for the ideas everyone.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

The forum does have a feature to hide posts from particular users. I recommend it - It's a +3 to your saves vs insanity.

As to your question - Honestly, the only way to really know how much more tippy the truck is would be to get a forklift and a strap and lift one side till it goes. I suspect that your COG isn't that changed by that much. Truck weighs 5000 lbs ? 300 is less than 10% of that.

What's really changed is the moment about the COG, and you can ameliorate that somewhat. First is better springs/shocks - I don't know much about jeeps, but stiffer springs are what you are after. This will reduce articulation though, and have other effects, but it will counteract body roll a bit. Upgraded springs were a big win on my truck.

Second is knowing that your truck will handle differently, and adjusting for that. When my truck is loaded for a trip (RTT and 1000lbs of other farkles, dogs and wife crap, etc.), it takes a few hours for me to really acclimate to the new handling. But once I do, its fine - and after I get back, the truck feels weird again.

But you know, drive carefully, avoid sudden swerves and such, and keep your speed a bit lower to compensate and it's safe enough given the other risks involved in being on the highway.

So you are suggesting we ignore posts from non-Jeep owners when they try to offer advice about Jeeps?

 

[MOguy]

So you are suggesting we ignore posts from non-Jeep owners when they try to offer advice about Jeeps?

only if they saw something you don't want to hear. Some lke smoke blown up there *** and others just want to be liked. He is just wanting people to justify all the money he spent, not advice.