Improving Hwy Manners For Long Trips

[Vegas_Sirk]

With the AEV 2.5 and Geo Brackets the concensus is the JKU drives better than stock... so I think something is out of whack with yours.

I'd get all the wheels balanced, then do a wheel alignment.

If it still wanders on the highway, I would put it on level ground, loosen all the suspension bolts and then re-torque to the specs AEV provides.

Mine is rock steady at 75mph, I can drive for 12+ hours no problem.

-Dan

I should be more clear about this. Its not horrible its just that the Wrangler (even stock) has a bit of play in the steering, mix in the fact its a box on wheels and add in cross winds, bumps, or such and you have tracking issues at high speeds. This is bearable, but also tiring. On my move up from Boise, drove it for 11 hours from Vegas up here and had 30-40 mph winds the whole way to Salt Lake. I spent those 6 hours of driving with the steering wheel turned half way to right to keep it going straight.

I was hoping to stiffen up the steering feel so to make it feel more like my fathers F350 (also solid axel). Thats why I was thinking something like the Fox ATS stabilizer and maybe combining it with a Attenuator like this http://steersmarts.com/products/griffin-jeep-jk-wrangler-steering-attenuator

For example my wife refuses to drive it as she is constantly over correcting and it makes her look like a drunk driving down the road all due to the loseness.

 

[Vegas_Sirk]

But yeah, in term of calming the ride and making the prospect of a long drive more palatable, biggest difference was the flipped steering for me.

The flatter angles just make the front end work better. Only way I can describe it.

Can this be done on the 2.5" or is it only on the larger 3"+?

 

[Vegas_Sirk]

As far as power, you are under geared with those larger tires.

As far as wandering, I would replace the tires before you do anything else and don't over inflate them. I like skinner tires better than fat ones. I think they drift less. Don't over inflate them. Trying running around 25 psi and see if that helps.

Yea tires are #1 on the list. Then I was going to do the upgraded stabilizer since they are pretty inexpensive and then regearing.

 

[Comanche Scott]

I should have been more clear ..... I meant an aftermarket one like the less expensive Bilstein or more expensive adjustable Fox ATS one.

The OEM unit does an adequate job, but if you notice any slack at all in the shaft movement, then upgrading is not a bad idea.
Would be fun to try the Fox setup, if someone else covered the cost.

 

[pilosopo]

Can this be done on the 2.5" or is it only on the larger 3"+?

It can be done in theory.

It's a matter of of how high your Jeep really is.

There's a minimum clearance height between axle and frame/motor for all the components to fit.

Depending on manufacturer someone may have something that'll work in your case.

Synergy and AEV for example, just call out a minimum bump stop height for the front end at 3".

If you're running light with no front bummer you'd have enough lift already to have 3" of bump stop with no loss of up travel.

3" of bump and you only actually have 2" of due to a heavy Jeep and you probably won't be happy. You'd be on/hitting the bump stops too often.



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[PhulesAU]

REGEAR Then go with narrower tires

 

[dstock]

Something is up suspension/tire wise, I have the same lift, but smaller tires, 285/70 17's and I have zero tracking issues. Did 17 hours straight this past summer coming back from Colorado where traffic was regularly moving 80+, crazy storms etc. I'd suggest the same as others, tires, and alignment for starters.

I have 4.10 factory gearing an power is great but I'm not running 35's either.

 

[KMET]

No mention of control arms ?

Maybe it's just me, but having some quality arm's makes a world of improvement over stock.

If you cant regear & replace arms all at once, I'd do arms first. Metalcloak or Currie...

Big tires look cool but require long list of upgrades.

 

[MOguy]

No mention of control arms ?

Maybe it's just me, but having some quality arm's makes a world of improvement over stock.

If you cant regear & replace arms all at once, I'd do arms first. Metalcloak or Currie...

Big tires look cool but require long list of upgrades.

Jeep is only three years old. Unless their are drive line vibes he shouldn't need new arms.

 

[AgentOrange76]

I have KO2s and love them. I'm not sure how much better they are than the old KOs and how much was that the KOs had been on the Jeep for 7 years. My Jeep used to porpoise down the freeway, especially on concrete, but it hasn't done it since the new tires.

I can't offer you much in terms of improving highway performance. Short wheelbase Jeeps are something else on the freeway, that's for sure. I just got back from a roadtrip from North Carolina to Missouri and back with no heat and no cruise control tripping engine codes for O2 sensors. At least I couldn't smell the exhaust leak I will say the biggest improvement for me has been a new top. For the first time in 16 years I can hear the radio, and the drop in noise levels takes away so much fatigue. I also noticed a significantly better ride with the addition of some weight in the back. That baby rides like a Cadillac with some junk in the trunk.

 

[Vegas_Sirk]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I'm going to start with new tires and regear to 4.56s and see how it goes from there.

 

[chasespeed]

For what it's worth....

My KO2s are a year old(maybe 2000 miles).

Couple snow events here.

As good, if not better than my DuraTracs so far. Packed up nicely in the snow.

Very happy with them as an overall every day tire.

MUCH better than the old KOs.

Glad someone convinced me to try them.

Oh, and 4.56s minimum, 4.88s preferred for 35s.

Chase

 

[Bobzdar]

Put it in 4th on the highway,that will be almost exactly equivalent to running 4.56's in 5th gear. If it is otherwise not too sluggish around town and you don't need a deeper crawl ratio,there's no need to regear,just run it in 4th on the highway.

 

[kojackJKU]

Mine was setup pretty well as good as it gets for road driving, but in the end, the wind blowing me around coupled with the wandering due to our shatty roads.....I was not enjoying it anymore. I had a blast with it off road, but I had enough on the road. I traded my super high milage JK unlimited for a new Nissan micra WAHHHHHHHHTTTTTT. ha ha. I have a great little car to zip around in, still have my lifted patriot for off roading (which does GREAT!), and have the surburban for big/volume load!

I would have tried the YETI if I kept my rig tho. The power, well that's something you can't really do anything about. You can regear or supercharge, but then your milage is shot to crap!

That's another plus of my current stable too, there is no vehicle in my fleet now that gets horrible gas milage, even the burb z71 is MUCH better than my JK was.

 

[cjjohn]

Our '12 JKU was kind of the same way. It has a 3.5" lift, 35 x12.5 tires and was sluggish and wandered a lot. I did the Synergy steering correction kit as well as the Synergy track bar brackets. Those helped some, then while doing gears I noticed the ball joints were bad. The Jeep only had 18,000 miles! I went with Moog ball joints and did all 4. The difference was SHOCKING! The drivers side lower was extremely loose, and ALL the others were worn bad. Apparently this is a pretty common problem. I was able to get about 3.5 degrees of caster on the front end alignment which concerned me at first, but the Jeep drove night and day after the ball joints. In fact we drove it from Central CA to Irvine for daughters volleyball, and left from there to Williams AZ that same day. I was tired, but I don't blame the Jeep, I think it is about as good as it can possibly be. Oh, and I went with 4.56 gears and it seemed perfect........