I have a 1994 Jeep Wrangler Yj and it is a very hard ride. I’m new to this jeep stuff so have no idea. I put new shocks on front and back and didn’t help. How do I get it to be a softer and smoother ride
Hard ride
- Thread starter Wanda
- Start date
There are several factors to consider. #1, its a leaf sprung short vehicle. Is yours lifted, and if so what springs are on it. Are the oem springs still on it and by now they are likely spent. What shocks did you install? Seems most of the aftermarket crap is valved for a dump truck. A pic might help,any numbers painted on top of the springs could tell us what springs are on it and the shock brand will help as well.
This is my opinion only, but I honestly believe that removing the front and rear track bars will free up the suspension for a softer ride. The geometry of the track bar system has the bar moving with a arc, be it a slight arc but still an arc. This is attached to a leaf spring system that only wants to move up and down. This is going to cause binding, it has to. Lifting the suspension only adds to this and makes it more noticeable but it is always going to be there to some degree.
My recently new to me 1989 went from riding in a bounce house to floating on a cloud by switching from whatever rusted out shocks I had to a full set of Rough Country N3 shocks. It is also lifted so I went with shocks for lifted Jeeps to account for the extra travel, if you are lifted and bought regular travel shocks maybe you are bottoming out which is contributing to the harsh ride? Eventually I figure I will get rid of the track bars but for now I am happy with it.
Stoopid Jeep
YJ Enthusiast
Ditto on ditching the track bars.
Also, loosening the shackles and greasing all the bushings then re-torquing all the bolts to about 35 ft-lb can help with ride quality.
***do your own research on safe torque specs****
Mine are set to [half a squeak past snug]
Also, loosening the shackles and greasing all the bushings then re-torquing all the bolts to about 35 ft-lb can help with ride quality.
***do your own research on safe torque specs****
Mine are set to [half a squeak past snug]
no photo of front axle springs there now, 1 of like 50 made)
the car has very stiff leaf springs, unlike a 96 up with coil springs or even modified with progressive rate springs.
some guys even remove leafs to make it softer. (the springs are also sold , even with lower weight ratings (softer)
The bushings can be made to slip better Grease the bolts .
some springs are sold to with teflon shim sliders between the leafs so they never bind up.
the shocks we call in USA are not shocks at all, they are only bound and rebound dampeners.
the bounding rate is weak or it makes it worse. (unlike race cars)
the rebound damping rate is what prevents the 2nd bounce, with only 1 chuck hole in the road hit.
the dampener turns the wasted rebound in the heat. (this is how it works)
ever drive a car with no shocks ( see it bounces endlessly (it seems) after hitting 1 bump in the road)
they also stop wheel hop.
the shock can not reduce the springs RATE. The spring is metal, and it does what it does by the weight class of the spring.
the shock can not make a spring RATE weaker ever.
see that at EMU web site. read there, for a while see all those many springs for just 1 car. (amazing)
or get your fillings re-glued in? (says my wife) and a kidney belt.?
shop for 0' lift springs, light duty
is the cure, but makers of some springs now ended YJ springs. but there are some still
ARB EMU (Old) man.
the light versions will be softer ride 35KGm to 50mm distance rate. 77lbs top 2inches. deflection of spring.
if you want jacked up high springs and softride, IDK
the ARB catalog states
REMEMBER: A good set of shock absorbers will not overcome a bad set of springs (me. and can make it worse)
the free ecat is here , YJ is there.
the car has very stiff leaf springs, unlike a 96 up with coil springs or even modified with progressive rate springs.
some guys even remove leafs to make it softer. (the springs are also sold , even with lower weight ratings (softer)
The bushings can be made to slip better Grease the bolts .
some springs are sold to with teflon shim sliders between the leafs so they never bind up.
the shocks we call in USA are not shocks at all, they are only bound and rebound dampeners.
the bounding rate is weak or it makes it worse. (unlike race cars)
the rebound damping rate is what prevents the 2nd bounce, with only 1 chuck hole in the road hit.
the dampener turns the wasted rebound in the heat. (this is how it works)
ever drive a car with no shocks ( see it bounces endlessly (it seems) after hitting 1 bump in the road)
they also stop wheel hop.
the shock can not reduce the springs RATE. The spring is metal, and it does what it does by the weight class of the spring.
the shock can not make a spring RATE weaker ever.
see that at EMU web site. read there, for a while see all those many springs for just 1 car. (amazing)
or get your fillings re-glued in? (says my wife) and a kidney belt.?
shop for 0' lift springs, light duty
is the cure, but makers of some springs now ended YJ springs. but there are some still
ARB EMU (Old) man.
the light versions will be softer ride 35KGm to 50mm distance rate. 77lbs top 2inches. deflection of spring.
if you want jacked up high springs and softride, IDK
the ARB catalog states
REMEMBER: A good set of shock absorbers will not overcome a bad set of springs (me. and can make it worse)
the free ecat is here , YJ is there.
Last edited:
zebraranger
Member
At least it wasn't a poster reporting an issue, says they solved it, then never says what fixed it.
Oh, I wasn’t even referring to OP. But yeah that’s a common theme too.