Jeep rides rough, but I thought OME and RE were good
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Jeep rides rough, but I thought OME and RE were good
Hey Jeepers,
I recently installed 4.5" RE Front Coils and OME CS033RB Leaf Springs in the back (with extended shackles). This was a replacement for sagging front and rear springs, which were really bad. I did remove the 3rd leaf from the OME leaf springs.
I just noticed that my jeep still rides rough. Almost no different in the ride compared to my old sagging springs and leafs. What's the deal here? I have Bilstein 5100s, do you think maybe these could be too rough for what I'm looking for?
Biltstein 24-188197 for the front,
and Bilstein 33-066868 for the rear.
I'm just disappointed that I spent hundreds on new coils and leafs and shackles and my ride is still the same rough ride. I don't expect it to ride like a luxury vehicle, but I've heard great things about these springs and shocks and I'm disappointed that I'm not getting a better ride.
Any help would be great, thanks!
I recently installed 4.5" RE Front Coils and OME CS033RB Leaf Springs in the back (with extended shackles). This was a replacement for sagging front and rear springs, which were really bad. I did remove the 3rd leaf from the OME leaf springs.
I just noticed that my jeep still rides rough. Almost no different in the ride compared to my old sagging springs and leafs. What's the deal here? I have Bilstein 5100s, do you think maybe these could be too rough for what I'm looking for?
Biltstein 24-188197 for the front,
and Bilstein 33-066868 for the rear.
I'm just disappointed that I spent hundreds on new coils and leafs and shackles and my ride is still the same rough ride. I don't expect it to ride like a luxury vehicle, but I've heard great things about these springs and shocks and I'm disappointed that I'm not getting a better ride.
Any help would be great, thanks!
#2
Senior Member
It does sound like a good spring and shock combo. Your suspension geometry is probably whats causing your rough ride. Have you done any shackle relocation in the rear, are you still running short arms in there stock location?
#3
CF Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Florence SC
Posts: 2,266
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes
on
3 Posts
Year: 1996
Engine: 4.0
1. Its a solid axle they will never ride smoothly just not in the nature of how a fully solid axle vehicle works.
2. What is the shackle angle in the rear? you want the rear shackle to be at about 45* at ride height. Also make sure you didnt over tighten the shackle so it can function properly and move with the suspension. OME packs are great if you have extra wight like bumpers sliders skids gear inside ect they can ride stiff unloaded or on a more stock rig.
3. 4.5 is a tall coil to still have the factory short arms and in my personal opinion any short arm. The added height from the coil lift changes the geometry of the front suspension so it is not as responsive to bumps in the road. Also most lift springs are a stiffer spring rate then stock to again help with added weight that we like to put on these when lifting them.
4. Finally its not mentioned in the post but what tires and air pressure are you running? Tires and what PSI they are at can have a huge overall effect on how a vehicle rides. XJs are relatively light so running say an E load rating tire could result in a harsh ride.
2. What is the shackle angle in the rear? you want the rear shackle to be at about 45* at ride height. Also make sure you didnt over tighten the shackle so it can function properly and move with the suspension. OME packs are great if you have extra wight like bumpers sliders skids gear inside ect they can ride stiff unloaded or on a more stock rig.
3. 4.5 is a tall coil to still have the factory short arms and in my personal opinion any short arm. The added height from the coil lift changes the geometry of the front suspension so it is not as responsive to bumps in the road. Also most lift springs are a stiffer spring rate then stock to again help with added weight that we like to put on these when lifting them.
4. Finally its not mentioned in the post but what tires and air pressure are you running? Tires and what PSI they are at can have a huge overall effect on how a vehicle rides. XJs are relatively light so running say an E load rating tire could result in a harsh ride.
#4
Junior Member
Thread Starter
1. Its a solid axle they will never ride smoothly just not in the nature of how a fully solid axle vehicle works.
2. What is the shackle angle in the rear? you want the rear shackle to be at about 45* at ride height. Also make sure you didnt over tighten the shackle so it can function properly and move with the suspension. OME packs are great if you have extra wight like bumpers sliders skids gear inside ect they can ride stiff unloaded or on a more stock rig.
3. 4.5 is a tall coil to still have the factory short arms and in my personal opinion any short arm. The added height from the coil lift changes the geometry of the front suspension so it is not as responsive to bumps in the road. Also most lift springs are a stiffer spring rate then stock to again help with added weight that we like to put on these when lifting them.
4. Finally its not mentioned in the post but what tires and air pressure are you running? Tires and what PSI they are at can have a huge overall effect on how a vehicle rides. XJs are relatively light so running say an E load rating tire could result in a harsh ride.
2. What is the shackle angle in the rear? you want the rear shackle to be at about 45* at ride height. Also make sure you didnt over tighten the shackle so it can function properly and move with the suspension. OME packs are great if you have extra wight like bumpers sliders skids gear inside ect they can ride stiff unloaded or on a more stock rig.
3. 4.5 is a tall coil to still have the factory short arms and in my personal opinion any short arm. The added height from the coil lift changes the geometry of the front suspension so it is not as responsive to bumps in the road. Also most lift springs are a stiffer spring rate then stock to again help with added weight that we like to put on these when lifting them.
4. Finally its not mentioned in the post but what tires and air pressure are you running? Tires and what PSI they are at can have a huge overall effect on how a vehicle rides. XJs are relatively light so running say an E load rating tire could result in a harsh ride.
2. Sadly it's 90 degrees with the ground. I'm going to get a shackle relocation kit next. I tightened everything to torque spec.
3. I have adjustable lowers with a drop bracket installed. My arms are almost parallel to the ground. I also have removable extended sway bar links.
4. I don't know the load rating but they are Goodyear Wranglers 29.6" with about 32 psi in them.
#5
Senior Member
#6
CF Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Newport News, VA
Posts: 1,242
Likes: 0
Received 38 Likes
on
37 Posts
Year: 96 & 88 4 dr Cherokees
1. Yeah I understand that but this just seems really rough.
2. Sadly it's 90 degrees with the ground. I'm going to get a shackle relocation kit next. I tightened everything to torque spec.
3. I have adjustable lowers with a drop bracket installed. My arms are almost parallel to the ground. I also have removable extended sway bar links.
4. I don't know the load rating but they are Goodyear Wranglers 29.6" with about 32 psi in them.
2. Sadly it's 90 degrees with the ground. I'm going to get a shackle relocation kit next. I tightened everything to torque spec.
3. I have adjustable lowers with a drop bracket installed. My arms are almost parallel to the ground. I also have removable extended sway bar links.
4. I don't know the load rating but they are Goodyear Wranglers 29.6" with about 32 psi in them.
#7
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Trending Topics
#8
Member
1. Yeah I understand that but this just seems really rough.
2. Sadly it's 90 degrees with the ground. I'm going to get a shackle relocation kit next. I tightened everything to torque spec.
3. I have adjustable lowers with a drop bracket installed. My arms are almost parallel to the ground. I also have removable extended sway bar links.
4. I don't know the load rating but they are Goodyear Wranglers 29.6" with about 32 psi in them.
2. Sadly it's 90 degrees with the ground. I'm going to get a shackle relocation kit next. I tightened everything to torque spec.
3. I have adjustable lowers with a drop bracket installed. My arms are almost parallel to the ground. I also have removable extended sway bar links.
4. I don't know the load rating but they are Goodyear Wranglers 29.6" with about 32 psi in them.
#9
CF Veteran
That rear shackle angle is to steep. you are forcing the leaf spring to do all the work, instead of the shackle doing its job to pivot. relocating them to the proper 45* will make a huge difference. Also drop your tire pressures to about 25 psi and do a proper chalk test on them.
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Maryland
Posts: 681
Likes: 0
Received 28 Likes
on
23 Posts
Year: 1997
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Agree with what's been said except that it just rides rough because of solid axles.
Shackle relocation will change the ride drastically. Tire pressure will as well. I would also start at about 25 psi and go from there.
Shackle relocation will change the ride drastically. Tire pressure will as well. I would also start at about 25 psi and go from there.
#11
Newbie
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Arizona
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes
on
2 Posts
Year: 1993
Model: Cherokee(XJ)
Engine: 4.0
I have a RC 4.5 with 33 tires, last weekend I put RC shackle relocation kit on with shackle extensions keeping a 45 degree angle at the shackles, it is an night and day difference in the ride. It also added approx. 2 inches to my ride height so I had to put spacers in the front and order longer shocks for the rear. I believe there are some shackles out there that will change the angle but not raise your jeep, I'm someone will chime in if the know who makes them.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
wanna-be-a-wheeler
Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go here
6
08-12-2013 11:54 PM
mattphillips90
Modified XJ Cherokee Tech
14
01-23-2013 11:00 PM
kilbrethj
Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go here
60
11-17-2009 09:29 AM
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)