Alu-Cab Canopy Camper Roll Call

[ParatusExpeditions]

This is valuable feedback thanks. I went ahead and purchased a metal cloak sway bar reinforcement bracket and a hellwig sway bar as well to try to mitigate body roll. But I believe better shocks are needed as you’re pointing out an oscillation that doesn’t go away quickly. A properly valved shock should be able to dissipate that.

thanks!

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[fourfa]

+1 to everything above. 22 JTDR + ACCC + winch, just finished a week around Death Valley with 2 ppl + 2 dogs + a week's supplies on stock suspension. Slow crawled up Lippincott Mine Rd and Silver Canyon (White Mtns) like a champ, soft stock suspension flexes great lol. Not much uptravel but plenty of down Floats real gentle on ungraded washboard - as long as you spot the dips and washouts coming and crawl over them slow. Rear has a little more uptravel than the front, but the rear control arms are just a little inverted (ie frame side lower than axle side). Took it very easy, no problems, and came back out into service to order a complete suspension kit on black friday

All in all I wouldn't recommend wheeling it stock, but if you're cautious it'll be OK until you can get your proper suspension in.

 

[Donnie2153]

Fungshui, what suspension are you looking at. I too am in thd same boat. Body roll is annoying to passenger (wife).

 

[ParatusExpeditions]

Thank you guys, good feedback!

 

[Donnie2153]

I am getting the AEV Dual Sport with the 3' High capacity springs installed next week. I am very stoked for this. Anyone have any pics of their jeep with this lift and the Alu-Cab?

Sir, how do you like your AEV suspension?

 

[flipboltz]

The difference was instant. I thought the stock suspension held up very well with the weight that was on it. AEV works with Jeep engineers and puts out a product that Jeep should be putting out. It improved the ride so much. The body roll with stock was a good amount and since moving to the high capacity springs from AEV, it is barely noticeable. We just completed a trip out to the Oregon Coast from Denver for Thanksgiving and the ride on the highway was so smooth. Off-road is even better. It isn't cheap, but in my opinion, it is worth every penny.

 

[Fungshui]

Fungshui, what suspension are you looking at. I too am in thd same boat. Body roll is annoying to passenger (wife).

I'm working with @CrazyCooter to create and tune a suspension package. Thus far, we have the SDi E-Clik adaptive suspension (CrazyCooter tune) paired with modified 2.5" Calton Overland Plus kit (2.5" HD rear spring with 3.5" front gas spring).

Parts are ordered and waiting for them to arrive. I will create a seperate thread later detailing the process and my review of the setup.

 

[ParatusExpeditions]

Very interested in this @Fungshui

 

[CrazyCooter]

Very interested in this @Fungshui

Shameless plug for myself........

Thanks @Fungshui for tagging me here......I think this camper group has the most to benefit from what it is that I'm doing.

I feel that I have a something you guys could be looking for? The US towing/overlanding crowd has been under represented in the chassis aspect based on my findings. The You Tube "influencers" I'm watching keep installing parts that aren't really ideal for what we do even IF a person has an reasonable expectation.

Sure would make it easier IF manufacturers were a bit more transparent in regards to things we can't see like spring rates? How could a person make an educated decision without it?

Maybe hop over to my shock tuning thread for some more info on my background, frustrations, and how I've gotten to this point over the past 22 months of JT ownership. https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...-to-those-doing-their-own-shock-tuning.53421/

 

[Fungshui]

Alabama Hills - Stock suspension

 

[CrazyCooter]

This is valuable feedback thanks. I went ahead and purchased a metal cloak sway bar reinforcement bracket and a hellwig sway bar as well to try to mitigate body roll. But I believe better shocks are needed as you’re pointing out an oscillation that doesn’t go away quickly. A properly valved shock should be able to dissipate that.

thanks!

I hate to jump in mid thread like this....Promise I'll read through it tonight!

Expect the oscillations to get worse with the heavier rear bar. The body roll will be less, but the recoil from the increased "cross spring rate" (not sure if this is the proper term) will amplify and further exploit your lack of damping. Imagine dropping into a dip in the road with one side mid corner with your heavier bar already loaded..........That stored energy has to go somewhere and it will be released in a whip back the other way, then without damping, it will continue to wobble till it finally settles down.

I'm lucky (unlucky) enough to live in CA where we have the worst roads. In my 2.5 mile commute, I have some of the most annoying situations to tune on. One of them is where the road sinks on alternating sides where my YJ wobbled worse after adding a rear bar......WTH, it was suppose to make that better? This is when I drilled the shocks and put heavier oil in them.........The precursor learning how to properly valve them. That vehicle has taken a back burner, but it will now shred the highway fully loaded going to Rubicon with the ability to outrun almost any average driver in any vehicle......It's just wrong!

 

[ParatusExpeditions]

@CrazyCooter So you’re actually recommending me not to put the rear sway bar? It’s still in the box along with the brackets haven’t installed them yet.

 

[CrazyCooter]

@CrazyCooter So you’re actually recommending me not to put the rear sway bar? It’s still in the box along with the brackets haven’t installed them yet.

It's honestly hard to make a recommendation either way without a video or in person evaluation.

Are you having an issue with wobbling due to weak damping? It will reduce body roll, but it will increase wobbling if not damped enough. Just changing the springs in my front JKS sway bar links changed rebound requirements.

I've experienced this on a client's JT with soft Kings, Helwig, and a super heavy top heavy load.

I see now where you were commenting on another person's post now and I was a little confused.......A lot going on right now!

 

[ParatusExpeditions]

I’m in CA too. I’m scheduled for a canopy camper to be installed on my bed adding 600+lb once loaded to the bed at all times. I guess once I have it in few weeks we could figure that out then. Was trying to install sway bar & brackets to reduce the pain of bringing the truck back from Oregon if it was really bad.
I guess I’ll wait and see how it reacts before installing anything.

 

[CrazyCooter]

I’m in CA too. I’m scheduled for a canopy camper to be installed on my bed adding 600+lb once loaded to the bed at all times. I guess once I have it in few weeks we could figure that out then. Was trying to install sway bar & brackets to reduce the pain of bringing the truck back from Oregon if it was really bad.
I guess I’ll wait and see how it reacts before installing anything.

I recommend one change at a time unless you know that a certain package will function. One thing changes another condition most times. I didn't see what you are running for suspension components? All of your IG photos have the tire stuffed so I couldn't see anything!


Much of what I do at work is fix conditions from people stacking on parts that don't work well together........TJ's have been popular the past few years! A person opens up an internet catalog and starts ordering parts to fix problems that don't exist many times.........

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