Advice on Minimizing Getting Blown Around by Crosswinds

[Like-a-virgin]

I would use the JEEP defense to an OWI (Jk; I’ve recently completed rehab and am in recovery and don’t drink) and say “Your honor, that officer had no probable cause that a crime was being committed when he pulled me over! Everybody knows JEEPs cross the center line at the puff of the wind! Motion to Dismiss!” Of course, the judge will probably say, “Son, sit your stupid hillbilly (I’m from WV & KY) butt back down. Motion denied!”

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[Like-a-virgin]

True - it takes a good wind to bother me with mine. Over 25 or so, I'd say. Even then, it's just a matter of holding the wheel to compensate. Only passing semis on a windy day bother.
I'm the one that raced home at over 85 mph on I35 with the derecho bearing down on us while highway signs were being flattened, big tree pieces were flying all over, construction barricades blowing across the roads.............. it was stable as heck. Later learned the winds in that area hit 70+ and a bit north was hurricane force.

Just saw a piece about that derecho on the Weather Channel!

 

[Gvsukids]

Cause and effect - the stabilizer is meant to keep the tires from moving, not the truck. It isn't going to do anything for wind, just if you hit something that could cause bump-steer, it keeps the tires from moving on their own.

Amazing how many are sold as a crutch.

Why? Does the Wrangler react more to the wind than the JT?

Shorter wheelbase.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I never heard the term Derecho. Interesting stuff. https://weather.com/safety/thunders...derecho-thunderstorm-damaging-winds-explained
I’m sure I experienced that in OK when I was at Ft. Sill. Crazy windy there.
We get to play with Haboob out here in AZ. We just called them dust storms when I was a kid LOL. https://weather.com/science/news/what-haboob-20130927

The one in Iowa that year was a national record. Crop damage (corn fields laid totally flat against the ground) could be seen from satellite images.
We were in Ames that day - where the two red circles intersect - Ames is on Hwy30 and west of I35 (north/south) a couple of miles or so. We had to head straight south, then SE of Des Moines.
We had gone to one of my wife's favorite quilt shop up there, only to find they had started to close on Mondays. My wife was talking with the store owner (they are friends) and suddenly the lady started getting really panicky and asked my wife where we were. I had the roof panels out - it was a really nice day. She told my wife to get the #@$% out of there, find a place to park and seek shelter NOW. they went back and forth a bit and finally my wife said - we gotta go, NOW. Luckily I had the panels in the back of the truck and I put them back in in record time and we hit the road. It was bearing down fast - it was like this huge ominous wall approaching from the west. My wife kept saying faster faster, we have to beat this thing home.
I've never before heard my wife use the words "faster" when I was driving - I was already well above speed limits and passing cars and semis as quickly as I could - but that wasn't enough. The wall was approaching fast, winds got really crazy. We have winds here, 40-50 isn't uncommon, it's a windy place, but this was different and the black wall approaching made it sort of spooky. We started seeing tree branches (not small) blowing across highways as we finally exited the interstate on the last legs of the drive home. We got to Altoona and it started getting really not so exciting any more. I started looking for a cow or a combine to blow across the road in front of us (movie "Twister") and the tree branches got much larger (no car could have gone over them). But when we could no longer see in front of us because the air was black with soil literally pealed off the ground and I saw a road closed barricade fly across the highway - it got really serious.
The last few miles were crazy intense winds, air so full of "stuff" it was hard to see - and the rain hit. Wipers on high, trying to dodge tree parts, we got home, I hit the door opener button - crap, no power and the backup battery in the opener wasn't working. I had to get out being pelted by stinging wind-driven rain drops and manually open the door while my wife jumped out and ran for the house.
Trees a mile west of us had been laid down on power lines.
Thankfully, we lived on the southern edge of the worst of the damage but had driven through some of the really bad stuff. It was even worse toward Cedar Rapids - massive destruction there.

But to connect back to Jeep and Gladiator and wind - that truck (I had the 2020 then) performed flawlessly. It handled well, I could easily keep it where I wanted it to go and I was actually glad I was in a Jeep during that whole thing.

Perspective - we started out where that Hwy30 marker is on this map and our goal - about where the M is in Des Moines.

Corn - stripped of leaves and laid flat -

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Amazing how many are sold as a crutch.


Shorter wheelbase.

Yeah, we used to call such vehicles like the Jeep and the Eagle SX4 "short sprung vehicles" and they are more prone to being shoved around in wind. You don't have the advantage of a long wheelbase for the stability, wind easily pushes them around. Even my Eagle, slightly more aerodynamic than a Wrangler, you can feel the wind with it.

 

[Wolf Island Diver]

Stop driving a brick with 1940s suspension.

 

[Koolcarguy]

Cross winds make it hard to keep my JT in my lane on the highway. I am thinking that a stiffer steering stabilizer would help and hope to get some advice. It is a stock '23 Rubicon. No lift, stock tires. Question 1: Will it help? Question 2: where can I find any data about how much stiffer any of the aftermarket ones are vs stock.

I thought about the Roadmaster Exact Center because it sounds like it is meant for just this kind of issue but their website makes it sound like it will not fit a Rubicon and it seems like it could mask a mechanical or tire problem until it became dangerous.

Adjustable through shaft designs such as Fox ATS or the Falcon Nexus 2.2 ATS. Both seem overkill for stock suspension and tires but the adjustability would let me dial in what I want. The Fox has 24 clicks of adjustment, the Falcom has soft-med-stiff. The Fox has an external reservoir that I really don't need. Both are pretty expensive. If I knew it would fix the problem I'd gladly spring for one of them. But which one, or maybe a different one?

Non-Adjustable through shaft designs such as the Fox TS or Falcon Nexus TS. I don't know which is stiffer or if either is much different from stock. They aren't cheap and I'd be a little ticked off to find it had no effect on the problem. If I knew one of them would fix the problem I would gladly give up the adjustability of the ATS designs.

Normal designs like the Bilstein or Fox. My concern is it causing a pull to one side because of the pressurization. The through shaft designs don't have this as a concern. The standard stabilizers are a lot cheaper, though.

What are all your thoughts on stabilizers and their ability to minimize wind-induced steering? Which do you recommend.

As a Wyoming resident the only way I've been able to not get blown around in the wind is to....not drive in the wind hope this helps. It's just 1 of the joy's of being a Jeep owner

 

[WILDHOBO]

Amazing how many are sold as a crutch.


Shorter wheelbase.

You’d think people would stop buying steering stabilizers to “fix” handling problems. Nah.

 

[Reddog]

Cross winds make it hard to keep my JT in my lane on the highway. I am thinking that a stiffer steering stabilizer would help and hope to get some advice. It is a stock '23 Rubicon. No lift, stock tires. Question 1: Will it help? Question 2: where can I find any data about how much stiffer any of the aftermarket ones are vs stock.

I thought about the Roadmaster Exact Center because it sounds like it is meant for just this kind of issue but their website makes it sound like it will not fit a Rubicon and it seems like it could mask a mechanical or tire problem until it became dangerous.

Adjustable through shaft designs such as Fox ATS or the Falcon Nexus 2.2 ATS. Both seem overkill for stock suspension and tires but the adjustability would let me dial in what I want. The Fox has 24 clicks of adjustment, the Falcom has soft-med-stiff. The Fox has an external reservoir that I really don't need. Both are pretty expensive. If I knew it would fix the problem I'd gladly spring for one of them. But which one, or maybe a different one?

Non-Adjustable through shaft designs such as the Fox TS or Falcon Nexus TS. I don't know which is stiffer or if either is much different from stock. They aren't cheap and I'd be a little ticked off to find it had no effect on the problem. If I knew one of them would fix the problem I would gladly give up the adjustability of the ATS designs.

Normal designs like the Bilstein or Fox. My concern is it causing a pull to one side because of the pressurization. The through shaft designs don't have this as a concern. The standard stabilizers are a lot cheaper, though.

What are all your thoughts on stabilizers and their ability to minimize wind-induced steering? Which do you recommend.

I drive sll over the country with mine. I was very disappointed in how my JTR drove when I bought it. Had a Colorado ZR2 previously and Jk’s before that. The JTR has mushy springs and shocks from the factory. If you like that kind of ride, then my answer is just slow down while driving it with a strong crosswind. I hated the ride. Solved it with an AEV lift kit and the shocks that came with it along with 37”’s. When I drive the Rockies now, sometimes pulling my boat, it pretty much stays where I want it. But crosswinds, sometimes in the 40-60 mph range still mean you have to slow down. Good luck to you.

 

[Redleg37]

I had that happen in my YJ. Got pulled over on I5 just outside Fort Lewis, WA. I had my daughters with me. I got to walk a line and do the full thing, in uniform, completely sober. My oldest daughter now refers to this as "that time you got pulled over for a DUI."

 

[MrClortho]

Full steering kit will help. Its a Jeep and still catches wind, but after the Apex 2.5 ton and booster kit with stabilizer I installed, there is much less drama.

 

[Lunentucker]

I never heard the term Derecho. Interesting stuff. https://weather.com/safety/thunders...derecho-thunderstorm-damaging-winds-explained
I’m sure I experienced that in OK when I was at Ft. Sill. Crazy windy there.
We get to play with Haboob out here in AZ. We just called them dust storms when I was a kid LOL. https://weather.com/science/news/what-haboob-20130927

We had one here a few years ago. They are flat out nasty. My wife worked at the power company at the time, and it was far worse than any hurricane we've ever been through.

 

[Erievon]

The JTR has mushy springs and shocks from the factory. If you like that kind of ride, then my answer is just slow down while driving it with a strong crosswind. I hated the ride.

If you think your 23 with Reds were mushy...man you would have hated the 20-22 foxes. These reds are a TON stiffer then the Foxes I had on my last one.

 

[MemphisMississipp]

Kick back, enjoy the ride

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Some people wait in long lines for hours and pay over $100 a day to get short rides like we can enjoy any time we want.

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