Just bought gladiator need help for the stiffness of shocks

[Gladiator24]

Hello
I have just bought gladiator overland 2021
Everything is good so far, just the thing that i need a help of making the ride better smoother as i live in kingdom of Bahrain so there is no rock crawling, mostly i drive it in highways, i need to know what should i do to make my ride smoother, currently i can feel any small road bumps which is abit irritating, what do you guys suggest if it needs shocks which brand would be good and also the lift kit if it needed which lift kit brand is good as i am planning for 3.5 but looking for a good lift kit that will help to ride smoother and not feel bumps

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[bleda2002]

Lower your air pressure to start, they are usually delivered way high

 

[DanW]

Hello
I have just bought gladiator overland 2021
Everything is good so far, just the thing that i need a help of making the ride better smoother as i live in kingdom of Bahrain so there is no rock crawling, mostly i drive it in highways, i need to know what should i do to make my ride smoother, currently i can feel any small road bumps which is abit irritating, what do you guys suggest if it needs shocks which brand would be good and also the lift kit if it needed which lift kit brand is good as i am planning for 3.5 but looking for a good lift kit that will help to ride smoother and not feel bumps

The Mopar lift with Fox shocks gives a nice, plush ride. Not sure with the newer kit with reservoir Bilsteins, but the Mopar kit has a very smooth ride. If you run 35's, I recommend C rated tires. They will make for a smooth ride, as well.

If you do a Mopar kit, you'll want to add adjustable track bars front and rear to center the axles.

My brother had a 2020 JTR with the Mopar lift, 35's (E rated) and he didn't bother with the track bars. It drove and rode beautifully. Very soft. It was amazing off-road, too. I'd imagine with C rated tires, it'd be even smoother.

I have the Mopar 2" lift on my 2018 JL Rubicon on C-rated 35's and it rides like a Tahoe. Very nice. I have the AEV Dualsport 2.5 on my Gladiator with Bilstein shocks and it is a more firm ride.

I love them both. The Mopar lifted JLUR has been off-road many times and I have about 93k miles on it with the lift. It's performance has been outstanding. I haven't taken the JT with AEV lift off-road yet, but I expect it will be great.

Dynatrak makes lifts for the JL that have a rep for a smooth ride. I would guess they'd make one for the Gladiator. Might be worth a look. And of course Clayton has a great rep around here, but I have no idea about the ride comfort. I've never even seen one, let alone ridden in it.

 

[MPMB]

As mentioned, tire pressure is one easy solution. Probably try the 30-35psi range. If you already plan on a lift, are you also planning on upping the tire size? 35" or 37"-class tires at a slightly lower pressure will help as well.

It's going to ride rougher anyways, because of the basic mechanics of the truck. I'm not sure if many suspension companies have worked out a super-road-friendly package, since most people run off-road.

When you feel the road bumps, how does it feel? Is it more of a jolt, or a floaty, up & down motion, or side-to-side?

Jolts are usually from dampers that are too stiff, not allowing compression of the spring, or a really slow compression. Stiff springs are also a culprit of a jolt/bounce over bumps, but unless it's on a vehicle designed for heavy work (like in an F250 or F350), stiff springs aren't usually a problem.

Floaty is a soft spring paired with dampers that have low compression and rebound settings, which allow for body roll and impact absorption by the springs.

Everything is a compromise, which for a daily you may or may not notice it.

I would go with a company that can work with you, and get adjustable compression and rebound dampers. It's not going to be the cheapest option.

From there you'll have to do testing with the shocks to find the best ride for you.

I have 37s with Icon Vehicle Dynamics 2.5" stage 3 lift that netted 3" up front and about 2.25" in back. And this was with a 175# tent on the back. I need to measure it again w/o the tent. It's better than the stock Rubicon package, which floated a little too much, and wasn't built for my use. However, because it's built for off-road and hauling camping gear, it's a little more stiff than stock.

 

[Gladiator24]

Lower your air pressure to start, they are usually delivered way high

What psi would be good as i am on 2.2

The Mopar lift with Fox shocks gives a nice, plush ride. Not sure with the newer kit with reservoir Bilsteins, but the Mopar kit has a very smooth ride. If you run 35's, I recommend C rated tires. They will make for a smooth ride, as well.

If you do a Mopar kit, you'll want to add adjustable track bars front and rear to center the axles.

My brother had a 2020 JTR with the Mopar lift, 35's (E rated) and he didn't bother with the track bars. It drove and rode beautifully. Very soft. It was amazing off-road, too. I'd imagine with C rated tires, it'd be even smoother.

I have the Mopar 2" lift on my 2018 JL Rubicon on C-rated 35's and it rides like a Tahoe. Very nice. I have the AEV Dualsport 2.5 on my Gladiator with Bilstein shocks and it is a more firm ride.

I love them both. The Mopar lifted JLUR has been off-road many times and I have about 93k miles on it with the lift. It's performance has been outstanding. I haven't taken the JT with AEV lift off-road yet, but I expect it will be great.

Dynatrak makes lifts for the JL that have a rep for a smooth ride. I would guess they'd make one for the Gladiator. Might be worth a look. And of course Clayton has a great rep around here, but I have no idea about the ride comfort. I've never even seen one, let alone ridden in it.

nice mate, i heard also about clayton 3.5 lift kit overland plus with falcon 3.3 shocks, any idea if this would make it smooth ride

 

[Gladiator24]

As mentioned, tire pressure is one easy solution. Probably try the 30-35psi range. If you already plan on a lift, are you also planning on upping the tire size? 35" or 37"-class tires at a slightly lower pressure will help as well.

It's going to ride rougher anyways, because of the basic mechanics of the truck. I'm not sure if many suspension companies have worked out a super-road-friendly package, since most people run off-road.

When you feel the road bumps, how does it feel? Is it more of a jolt, or a floaty, up & down motion, or side-to-side?

Jolts are usually from dampers that are too stiff, not allowing compression of the spring, or a really slow compression. Stiff springs are also a culprit of a jolt/bounce over bumps, but unless it's on a vehicle designed for heavy work (like in an F250 or F350), stiff springs aren't usually a problem.

Floaty is a soft spring paired with dampers that have low compression and rebound settings, which allow for body roll and impact absorption by the springs.

Everything is a compromise, which for a daily you may or may not notice it.

I would go with a company that can work with you, and get adjustable compression and rebound dampers. It's not going to be the cheapest option.

From there you'll have to do testing with the shocks to find the best ride for you.

I have 37s with Icon Vehicle Dynamics 2.5" stage 3 lift that netted 3" up front and about 2.25" in back. And this was with a 175# tent on the back. I need to measure it again w/o the tent. It's better than the stock Rubicon package, which floated a little too much, and wasn't built for my use. However, because it's built for off-road and hauling camping gear, it's a little more stiff than stock.

It is side to side mostly with any minor bumps it goes side to side, i have heard about clayton overland plus kit 3.5 but no idea if this will make it smoother ride, with falcon 3.3 adjustable, as i am spending money thinking to spend 1 time with a good brand, some people recommend me fox 2.5. But abit confused

 

[bleda2002]

Go back and read MPMBs scenarios again, which is the complaint you have in terms of how it rides? Is it jolts, is it wallowing, is it bouncing up and down more than once? There is no one best suspension but if you are this sensitive to road ride falcons with Clayton is going to drive you absolutely nuts unless you like it to feel jolty like a Porsche. Those are the stiffest springs with the stiffest shocks around.

 

[Jaxmax]

An Overland should ride better then about all of the other trims, check your door label tires should be about 37psi, you could drop to 34-35 if not running loaded.
Why do you want a lift for on the road driving mostly , for the looks and to put big tires on? Most lifts as stated by others here are to allow larger tires and more ground clearance for off-roading, usually accompanied by less gas mileage, possible alignment issues, and stiffer ride. I would see what you have with tires are they load range c or were they swapped, perhaps you have a bad shock also?…..Jack

 

[Free2roam]

What psi would be good as i am on 2.2

nice mate, i heard also about clayton 3.5 lift kit overland plus with falcon 3.3 shocks, any idea if this would make it smooth ride

First off not sure if you said. Gas/petrol or diesel? Makes a difference on which lift and who do go with. I have a diesel and a Clayton Overland lift. Which is stiff. I also carry a lot of weight on the regular. Maybe Ikon, Metalcloak, JKS is know for their ride. But they don't make a diesel specific lift. There are a handful of other lifts as well that have really plush ride. Maybe someone else can chime in on that part of it. Could go full King coil overs and really dial it in. Also depends on if you have a good shock tuning company or person locally. Lots of factors. So my opinion on Clayton which I have is stiff but liveable.

 

[DanW]

What psi would be good as i am on 2.2

nice mate, i heard also about clayton 3.5 lift kit overland plus with falcon 3.3 shocks, any idea if this would make it smooth ride

I have no experience with Clayton. Many around the forum speak very highly of them, though. Not sure if that translates into a smooth ride, or not.

 

[Rabbi]

Hello
I have just bought gladiator overland 2021
Everything is good so far, just the thing that i need a help of making the ride better smoother as i live in kingdom of Bahrain so there is no rock crawling, mostly i drive it in highways, i need to know what should i do to make my ride smoother, currently i can feel any small road bumps which is abit irritating, what do you guys suggest if it needs shocks which brand would be good and also the lift kit if it needed which lift kit brand is good as i am planning for 3.5 but looking for a good lift kit that will help to ride smoother and not feel bumps

Pretty sure that bigger/heavier tires and a lift kit will do the opposite of what you want ride-wise. AND if you don't add in some caster--you will get the added
fun of those bigger tires following every rut and crack in the road.

 

[Erievon]

An Overland MOJAVE should ride better then about all of the other trims

Fixed that for you. Overland has the same black shocks as a sport. Spring is a little different but Overland does not = cushy.

If small bumps bother you, anything Fox, even rubi take offs from 20-22 will work good for you. Everyone has different tastes. Those that will tell you fox is garbage like a firmer ride. Those that like cushy absorption of small bumps will prefer Fox.

 

[jav_eee]

What psi would be good as i am on 2.2

what size are your current tires?

 

[Clayton Off Road]

I have no experience with Clayton. Many around the forum speak very highly of them, though. Not sure if that translates into a smooth ride, or not.

Thought I could help here! Our kits do pair really well with softer shock options like Fox 2.0 for those looking for a nice comfortable daily driver and a build that isn't too heavy! The Falcon 3.3 shocks are also a great option, especially because they're adjustable, but they do tend to be on the"sportier" side when it comes to ride quality. This works really well for those that carry extra weight, or those looking for a more aggressive, sports car like ride!

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