AEV Dual Sport or Mojave Take Off?

[Ryan]

All - Current set up is a Sport S (V6) with Rubicon Flares and 4:10 gears w/Rubicon suspension and a Teraflex 2" spacer lift running Toyo ATIII (35x12.5x17) on 17x9 wheels. In addition, metal bumpers (F&R) with winch (syn line).

I'm looking for a more plush road ride, I live in N. Michigan, roads kind of stink and I'd prefer something that did a better job of absorbing bumps.

I test drove a stock Mojave a few years ago and loved the ride, so absolutely something I'd like to replicate. However, finding take offs nearby is challenging.

So my question, now that you know I like the Mojave ride. How will the AEV Dualsport with the 5100 Bilsteins compare? Will that provide a ride similar to the Mojave suspension or closer to a Rubicon?

Obviously, I can source an AEV lift today, while the Mojave suspension is a bit of waiting game.

Only if OME would release their JT lift...

Please let me know your experiences ideally if you've put both through the paces, but I'd still love to hear from you if you have experience with one of the lifts.

Cheers,
Ryan

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[dcmdon]

I've got a Mojave and understand your situation.

I test drove a Sport - it was ok. But it was on street tires.
A Willys - the worst of them all the mudders were horrible and the suspension felt like it was designed in 1919.

Rubicon - better than the Willys but not sorted. It felt under-damped.

The problem is this. Anyone who gives you an opinion on the AEV is going be telling it from THEIR perspective. If they are a life long jeep driver then their opinion is WORTHLESS because they don't have anything valid to compare it against.

when I was trying to figure out if I could live with the ride of a jeep and before I test drove a Mojave, I asked about the ride. I got lots of

"I've had a jeep for the last 15 years and the Gladiator has the best ride of any Jeep I've ever owned".

This kind of statement has zero value. The guy has no perspective. What I was looking for was someone who said "I've driven a Subaru then an Audi and I don't mind the ride of a Gladiator". Get it? Someone with a car perspective.

pay close attention to what other vehicles anyone who responds about the AEV kit drives. If it's all jeeps, then it means nothing. If there's a Benz SUV or sedan in there, then it's worth more.

As far as aftermarket stuff. I would look for kits oriented more for higher speed work. Desert driving. The Mojave seems to have softer springs and stiffer damping. This is how vehicles that go fast off road are set up.

 

[briscoelab]

I've had an AEV kit on a JK and a JL.

Also, JT Rubicon 3.6 stock. Then switched to the Mopar 2" lift. (still own).

Just got a JT Rubicon diesel (stock for now).

The two jeeps with AEV kits (dual sport kits with the 5100s), both felt similar. That is to say, the road manners were great and handling much improved. However, plush they were most certainly not. I think this has to do with heavy rated springs mean for load carrying and what seemed like shocks with a lot of compression dampening to help with body roll/sway.

Now, loaded for a trip... both eh JK and JL felt really good. Around town, on rough roads day-to-day... I wasn't thrilled.

For comparisons, our 3.6 Rubicon with stock suspension felt really terrible. under sprung and WAAAAY under damped. The mopar kit on it really helped, but I think it's still a tad undersprung for our weight (winch, canopy, etc).

The new diesel feels good so far as stock (it has the red shocks, they don't ship with fox anymore and impressions are that is a good thing). Much more controlled than the 3.6 was stock, even with the additional engine weight. Of course we are going to put a new suspension on it soon.

 

[JTR178]

I have the Dual Sport. It's a much firmer ride than the Rubicon suspension was.

 

[Ryan]

Getting a lot of input that It doesn't appear that the AEV is the right way to go. Beyond the Mojave take off approach - are there other options to consider beyond AEV?

 

[dcmdon]

Getting a lot of input that It doesn't appear that the AEV is the right way to go. Beyond the Mojave take off approach - are there other options to consider beyond AEV?

Are there any aftermarket "desert racer" suspension packages?

Because again, what works at high speed off road is going to give you good body control and a good ride on-road.

I'm a total novice with Jeeps. But I rode motocross for about 10 years and got pretty good at riding something and then making an educated guess about whether the springing, compression or rebound damping needed to be increased or decreased to get the handling we wanted.

Most jeeps feel over-sprung and under-damped. The Mojave feels like what we used to call "sorted". The aftermarket could easily provide something like this. I have no idea if it does.

One other thing. An aftermarket setup if it exists, is going to probably be in the $2500 range at least. I'd keep looking for Mojave take-offs.

 

[dcmdon]

I just had one other thought.

I believe the Rubicon springs are lighter than Sport springs. It would be good to confirm that.

Then get some big dollar adjustable shocks and figure out the tuning yourself. You would probably want to go light on compression damping and heavy on rebound. Either way, the goal would be to source some springs with a low rate and adjustable shocks. It's not magic. It's a little bit of voodoo but when you get it right you will know.

I remember racing one track when I was having trouble hooking up and getting bounced. I made a 2 click adjustment for stiffer rebound and all of a sudden everything clicked.

 

[Whisperingjim]

Get a set of tunable shocks. Falcon etc. Adjust them until you are happy.

 

[irish_love]

I can't tell you about the Mojave lift, but I went from Stock Rubicon with 35" Nitto Trail Grapplers to AEV Dual Sport Standard capacity with 37" Toyo Open Country AT3s and am very happy with it. It's not as sloppy as the Stock Rubicon suspension.

 

[chorky]

AEV is ‘stiff’ because they use a digressive style shock.

I have not driven one with an AEV suspension but have heard of their stiffness a lot.

You want more of a progressive shock, which would end up being custom. I think falcons are a linear shock

Here is some reading material

https://accutuneoffroad.com/product...ladiator-jt/jeep-jt-gladiator-shock-packages/

 

[mx5red]

AEV is ‘stiff’ because they use a digressive style shock.

I have not driven one with an AEV suspension but have heard of their stiffness a lot.

You want more of a progressive shock, which would end up being custom. I think falcons are a linear shock

Here is some reading material

https://accutuneoffroad.com/product...ladiator-jt/jeep-jt-gladiator-shock-packages/

Surprised nobody had said accutune yet!
Most of these names you hear like AEV or Falcon tend to be firmer, and people like that because it controls heavy rigs better.
If you’re looking for a plush ride those aren’t it.
I’d look for tuned shocks (like accutune does) or hold out for Mojave takeoffs. Those are the most obvious answer since you’re not lifting which complicates things, and you know you like the ride.
I just scored some on here a few weeks ago but haven’t had time to put them on and sort them with my lift and shock extensions.

 

[chorky]

Surprised nobody had said accurate yet!
Most of these names you hear like AEV or Falcon tend to be firmer, and people like that because it controls heavy rigs better.
If you’re looking for a plush ride those aren’t it.
I’d look for tuned shocks (like accutune does) or hold out for Mojave takeoffs. Those are the most obvious answer since you’re not lifting which complicates things, and you know you like the ride.
I just scored some on here a few weeks ago but haven’t had time to put them on and sort them with my lift and shock extensions.

oh I wasnt speaking for myself. Ni am lifting mine some. Just not 4” like a lot seem to do. But it is a shame that better information isnt readily available by the places that make most of these components.

 

[redline61]

There is some excellent advice above. I am on the hunt for better ride quality as well. I came from a 17 Raptor and I really don't miss the width, but boy do I miss the ride.

For shock smoothness one thing you will see repeated over and over again is typically the larger diameter shock, the better the ride control. The Mojave has 2.5" bodied shocks and are designed for fast fluid movement and to resist overheating. The Raptor, TRX, Mojave, and all side by sides have this pattern. The larger the diameter shock, the better the ability to move fluid faster, and smoother.

I have tried many shocks over the years, and some feel noticeably better than factory, but the only true improvement I have ever experienced was moving to larger body shocks. It is hard to know what is really marketing, and what really helps ride. I have no question that some of these expensive 2" bodied shocks are better than stock, but are they really better enough?? From the ones I have personally experienced the answer is no (for ride quality only).

Mojave take off's are perhaps the best deal out there right now.

 

[redline61]

Accutune is amazing to work with. I will be using them for my next shock upgrade for sure. They also have some amazing articles that explain these concepts a million times better than I could ever.

https://accutuneoffroad.com/articles/

 

[Sarge502]

I'm going AEV myself in the near future.

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