Issue with ride quality on 24x14 wheels paired with 6" lift

[dcmdon]

I posted a screenshot above of the lift he has. It has front geometry brackets to lower the front LCAs but that's it. If what is in the screenshot is everything that comes with the lift , then he just needs the rest of the lift components.

But if it's a 6" lift, then the geometry brackets would need to be 6" tall to maintain stock control arm angle. Those brackets don't look 6" tall.

But I guess if they are 3" tall, then they get the angle down to where they'd be with a 3" lift and that's manageable.

To the person above who mentioned his 40" tires on 20" wheels. How crazy is it that the OP has 3" smaller tires and 4" larger wheels!!

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[shrinkhead]

prob best do install a quality 3-4inch lift and get proper 17x9 inch wheels and 37s and the ride quality will be night and day OR go up to 42 inch tires to make sense of a 6 inch lift

 

[Jeeperjamie]

prob best do install a quality 3-4inch lift and get proper 17x9 inch wheels and 37s and the ride quality will be night and day OR go up to 42 inch tires to make sense of a 6 inch lift

That lift looks good with 37 12.5 17 wheels. That's what most around here run with it installed.

 

[Jeeperjamie]

But if it's a 6" lift, then the geometry brackets would need to be 6" tall to maintain stock control arm angle. Those brackets don't look 6" tall.

But I guess if they are 3" tall, then they get the angle down to where they'd be with a 3" lift and that's manageable.

To the person above who mentioned his 40" tires on 20" wheels. How crazy is it that the OP has 3" smaller tires and 4" larger wheels!!

Those brackets in the kit are for 3.5 to 4 inch lift kits, but it seems to get the geometry good enough to not notice because everyone I've rode in on 37's at least rode as good as mine with 3-1/4 inches of lift. I mean you can tell a difference when the wind is blowing and gets under it because of how much more lift it is but they jeep ride and drove fine otherwise

 

[theCATALYST]

Those brackets in the kit are for 3.5 to 4 inch lift kits, but it seems to get the geometry good enough to not notice because everyone I've rode in on 37's at least rode as good as mine with 3-1/4 inches of lift. I mean you can tell a difference when the wind is blowing and gets under it because of how much more lift it is but they jeep ride and drove fine otherwise

Thanks for the input. I sent you a message.

 

[shrinkhead]

That lift looks good with 37 12.5 17 wheels. That's what most around here run with it installed.

really? I sometimes think the 3.5inch I have for my 38x13.5x17 looks too tall.

 

[Jeeperjamie]

really? I sometimes think the 3.5inch I have for my 38x13.5x17 looks too tall.

Here some, looks pretty darn good to me. Rough country recommends 37 12.5 18 tires for the 6 inch lift though

 

[salvino]

Hello Gladiator community. I am hoping some (or many) of you can offer some insight into the ride quality of my Gladiator.

I recently purchased a used 2021 Gladiator Rubicon. The previous owner installed 24x14 wheels wrapped in 37x14.5R24 rubber and a rough country 6" lift. I am not sure what else has been done, but I do not see any other modifications visually.

My dilemma is that this Gladiator is ALL over the road while driving above 45 mph and it feels very unsafe at 60mph. I have to constantly steer and correct while driving in a straight line and just don't feel like this is normal. I have watched dozens of videos and spoke to several people and am told the following:

A) Don't worry about it, all Jeeps drive like this.
B) Having wheels/tires that size will always cause those driving issues.
C) A 6" rough country lift will cause those issues.
D) The stock aluminum steering box is the culprit.

I took it in to the dealer to have the stock aluminum steering box replace with the all steel unit, however they refused to do the work citing that they cannot properly align it after the box replacement due to the size/offset of the wheels/tires. That said, I purchased the steer smart sector shaft brace in the hopes it would suffice. Although the issue has improved, it still feels awkward and dangerous at highway speeds.

My question is, has anyone else encountered this and can provide a list of things to check and/or fix? Do Jeep's naturally wander? Do I need to downsize the wheels and offset? Is there possibly and underlying issue not related to tires and lift? Any help is greatly appreciated.

I come from a long line of sports cars, but I do not have any experience with lifted trucks of any sort, so I welcome the communities feedback!

Thank you.

It just makes me sad that someone would do that to a Gladiator just for that look. Don't know what your plans are for the rig but wheeling it like that should not be on the list. You already took driving it on the freeway off theist as well. Lots of good advice preceded my response so I'll leave it at that.

 

[theCATALYST]

It just makes me sad that someone would do that to a Gladiator just for that look. Don't know what your plans are for the rig but wheeling it like that should not be on the list. You already took driving it on the freeway off theist as well. Lots of good advice preceded my response so I'll leave it at that.

As stated, I purchased this Gladiator as is, only thing I have done is add a hitch step and the Steer Smarts sector shaft brace. I am not and never was a fan of the Gladiator as it sits OEM on the lots. The OEM wheels/tires are too anemic for its boxy look, so I never considered it as a potential purchase. However, when I saw this one on the lot, it changed my mind as it looked good from all angles. (Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I get it, everyone has different tastes). A quick search of Google and Youtube will show plenty of Gladiators on 24x14 wheels, so I had no reason to believe it would be an issue. After driving it around for a few months, I have come to learn that this Gladiator has sacrificed useability for looks, which brought me here to see how much I would need to correct to have a useable Gladiator for my needs. It seems like a fix is possible by reducing the amount of negative offset, the width and height of the wheels, and a few changes to the suspension.

Time and money will tell me if this is possible. If not, I will sell the Gladiator and move on because I have no interest in driving a vehicle too close in looks as all the other ones on the road. Go big or go home right?

 

[TARHEELKIDD]

Just confirming what others have said. I am sure it is a lot more than just the wheels and tires, but that too makes a big difference. I driving on 37x13.5x17's. The jeep rides very smooth, straight and true at 85 MPH. That tall and that wide of a rim will always ride horribly at high speeds no matter what else you do. I have driven lifted trucks for several years and have friends with the oversized rims. They never could get a great ride at highway speeds. They usually had to settle, even after high dollar upgrades. A four wheel drive alignment is a must as well.

 

[theCATALYST]

Just confirming what others have said. I am sure it is a lot more than just the wheels and tires, but that too makes a big difference. I driving on 37x13.5x17's. The jeep rides very smooth, straight and true at 85 MPH. That tall and that wide of a rim will always ride horribly at high speeds no matter what else you do. I have driven lifted trucks for several years and have friends with the oversized rims. They never could get a great ride at highway speeds. They usually had to settle, even after high dollar upgrades. A four wheel drive alignment is a must as well.

Absolutely. Once I get a set of wheels of a more natural size installed (sticking with 37" tires) , I will see how that rides and go from there. But yes, everything lift/suspension related will get a good inspection and adjustment if required. For sure getting the alignment.
Thanks for your input!

 

[piroman683]

I skimmed all the responses quickly so forgive me if I'm repeating something. That lift kit doesn't look like it has decent track bar relocation bracket. (it looks like there is one, but doubt it is sized correctly). This is important because although the suspension typically swings forward/back because of the track bars that keep the axles centered to the frame (and each other) during suspension movement you also get lateral movement, sometime called cross talk (i believe). Also, if the springs are softer in rating that means move movement under every bump which means more lateral movement with every bump. Couple that with shocks that have pretty low compression and rebound dampening and you will have a lot of movement on the highway. This is where alignment also really comes into play, but enough was said on that earlier.

 

[theCATALYST]

I skimmed all the responses quickly so forgive me if I'm repeating something. That lift kit doesn't look like it has decent track bar relocation bracket. (it looks like there is one, but doubt it is sized correctly). This is important because although the suspension typically swings forward/back because of the track bars that keep the axles centered to the frame (and each other) during suspension movement you also get lateral movement, sometime called cross talk (i believe). Also, if the springs are softer in rating that means move movement under every bump which means more lateral movement with every bump. Couple that with shocks that have pretty low compression and rebound dampening and you will have a lot of movement on the highway. This is where alignment also really comes into play, but enough was said on that earlier.

Yes, an adjustable trackbar was suggested and I am looking into which to purchase as we speak. I will also look into the relocation brackets. Thank you.

 

[piroman683]

Yes, an adjustable trackbar was suggested and I am looking into which to purchase as we speak. I will also look into the relocation brackets. Thank you.

np, figured I'd share a little on suspension movement with solid axles

 

[TARHEELKIDD]

Absolutely. Once I get a set of wheels of a more natural size installed (sticking with 37" tires) , I will see how that rides and go from there. But yes, everything lift/suspension related will get a good inspection and adjustment if required. For sure getting the alignment.
Thanks for your input!

I hope it all goes well for you. It is a sweet ride and will still look sharp once you have it all worked out. There is plenty of proof to know you can have it look the way you want and have a nice quality ride at the same time. Good luck.

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