BJ's 2" lift kit rough ride?

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Iroc313
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BJ's 2" lift kit rough ride?

Post by Iroc313 »

Purchased a 2" offroad lift kit a few years ago for my wagoneer resto, finally getting around to driving it and wow does it ride rough.

Does it take a bit for these springs to break in? It almost feels like it has heavy duty springs in it.

I also have new bilstein 5125 shocks in it.

will e
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Re: BJ's 2" lift kit rough ride?

Post by will e »

Rough ride on the jeep means different things to different folks. ;) I don't have experience with the 2" lift but would be surprised if it really harshened up the ride. The bilsteins are known for being a bit more agressive.

That being said my rusty's 4" lift softened up a bit after a while.

My question, did you over torque the bolts? Did you jump up and down a bit on the bumpers before torquing them down?
81 Waggy 'WILL E' Retired
82 Cherokee WT - SOA/SF/high steer/Alcan springs/agr box/Borgeson steering shaft/AMC 401/performer/holley TA/HEI/BeCool/727/ALTAS (2.0/2.72/5.44)/D60 Snofighter(Yukon Zip,hubs,stubs,4.56)/14 Bolt (FF,BF shave, Discs, ARB,Artec Truss)/MTR 37X12.5/Corbeau XRS Baja & 5 point retractable harness/Hella Aux lights/tuffy console/killer32 sliders/Evil Twin bumpers, rack and roll cage/WARN 8000/TT Fabworks steering brace/dual batts/custom TC skid plate/ARB fridge

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Iroc313
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Re: BJ's 2" lift kit rough ride?

Post by Iroc313 »

will e wrote:Rough ride on the jeep means different things to different folks. ;) I don't have experience with the 2" lift but would be surprised if it really harshened up the ride. The bilsteins are known for being a bit more agressive.

That being said my rusty's 4" lift softened up a bit after a while.

My question, did you over torque the bolts? Did you jump up and down a bit on the bumpers before torquing them down?
No sir. Maybe I'll try doing that and re torquing them. I had the body off when I did it

It's a bouncy ride even driving it a few feet
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Re: BJ's 2" lift kit rough ride?

Post by Stuka »

Did you wait to tighten the shackles until it was down on the ground with the tires on? If not, your ride will be terrible. Helps to bounce it some too before tightening.
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Iroc313
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Re: BJ's 2" lift kit rough ride?

Post by Iroc313 »

Stuka wrote:Did you wait to tighten the shackles until it was down on the ground with the tires on? If not, your ride will be terrible. Helps to bounce it some too before tightening.
Should I wait until all of the weight and interior is back in it to do this?

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Re: BJ's 2" lift kit rough ride?

Post by KJ Ryu »

yes
Ron

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Re: BJ's 2" lift kit rough ride?

Post by will e »

Is it bouncy or rough?
81 Waggy 'WILL E' Retired
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Re: BJ's 2" lift kit rough ride?

Post by babywag »

Loosen shackles and spring eye bolts. Flex/bounce wee out of it, drive it over some curbs one wheel @ time.
Then torque shackle and spring eye bolts on level ground.
Since it sounds like you installed w/o body on frame, the ride would definitely be as described.
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'88 GW (aka Babywag)
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Curly
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Re: BJ's 2" lift kit rough ride?

Post by Curly »

Iroc313 wrote:Purchased a 2" offroad lift kit a few years ago for my wagoneer resto, finally getting around to driving it and wow does it ride rough.

Does it take a bit for these springs to break in? It almost feels like it has heavy duty springs in it.

I also have new bilstein 5125 shocks in it.
It took about ~1000 miles or so for my BJs 4 inch lift to soften up. It was bouncy at first, you could feel every pebble on the road too. It is much nicer now w/ about 3k miles on it.
Give it time

Curly
I start what I finish.

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Iroc313
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Re: BJ's 2" lift kit rough ride?

Post by Iroc313 »

It's a bouncy ride.

Thank you for the help guys.

prospector
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Re: BJ's 2" lift kit rough ride?

Post by prospector »

Iroc313 wrote:Purchased a 2" offroad lift kit a few years ago for my wagoneer resto, finally getting around to driving it and wow does it ride rough.

Does it take a bit for these springs to break in? It almost feels like it has heavy duty springs in it.

I also have new bilstein 5125 shocks in it.

If it has Rough Country springs in it then it DOES have heavy duty springs, they will soften with time, but it won't be any time soon.
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Re: BJ's 2" lift kit rough ride?

Post by Lumpskie »

The BJ's springs are made by Alcan. They are the same length and height as an Alcan 2" but they use thicker (and fewer) leafs than Alcan's branded leafs. I think I have 8 leafs in my 2" while the BJ's branded leaf count is something like 5. Correct me if I'm wrong, Iroc313.

The result is that the BJ's springs are less progressive in rate than the Alcans, which means that they ride a little stiffer on the road. However, the offroad flex will be pretty similar between the two, I believe.
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Re: BJ's 2" lift kit rough ride?

Post by will e »

I had alcan make my springs. I sent them the weight front/back and told them 'about 1 inch of lift' since I already was SOA/SF.
My rear leaf pack has 5 springs, the front has 7. The ride seems fine and it flexes pretty good for a leaf setup.

This is with the front sway bar connected:

Image
81 Waggy 'WILL E' Retired
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Re: BJ's 2" lift kit rough ride?

Post by Lumpskie »

will e wrote:I had alcan make my springs. I sent them the weight front/back and told them 'about 1 inch of lift' since I already was SOA/SF.
My rear leaf pack has 5 springs, the front has 7. The ride seems fine and it flexes pretty good for a leaf setup.

This is with the front sway bar connected:

Image
"like"
1989 Grand Wagoneer - Rebuilt 360, 2" Alcans, 10" travel Gabriel Guadian shocks.
1996 Land Cruiser - 1HD-T Diesel, Gturbo (23psi), Wholesale Automatics 442f, F/R ARBs, 35" Duratracs, ARB Rear Bumper, OME 2" lift, home built sliders and aluminum belly skid
2000 Honda Civic - Integra GSR engine, transmission, shift linkage and axles, 200hp, 33 combined mpg
2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 9 - 437hp/447ft-lb

RamJetFSJ
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Re: BJ's 2" lift kit rough ride?

Post by RamJetFSJ »

I was experiencing really bouncy ride on the Rustys 4" lift I have, especially in the front. It turned out to be the shackle bushings. They were so old they were hard and had zero flex. Loosening the shackle bolt fixed the problem (and then replacing the shackles with greasable poly ones permanently fixed it).
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The PIG Smith
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Re: BJ's 2" lift kit rough ride?

Post by The PIG Smith »

I had a 1986 Grand Wagoneer that sported a Rough Country 3" lift kit (which gives closer to 4+")
The name is very appropriate, ROUGH!
I drove M35 "Duece 'an Halfs" in the US Army that rode like a brand new Cadillac compared my lifted Grand Waggie!
I loosed the bolts and tried jumping up and down on it.
Next, I would take it on short drives on rough roads and across multiple trains tracks...nothing helped.
It was as if the shocks were solid bar stock and the axle was solid mounted to the chassis.
Without question, worst riding vehicle that I have experienced.
Bryan Smith
Fort Wayne, Indiana
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RamJetFSJ
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Re: BJ's 2" lift kit rough ride?

Post by RamJetFSJ »

I hated my Rustys 4" lift when I first installed it. Since then I have replaced both front and rear shackle bushings, and the ride is now great. Much improved. The original bushings must have been rock hard with no flex/twist.
Last edited by RamJetFSJ on Thu May 03, 2018 6:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: BJ's 2" lift kit rough ride?

Post by Stuka »

RamJetFSJ wrote:I hated my Rustys 4" lift when I first installed it. Since then I have replaced both front and rear shackle bushings, and the ride is not great. Much improved. The original bushings must have been rock hard with no flex/twist.
Did you mean "not great" or "great"? :)
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Re: BJ's 2" lift kit rough ride?

Post by RamJetFSJ »

Hah. Meant “now great” - will fix the post
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Iroc313
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Re: BJ's 2" lift kit rough ride?

Post by Iroc313 »

I have all new polyurethane bushings on the shackles and leafs, maybe that could be it.

It really honestly rides awful, like an LB7 duramax or something.
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