Uptravel and new shocks

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wanderer

Member
Mine is 2024 rubicon x 35s from the factory steel knuckles 456 winch steel bumper package ( weight wise) yadayada
i am looking to upgrade the ride for those terrible washboard roads i dont think i want a lift been there and it was great on my gladiator rubicon but i do want to smooth out the ride on bad roads So what are the best solutions i have a budget of 3500
Shocks springs bumpstops ? Combination?
I saw another post elsewhere where the guy cut his jounce tube down (bumpstop) But I don’t understand that Isnt the bumpstop to prevent the wheels tire from impacting the fender? So how could that work? Ithink the rubicon x has only about 2.5 inches of up travel And i dont want to eliminate the possibility of 37s in the future so thoughts suggestions ? Thanks all
 
Stock Rubicon X with 35s is just about the best Jeep out of the box from factory. I'd run a little lower than that even and with that budget I'd look at a set of adjustable shocks I suppose if you don't want to lift it yet. However again I think the factory ride is just fine on and off road. (Ride quality is subjective though)
 
The bump stops prevent the shocks from bottoming out. If the shocks bottom out, something will break. If longer shocks are installed then something else would break.
 
wanderer said:
I probably could go lower, but since I explore stuff offten a lone I don’t wanna pop a bead
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I’ve run as low as 6 on 35” BFG KM3s without beadlocks. 6 is real good for traction and flotation. Ride over washboards and rocky trails is pretty smooth. I do have to be careful not to break a bead. Last time out, I had to reseat a tire twice.

Bead retention at 12 psi is much more reliable. Traction is still good and I find it’s the maximum pressure for good flotation in sand and mud. Ride over washboards and rocky trails isn’t as smooth as it is at 6 and it’s better than 15. I haven’t yet had to reseat a bead running 12 psi.

15 psi is a safe pressure to run without beadlocks. However, in my experience it’s too high for anything but easy two tracks. Ride over washboards and rocky trails is harsher, traction over boulders and ledges is reduced and flotation in sand is poor. At Sand Hollow, everyone we helped get unstuck were running 15 psi and up. Once they aired down to 12, they were fine.

That said, minimum safety tire pressure without beadlocks can vary. While I can safely run 12 psi with my 35s, it’s too low for reliable bead retention on our Grand Cherokee. It has 28” ATs on factory rims. In the sand, we had to run at least 15 psi to keep the tires seated and of course, flotation suffered.

I get the best off-road performance by airing down to 6 psi and have to be careful with bead retention.

At 15 psi, bead retention is very reliable. Traction and ride is good for casual trails but I don’t like the performance when the trail gets more technical.

Until I can get beadlocks, the best compromise between trail performance and bead retention for me is 12 psi.

Of course, all of this is subjective and you’ll have to play around with the tire pressure to see what works for you.
 
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GP NOIR said:
I’ve run as low as 6 on 35” BFG KM3s without beadlocks. 6 is real good for traction and flotation. Ride over washboards and rocky trails is pretty smooth. I do have to be careful not to break a bead. Last time out, I had to reseat a tire twice.

Bead retention at 12 psi is much more reliable. Traction is still good and I find it’s the maximum pressure for good flotation in sand and mud. Ride over washboards and rocky trails isn’t as smooth as it is at 6 and it’s better than 15. I haven’t yet had to reseat a bead running 12 psi.

15 psi is a safe pressure to run without beadlocks. However, in my experience it’s too high for anything but easy two tracks. Ride over washboards and rocky trails is harsher, traction over boulders and ledges is reduced and flotation in sand is poor. At Sand Hollow, everyone we helped get unstuck were running 15 psi and up. Once they aired down to 12, they were fine.

That said, minimum safety tire pressure without beadlocks can vary. While I can safely run 12 psi with my 35s, it’s too low for reliable bead retention on our Grand Cherokee. It has 28” ATs on factory rims. In the sand, we had to run at least 15 psi to keep the tires seated and of course, flotation suffered.

I get the best off-road performance by airing down to 6 psi and have to be careful with bead retention.

At 15 psi, bead retention is very reliable. Traction and ride is good for casual trails but I don’t like the performance when the trail gets more technical.

Until I can get beadlocks, the best compromise between trail performance and bead retention for me is 12 psi.

Of course, all of this is subjective and you’ll have to play around with the tire pressure to see what works for you.
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Good info. What method are you using to reseat the tire when it debeads?
 
I’ve used three methods
1) Jack up the tire, connect the air compressor and pull the tire against the rim until it seals and reseats. If pulling doesn’t work, I’ve used a ratchet strap tightened around the diameter of the tire

2) Spray brake cleaner or starter fluid inside the tire and ignite it with a long BBQ lighter. Not for the faint of heart.

3) Use the spare. I once broke a bead at Tuttle Creek, KS and everything was so muddy, the tire wouldn’t stay on the bead and had to use the spare. When I got home, I took the tire to Discount Tire and they fixed all up, no charge. Discount Tire is the best.
 
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