Driving Through High Mountain Freeways (Lifted Rigs)

[Wicked0ne18]

How’s your experience with a lifted rig driving through the twisty freeways in the mountains?

just drove through Colorado mountains with a rooftop cargo carrier on a 2” lift. The performance was definitely not good. Felt like the rig under steer and during the turns the rig felt like tipping.

what’s your experience with similar setup? Those with rtt?

 

[Fisher23]

What shocks are you running?

 

[JetFuel]

What shocks are you running?

Curious about tire size as well.

 

[Wicked0ne18]

Bilstein setup. Rear ome spring 2722. Ome uca. 285/70/17.

 

[RyanR]

I would venture to guess your probably a little undersprung and might consider a heavier spring for the load.

EDIT: Just saw you are running 2722's. What spring are you running in front and how heavy is your rig? Bumpers, sliders, drawers, gear etc?

 

[TeCKis300]

Tell us a bit more about your suspension setup, tires, wheels, and other modifications. Is it a stability, lean, or traction that you find lacking?

Performance on windy mountain roads is something that's really important to me, despite modifications for off-road performance. There's definitely factors that can help. Even with 35s, my rig can hold its own in pace and fun on these roads, and not get the annoying beep beep in traction control at every turn.

Tire pressure and alignment can help here as well. Inflating to slightly high pressures will keep the sidewall from rolling over. Alignment and perhaps just a hint of negative camber is good too.

 

[Wicked0ne18]

I would venture to guess your probably a little undersprung and might consider a heavier spring for the load.

EDIT: Just saw you are running 2722's. What spring are you running in front and how heavy is your rig? Bumpers, sliders, drawers, gear etc?

I would venture to guess your probably a little undersprung and might consider a heavier spring for the load.

EDIT: Just saw you are running 2722's. What spring are you running in front and how heavy is your rig? Bumpers, sliders, drawers, gear etc?

No bumpers, no sliders, no drawers. Just camping gears in the trunk and a large cargo carrier.

front is the bilstein shocks n springs.

 

[Wicked0ne18]

Tell us a bit more about your suspension setup, tires, wheels, and other modifications. Is it a stability, lean, or traction that you find lacking?

Performance on windy mountain roads is something that's really important to me, despite modifications for off-road performance. There's definitely factors that can help. Even with 35s, my rig can hold its own in pace and fun on these roads, and not get the annoying beep beep in traction control at every turn.

Tire pressure and alignment can help here as well. Inflating to slightly high pressures will keep the sidewall from rolling over. Alignment and perhaps just a hint of negative camber is good too.

Tire pressure at 40psi. 17s wheels with 0 offset. Driving experience felt the rig was leaning. The alignment was within specs whe. I had it done after the suspension installation.

Not sure if this is normal for lifted rigs up on the twisty mountains.

Normal free way terrain the rig has been ok.

 

[Wicked0ne18]

Setup.

 

[RyanR]

I would venture to guess your probably a little undersprung and might consider a heavier spring for the load.

Tire pressure at 40psi. 17s wheels with 0 offset. Driving experience felt the rig was leaning. The alignment was within specs whe. I had it done after the suspension installation.

Not sure if this is normal for lifted rigs up on the twisty mountains.

Normal free way terrain the rig has been ok.

I guess my next question is, have you done much spirited driving on windy roads with the rig before? It's heavy and tall and heaps of body roll and understeer are the name of the game when pushing these things hard. If you are used to something more athletic it can feel a bit disconcerting.

 

[Wicked0ne18]

I guess my next question is, have you done much spirited driving on windy roads with the rig before? It's heavy and tall and heaps of body roll and understeer are the name of the game when pushing these things hard. If you are used to something more athletic it can feel a bit disconcerting.

I asked myself that question too. Wonder if the those Colorado mountains got the best out of me. It was my first time driving through those crazy mountains and first time with the lifted rig.

it could just be the cargo carrier made the lean worse.

 

[Itsky]

I'm up and down to tahoe a couple of times on month and no concerns. My wife and I both drive the LC and a highlander back and forth and no big difference between them.

 

[Wicked0ne18]

I'm up and down to tahoe a couple of times on month and no concerns. My wife and I both drive the LC and a highlander back and forth and no big difference between them.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Arcturns]

I live in CO, drive a variety of mountain roads. Most recently over Slumguillion Pass and Wolf Creek Pass. I'm loaded down with ARB, Slee Bumpers, 285/70/18's, OME suspension set up by SLEE calibrated to the weight. I have to say the steepness combined with tight turns on those passes made driving much more of a chore than usual mountain roads. All the driving challenges you mention, but what I would expect with a lumbering beast of a truck. What was most unnerving is the steering wheel shake when braking on steep inclines and speed were more than I typically notice. I'm thinking there might be some alignment issues to check, or it is simply the weight combined with steepness and speed. Did you experience that at all?

 

[ATwoZ]

Don't discount the vertical profile too and wind through some of the areas- a good cross wind with a large roof box etc can easily make the vehicle move a little. For instance, coming down I-70 into Denver there are typically some nasty gusts that I've seen rip ski racks off (with skis) off of sedans.

I definitely aim for more 'spirited' driving when possible, and usually don't have too much issue, I'd look at center of gravity and if wind was a factor too.

 

[WCDAVE]

Have the alignment checked. I had mine checked recently. While the values were all spot on, I had them adjust the camber inwards to the limit of the range and it improved things noticeably, but not dramatically . My next step is spacers to push the tires out another 1" to compensate for the COG being 2" higher. Not sure what effect it will have, but a cheap treatment option and might look a little better too. I can't do all of the things and add all of the weight I have to my LC and expect it to drive like it did when stock - it just isn't going to happen.

 

[Wicked0ne18]

I live in CO, drive a variety of mountain roads. Most recently over Slumguillion Pass and Wolf Creek Pass. I'm loaded down with ARB, Slee Bumpers, 285/70/18's, OME suspension set up by SLEE calibrated to the weight. I have to say the steepness combined with tight turns on those passes made driving much more of a chore than usual mountain roads. All the driving challenges you mention, but what I would expect with a lumbering beast of a truck. What was most unnerving is the steering wheel shake when braking on steep inclines and speed were more than I typically notice. I'm thinking there might be some alignment issues to check, or it is simply the weight combined with steepness and speed. Did you experience that at all?

Thx for feedback. The steepness and wind probably played a role with the behavior. I only experienced this during the drive through those steep mountains ascending and descending.

 

[Wicked0ne18]

Don't discount the vertical profile too and wind through some of the areas- a good cross wind with a large roof box etc can easily make the vehicle move a little. For instance, coming down I-70 into Denver there are typically some nasty gusts that I've seen rip ski racks off (with skis) off of sedans.

I definitely aim for more 'spirited' driving when possible, and usually don't have too much issue, I'd look at center of gravity and if wind was a factor too.

Even on flat surface I could feel the wind pushing the rig when it’s a bit windy out. I definitely say the cargo carrier played a role in leaning the rig especially with added storage.

I wonder how lift rigs do with rtt driving through the steep and twisty mountains?

 

[Wicked0ne18]

Have the alignment checked. I had mine checked recently. While the values were all spot on, I had them adjust the camber inwards to the limit of the range and it improved things noticeably, but not dramatically . My next step is spacers to push the tires out another 1" to compensate for the COG being 2" higher. Not sure what effect it will have, but a cheap treatment option and might look a little better too. I can't do all of the things and add all of the weight I have to my LC and expect it to drive like it did when stock - it just isn't going to happen.View attachment 2754541

I am going to consider this next time when I go in for an alignment visit.

 

[linuxgod]

How’s your experience with a lifted rig driving through the twisty freeways in the mountains?

just drove through Colorado mountains with a rooftop cargo carrier on a 2” lift. The performance was definitely not good. Felt like the rig under steer and during the turns the rig felt like tipping.

what’s your experience with similar setup? Those with rtt?

I just did it with a 6000# trailer in tow. I do find the truck feels a lot more stable if you're using lower gears when going downhill around a turn than if you're in 6th and applying the brakes (even without the trailer).

If your suspension/springs and/or tires (psi) are too soft you'll get heaps of understeer too