Tweet
For my Senior project/thesis I decided to do a study between Jeep Cherokee Suspensions. Both the factory 4 link short arm design (this includes aftermarket short arms) vs. the aftermarket long arm system (primarily radius arm style). The study will focus mainly on customer satisfaction between different companies out there since there is not too many ways to get numerical data besides an RTI ramp. Since I am not anywhere near an RTI ramp, I will have to wait til Rausch to get that part of the data. So if anyone is going to Rausch anytime soon, Ill score your Jeep if you want to give me a few minutes of your time. 
Now, for the actual customer satisfaction part of the data. I want to focus both on on-road drivability and off-road drivability/capability. and I need about 5 questions for each part of the survey. If anyone has any other ideas that they think would be good for the test, definitely post up and let me know. For now, if you could take a few min and answer these questions it would be greatly appreciated. Everything is on a 1-10 scale. I would like people to respond if they feel they have sufficient seat time with their suspension. Not something they put on last week and "seems to be good" etc. It will be better data if people actually know the kit well and its characteristics. and try not to be impartial to the kit you have just because its yours. I want to know the truth about it. Im looking for Jeeps in the 3.5"-6" lift range and between 33" and 35" tires. These are very broad questions so answer the best you can. and remember, BE HONEST! if your jeep doesnt soak up bumps well or corner well (and I realize not many of us run sway bars and are used to it), I wanna know about it. and if you want to add anything to say why any category got a high score or low score (ex: joints failed after a month/ 3 years on the same joints) please feel free. I realize not all of you have experience with every kit to compare stuff together. Just do your best on what you would think the score should be. Im sure a lot of you have driven other peoples XJs with different set-ups. I just want to know about ones you have a lot of experience with. If you have a ton of experience with other peoples, fill out a survey for that too. If you have only driven it once, Im sorry. Also, I realize different shocks, spring rates etc will give different results. I just want to know about your front suspension and thats it. I dont care what you are running for rear leafs/shocks. Its not the point of the study. the study is to compare the front suspension. Thanks!
1. What brand suspension do you run?
2. Short arm or radius long arm?
3. On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being more towards on road and 10 being towards off road), do you spend more time with your Jeep on road or off road?
4. Are you running sway bars? F/R/none
5. If you could change your suspension, what would you change to? (upgrade to long arm? different short arms? brand?)
6. Ease of Installation. 1-10
7. How much was it?
On road drivability
1. How well does your suspension soak up bumps? 1- holy crap im gonna die. 5- not bad. 10- did i just hit something?
2. Cornering ability. how planted does your Jeep feel? 1- AHHHH 5- A little scary. 10- Ferrari
3. When you have to do a quick maneuver, how well does the suspension respond? 1- super slow/sloppy. 5- Not too bad. 10- very safely and tight
4. Comfort level. 1- harsh. 5- could be better. 10- Extreme comfort
Off-Road Drivability/Capability
1. Articulation. How well does it flex? 1- lift tires everywhere. 5- could be better. 10- Very very flexy. tires stay on the ground.
2. Bump absorption. Does it soak it up or does your back hurt? Comfort level. 1-10 (same scale as #4 in on road section)
3. Strength. Can it take a beating? 1- bends with minor hits. 5- bends with bigger hits. 10- Will never bend. Ever.
4. Durability. Joint/bushing condition etc. 1- everything fell apart after a week. 5- Not bad. minor issues.lasted for a while. 10- Lasted forever, no issues.
5. Off-Road Capability. 1-This suspension kills me. 5- Gets me most places I want to go. 10- Takes me EVERYWHERE.
6. Clearance. 1- Hits every rock. 5- Could use a little more. 10- rarely ever hits unless its a big obstacle.
For now I think that is a good start. I really dont need 400 questions. all I need is enough people to take the survey to hopefully get enough people with each suspension. All in all this is not only comparing each company's suspensions, but comparing the factory 4 link design vs. a radius long arm suspension. and if anyone has any other ideas/questions for the survey PLEASE FEEL FREE TO LET ME KNOW. THANKS GUYS!
Now, for the actual customer satisfaction part of the data. I want to focus both on on-road drivability and off-road drivability/capability. and I need about 5 questions for each part of the survey. If anyone has any other ideas that they think would be good for the test, definitely post up and let me know. For now, if you could take a few min and answer these questions it would be greatly appreciated. Everything is on a 1-10 scale. I would like people to respond if they feel they have sufficient seat time with their suspension. Not something they put on last week and "seems to be good" etc. It will be better data if people actually know the kit well and its characteristics. and try not to be impartial to the kit you have just because its yours. I want to know the truth about it. Im looking for Jeeps in the 3.5"-6" lift range and between 33" and 35" tires. These are very broad questions so answer the best you can. and remember, BE HONEST! if your jeep doesnt soak up bumps well or corner well (and I realize not many of us run sway bars and are used to it), I wanna know about it. and if you want to add anything to say why any category got a high score or low score (ex: joints failed after a month/ 3 years on the same joints) please feel free. I realize not all of you have experience with every kit to compare stuff together. Just do your best on what you would think the score should be. Im sure a lot of you have driven other peoples XJs with different set-ups. I just want to know about ones you have a lot of experience with. If you have a ton of experience with other peoples, fill out a survey for that too. If you have only driven it once, Im sorry. Also, I realize different shocks, spring rates etc will give different results. I just want to know about your front suspension and thats it. I dont care what you are running for rear leafs/shocks. Its not the point of the study. the study is to compare the front suspension. Thanks!
1. What brand suspension do you run?
2. Short arm or radius long arm?
3. On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being more towards on road and 10 being towards off road), do you spend more time with your Jeep on road or off road?
4. Are you running sway bars? F/R/none
5. If you could change your suspension, what would you change to? (upgrade to long arm? different short arms? brand?)
6. Ease of Installation. 1-10
7. How much was it?
On road drivability
1. How well does your suspension soak up bumps? 1- holy crap im gonna die. 5- not bad. 10- did i just hit something?
2. Cornering ability. how planted does your Jeep feel? 1- AHHHH 5- A little scary. 10- Ferrari
3. When you have to do a quick maneuver, how well does the suspension respond? 1- super slow/sloppy. 5- Not too bad. 10- very safely and tight
4. Comfort level. 1- harsh. 5- could be better. 10- Extreme comfort
Off-Road Drivability/Capability
1. Articulation. How well does it flex? 1- lift tires everywhere. 5- could be better. 10- Very very flexy. tires stay on the ground.
2. Bump absorption. Does it soak it up or does your back hurt? Comfort level. 1-10 (same scale as #4 in on road section)
3. Strength. Can it take a beating? 1- bends with minor hits. 5- bends with bigger hits. 10- Will never bend. Ever.
4. Durability. Joint/bushing condition etc. 1- everything fell apart after a week. 5- Not bad. minor issues.lasted for a while. 10- Lasted forever, no issues.
5. Off-Road Capability. 1-This suspension kills me. 5- Gets me most places I want to go. 10- Takes me EVERYWHERE.
6. Clearance. 1- Hits every rock. 5- Could use a little more. 10- rarely ever hits unless its a big obstacle.
For now I think that is a good start. I really dont need 400 questions. all I need is enough people to take the survey to hopefully get enough people with each suspension. All in all this is not only comparing each company's suspensions, but comparing the factory 4 link design vs. a radius long arm suspension. and if anyone has any other ideas/questions for the survey PLEASE FEEL FREE TO LET ME KNOW. THANKS GUYS!
Comment