Do all lifts ride stiff?

[JZLAJeep]

We don't have a lot of experience with lifts, but we have now owned two XJs that are lifted and both ride/rode noticeably worse than stock suspension. Do all lifts ride stiff? In principle I guess it makes sense that to make the vehicle higher the suspension components need to be taller and stiffer, but if all lifts are as stiff as what we've experienced, then no thanks, we'll pass. I once saw a James May clip where he said car modifications are stupid and always make the car worse (can't find the clip right now) and I'm starting to believe him.

 

One had spacers in the front and taller leaves in the back. Front rode OK. Back rode stiff.

 

Our current lifted XJ (see link below) has a Rough Country lift kit, which I know don't have the best reputation, but I'm surprised at how stiff it rides. I'm actively communicating with a couple guys about buying or trading for their stock suspension take-offs to put it back to stock.

If we were to lift anything it would be the Comanche. I don't know if it's because it's longer or because it has the single row of seats, but it just "feels" low even though I know it's the same height as the stock XJs (I measured). For whatever reason it "feels" like an El Camino rather than a pickup. We'll probably never lift it, but if we were, that's the Jeep we'd lift.

[89 MJ]

Shocks are a huge factor. The amount of lift and angle of the control arms are factors too. But the biggest part will come down to quality of the springs and quality of the shocks. 

[derf]

Spring rate and shocks make the most difference.  Different springs can be softer or stiffer.  Same with shocks.

 

Above about 3-4", the short arms of the XJ/MJ get too steep and ride quality suffers.

[Htchevyii]

In my experience, 3" or more lift on short arms rides terrible. The control arms get low in their arc and must actually move ahead to go upward which creates a harsh ride.  Long arms or drop brackets are the only cure. Our truck was built before all of the fancy long arm stuff came out and has drop brackets. It works so well that I have no reason to change it. The ride difference before and after the drop brackets was incredible.