So, I’ll open with this: I’ll refer to the Nexus 2.2 as a steering damper, as that is effectively what it is.
My 392 from the factory was darn near perfect. It tracked dead straight and was void of the typical Jeep dead spot at center. But it did have the typical leftward drift, typical of a non-pass through shock for the stabilizer, and of course the usual Jeep wander on the highway.
Over the past 16 months I did get a little spoiled with the 4R’s IFS, so full disclosure on that - but I’ve also never been too critical of the Jeep‘s driving traits. It’s part of its character and what gives it its unique charm. In the past, on both my JKs and JL, I’ve used Fox through shafts mainly to get rid of the significant fade after 15 minutes of abuse on the OEM stabilizer. I really wanted the Fox Racing Series ATS but didn’t think to order with enough lead time… so couldn’t get one anywhere.
So, based on recommendations here, and from the folks at RockRidge 4x4, I decided to give the Teraflex Falcon Nexus 2.2 a shot. I drove the 392 with the stock damper for 400 miles before swapping for the Nexus. I’ve put 50 miles on the medium setting, 50 miles on the firm setting, and just over 20 on soft.
The soft setting doesn’t serve much good on the road. It’s very loose, but it does fix the leftward drift. I think it’ll suit slow crawling perfectly, but I’ll reserve judgement for when I actually get it off road.
‘The firm setting is darn near perfect. I mean the “slop” is completely gone, and it has zero wander. The steering feels tight and responsive. Almost sporty. I will go as far as to say it ”feels” very similar to the TRD Pro’s IFS. Yup, it has that type of feel. Now, remember I said “darn near” perfect… the return to center fades about halfway there and you have to manually straighten the wheel. While that’s not all bad, it is sort of an annoyance for everyday driving. High speed desert running where you want full and total wheel control? Most likely. But your daily commute, not so much. I think it’ll also be very nice for longer highway-heavy road trips.
‘The medium setting is my sweet spot. Not loose feeling at all, but not quite as tight and sporty as firm. It has zero wander on the highway and a great feel, very natural feel, running around town and during commutes. It eradicated the highway wander almost completely and crosswinds don’t toss it around at all. It just feels tight and clean, maybe not SUV with IFS clean, but I’d say the closest comparisons would be that it seems to be as complacent as the F-150 and Ram 1500 current generations IFS systems where everything is smooth, but you still know you’re driving a full size truck. (edit. Thanks @dog !)
Overall, I am extremely happy with the Falcon Nexus. On highway, ruts, pot holes, and rough roads are non-existent as it just sucks them up with effortless recovery that isn't even transferred to the steering wheel. While it doesn’t have the 24 micro-adjustments like the Fox, I love that I can just select one of the three presets within seconds, and without tools. The dial is clearly labeled, easy to reach, and easy to adjust.
My 392 from the factory was darn near perfect. It tracked dead straight and was void of the typical Jeep dead spot at center. But it did have the typical leftward drift, typical of a non-pass through shock for the stabilizer, and of course the usual Jeep wander on the highway.
Over the past 16 months I did get a little spoiled with the 4R’s IFS, so full disclosure on that - but I’ve also never been too critical of the Jeep‘s driving traits. It’s part of its character and what gives it its unique charm. In the past, on both my JKs and JL, I’ve used Fox through shafts mainly to get rid of the significant fade after 15 minutes of abuse on the OEM stabilizer. I really wanted the Fox Racing Series ATS but didn’t think to order with enough lead time… so couldn’t get one anywhere.
So, based on recommendations here, and from the folks at RockRidge 4x4, I decided to give the Teraflex Falcon Nexus 2.2 a shot. I drove the 392 with the stock damper for 400 miles before swapping for the Nexus. I’ve put 50 miles on the medium setting, 50 miles on the firm setting, and just over 20 on soft.
The soft setting doesn’t serve much good on the road. It’s very loose, but it does fix the leftward drift. I think it’ll suit slow crawling perfectly, but I’ll reserve judgement for when I actually get it off road.
‘The firm setting is darn near perfect. I mean the “slop” is completely gone, and it has zero wander. The steering feels tight and responsive. Almost sporty. I will go as far as to say it ”feels” very similar to the TRD Pro’s IFS. Yup, it has that type of feel. Now, remember I said “darn near” perfect… the return to center fades about halfway there and you have to manually straighten the wheel. While that’s not all bad, it is sort of an annoyance for everyday driving. High speed desert running where you want full and total wheel control? Most likely. But your daily commute, not so much. I think it’ll also be very nice for longer highway-heavy road trips.
‘The medium setting is my sweet spot. Not loose feeling at all, but not quite as tight and sporty as firm. It has zero wander on the highway and a great feel, very natural feel, running around town and during commutes. It eradicated the highway wander almost completely and crosswinds don’t toss it around at all. It just feels tight and clean, maybe not SUV with IFS clean, but I’d say the closest comparisons would be that it seems to be as complacent as the F-150 and Ram 1500 current generations IFS systems where everything is smooth, but you still know you’re driving a full size truck. (edit. Thanks @dog !)
Overall, I am extremely happy with the Falcon Nexus. On highway, ruts, pot holes, and rough roads are non-existent as it just sucks them up with effortless recovery that isn't even transferred to the steering wheel. While it doesn’t have the 24 micro-adjustments like the Fox, I love that I can just select one of the three presets within seconds, and without tools. The dial is clearly labeled, easy to reach, and easy to adjust.
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Christmas is just around the corner and I am looking for a few Jeep related upgrades.
