I’ve owned a jeep wangler for a few years now, and I have to say that the thoughts of it flipping over while I drive in different terrains has never left my mind for once.
Peculiar for their roughness, off-road handling, and unique appearance, jeeps are unlike so many vehicles, even when it comes down to their potential safety hazards.
If you are thinking of buying a jeep or have one, you must have seen or heard reports that it is more likely to roll over than any other vehicle.
How true is this, though?
I didn’t want to make a judgment from my perspective and experience alone, so I did some extensive research and fieldwork on this; here are my findings:
Do Jeeps Flip Over Easily?
Yes, a Jeep will flip over easily when rolling over the terrain on the side or steep obstacles than most SUVs due to its higher centre of gravity and narrow wheelbase, which reduces the chances of stability in an accident compared to other vehicles that have enough low-sitting weight to support the car.
I’ve also observed that the limited visibility offered while driving a jeep can cause the driver to skid off the road. This is attributed to the statistical flipping profile labeled with the vehicle.
Assuming jeeps weren’t a two-door model, that is, heavier and longer like the 4x4s and pickup models, it would have prevented this bad reputation of being likely to roll over at any slight collusion.
On the brighter side, all these were sacrificed for their unique appearance, off-road ruggedness, and four-wheel drive sturdiness.
That being said, we will look at the ways you can prevent your jeep from tipping over easily and what to do in case your jeep flips over while you are in it.
Before then, it is pretty needful to discuss the specific type of jeeps that are more prone to rolling/tipping over.
Do All Jeeps Flip Over Easily?
While the answer to this depends on what you define as ‘easily’, a jeep is more likely to roll over based on how short the wheelbase is and how high the centre of gravity is.
However, if we list the first ten more prone vehicles to flip over, then the Jeep Wrangler would be among them, ahead of the Renegade.
There was also a time the CJ and YJ models had a higher risk of tipping over, given their suspension design and short wheelbases.
However, manufacturers eventually put behind the old-style suspensions in the mid-90s as the TJ models were unveiled a few years later with a larger wheelbase.
As of now, I can say that the 2019 Jeep Cherokee is arguably the best of jeep models that will not flip over easily.
This is not just because the SUV received a Top Safety Pick designation award but also because it is considered the safest jeep to drive with excellent crash test ratings.
How to Prevent a Jeep from Rolling
You can’t continue to drive your jeep like it is stolen or handle the vehicle as though it’s a sports car, then expect it not to go over entirely at any short drift.
If you drive smart, carefully, and safely, jeep vehicles do not flip over easily.
I know it is designed for off-road sturdiness, and the adventure is fantastic, but no car can’t flip over when driven wrongly.
Also, the lightweight nature of the jeep places more necessity on ensuring balance while driving.
To this end, you want to make sure you don’t put too much weight on top of your Jeep as this can cause disaster when making turns.
In addition, you want to make sure that you pay attention to your vehicle suspension geometry system, it’s the lifeblood in this case. Ensure you are making the proper replacement or alterations.
The bottom line of preventing your jeep from tipping over is ensuring an even distribution of weight to create balance to keep the vehicle’s rooftop away from kissing the ground while you are in it.
You might also want to consider lowering your jeep as it can help prevent this problem. At the same time, the manufacturer’s warranty should be considered before making any alteration.
Conclusion
It is also significant to mention the idea of lifting your jeep and how it increases the chances of flipping.
Lifting is one way to make your jeep easier to work on and drive better in Overlanding scenarios.
This is cool, but you might want to give it a second thought because lift kits increase your vehicle’s center of gravity.
As you now know, the higher the lift installed, the higher the center of gravity, and the higher risk of rolling over.
All and above, jeeps are more likely to flip over. But when you drive carefully and smartly, you might not experience such.
As I have once read in an automotive-inspired piece: “There are two types of Jeep owners- those that have rolled onto their roof, and those that will.”
