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Shocks.... Which ones?

2K views 15 replies 9 participants last post by  Spencer911 
#1 ·
Hey guys you have given me awesome advice before and I now need it again. I have an 83 CJ7 with 258 and it came with what I was told are 2" rancho lift springs. I orderd and have recieved my M.O.R.E shackles for it and now I want to buy shocks. I am looking for your past experiences or advice on what to buy. My jeep is a daily driver, and light trail use but no major wheeling. Thanks.:thumbsup:
 
#4 ·
I am using Skyjacker Hydros. They work awesome for the type of wheelin I do. They allow for excellent articulation and have a great ride. I mainly run slow technical trails and mud. If you are a high speed wheeler that likes to get air I would suggest something stiffer otherwise they are inexpensive shocks that work great. I've been running them for about 5 years and they do not show any sign of wearing out.
 
#6 ·
Go with an adjustable shock, such as Rancho 9000 series. Easy to set them to a comfortable ride, or stiffen them for a load, or turn them down for better articulation/smoother ride offroad.
If you ever plan on long highway drives or long trail rides, you'll find that adjustable shocks are worth every dime. :)
 
#7 ·
To me adjustable shocks are overrated I have Rancho 9000s on the back of my 7 and I always keep them turned up. You can't convince me that valving has anything to do with the amount of articulation, ride quality yes.

That said I just bought a set of Bilstein 5100s with the stiffest valving for the front of my Jeep and they are the best shocks I have used.

The stiffer valving also makes the Jeep feel a lot more stable when riding side hills.
 
#8 ·
So I am a bit confused now, as I know the springs control the ride height of the vehicle and though "stiff" they do not totally control the ride quality. The shocks control the feel of the road? So do I want soft or stiff shocks. This is a daily driver and Light trail use 4 wheeler. Thanks guys for all your help.:thumbsup:
 
#9 ·
Regarding adjustable shocks and articulation... setting the shock to its softest setting, the shock adds no impedence to the speed of the upward/downward movement(articulation) of the spring. The spring is free to react immediately in accordance with the speed of forward motion.

If the shocks are set stiff... you're right, it does not change the maximum articulation up/down... but it will slow down the movement of the spring. If you picture rolling over some relatively minor obstacle with some amount of speed more than a crawl, the stiff shock will prevent the spring from compressing upward fast enough, and in turn roughly cause the frame to lift instead of allowing the spring to absorb the compression. So in effect a stiff shock can limit articulation by not allowing the spring to react fast enough.
Of course, if moving at a slow crawl over an obstacle, shock stiffness (within reason, appropriate to the weight of the vehicle) shouldn't matter.

My '71 CJ, with a 2.5" lift, with 9000s set on 1, rides smoother than a stock TJ on the trails... especially cruising between obstacles, say 2nd/3rd gear, low range...This is an opinion offered to me by TJ owners that have ridden with me or driven my rig!

So Jay... I'd still recommend an adjustable shock. Find the settings that offer you the best feel for your use.

JungleJeep, I just noticed you're SOA... a stiffer shock makes sense for that app. I'm assuming Jay is SUA, minor lift, softer or adjustable makes more sense for that app.
 
#10 ·
I'd recommend an adjustable shock like manually adjustable Rancho RS9000 series or auto-sensing Rancho RSX or Trailmaster SSV (this particular shock is very nicely priced). With them manual adjustments, you can tailor the ride quality and handling to your tastes and load or conditions. I haven't played withmy new 9000x's yet, but on my old setup with 9000's, I generally kept the front on 2 (I suspect I'll go a bit higher with the additional increments available on the 9000x) and alternated the year between 1 and 2 depending upon whether I was topless/soft top or running the hard top. You couldn't pay me to put RS5000's on a lightweight rig. I had them on an S-15 Jimmy and have pulled them off of a few hard-riding Jeeps and will never buy a set of those again. Obviously there's some personal preference there...some people think that a Jeep is supposed to ride like a buckboard wagon, so they settle for a crappy ride. I tweak my suspensions and end up with very good ride quality, even had TJ guys swear they couldn't be riding in an old CJ.
 
#12 ·
you can hold off for a bit, do so. There's usually a buy 3 get 1 free sale that kicks off around Feb/March either sponsored by Rancho directly or through 4 Wheel Parts Wholesalers. I bought all 3 sets of mine during the sales.
 
#15 ·
LOL thanks yeah I am gonna wait for the sale, and then I will install the shocks and new 1/2" lift shackles from M.O.R.E. I think this will make the whole deal look and ride better. The tub is being xtreme lined next week, so it is down right now anyhow. Next project is seats......


J
 
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