Shock(ing) dilemma.....
#1
JK Newbie
Thread Starter
Shock(ing) dilemma.....
2018 JKU......3 1/2 lift.......recently installed lift w/o shocks so I could purchase preferred brand. Shock length now is 21 1/2 in front and 22 rear. Shocks recommended for my lift size are 25 18 extended, 15 1/2 compressed. This leaves me only 3 droop in the rear and 4 1/2ish up front.compressed over 5 front & back. Looking at same brand shocks for 4-6 lift, compressed is 17 3/8 compressed and 28 extended. I WILL have my sway bar disconnected while wheeling at times. I have extended brake lines Ill also be installing. How much compression do I NEED on shocks? I realize bumpstops and limiting straps figure into this as well. I know ideally cutting inside fender wells and welding hoops would be ideal but that wont happen. Using stock mounting points, is 4 enough for compression? Jeep is 90% road driven but I dont want to lose ANY off-road performance. Thanks for any and all answers..... Mike
#2
JK Freak
Since you have extended brake lines, you should:
- Remove your stock shocks
- Re-mount tires (if you took them off to remove shocks)
- Raise the axle until either the bumpstop hits, or the tire hits your fender (and bumpstop appropriately)
- Measure the distance from the mounting holes
- Use this measurement as your collapsed length and go look for the longest shock you can
#3
JK Jedi
Are you looking at Fox 2.0 shocks for 4-6" lift by chance?
#7
JK Newbie
Thread Starter
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#8
JK Jedi
Those are the same shocks I run on my 3.5" lift. I would suggest those are much longer than what most people are looking for. You're going to get a lot of down travel which can cause issues itself. Definitely look at limiting straps if you are dead set on these.....and at that point realize you're not going to be using the full extended lengths. Are your front shock mounts outboarded? If not, you probably need otherwise those shock bodies will get eaten up on your frame rail when drooping.
When I added these shocks I had factory shock mounts. Shock bodies got eaten up on frame rail. Added Metalcloak outboard brackets. Get so much articulation that ended up twisting the entire factory shock mount. Cut off all front axle brackets and added 1/4" artec bracketry. Couldn't outboard the new shock brackets enough due to C gussets getting in the way, so STILL had to use the MC brackets which would not fit around the artec brackets, so had to be chopped up and welded. I'm now outboarded as much as possible, and have built in to a situation were almost any other shock is probably too short for me....ugh. In the rear, I ended up chopping my rear lower shock mounts and added EVO Rockstars......which then limited my uptravel due to those long ass shock bodies back there. In general, the shock lengths on those FOX 4-6" aren't ideal. Granted, I have 37" tires, and my use might differ.
Not sure what part of lineup you're looking at. I have the non-rebuildable model (shocks are just disposable to me). They were the evolution series at the time, but seems like the series names have changed. They are nothing special.
When I added these shocks I had factory shock mounts. Shock bodies got eaten up on frame rail. Added Metalcloak outboard brackets. Get so much articulation that ended up twisting the entire factory shock mount. Cut off all front axle brackets and added 1/4" artec bracketry. Couldn't outboard the new shock brackets enough due to C gussets getting in the way, so STILL had to use the MC brackets which would not fit around the artec brackets, so had to be chopped up and welded. I'm now outboarded as much as possible, and have built in to a situation were almost any other shock is probably too short for me....ugh. In the rear, I ended up chopping my rear lower shock mounts and added EVO Rockstars......which then limited my uptravel due to those long ass shock bodies back there. In general, the shock lengths on those FOX 4-6" aren't ideal. Granted, I have 37" tires, and my use might differ.
Not sure what part of lineup you're looking at. I have the non-rebuildable model (shocks are just disposable to me). They were the evolution series at the time, but seems like the series names have changed. They are nothing special.
Last edited by resharp001; 05-18-2019 at 04:32 AM.
#9
JK Newbie
Thread Starter
Well crap!!!
Those are the same shocks I run on my 3.5" lift. I would suggest those are much longer than what most people are looking for. You're going to get a lot of down travel which can cause issues itself. Definitely look at limiting straps if you are dead set on these.....and at that point realize you're not going to be using the full extended lengths. Are your front shock mounts outboarded? If not, you probably need otherwise those shock bodies will get eaten up on your frame rail when drooping.
When I added these shocks I had factory shock mounts. Shock bodies got eaten up on frame rail. Added Metalcloak outboard brackets. Get so much articulation that ended up twisting the entire factory shock mount. Cut off all front axle brackets and added 1/4" artec bracketry. Couldn't outboard the new shock brackets enough due to C gussets getting in the way, so STILL had to use the MC brackets which would not fit around the artec brackets, so had to be chopped up and welded. I'm now outboarded as much as possible, and have built in to a situation were almost any other shock is probably too short for me....ugh. In the rear, I ended up chopping my rear lower shock mounts and added EVO Rockstars......which then limited my uptravel due to those long ass shock bodies back there. In general, the shock lengths on those FOX 4-6" aren't ideal. Granted, I have 37" tires, and my use might differ.
Not sure what part of lineup you're looking at. I have the non-rebuildable model (shocks are just disposable to me). They were the evolution series at the time, but seems like the series names have changed. They are nothing special.
When I added these shocks I had factory shock mounts. Shock bodies got eaten up on frame rail. Added Metalcloak outboard brackets. Get so much articulation that ended up twisting the entire factory shock mount. Cut off all front axle brackets and added 1/4" artec bracketry. Couldn't outboard the new shock brackets enough due to C gussets getting in the way, so STILL had to use the MC brackets which would not fit around the artec brackets, so had to be chopped up and welded. I'm now outboarded as much as possible, and have built in to a situation were almost any other shock is probably too short for me....ugh. In the rear, I ended up chopping my rear lower shock mounts and added EVO Rockstars......which then limited my uptravel due to those long ass shock bodies back there. In general, the shock lengths on those FOX 4-6" aren't ideal. Granted, I have 37" tires, and my use might differ.
Not sure what part of lineup you're looking at. I have the non-rebuildable model (shocks are just disposable to me). They were the evolution series at the time, but seems like the series names have changed. They are nothing special.
#10
JK Jedi Master
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Maybe this is going off on a tangent, but I started jotting down shock specs when I was looking for my last set, and am curious what the thought process is for picking shocks (beyond the measurement process that borabora noted). As an example:
Fox 2.0
28.28 / 17.15 / 11.13 (front)
OME LT
27.28 / 15.90 / 11.38 (front)
So the front OME is an inch shorter than the Fox, but has 0.20" more travel overall. How does this figure into deciding on the correct shock length? Is there a time when you design a suspension for more downtravel to where that extra inch will be needed, even if the shorter shock actually gives more travel?
Fox 2.0
28.28 / 17.15 / 11.13 (front)
OME LT
27.28 / 15.90 / 11.38 (front)
So the front OME is an inch shorter than the Fox, but has 0.20" more travel overall. How does this figure into deciding on the correct shock length? Is there a time when you design a suspension for more downtravel to where that extra inch will be needed, even if the shorter shock actually gives more travel?
Last edited by nthinuf; 05-18-2019 at 01:30 PM.