I am a bit new to lifted vehicles and have just gotten a new JK with a 3inch lift. It has almost 58K on it right now and the lift was dealer installed by the first owner. Are the SkyJacker Hydro 7000 a shock/strut that will make it past the typical 50K?

 

Lift was dealer installed at time of purchase.....as in the shocks actually have 58k miles on em? I don't have experience with that shock in particular, but 58k miles on $38 shocks seems like living on borrowed time to me. That has to be one of the least expensive shocks out there......and you typically get what you pay for when it comes to those.

 

Get new shocks. They are simple to install yourself.

 

Some are simpler than others. If a front shock requires internal wrenching from the top of the shock stud, I'd avoid it. The front passenger shock is not easily accessible for that kind of configuration (You can cut the fender liner plastic, or remove the battery and tray, TIPM and air cleaner housing, owner's choice). I've seen several Bilstein 5100s that were not properly installed (the upper nut was loose), and even one where the owner lost that nut during a multi-day overlanding trip. Choose a shock that has a nut welded to the housing below the upper wheel well that you can grab with a wrench as you tighten the upper nut. That's necessary to keep the shock from rotating as you tighten it to proper torque spec (though good luck getting a torque wrench on it, LOL).

 

This is actually something I have wondered myself but never really seen anything posted. What can you expect to get out of a set of cheaper aftermarket shocks? I threw a RC kit on mine 3 years ago and it has seen mostly daily driving with a couple week long trips in the desert. No issues so far but just never knew what sort of time frame I should reasonably expect.

 

I think part of the issue is there are just so many variables that everyone’s individual experience is different. How you use your jeep (off vs. on road), the kinds of roads you drive (washboard vs. pavement), the weight of the jeep, geographic locations (road salt contributing to corrosion), quality of your springs propping the jeep up, quality of the shock itself. I can see how some might wear a gas filled shock in 40k miles whereas someone else might see 100k miles out of em. I have some Fox 2.0 Evolution series on mine....I'm generally expecting 50-70k miles or so with some heavy use out of what I think is a decent mid-range shock. Maybe I'm wrong....I haven't hit that wall yet. Mark does a crap load of driving.....I'd bet he's gone through a few sets.

For the OP, 58k miles on those specific shocks seemed to be getting up there to me.....but it's just 1 person's opinion.

 

Hello there
Take either rear shock bottom loose and see how easy it is to compress. Really,really easy, then I would get new shocks. If decent resistance, then you can probably use a bit longer. Just a thought..
MTNBKR

 

I don't bother with the compress test. Think about how many times your shock moves up and down just on a daily drive for a 6 pack. Now throw 50k at it. My opinion (and I run OME) I'll be doing shocks myself every 50k. The jeep just drives better. If you have the spare cash I like the smooth ride. Nothing beats new shocks except maybe new tires.

 

Won't help for a lifted vehicle, but I recently changed out my jku Sport shocks with Rubi takeoffs that had 2500 miles in them. What a difference. Total investment was $80. About that top bolt on the passenger side - just break the plastic out of your way. It is cheap thin plastic and breaks away very nicely to give full exposure to the nut. Having a ratcheting box end wrench would make the install a little easier.