Junkyard junkie

I would suggest the FOX 2.0.
I have them on my JKUR with a 2.5" Tera flex lift. I would say the ride quality is better than stock.

XJRefugee

So you noticed rough riding after the gear swap? but you already had many miles on those 35" tires correct? did your lift include adjustable control arms especially for the forward lower . Non- adjustable control arms on your 3-3.5" lift might contribute to the rough ride feel however you have had the lift on for years so this is just a recent turn for the worse. I would agree with those who say your shocks are probably shot

hscumbie

No, the rough riding has been around for a while now. It was just until recently that I noticed it seemed worse than other jeeps with similar setups.

I forgot to indicate, but I did install geometry correction brackets for the swingarm positioning. I did that a few years back and it made a big difference. However, it's still pretty rough all things considered. I did dial my tire pressure in to about 26 PSI before a weekend trip and got much better shock absorption with good tire tread contact.

I believe the next best thing is to move forward with new shocks. I'm currently in college, so I'm trying to be considerate of how much I spend. I've been seeing that the Bilstein 5100 shocks and Fox 2.0 shocks are the go-to's for replacements. I'm leaning towards the Bilsteins from a cost perspective, but I've also heard that the Fox 2.0 ride softer. Would anyone say that the Fox 2.0 are worth the extra cost over the Bilsteins?

resharp001

I would say both of those shocks are actually pretty stiff IMO. I'm not sure either of those will help what you think is already a rough ride. I've had FOX 2.0 monotubes and currently have 2.0 reservoirs. The lengths are just perfect for my build moreso than I just love those shocks. I've had friends with Bilsteins in the past and they were very similar. With budget in focus, I can't say the Fox are worth more. That said, you see Junkyard Junkie and I have differing opinions on the same shock. This is the kinda thing that is just going to be subjective from person to person. Keep in mind when you see opinions, people could also have the same brand shocks tuned differently for specific lifts that are sold with those particular shocks. It's not always apples to apples comparisons.

I'd also agree with JJ above....if you got E rated tires, that is the main crux of the issue....even if aired down a good bit.

hscumbie

Yeah, that seems to be the recurring theme. E rated tires are really just good for off-roading and that seems to be about it (other than longevity on the road). It looks like i'll have a hard time finding D or C rated tires since i'm running 18" wheels.

I would think i'll be due for new tires within the year probably (these have about 50,000 miles on them). What are some good tires you guys would recommend replacing with? I'm wanting to swap back to M/Ts for the more aggressive look. I used to run Nitto Trail Grapplers, but they were heavy as all getout compared to the KO2s (same size and width). I know M/Ts aren't designed for MPG, but I'm sure there are lighter M/Ts out there with nice tread patterns.

Sixty4x4

Just wanted to chime in and say - in Canada at least - E rated tires are like finding hens teeth. No 285 or 315-70/17 tires exist up here in C. A few in D but the rest are E. Is the industry going to change as I don't want to go buy 15" which C's have a better selection in that diameter. Not sure why this is so as the total Jeep Wrangelr units sold must be in the 100's of thousands across North America.

mr.travo

I have the same issue with my 33’s. I am going 35’s this summer and finding a load range D is becoming a problem. Never used to have this problem before, what happened to the tire industry???

Jeff Pillsworth

I have a set of Nitto Trail Grapplers 35x11.5/17 LOAD Range C on order, they should be in in Late March to replace my BFG KO2 35x12.5/17 Load Range E. In my research I also saw that Toyo had the OC AT3 in the 35x11.5 load C, and General Grabber X3 comes in a load C

Junkyard junkie

Interesting. I didn't know that 35 or 37x11.50 was even an option. Will likely go that route when it's time for a change.