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Best shocks for 1-2" Lift

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Old 02-13-2012, 09:10 PM
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Default Best shocks for 1-2" Lift

I have a Eibach spring kit which should give a 1.25" lift. Most people having this kit are saying that it gives an actual lift of 2".
Later on I would like to spend the Jk some realls good shocks. From the little offroad the Jk sees 50% will be gravel roads ( as fast as you can get on those short legal gravel roads in Germany....) and the rest would be crawlin on some tiny dirt hills where ever I have the possibilities to do so. Not much mud or real crawlin.

I had good and bad experiences with the Bilstein 5100 in my ZJ. The ride and handling was good but one fixing point came loose .
I´m thinking of some shocks like Fox, Sway-a-way or so. bu this is probably over the top.
And most shocks starts with 3" lift.

I mean the Bilstein where/are good but maybe something a bit for higher speeds, gravel roads and so on.
I read the thread about Bilstein vs. King.
Ok, King are to "good", to expensive. But well, if they are this 10% better for this use......

I don´t mind spending some extra $ but also not 1000$ for 10% more efficiency.
It´s just I´m not 100% convinced from the Bilsteins.

Last edited by MitchMG; 02-13-2012 at 09:13 PM.
Old 02-13-2012, 10:26 PM
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Fox!! Just sayin ...... Their junk is made for dirt roads, and not too mention rebuildable so it's a one time purchase
Old 02-14-2012, 02:25 AM
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ok, I think I will check the actual lift from the german Eibach springs.
If it is enough I think I´ll take a closer look at the Fox shocks. Those where my favorite anyway. Altough they are a bit pricy.....
Maybe I´ll go for the standard one without remote reservoir.
or the adjustable ones.....
Old 02-14-2012, 02:59 AM
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Rancho 9000s
Old 02-14-2012, 04:58 AM
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Originally Posted by Notoria23
Fox!! Just sayin ...... Their junk is made for dirt roads, and not too mention rebuildable so it's a one time purchase
Fox doesn't make shocks for anything less than 2.5" of lift for the JK.

Go with Bilsteins.
Old 02-14-2012, 08:51 PM
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I heard that there are some Bilstein 5100 which would be ok for 1.5" lift. But like I said I´m not 100% convinced. Yes they where ok. But one mounting point came losse on my ZJ Bilstein shock. And going a bit faster on rough gravel roads was ok but never was this type of prerunner feeling.
And that´s what I want. Or say start to build in this direction.
If I need mor lift , ok. It may come after warranty ended. But for now I´m trying with the smallest possible lift an 33" tires.
But after all it should be a road legal gravel road toy with good (ok) crawlin and muddin capabilities.

Fox should be for 4" lifts. But one (german dealer) said they should be ok from 2" lift on and you probably only need additional bump stops.
I have to measure the actual lift from the Eibach springs. i heard different things and in the road legal form there is no height stated.
They are sold as 1.2" lift. Someone heard ( from Eibach itself "as he said") They are 1.45" heigher. And some people how measured the lift after putting them into their Jk said something between 2-2.5".
So I have to check what my actual lift is........

Rancho ?
In german forums I´ve never heard anything good about Rancho.

What about sway-a-way ?
Never read something about this in US forums.
We have one dealer in german where it looks like those are state of the art high end best there is shocks ????

Last edited by MitchMG; 02-14-2012 at 10:59 PM. Reason: added info
Old 02-15-2012, 03:22 AM
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I have a leveling kit thats gives you 1.5" overall lift. I am running the stock length Bilsteins. They are yellow, not silver like the 5100's. The 5100's are to long.
Old 02-15-2012, 04:46 AM
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The 5100 is the US Bilstein shock. The yellow ones with blue boots are european "standard" ones.
I they are better than stock but are a replacment for stock shocks.
I´m a bit afraid that with the springs and (much) longer shocks I start messing around with all those things like longer brakelines, shaft touching the exhaust and so on.
And if they are to long to bolt them on its also not perfect.......
Old 02-15-2012, 06:52 AM
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They are a bit pricey but did you look into the King OE replacement shocks? They have a monotube replacement and one with a resevoir with compression adjustments that are good for 0"-2" lift. The compression adjustment is nice because you can really dial in your desired ride.



But the fox are a bit cheaper and can easily be rebuilt and revalved at home with simple hand tools and shims. But it is kind of trial and error to get it just right.
Old 02-15-2012, 07:14 AM
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i like OME


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