Looking for a softer ride
#21
JK Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Toronto
Posts: 112
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
#22
Just curious about this thread, I am about to get new shocks also. I put 15k a year on my jk with 37's and also want a softer ride. When speak of off road performance what are you talking about? I cant imagine shocks having a huge impact on rock crawling. High speed desert racing definitely.
#23
JK Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Toronto
Posts: 112
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Would off-road evo plush springs fix this issue. How hard is it to swap out springs. I can only just get my finger between the front coils so I'm thinking this is causing the harsh ride. I have stinger bumper and winch so there is increased weight up front. Don't want to buy new springs and get same problem due to weight.
#24
JK Jedi
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Nevada City California
Posts: 5,234
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
4 Posts
Just curious about this thread, I am about to get new shocks also. I put 15k a year on my jk with 37's and also want a softer ride. When speak of off road performance what are you talking about? I cant imagine shocks having a huge impact on rock crawling. High speed desert racing definitely.
#25
Remote reservoir shocks help all around off road performance. Yes they do handle excellent at high speeds over whoops and wash board, and any heavy hits. They have longer travel with the extra oil storage, they run cooler so the shock won't fade and feel sloppy after being heated up from a long trail ride or rock crawlin for a long period of time.
#27
JK Super Freak
I did the AEV brackets and it made a very noticeable improvement in ride quality. I then switched to Bilstein 5100s to try and get even more on road comfort. The shock upgrade made a noticeable difference, but the AEV brackets were the most noticeable improvement.
#29
JK Enthusiast
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Anchorage AK
Posts: 244
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
#30
JK Jedi
Personally I like the on road ride from the ome nitro sport over the 5100's but both are good shocks. This was when running the 2" ome hd coils. I have never run fox so I have no opinion on them. The bilstein 7100 shocks are a nice shock that can be re-valved and re-built by the end user if they have the right tools. They have a Schrader valve so you can adjust the nitrogen pressure allowing further ride adjustment.
A res shock will give you a little more down travel vs the same body sized standard shock and will contain more oil and keep them cooler, but for 99% of the people with JK's will never run hard enough to cause shock fade. Rock crawling does not cycle the shock fast enough to cause over heating of the oil to the point of shock fade.
Coil rates will have an affect on ride quality, the stiffer or higher the coil rate will ride a bit rougher but will give a more stable ride in cornering or when off camber by holding the vehicle more upright. A softer coil rate will give you a very nice ride on road and when running fast over bumps but will give you more body lean when cornering and may feel a bit squishy when off road. Sway bars and air bumps can be used on soft set ups to control the body roll and unstable feeling that is typical of a soft suspension.
So to summarize, optimized ride quality will be a delicate balance of coils, shocks, bump stops, wheel travel, sway bars, and tire pressure. So will simply changing brand of shocks improve your ride? Maybe, Maybe not. Unless you can find someone else with the exact same specs of your rig you are going to have a hard time finding the answer on a forum.