What is the best riding and performing lift kit for my 2001 TJ?
- Thread starter 01saharatj
- Start date
They might not get airborne, but at the end of the shock travel, there is a sudden 400-500lb anchor pulling at the body/frame rather than a smooth transition of movements.
Absolutely. So what is the solution?
1) You always carry a load in your pickup.
2) You replace or tune the shocks in your pickup.
3) You replace the springs (and shocks) in your pickup.
Realistically you purchased the truck to haul stuff, so answer #1 would be the solution. But lets say you just got a great deal on the truck so you purchased this truck instead of a lighter truck and you never plan to haul anything. What is the solution? I would say the solution is #3. You replace the springs and install the appropriate shocks. Its a system that works together. You can't tune away the wrong springs. Even with a good shock tune.
EDIT: Well maybe you could with the right guy doing the tuning. But it doesn't seem like the proper solution to me. What is your solution?
If I got the truck but never plan on actually hauling anything I would get shocks that were meant for the unloaded weight only and with a travel bias that matched the ride height unloaded. I would not change ride height or springs. Of course I use my truck and just accept the ride as it is unloaded in reality.
Travel bias is a function of ride height. So height must change to change the travel bias. Most shocks function the same and have the same valving through out the stroke. To my knowledge, only some of the newer shocks, such as those found on the new JL actually change valving through out the stroke of the shock. Typical shocks are valved the same no matter where the shock is at within its stroke. Travel bias is a matter of the amount of travel the shock has to function properly.
Without a load, the shock and spring move the chassis upward fairly easily. When that happens, it tries to yank the rear axle off the ground and the rear end skitters across the road and the ride is very jarring.
The only solution is you put up with a shit ride quality when you are not using the truck within its design parameters which are to carry relatively large loads. You have the exact same scenario.
Your great deal scenario shows just how far you will go to try and make springs matter. They don't. If you bought my truck and tried to turn it into a nice riding no hauling street queen, not only would I laugh at you every time I told my buddies about this idiot on the internet, you would in fact be an idiot on the internet.
I use mine as well for its intended purpose.
OK, I follow you. Your saying very little or no compression of the shock/spring at all. The chassis moved up before any compression takes place. That would be one stiff ride, but I could see that in a heavy truck example.
In my simple world, with my simple mind, I thought the solution to a crappy ride from an empty pickup bed was to throw something in the bed. It never dawned on me to change the suspension.
OK, let me put forth a different scenario using Jeeps.
Some guy comes into your shop with a 4cyl TJ with a soft top sitting on an OME ZJ/LJ combo, because he read on the internet OME is the best and the ZJ/LJ springs will give him 3+" of lift. Now he says his OME Sport shocks ride terrible and he wants you to put on some custom tuned Fox shocks so he can get a great ride. He loves the height he has with the ZJ/LJ combo and he has the long OME shocks. So shock bias should be pretty close to where it needs to be. The rest of his setup all looks pretty good.
Do you set him up with new shocks that are properly tuned to the ZJ/LJ setup on a 4cyl or does that Jeep need softer coils? I don't mean to be offensive here. I really want to know if a good shock tune can really overcome that stiff of a spring on a 4 cyl TJ. Are springs really that irrelevant?
Some guy comes into your shop with a 4cyl TJ with a soft top sitting on an OME ZJ/LJ combo, because he read on the internet OME is the best and the ZJ/LJ springs will give him 3+" of lift. Now he says his OME Sport shocks ride terrible and he wants you to put on some custom tuned Fox shocks so he can get a great ride. He loves the height he has with the ZJ/LJ combo and he has the long OME shocks. So shock bias should be pretty close to where it needs to be. The rest of his setup all looks pretty good.
Do you set him up with new shocks that are properly tuned to the ZJ/LJ setup on a 4cyl or does that Jeep need softer coils? I don't mean to be offensive here. I really want to know if a good shock tune can really overcome that stiff of a spring on a 4 cyl TJ. Are springs really that irrelevant?
OK, you got me. (I figured there be something I missed) What doesn't work here. Shocks too long without outboarding them?
I can get shocks any travel I want within reason. The point is very few folks will pay or invest roughly 3 grand for a lift height most know will not be there for the long term and when they get to where they want to run 35's, they will pay to do it all again.
Dave is open to the public and has to take their money. I am not and don't. He also outboards shit shocks and I won't do that.
Something that needs to be understood is how Foxes fit within the confines of the factory rear shock mounts. Foxes have a comparatively long compressed length to other shocks with similar travels. Outboarding helps regain up travel and balance the shock. But a 3" spring lift places limitations on balanced suspension travel (and tire size) that a 4" doesn't have to the same extent.