It seems like I should wait a bit to listen to some real life opinions. That's the most difficult part... waiting.. haha
Shock Comparison: Rancho RS5000X vs Skyjacker Black Max vs KYB Monotube
- Thread starter TJim
- Start date
Rubicon88
TJ Addict
This is what i can tell you from my experience and echoing again...
Out of the box shocks within a price of Fox downward...
Bilstein 5100's
FOX
Rancho 7000
Are by far the stiffest.
The Rancho 5000x is not as stiff as the above.
The Blackmax IMO is the smoothest of the bunch on a TJ.
There is no better/best here...everyone likes something different. A smooth ride to driver "A" might be mush to Druver "B" or too stiff or...._____ and vice versa
Thanks, you've been very helpful in these threads.
Have you tried/installed at all KYB Monotube?
I agree that everything about this topic is subjective and opinions differ. I hope I had the budget to try them all, haha. (Mostly because I am a curious person)
Rubicon88
TJ Addict
They have two sizes. One for the 3-4" lift range and one for stock.
Rubicon88
TJ Addict
The Monomax I can speak of ...
KYB makes their own shocks...
The monomax is stout.
I'd say very comparable to the Bilstein 5100.
I've spent hours pouring over all the numbers at shockwarehouse.com and did find a couple potential KYB Monomax fits. Although they weren't specific to the TJ, it looks like I could either add a bar pin to them, or run a bar pin eliminator. However, when I looked at the vehicles they fit, all were heavier full size trucks or SUVs. Somehow this didn't feel right though!
https://www.shockwarehouse.com/news/kyb_measurements.cfm
I'm willing to give it a shot. The risk is lessened by the fact that they're also offering a $35 rebate now. I'll definitely report back once I get my hands on a set!
https://skyjacker.com/
Pressurized
TJ Enthusiast
Interesting to see these comments on the Black Max... We found them to ride surprisingly good on the JL's. Irrelevant to this discussion, but does seem to indicate they were looked at for Jeep applications and not just 3/4 ton pickups...
I'm not sure why yet, but I also noticed that, overall, the BlackMax shocks tend to have shorter compressed and longer extended lengths than other comparable shocks I was looking at. This really helped with my oddball setup. I'm not sure why that is, so I'm trying to learn more there.
I'm just over 2". I'm also using the 0-2" 5000X shocks and they are at about 55/45 travel.
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Can I order some from you and get a refund with free return shipping if I don't like them?
p.s. I had the Skyjacker nitro and hydro shocks years ago. I thought they both rode bad. This was way back when OME yellow shocks actually rode good.
Rubicon88
TJ Addict
jesseshoots
TJ Enthusiast
I have the Skyjacker nitro shocks and they're garbage. 0/10 would recommend. I hope the blackmax are better in every way. Then again I run a pretty light jeep so I'm sure it doesn't help. If I could run them upside down in the rear I'd be halfway okay with 'em, but I can't so they don't even have that going for them lol.
Front shocks are Skyjacker N8056S
Extended Length: 24.3”
Compressed Length: 14.52”
Travel: 10”
Rear shocks are Skyjacker N8088S
Extended Length: 24.94”
Compressed Length: 14.91”
Travel: 10”
Front shocks are Skyjacker N8056S
Extended Length: 24.3”
Compressed Length: 14.52”
Travel: 10”
Rear shocks are Skyjacker N8088S
Extended Length: 24.94”
Compressed Length: 14.91”
Travel: 10”
No, I haven't, but I have been thinking about it. I need a free hour or so to do it, as I would want to try and calculate my CofG as well.
I don't mind stout, as long as it builds resistance as the travel increases. I'm looking for something soft in the first 1.5" of travel, that can ramp up to control the body as deflection increases. The reason I got rid of the Bilstein's was because they didn't have that soft section before the control section...They were just "jittery" over small stuff. From what I've read, that means there isn't a flutterstack.
I don't know if the monomax has any such thing either (probably not, based simply on price) but I do tend to think that monotube shocks will get me closer to what I want than a twin tube design, simply because they can lighten the valving and use the nitrogen charge to help ramp the shock in compression when needed through the floating piston.
The monotube design has a single cylinder:
The cylinder is divided into sections: A fluid area and a gas chamber. The piston and shaft move in the fluid portion. It uses a single fluid valve assembly in the piston. The diameter of the single working cylinder and piston valve is larger than in a twin tube even though the outside dimensions of each may the same. There is no need for an air or gas in the fluid area so the valve can operate more responsively and without any aeration or performance fade. The high pressure gas chamber is separated from the fluid area by a floating piston & seal. That provides an expansion area for the excess fluid movement during the compression stroke. On more aggressive movement the floating piston is pushed further into the gas chamber which increases gas pressure quickly and provides additional damping force. Because of its higher performance capabilities, the monotube design is used as original equipment on some vehicles and offered as an upgrade on vehicles that came equipped with the twin tube design.Similar threads
