Nice write up Mike. Thanks for the insight. I'm patiently waiting for @JMT's review of the off the shelf Fox's.
Stock Car!Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
I read through most of the threads from TJFest. I don't think your Jeep qualifies as mostly stock.
What does the Jeep weigh? According to the truck scale mine is about 4600lbs. And I thought the Ranchos were squishy. Especially when compared to my nicer shocks.The Ranchos just Don't feel all soft and squishy to me like most pro Rancho fans boast, at least where a light TJ is concerned. I think that next up for me will be the BM shocks.
At that weight I can see why. Mine weighs in at 3960 lbs.What does the Jeep weigh? According to the truck scale mine is about 4600lbs. And I thought the Ranchos were squishy. Especially when compared to my nicer shocks.
Welcome to my world. One of these days I'll give up and just build a 4 link. The balancing act of a three link with trackbar is tedious. I've managed to make it work thus far, even with an 8.8, but everything is tight.I'm doing an outboard right now with Fox 12's, 35's, and Rubi Moabs with 1.5" wheel spacers. Full articulation one way, the tire sidewall is rubbing the finish on the shocks while the shock body is just about to kiss the bottom of the frame cut-out on the other side. If there was a trackbar, something would have to give. Less back spacing, wider axle, something. The top of the shock can not go in any further, it is as far as it can go.
Which goes to show that this one size fits all 5000x recommendation needs to stop.At that weight I can see why. Mine weighs in at 3960 lbs.
Which goes to show that this one size fits all 5000x recommendation needs to stop.
I think that is true for a variety of shock recommendations. One one hand we have people who recommend the 5000x or 9000xl for everything. Often at the expense of recommending against potentially better shocks such as the OME and Bilstein. I understand the OME and digressive monotubes can be too firm for some people, but some of the heavier Jeeps need the firm valving.Which goes to show that this one size fits all 5000x recommendation needs to stop.
I’m working on it. I can tell you this, it’s a whole different Jeep to drive. Shocks determine ride. I wish I had a set of Bilstein’s to put on there for another comparison, and so I could find more quarters on the road.Nice write up Mike. Thanks for the insight. I'm patiently waiting for @JMT's review of the off the shelf Fox's.
I wouldn't expect that at all. All I would expect are three different tunes from three different companies that has little to do with their springs beyond an expected ride height....As stated, I have no experience with Fox, but I would expect something like Savvy, BDS, or JKS tuned Fox shocks would work better with their springs and any similar TJ/LJ setup than the generic Fox tune.
You're optimistic there are 3 different tunes. I'm jaded.I wouldn't expect that at all. All I would expect are three different tunes from three different companies that has little to do with their springs.
Got to ridefox.com and look up the part numbers for a Tj and then go look up the part numbers for an XJ. Fox uses the same shock in both vehicles. There is no tuning done.Wish I could believe that Fox does anything above the ordinary to provide a TJ tuned shock for a stock shock location.
@Fargo - I wouldn’t be surprised to find that nearly every part from BDS and JKS are identical (less stickers), including the shock valving given they along with the Fox shocks brand are all owned/operated by Fox Factory Holding Corp.
I do know that Savvy has their own TJ tune. Whether it comes from Fox or they have it done 3rd party, I don't know. I've driven it on a 9" and it is very very different from the generic Fox tune on a 12".You're optimistic there are 3 different tunes. I'm jaded.
You don't think a shock tuned for a leaf sprung XJ would behave different than a coil spring TJ. Very different vehicles in my book.I wouldn't expect that at all. All I would expect are three different tunes from three different companies that has little to do with their springs beyond an expected ride height.
I'm not thinking at all about leafs or anything other than a coil sprung TJ.You don't think a shock tuned for a leaf sprung XJ would behave different than a coil spring TJ. Very different vehicles in my book.