Cheap Springs vs Expensive Springs

I am also mystified by the handling of my TJ. I can't go very fast on even a moderate dirt road. I decided to just live with it until a TJ sped past me like the road was nothing. Yes I have the POS Rancho shocks but I don't have a suspension lift or dropped pitman arm. I will try airing down my tires next but the guy that sped past didn't have his aired down. 🤷‍♀️

Andy
 
Also worth wrestling out the shocks and making sure they actually work. I did 200 miles in death valley with blown rear shocks and I feel like I should have lost teeth
 
For years the Rancho’s were highly recommended here. That’s the only reason I bought them. When did they become garbage and what shock knocked them off the pedestal?

FWIW, I have no desire to drive fast over rough fire roads, so I can’t comment on how my TJ might handle in that situation, but I drive it about fifty miles a day minimum and on surface roads, it drives far better than I ever expected it would.
 
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MikekiM said:
For years the Rancho’s were highly recommended here. That’s the only reason I bought them. When did they become garbage and what shock knocked them off the pedestal?

FWIW, I have no desire to drive fast over rough fire roads, so I can’t comment on how my TJ might handle in that situation, but I drive it about fifty miles a day minimum and on surface roads, it drives far better than I ever expected it would.
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They have always been a garbage shock. What has happened is that more people have experienced what a good tuned shock is.

The problem now becomes what to do about a bolt on recommendation. The best I can come up with is to encourage more experimentation and to encourage people to be better about describing what is good or bad about a particular shock.
 
Bought my 97 about three years ago. Been a journey. Came with a 4" ProComp lift. Shocks were shot. Replaced them with Black Maxes. Removed a 1" transfer case spacer, installed a SYE while doing a clutch. Currie CorrectLync Steering, front and rear trackbars. Oro Swayloc. Went from 33s to 35s. Replaced the ProComp 4" springs with Currie 4" and gained two inches!

Shocks and air pressure...15-16 psi works great for me.

Savvy control arms coming tomorrow!

-Mac
 
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mistermeeseeks said:
Background: I dont know who made the springs on my TJ, there are no markings anywhere on the springs. They came on there already when I bought it. Looks to me like about a 2 1/2" lift. I suspect they are very cheap springs. Maybe Rough Country. Take a look at the picture and let me know what you think.

My Situation: I use my Jeep very often to go down long logging roads that can be pretty rough. But I cant be creeping at like 20 MPH the whole time it would take me hours to get there, so I need to be able to go fast. I've aired down the tires and disconnected the sway bars and it did help. I am looking at buying an antirock sway bar kit. But I still want to make it ride better.

My Question: Do I just have garbage springs? Would I benefit from a more expensive spring even if I don't want to change the lift height? In most cases it seems like you would get what you pay for but I just wanted to ask. If the answer is yes I should buy better springs, who makes the best ones for the way I use my jeep? Thanks for your help!

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They are silver like rough country or RE but as has been said you need 1-2k$ worth of tuned fox-king-etc expensive shocks and you'll be blown away by the on and offroad ride.

X2 on installing a stock pitman arm because it doesn't belong there
 
MikekiM said:
For years the Rancho’s were highly recommended here. That’s the only reason I bought them. When did they become garbage and what shock knocked them off the pedestal?
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As the old saying goes
Opinions are like buttholes

Last season I just put a Rancho 2.5” lift l, new ZJ steering, and Rancho 5000x shocks in mine based off many recommendations here. The end resulting ride quality is like a new vehicle again.

Keep in mind my TJ is being built for ON ROAD use, for my 10 year old. Im sure OFF ROAD there will be better recommendations, however Im extremely happy with it and even my BIL whom is an avid Jeep off roader enjoyed the new suspension
 
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mistermeeseeks said:
Background: I dont know who made the springs on my TJ, there are no markings anywhere on the springs. They came on there already when I bought it. Looks to me like about a 2 1/2" lift. I suspect they are very cheap springs. Maybe Rough Country. Take a look at the picture and let me know what you think.

My Situation: I use my Jeep very often to go down long logging roads that can be pretty rough. But I cant be creeping at like 20 MPH the whole time it would take me hours to get there, so I need to be able to go fast. I've aired down the tires and disconnected the sway bars and it did help. I am looking at buying an antirock sway bar kit. But I still want to make it ride better.

My Question: Do I just have garbage springs? Would I benefit from a more expensive spring even if I don't want to change the lift height? In most cases it seems like you would get what you pay for but I just wanted to ask. If the answer is yes I should buy better springs, who makes the best ones for the way I use my jeep? Thanks for your help!

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Springs just hold up the Jeep.
 
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Artsifrtsi said:
Sway bar will help with body roll, but can make it a harsher ride.
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Only if he goes to a stiffer sway bar...in his first post he mentioned that he was going to install an Anti-Rock. That loosens the front end up and makes it ride better...I can tell a BIG difference if I forget to unlock my swaylock when I hit the two tracks and fire roads.
 
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Mike_H said:
Only if he goes to a stiffer sway bar...in his first post he mentioned that he was going to install an Anti-Rock. That loosens the front end up and makes it ride better...I can tell a BIG difference if I forget to unlock my swaylock when I hit the two tracks and fire roads.
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Anything is stiffer than the air bar he currently has in the pics…
 
A couple of people have. I've heard good things, but not tried them myself since I couldn't bring myself to spend the money on those, when for a few hundred more, I could just buy tunable, RR Foxes which are proven to work and "easy" to tune.
 
Mike_H said:
A couple of people have. I've heard good things, but not tried them myself since I couldn't bring myself to spend the money on those, when for a few hundred more, I could just buy tunable, RR Foxes which are proven to work and "easy" to tune.
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I’ve also heard good things about them, and would’ve liked to try a set.

The bigger issue is their lengths are incompatible with the typical 4” lift.
 
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