EDIT: I'm moving this information to my build thread. Will keep a more updated version here.
———
Hi all,
This won't apply to many of you, and I know I'm overthinking it for such a minor job, but hopefully this thread will be of help to any others looking to upgrade their stock suspension, but without getting into much of a lift.
I'm at about 95k miles on my 97 SE, running pretty much stock everything, except steel wheels and 30x9.5 KO2s. I thought about bigger tires, but since I have the 2.5L, that would eventually require re-gearing. I'm not ready for that, so I thought that the suspension might be a good place to start upgrading my Jeep, bit by bit. It's also a fun place to start because I can't help but wonder what I might be missing out on, in terms of ride quality, by still driving around on 23-year-old stock equipment.
So for now, I only have in mind shocks and coil springs, because I don't have the time, the money, or the skill to install a kit that includes control arms, slip-yoke eliminators, etc. Besides, at that point you're getting into a lift kit, and at this point I have no need.
———
SHOCK SPECS
According to @jjvw in another thread on this forum, my stock shocks (97 SE) have the specs in the table below. For comparison, I pulled up a few well-known options from their manufacturers' websites.
These are all pretty similar, and of course it's really the spring that will determine whether the Jeep sits any higher or lower. Just good to know if your choice of shock is going to allow you the option of lifting the Jeep at all (by the choice of springs). Seems that shocks in this range tend to be advertised as 0"–1" lift or 0"–2" lift, meaning they'll ride fine with stock springs, or you can get a little more height out of them it you want by installing taller springs, or by installing spacers for your existing springs. Of course, if you're like me, your stock springs may be sagging anyway, and you may see some increase in height just by getting your Jeep to sit back at its original height.
———
SPRING SPECS
From a few posts on this forum, I've learned that stock springs are supposed to sit at 12" long in the front and 8" long in the back. As for how long they are when they are removed and 'relaxed', I found some posts on other forums in which folks had measured theirs while still pretty new, and the measurements are in the first row below.
According to this post, the part numbers for stock springs are 126 (front) and 103 (rear). I also learned on another forum that the part numbers stamped into the OEM TJ springs actually represent the spring rate. Assuming that's true, we get the results in the first row below. Looks like the stock springs are "variable", although not all of the stock replacements I've found are variable. Options I've found are in the table below:
I measured mine and found that they were sitting as follows:
———
SHOCK CHOICE
I quickly leaned toward the Ranchos, based almost entirely upon the strong majority of testimonies on this forum. Indeed, I found a set on FB Marketplace from a guy who had ordered the wrong set. So, I went with the RS5000X that are advertised for 0"–2" of lift: RS55240 in the rear, and RS55128 up front.
Installing them went smoothly. I was surprised to learn that replacing shocks is no more difficult than changing tires: it's just a few bolts, really. I benefitted from the advice on this forum to soak the bolts and nuts with Kroil several times during the week or two leading up to the job. Even with my 23 years worth of rust and crud, they all came off without a problem. After cleaning the hardware up with a small wire wheel, I applied some anti-seize and re-used it.
After installing the Ranchos, but still with stock springs, I took measurements again and got this. Numbers in parentheses show the differences from the table above.
———
SPRING CHOICE
I love the testimonies about the H&R springs, but am leaning toward Moogs. I have read that the H&Rs are the same length as stock, but give an additional 1–1.5" of height due to their spring rate. If that's true, I'm worried, because my rig is very light: entirely stock. I don't want a full 1.5" (or more) with my 30" tires. I also don't want any changes to my 'geometry' that might require other modifications that I'm not yet capable of doing.
Another option would be to pick up some gently used stock springs from another SE (probably hard to find), or from a 4.0 model. With the higher spring rate, I might get a very minor lift. We'll see what the local market has.
———
———
Hi all,
This won't apply to many of you, and I know I'm overthinking it for such a minor job, but hopefully this thread will be of help to any others looking to upgrade their stock suspension, but without getting into much of a lift.
I'm at about 95k miles on my 97 SE, running pretty much stock everything, except steel wheels and 30x9.5 KO2s. I thought about bigger tires, but since I have the 2.5L, that would eventually require re-gearing. I'm not ready for that, so I thought that the suspension might be a good place to start upgrading my Jeep, bit by bit. It's also a fun place to start because I can't help but wonder what I might be missing out on, in terms of ride quality, by still driving around on 23-year-old stock equipment.
So for now, I only have in mind shocks and coil springs, because I don't have the time, the money, or the skill to install a kit that includes control arms, slip-yoke eliminators, etc. Besides, at that point you're getting into a lift kit, and at this point I have no need.
———
SHOCK SPECS
According to @jjvw in another thread on this forum, my stock shocks (97 SE) have the specs in the table below. For comparison, I pulled up a few well-known options from their manufacturers' websites.
Shock | Type | Front Part # | Front Extended | Front Compressed | Front Travel | Rear Part # | Rear Extended | Rear Compressed | Rear Travel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Stock / OEM | Hydraulic Twin-Tube | ??? | 20.5" | 13" | 7.5" | ??? | 19.2" | 12.2" | 7" |
| Rancho 5000X | Gas-Charged (??? psi) | RS55128 | 21.03" | 13.05" | 7.98" | RS55240 | 20.04" | 12.76" | 7.28" |
Bilstein 5100s | Gas-Charged (??? psi) | 24-293099 | 20.94" | 13.06" | 7.88" | 24-293105 | 19.96" | 12.81" | 7.15" |
Monroe "OEM" | Hydraulic Twin-Tube | 37026 | 20.375" | 12.875" | 7.5" | 37135 | 19.625" | 12.5" | 7.125" |
These are all pretty similar, and of course it's really the spring that will determine whether the Jeep sits any higher or lower. Just good to know if your choice of shock is going to allow you the option of lifting the Jeep at all (by the choice of springs). Seems that shocks in this range tend to be advertised as 0"–1" lift or 0"–2" lift, meaning they'll ride fine with stock springs, or you can get a little more height out of them it you want by installing taller springs, or by installing spacers for your existing springs. Of course, if you're like me, your stock springs may be sagging anyway, and you may see some increase in height just by getting your Jeep to sit back at its original height.
———
SPRING SPECS
From a few posts on this forum, I've learned that stock springs are supposed to sit at 12" long in the front and 8" long in the back. As for how long they are when they are removed and 'relaxed', I found some posts on other forums in which folks had measured theirs while still pretty new, and the measurements are in the first row below.
According to this post, the part numbers for stock springs are 126 (front) and 103 (rear). I also learned on another forum that the part numbers stamped into the OEM TJ springs actually represent the spring rate. Assuming that's true, we get the results in the first row below. Looks like the stock springs are "variable", although not all of the stock replacements I've found are variable. Options I've found are in the table below:
Company | Type | Front Part # | Front Relaxed | Front Loaded | Front Rate | Rear Part # | Rear Relaxed | Rear Loaded | Rear Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jeep OEM | Variable | 126 (SE) (Soft Top) | 17" or 17.25" | 12" | 126 lbs/in | 103 (SE Soft Top) | 12" | 8" | 103 lbs/in |
Moog (4.0L) | Constant | 3224 | 16.39" | 11" | 134 lbs/in | 3227 | 12.11" | 8" | 200 lbs/in |
Moog (2.5L) | Constant | 3228 | 16.18" | 11" | 124 lbs/in | 3229 | 11.28" | 8" | 200 lbs/in |
AC Delco | Variable | 45H0279 | 16.2" | 11" | ??? lbs/in | 45H2104 | 11.3" | ?" | ??? lbs/in |
H&R | Constant? | 52107 | ??? | ??? | ??? | 52107 | ??? | ??? | ??? |
I measured mine and found that they were sitting as follows:
| Driver Spring | Passenger Spring | Driver Flare | Passenger Flare | Driver Milk Jug | Passenger Milk Jug | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Front, Loaded: | 11 5/8 " | 11 3/4 " | 33 1/4 " | 33 3/8 " | 19 3/8 " | 19 1/2 " |
Front, Relaxed: | TBD ... | TBD ... | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Rear, Loaded: | 7 1/2 " | 7 1/2" | 34 1/4 " | 34 1/4 " | 16 1/2 " | 16 7/8" |
Rear, Relaxed: | TBD ... | TBD ... | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
———
SHOCK CHOICE
I quickly leaned toward the Ranchos, based almost entirely upon the strong majority of testimonies on this forum. Indeed, I found a set on FB Marketplace from a guy who had ordered the wrong set. So, I went with the RS5000X that are advertised for 0"–2" of lift: RS55240 in the rear, and RS55128 up front.
Installing them went smoothly. I was surprised to learn that replacing shocks is no more difficult than changing tires: it's just a few bolts, really. I benefitted from the advice on this forum to soak the bolts and nuts with Kroil several times during the week or two leading up to the job. Even with my 23 years worth of rust and crud, they all came off without a problem. After cleaning the hardware up with a small wire wheel, I applied some anti-seize and re-used it.
After installing the Ranchos, but still with stock springs, I took measurements again and got this. Numbers in parentheses show the differences from the table above.
| WILL UPDATE IN APRIL ... | Driver Spring | Passenger Spring | Driver Flare | Passenger Flare | Driver Milk Jug | Passenger Milk Jug |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Front, Loaded: | TBD ... | TBD ... | TBD ... | TBD ... | TBD ... | TBD ... |
Front, Relaxed: | TBD ... | TBD ... | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Rear, Loaded: | TBD ... | TBD ... | TBD ... | TBD ... | TBD ... | TBD ... |
Rear, Relaxed: | TBD ... | TBD ... | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
———
SPRING CHOICE
I love the testimonies about the H&R springs, but am leaning toward Moogs. I have read that the H&Rs are the same length as stock, but give an additional 1–1.5" of height due to their spring rate. If that's true, I'm worried, because my rig is very light: entirely stock. I don't want a full 1.5" (or more) with my 30" tires. I also don't want any changes to my 'geometry' that might require other modifications that I'm not yet capable of doing.
Another option would be to pick up some gently used stock springs from another SE (probably hard to find), or from a 4.0 model. With the higher spring rate, I might get a very minor lift. We'll see what the local market has.
———
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