Best shocks for a smooth ride?
- Thread starter EROCK
- Start date
Does a heavy roof rack make a difference on shock?
In between the Nitrocharger sport and the RS5000x. Hard top, heavy bumpers, winch + a Garvin adventure rack down the line.
Lot of people love the RS5000x here, but probably shouldering less weight up top.
In between the Nitrocharger sport and the RS5000x. Hard top, heavy bumpers, winch + a Garvin adventure rack down the line.
Lot of people love the RS5000x here, but probably shouldering less weight up top.
Yes, sprung weight is the biggest impact to how your shocks will perform. Tunes take all that into account. So any off the shelf shock won't consider it and be set for a generic setup.
Yes, you'll likely be interested in something that is firmer than a RS5000X (the butt-ometer reveals all). I love my Rancho's, but my rig weighs 4,000 lbs topless and 4,115 with hardtop.
My suggestion is to lose a lot of weight up top, but I don't know what you're trying to do with your rig, so who am I?
Bottom line is I like a lighter rig. Performs better on and off-road. If you can get there and do what you're trying to do, I would.
Shocks are directly related to the sprung weight of the rig.
FamilyFunWagon
TJ Enthusiast
I have the Bilstein 5100's on my TJ with a terraflex 8 arm. And let me tell you. They ride rough. I feel every bump in the road. It is a shitty ride.
Is this normal?
Is this normal?
I took 5100s off my new to me TJUR and replaced with Rancho 5000x. Less harsh for sure but your results may vary.
"If you can tolerate the Bilsteins, that will invalidate any discussion you and I may have from now on.
They are quite possibly the most annoying damper I've ever used.Folks tend to brag about how nicely they eat up the larger events while failing to mention accurately in the same breath they are real handy at determining if a quarter is heads or tails simply by passing a tire over it.
Small event harshness is quite annoying to me."
mrblaine.
FamilyFunWagon
TJ Enthusiast
Well I guess I better start shopping around....."If you can tolerate the Bilsteins, that will invalidate any discussion you and I may have from now on.
Folks tend to brag about how nicely they eat up the larger events while failing to mention accurately in the same breath they are real handy at determining if a quarter is heads or tails simply by passing a tire over it.
Small event harshness is quite annoying to me."
mrblaine.
Or for a longer travel rig, Fox RRs. You can have them tuned to get whatever kind of ride you want out of them.Rancho 5000x or Skyjacker Blackmax is the go to rec on here
For the same price as Rancho and Skyjacker?
I've got $200 burning a hole in my pocket.
FamilyFunWagon didn't put that requirement on! But on the used market Fox RRs are not as bad.For the same price as Rancho and Skyjacker?
I got some barely used (2000 miles) Rancho 9000X adjustable shocks on Craigslist for $80 for all four. I sold them a year later for $300. I've never found an "off the shelf" shock that rides well on and off road. My Zone hydro shocks (discontinued) have rode as good as any. Rancho rs5000x shocks to me are better offroad.
Fughuert
TJ Enthusiast
That's why I went used. Got 11" front (new, never installed) and 12" rears for the price of just the new 12s I had on order for almost a year already.
That's normal for the Bilstein 5100 which is known as a stiff/jittery riding shock. Mrblaine opined you should only run that shock if you want to know if the half-dollar you just rolled over was heads or tails.
SPECWAR
TJ Enthusiast