Ride quality question

[AdventurePig]

Ok, so I'm using Rancho RS5000X's as my guideline right now (I don't really have a huge preference on shocks - cheap is fine, if they work well for a few years - Rust isn't a huge issue here)

I've been researching for hours. Still have this question: How do I go about figuring out what Up/down travel I'd have with each shock choice? Rears would be very similar from Rancho, but the front's have two fairly different choices , both being shorter in both extended/collapsed dimensions.

• Current Fox fronts
  
  • Extended: 29.2
  • Collapsed: 17.5
  • travel: 11.5
  • Up travel 4"
  • Down travel: 7.5
• RS55239 fronts - 2-3" lift
  
  • Extended: 23.84"
  • Collapsed: 14.43
  • travel: 9.41
  • Up travel ?
  • Down travel ?
• RS55255 Fronts - 3.5-5" lift (Same part # for both lift heights)
  
  • Extended: 26.5
  • Collapsed: 15.8
  • Travel: 10.7
  • Up travel ?
  • Down travel ?

• Current fox rears
  
  • Extended: 24.9
  • Collapsed: 15.3
  • travel: 9.6
  • Up travel: 4"
  • Down travel: 5.6"
• RS55256 Rears - 3.5-5" lift (same part # for both lift heights) - very similar dimensions to current rears
  
  • Extended: 24.6
  • Collapsed: 15.01
  • travel: 9.66
  • Up travel: ?
  • Down travel: ?

 

[jjvw]

Ok, so I'm using Rancho RS5000X's as my guideline right now (I don't really have a huge preference on shocks - cheap is fine, if they work well for a few years - Rust isn't a huge issue here)

I've been researching for hours. Still have this question: How do I go about figuring out what Up/down travel I'd have with each shock choice? Rears would be very similar from Rancho, but the front's have two fairly different choices , both being shorter in both extended/collapsed dimensions.

• Current Fox fronts
  
  • Extended: 29.2
  • Collapsed: 17.5
  • travel: 11.5
  • Up travel 4"
  • Down travel: 7.5
• RS55239 fronts - 2-3" lift
  
  • Extended: 23.84"
  • Collapsed: 14.43
  • travel: 9.41
  • Up travel ?
  • Down travel ?
• RS55255 Fronts - 3.5-5" lift (Same part # for both lift heights)
  
  • Extended: 26.5
  • Collapsed: 15.8
  • Travel: 10.7
  • Up travel ?
  • Down travel ?

• Current fox rears
  
  • Extended: 24.9
  • Collapsed: 15.3
  • travel: 9.6
  • Up travel: 4"
  • Down travel: 5.6"
• RS55256 Rears - 3.5-5" lift (same part # for both lift heights) - very similar dimensions to current rears
  
  • Extended: 24.6
  • Collapsed: 15.01
  • travel: 9.66
  • Up travel: ?
  • Down travel: ?

You already know the distance between the shock mounts at ride height. And you know the extended and collapsed lengths of the shocks you are interested in. The rest is basic math to figure out the up/down travel lengths. Start writing things down.

 

[srimes]

You already know the distance between the shock mounts at ride height. And you know the extended and collapsed lengths of the shocks you are interested in. The rest is basic math to figure out the travel lengths. Start writing things down.

What does it matter for this issue? He isn't bottoming out freeway expansion joints, and if they aren't bypass shocks position doesn't change dampening.

 

[jjvw]

What does it matter for this issue? He isn't bottoming out freeway expansion joints, and if they aren't bypass shocks position doesn't change dampening.

He asked the question.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Ok, so I'm using Rancho RS5000X's as my guideline right now (I don't really have a huge preference on shocks - cheap is fine, if they work well for a few years - Rust isn't a huge issue here)

I've been researching for hours. Still have this question: How do I go about figuring out what Up/down travel I'd have with each shock choice? Rears would be very similar from Rancho, but the front's have two fairly different choices , both being shorter in both extended/collapsed dimensions.

• Current Fox fronts
  
  • Extended: 29.2
  • Collapsed: 17.5
  • travel: 11.5
  • Up travel 4"
  • Down travel: 7.5
• RS55239 fronts - 2-3" lift
  
  • Extended: 23.84"
  • Collapsed: 14.43
  • travel: 9.41
  • Up travel ?
  • Down travel ?
• RS55255 Fronts - 3.5-5" lift (Same part # for both lift heights)
  
  • Extended: 26.5
  • Collapsed: 15.8
  • Travel: 10.7
  • Up travel ?
  • Down travel ?

• Current fox rears
  
  • Extended: 24.9
  • Collapsed: 15.3
  • travel: 9.6
  • Up travel: 4"
  • Down travel: 5.6"
• RS55256 Rears - 3.5-5" lift (same part # for both lift heights) - very similar dimensions to current rears
  
  • Extended: 24.6
  • Collapsed: 15.01
  • travel: 9.66
  • Up travel: ?
  • Down travel: ?

Add your current exposed shaft measurement to your compressed length to get your length at ride height.

So for your front you have compressed of 17.5 and 4" showing so the shock is 21.5" at ride height. For the rear, 15.3 plus 4.

Or cut out the math and just put a tape to it and see what the shock length is at ride height.

Now go pick some shocks where your length at ride height is about in the middle.

Fwiw, I'm running 4" Rockjock TJ springs on my LJ, the rs55255 is just about right in front (5 up 6 down) but the 55256 is a bit short in the rear with 7 up and 3 down. I have a longer set of Skyjacker Black Max waiting to go on when my fuel tank gets close to empty (I'm doing it same time while I have the tank dropped to fix the fuel burp and also doing some exhaust work). If I don't like them I'll go back to ranchos but add a bar pin eliminator to get some down travel back.

I wish I could get some tunable remote resis on stock mounts. I want the ride quality a lot more than I need the travel resulting from an outboard. But I don't want to give up a bunch of travel, either, and those shocks have to be longer to get the same travel as a shorter IFP or Rancho.