When not to bother outboarding?

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mousehunter

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So the ride quality thread has gotten me thinking... I know I want to change my shocks. I know Fox 2.0's are probably not worth the effort unless I outboard the rear and get the shocks tuned. I suspect that most who outboard the rear also extend the front towers as well.

What I don't know is when all that is futile. I currently have 4" of lift. My humble understanding is that a 4" lift is necessary to get full articulation with 33" tires - but assume that is with stock travel. If I out boarded, would I need to add a body lift to get enough clearance to actually use the additional travel? Fox 2.0 RR shocks are expensive enough, plus coupled with the relocation cost - is it fairly insane to do if you don't gain travel? Do some people only outboard the rear and keep the front travel stock? Are body lifts and tummy tucks pretty much standard with outboarded Jeeps?
 
mousehunter said:
So the ride quality thread has gotten me thinking... I know I want to change my shocks. I know Fox 2.0's are probably not worth the effort unless I outboard the rear and get the shocks tuned. I suspect that most who outboard the rear also extend the front towers as well.

What I don't know is when all that is futile. I currently have 4" of lift. My humble understanding is that a 4" lift is necessary to get full articulation with 33" tires - but assume that is with stock travel. If I out boarded, would I need to add a body lift to get enough clearance to actually use the additional travel? Fox 2.0 RR shocks are expensive enough, plus coupled with the relocation cost - is it fairly insane to do if you don't gain travel? Do some people only outboard the rear and keep the front travel stock? Are body lifts and tummy tucks pretty much standard with outboarded Jeeps?
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I outboard the rear when the Jeep was on 33s with a 4" spring and a 1.25" body lift, raised belly. There was more than enough room for 12s divided in half. That didn't change when I eventually put 35s on.

That being said, I wouldn't outboard until the pinion angles are well established. That means wait until the belly is tucked. During which, you are needing the body lift anyway.
 
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mousehunter said:
So the ride quality thread has gotten me thinking... I know I want to change my shocks. I know Fox 2.0's are probably not worth the effort unless I outboard the rear and get the shocks tuned. I suspect that most who outboard the rear also extend the front towers as well.

What I don't know is when all that is futile. I currently have 4" of lift. My humble understanding is that a 4" lift is necessary to get full articulation with 33" tires - but assume that is with stock travel. If I out boarded, would I need to add a body lift to get enough clearance to actually use the additional travel? Fox 2.0 RR shocks are expensive enough, plus coupled with the relocation cost - is it fairly insane to do if you don't gain travel? Do some people only outboard the rear and keep the front travel stock? Are body lifts and tummy tucks pretty much standard with outboarded Jeeps?
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What shock travel are you thinking? Seems to me that I remember somebody, maybe @jjvw or @rasband, talking about the difference being when you go past 10" travel shocks. In terms of the BL, assuming 1" to 1.25", there really isn't a good reason not to do one. The benefits there are clear. If you're not running a TT, then going with outboarded shocks wouldn't be worth the cost. Lastly, don't forget that there are shocks, then there are custom tuned shocks. The latter is where optimal ride and functionality come together, when set up properly.

Edit: This may help a little.
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads...and-influence-ride-quality.62037/post-1117323
 
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On various threads I have read, the suggestion was usually 12" Fox 2.0 RR (with a discussion on the merits of LSD/CD and DSC). I am not 100% sure that the Factory Race was preferred over the Performance Series. The DSC appears only available for either coilovers (and ditching the coil over) or also by adding the DSC to existing RR shocks.

Once upon a time, when I was a an almost liberal college student, my yoga instructor told us were were quite inflexable. That was 30 years ago, getting up in my jeep without a step now is almost as bad as mounting a medium sized horse. I don't really want a step, just something to brake off (my wife did that to one on my truck). I am waiting (could post an amusing skeleton gif) for Savvy to get sliders back in stock.

Pretty sure I read the thread you mentioned once or twice - it was kind of the reason I started this one.
 
mousehunter said:
On various threads I have read, the suggestion was usually 12" Fox 2.0 RR (with a discussion on the merits of LSD/CD and DSC). I am not 100% sure that the Factory Race was preferred over the Performance Series. The DSC appears only available for either coilovers (and ditching the coil over) or also by adding the DSC to existing RR shocks.

...
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We say 12s in back because that is the longest length that fits most reasonably most of the time (not enough people notice that Rubicons are troublesome). Same reason 11s are recommended for the front.

DSCs on a smooth body Fox 2.0 is largely a parts bin creation. The only remaining piece of your original shock will be the body tube. Rather than convert, it might be wiser to sell your existing shocks and build the DSCs from scratch.
 
jjvw said:
We say 12s in back because that is the longest length that fits most reasonably most of the time (not enough people notice that Rubicons are troublesome). Same reason 11s are recommended for the front.

DSCs on a smooth body Fox 2.0 is largely a parts bin creation. The only remaining piece of your original shock will be the body tube. Rather than convert, it might be wiser to sell your existing shocks and build the DSCs from scratch.
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Wayne is setting some up by not throwing the whole shock away. We'll see how they do.
 
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Shocks on the LJ are toast already. I knew that before I purchased it. They were crap shocks when the were installed, and that was probably more than a decade ago.

Mostly just attempting to decide if I should go with Rancho's and accept they are the cheap fix - or decide if I should continue this JEEP (just empty every pocket) build and do it better. I kind of hate even thinking about how much this Jeep is costing, but in the end outboarding and RR's will not be all that much more. Right now the build has new tires and wheels, I have regearing, front and rear air lockers, onboard air, and remote Sway-Loc's on order and scheduled with the mechanic. I also have front and rear new bumpers on order. I have not checked my email in 2 days - but also considering upgrading the hard top. In all honesty, I am looking like having more into this build than a stripped JLU off the dealer lot. That said, my wife has a JLURD-so everything is relative. In the end, I am hoping to have an all around better Jeep (except for hp and torque).

from what I have read - Blaine is the go to guy for outboarding. That said, iirc he is about 1/2 way across the US from me. Does anyone know if there is a decent shop that does the work in Texas? Driving 5k of miles (or more if have to fly back to get the Jeep) is almost as big of barrier as the cost of the work.
 
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mousehunter said:
...

from what I have read - Blaine is the go to guy for outboarding. That said, iirc he is about 1/2 way across the US from me. Does anyone know if there is a decent shop that does the work in Texas? Driving 5k of miles (or more if have to fly back to get the Jeep) is almost as big of barrier as the cost of the work.
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It's rare that we see an offf-road shop do an outboard well. Most of us figure out out ourselves. And most of us are more than willing to help others do the same.
 
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jjvw said:
It's rare that we see an offf-road shop do an outboard well. Most of us figure out out ourselves. And most of us are more than willing to help others do the same.
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+1 - no way I would have done an outboard if I were sending it off to a random shop. There's a lot of small decisions that matter. Thankfully people that know more than me helped me do the work and do it right, with no compromises.
 
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rasband said:
+1 - no way I would have done an outboard if I were sending it off to a random shop. There's a lot of small decisions that matter. Thankfully people that know more than me helped me do the work and do it right, with no compromises.
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Have you guys got any opinions on BFH Garage? I had thoughts of shipping my Jeep up there for outboarded shocks.
 
rasband said:
The worst kind.
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