Stock Suspension Upgrade (No Lift)

[Fierdon]

My Liberty has 105000 miles on it and it’s on the stock suspension. It’s been bottoming out on even the smallest pothole so it’s time to replace the suspension.

My question is: Do I need to replace springs too or just shocks and struts? There’s a 1-2” lower difference from stock specs.

I’m looking at some Bilstein 4600 for front and rear, as I don’t want to lift my Liberty, just get it back to stock height and would prefer something a bit better quality as a replacement. If I need springs I’m not sure which would be a good brand without getting too expensive. My budget is under $1000 including installation at a local reputable shop. So maybe $500-$700~ for parts.

 

[Fierdon]

So I looked on RockAuto.com and found a set of front and rear KYB but there are no rear KYB springs. Would Moog work well enough?

 

[Jo6pak]

Springs are what is sagged out. Do everything since you'll need the front coil-overs dissembled anyway.
Rear is super easy, so doing that yourself can save a little bit of cash (providing you have the tools)

I ran KYB shocks and Moog coils on my old KJ for a while. Worked nicely before I did the OME lift.

And as always, buy local if you can

 

[tommudd]

GO OME
you can use OME 925 front, 947 rear springs with stock shocks, either Bilstein or OME
Stock springs are only rated for 310 pounds in front and in 60-70,000 miles they are sagging already
With the 925/947 combo you will only be a bit higher than stock brand new but ride and handling are vastly improved
Do not go back to stock springs from Moog or any of them, not worth it unless you hate your KJ
and no struts on a Liberty, coilover shocks in front

oh and OME 925s are rated at 350, just what the KJs should of came with from the factory

and YES to replacing springs and shocks
If you replace the shocks only with the sagged out weak springs, it overworks the shocks causing them to wear out faster, stock these KJs were junk as far as suspension goes. I bought my 04 new and started looking to upgrade before it was a month old , couldn't stand the ride or handling

 

[JeepJeepster]

It is amazing how must better the KJ rides with the OME setup when compared to stock. Good firm ride yet forgiving on the big bumps.

 

[MarksmanAkula]

GO OME
you can use OME 925 front, 947 rear springs with stock shocks, either Bilstein or OME
Stock springs are only rated for 310 pounds in front and in 60-70,000 miles they are sagging already
With the 925/947 combo you will only be a bit higher than stock brand new but ride and handling are vastly improved
Do not go back to stock springs from Moog or any of them, not worth it unless you hate your KJ
and no struts on a Liberty, coilover shocks in front

oh and OME 925s are rated at 350, just what the KJs should of came with from the factory

and YES to replacing springs and shocks
If you replace the shocks only with the sagged out weak springs, it overworks the shocks causing them to wear out faster, stock these KJs were junk as far as suspension goes. I bought my 04 new and started looking to upgrade before it was a month old , couldn't stand the ride or handling

Where do you order your components from?

 

[Fierdon]

GO OME
you can use OME 925 front, 947 rear springs with stock shocks, either Bilstein or OME
Stock springs are only rated for 310 pounds in front and in 60-70,000 miles they are sagging already
With the 925/947 combo you will only be a bit higher than stock brand new but ride and handling are vastly improved
Do not go back to stock springs from Moog or any of them, not worth it unless you hate your KJ
and no struts on a Liberty, coilover shocks in front

oh and OME 925s are rated at 350, just what the KJs should of came with from the factory

and YES to replacing springs and shocks
If you replace the shocks only with the sagged out weak springs, it overworks the shocks causing them to wear out faster, stock these KJs were junk as far as suspension goes. I bought my 04 new and started looking to upgrade before it was a month old , couldn't stand the ride or handling

So I’ve updated my RockAuto with Bilstein 4600 rear shocks and front struts along with Sachs strut mounts and bellows. I’m assuming Sachs is a good brand for those as I couldn’t find any Bilstein ones.

Where would you recommend I get the OME springs? So far Rocky-Road has been the cheapest I’ve found them at around $167 a pair, but I’m not sure how reputable they are. I’m also worried that my 235/70r16 tires will look far too small for a lift and I just got the tires this year so I’ll have them for years.

This is turning out to be an expensive endeavor and I’m hoping the Supreme Dictator (my wife) doesn’t kill me before I can enjoy it.

 

[duderz7]

The mrs may resist, but all will be forgiven once she rides in it

 

[tommudd]

So I’ve updated my RockAuto with Bilstein 4600 rear shocks and front struts along with Sachs strut mounts and bellows. I’m assuming Sachs is a good brand for those as I couldn’t find any Bilstein ones.

Where would you recommend I get the OME springs? So far Rocky-Road has been the cheapest I’ve found them at around $167 a pair, but I’m not sure how reputable they are. I’m also worried that my 235/70r16 tires will look far too small for a lift and I just got the tires this year so I’ll have them for years.

This is turning out to be an expensive endeavor and I’m hoping the Supreme Dictator (my wife) doesn’t kill me before I can enjoy it.

Rocky Road, LOL, just no
check around, many places sell them , Summit Racing, OK 4WD, even Amazon

FRONT SHOCKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! no struts on a KJ
BELLOWS ????????????
sachS ??????

AND YOU ARE NOT lifting it really with 925/947s only a little bit , you are ungrading
if lifting you would use 927/948 springs

 

[Fierdon]

Rocky Road, LOL, just no
check around, many places sell them , Summit Racing, OK 4WD, even Amazon

FRONT SHOCKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! no struts on a KJ
BELLOWS ????????????
sachS ??????

AND YOU ARE NOT lifting it really with 925/947s only a little bit , you are ungrading
if lifting you would use 927/948 springs

My bad. I saw the shock inside the spring and assumed it was a strut. For some reason RockAuto calls it a strut in their parts list. I’ll look around somewhere other than Rocky Road for the OME springs. Thanks for all the help! Spending more but was able to convince the Supreme Dictator that I’m upgrading for long term reliability.

 

[Fierdon]

Oh and apparently the bellow is to cover the shock and keep dirt from getting in the shock. Probably not necessary since my current ones don’t have one. I will need new mounts I’m assuming? The mounts I found were Moog and Sachs as the higher end ones. Couldn’t find any Bilstein ones.

 

[Ohio-white-kj]

I did OME several years ago. Best upgrade since I did OME on my old Wrangler.

A quick look showed all major shops at the same price - Rears #2947 at 185, plus - minus a few bucks.

Quadratec, Summit, etc. any of the major parts houses.

 

[tommudd]

Oh and apparently the bellow is to cover the shock and keep dirt from getting in the shock. Probably not necessary since my current ones don’t have one. I will need new mounts I’m assuming? The mounts I found were Moog and Sachs as the higher end ones. Couldn’t find any Bilstein ones.

You do not need covers( bellows )
Mounts buy MOOG

 

[tommudd]

I did OME several years ago. Best upgrade since I did OME on my old Wrangler.

A quick look showed all major shops at the same price - Rears #2947 at 185, plus - minus a few bucks.

Quadratec, Summit, etc. any of the major parts houses.

Prices are all the same pretty much since they all come out of one warehouse
ARB/OME ships in and then they are ordered out of that one place ( which also happens to own most all of the 4WD major companies and a lot of parts stores)
Found out that when I was at JBA

 

[Fierdon]

Prices are all the same pretty much since they all come out of one warehouse
ARB/OME ships in and then they are ordered out of that one place ( which also happens to own most all of the 4WD major companies and a lot of parts stores)
Found out that when I was at JBA

Got everything ordered. Was able to find everything on Amazon. Thanks so much for your help! And thanks everyone for the help too! May be a bit before everything comes in and I can get it installed. We are getting hit with yet another hurricane. Gotta love living in Louisiana.

 

[Slugger103]

While I've posted before in other conversations that I desired to do a lift & add an ARB bumper on my '04 KJ, reality closed in. I'm going to be using the Liberty a lot to haul my elderly parents back & forth to ever-increasing medical appointments. So no real lift to speak of. I'm looking at the OME 925/947's to replace my 207K miles worn out suspension. I've already replaced the rear shocks with Bilstein 24-139175 B6 4600's. Rear springs (the 947's) I order next & replace those. The front shocks I'm assuming are the Bilstein 24-139168's & I'll get the 925's also for up front.

Now...as I'm sure everyone is seeing, parts for the 2004 KJ are starting to be scarce. Example - Moog mounts for the front I can only find the driver's side. Passenger side's are "indefinitely" out of stock everywhere or estimated ship date of over a month away (Summit Racing). So I guess I'll have to order & keep my fingers crossed.

I'm also looking at new rear spring isolators, rear jounce bump-stops. Anything else I should try to find to replace? What am I leaving out if anything?

 

[mercdudecbr600]

If you're doing it yourself, order from Rockauto and check the warrantys on the parts. IMO, warranty will quantitatively tell you the quality of the part. Also, very easy to get warranty replacements from RA when/if that need arises. If you're doing that much work to the suspension, make sure to get all new bushings or entire replacements for the upper/lower control arms front and rear.

 

[Slugger103]

If you're doing it yourself, order from Rockauto and check the warrantys on the parts. IMO, warranty will quantitatively tell you the quality of the part. Also, very easy to get warranty replacements from RA when/if that need arises. If you're doing that much work to the suspension, make sure to get all new bushings or entire replacements for the upper/lower control arms front and rear.

Just ordered everything I need from RA yesterday. Parts in next week & then the fun begins!

 

[mercdudecbr600]

Advice: install the rear UCA first before you take everything apart. When I did it, I took everything apart and the springs pushed the rear diff all the way into the fuel tank and then popped the driveshaft out of the trans... I was in a full panic for about 2 hours until I took the driveshaft out completely and pulled the rear springs.

 

[Slugger103]

Advice: install the rear UCA first before you take everything apart. When I did it, I took everything apart and the springs pushed the rear diff all the way into the fuel tank and then popped the driveshaft out of the trans... I was in a full panic for about 2 hours until I took the driveshaft out completely and pulled the rear springs.

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