Struts

[seabass1858]

What are some of the best struts to use for the money.

 

[Jo6pak]

Oh no, you're gonna get jumped on for calling them struts.:killit:

Libby's have shocks all the way around.

I think the concensious is that OME or Blistein is the way to go with shocks. I'm running KYBs becasue I bought them from a coworkder for a song, haven't had any problems with them, but they've only been in about 6 mos. They seem to ride OK, but then anything is better than the sagged-out suspension it had.

 

[Minimike]

Never understood the "it's not a strut"... To me a shock does not hold a spring, my "shocks" up front are an assembly and hold a spring, oh well. What do you do with your jeep? No sense in wasting money if its only a mall-crawler.

 

[tjkj2002]

Never understood the "it's not a strut"... To me a shock does not hold a spring, my "shocks" up front are an assembly and hold a spring, oh well. What do you do with your jeep? No sense in wasting money if its only a mall-crawler.

They are coilover shocks,hence the coil around the shock.

Struts do not use or need a upper control arm,the KJ has a upper control arm so they are coilover shocks.

 

[Minimike]

I will agree with you there, I have called them coil overs before, but not just a shock.

Seebass get back to us! what are you using your jeep for?

 

[Josh]

Well I didn't start the thread but I have the same question. What is the recomended shocks and springs for my wife's "mall-crawler" stock 04 KJ?

 

[tommudd]

Look in the lift section, all of your answers await you there
but maybe I should say look for OME springs and either OME or Bilstein shocks

 

[Josh]

I should say look for OME springs and either OME or Bilstein shocks

Yup, that is the consensus. Can I use either combination and maintain the stock height?

 

[Cardhu]

925 would be as close to stock for the front but they are not a common choice here. Shocks are the same length as stock up front, lifted or not.

Those few that went 926 seemed happy as they a little springy-er.
947 rears would lift you as little as possible.

The faq has the rest for the more common choices
That every will swear by including me.

 

[sexygirlfriend]

They are coilover shocks,hence the coil around the shock.

Struts do not use or need a upper control arm,the KJ has a upper control arm so they are coilover shocks.

You must be registered for see images

What he said.

Tenneco, makers of Monroe and Rancho, list the dampers as a strut as opposed to a shock because of the body / mounting. Or lack or a lower mounting really, and because there is a spring seat incorporated into the body.

Now I sound smart!


Interestingly, as I've been researching this type of stuff lately, there are no numbers published on "how good" a damper is. The most you will get is "soft", "firm", or "heavy duty". Heavy duty may even fall between soft and firm. All the valving, oil, design etc. is considered proprietary.

So as far as "what's good"... we're are stuck with word of mouth on internet forums. Maybe the more you spend the better they are. How fast you want to go?


Now I sound REALLY smart!

I'm not, I talked to a Tenneco engineer last week.






.

 

[tommudd]

I'll take experience from people who have actually installed and rode in vehicles with various types of shocks over an engineer any day
You can listen to them if you want

 

[Josh]

No sense in wasting money if its only a mall-crawler.

Ya it is my wife's "mall-crawler" but the recommendation is still the OEM-Blistien combination. There is no other other long lasting affordable solution for a Jeep that is never going off roading?

 

[tommudd]

Never understood the "it's not a strut"... To me a shock does not hold a spring, my "shocks" up front are an assembly and hold a spring, oh well. What do you do with your jeep? No sense in wasting money if its only a mall-crawler.

Wasting money if its only a mall crawler?????:think:
How many times has this been brought up when people think that the only reason to use a full spring lift is when you are going off road.
If those people would only think that going to a full spring lift will give them a better ride on road as well even more so.
The stock suspension is pretty much junk after 30-40,000 miles. So throwing on spacers is like putting on a band -aid when you've cut your arm half way off with a chain saw.
If you want a good ride on and off road, better handling than when it was stock, then go full spring and don't look back.
Either Bilstein or OME shocks work great, have installed both and the ride is pretty close to being the same