Gas charged verus hydraulic shocks?

[Mopar500]

I searched and couldn't seem to find an answer.

Here's my situation. I have a 92 4.0 XJ. I put the air helper springs on the rear to help out the slightly sagging leaf springs and to help out when I am carrying a heavy load.
The rear end now sits a couple inches or so higher than the front. Also, the ride seems a little on the harsh side. (I know that has something to do with the air helpers.) Anyway, I decided that I wanted to put the two inch spacers in the front coils to even everything out and improve my off-road handling.

When asking around, I learned that the exaggerated rake of my XJ is contributing to the harsher than normal ride. Something about how the weight distribution was messed up.
I was also told that the hydraulic shocks still handle well on the road, as good as the gas charged.
Yes?/No?

What I think is true:

1. Gas charged shocks have better on-road handling while hydraulic shocks have a more "boat" like feel.
2. Gas charged shocks don't work on lifted (even mildly lifted) vehicles.

If hydraulic shocks really do handle the turns well and give a smoother ride, that's exactly what I need. I also need to understand how that could be.

On the other hand, if it is a matter of sacrificing handling for ride quality I'd have to think about that.

Thanks and all opinions welcome.

 

[whatevah]

Nitro shocks resist shock fade better, but cheap shocks is the problem with a harsh ride... you can get nice hydros and nice nitros, and bad ones, too.

right now, I'm running some cheap Doesch tech shocks that ride pretty hard, they don't absorb the small bumps, only help with the hard ones. that helps with cornering and such at speeds, because they'll keep the XJ from leaning as much, but you pay for it at the bumps.

I'll pick up some RE monotubes eventually, but I've got other things higher up on the XJ's shopping list. If money is no object (or you find them cheap), get the Old Man Emu shocks, they're widely considered to be the best for Jeeps. I've heard a lot of good stuff about the Skyjacker nitros, though even in spite of their way-overpriced lifts.

 

[Mopar500]

I found a little of what I am looking for. (I searched again.)
I guess it seems like gas charged shocks are generally better suited to the road, and hydraulic shocks are generally better suited for off-road.
I am running Monroe Reflexes righ now. I am happy with the handling but would like the ride to be better, softer.
I go off-road maybe 20% of the time and while I don't want to sacrifice any on road manners, I would like to have as capable off road vehicle as possible.
Since the rear is already lifted and I am planning on putting a spacer in the front, I guess I need to replace the shocks. This disappoints me because the Reflexes are only a year old. The last word I heard on this was that stock height shocks could handle the 2" lift, on road, but it would be a bad idea to take them off road.

What wisdom is out there?

 

[Mopar500]

Old Man Emus are best how?
For off-road? For smooth ride? For cornering?

 

[XJPhoenix]

You could run some Rocky Road Outfitter's BPE's in the front. That would extend your shocks range a bit (over an inch at least) and then you wouldn't have to get new ones. (Only if you're going up a couple of inches.)

You could also go with Detour's shock extensions; they look beefy, and will allow you to keep stock length shocks with lifts up to 4" or so.

 

[BlackJax]

Have you see the Bilstein 5150s? I'm impressed with these shocks. I never believed folks who said they were really really controlled and provided excellent ride quality (not as good as the Blackhawks but I won't have to mortgage my home to buy them either).