Coilovers up front vs springs & shocks?

[casual]

Obviously the coilovers cost more but would it be better than doing a spring a 2.0 shock? I just looked at mikes (grimm) setup & it doesnt seem to difficult.

Basically a 12" short body Bilstein 7100 & spring vs a Bilstein 9100 coilover?

Pros & cons of shock & spring vs coilover over for a jeepspeed style rig, that will never race?

 

[Skullver]

Pros of shock and spring, cost. Cons Packaging, harder to dial in.

Pros of coilovers: packaging cons: cost, modifications. I mean if you are doing say an axle swap starting with bare tubes, then coilovers make sense as you only have to make the tabs for them as opposed to shock tabs and a coil bucket. In my opinion performance wise you can tune the coilvers quite a bit more(dual rate spring rates etc), but on the flip side, with jeepspeed being as popular as it is, there are some pretty trick set-ups as far as shock vlaving and springs. And of course with coilovers you have the obvious bling and uniqueness.

 

[RandomThoughtsRace]

If you are on the fence then order a threaded body coilover tube with no coil hardware, you can always add coil hardware later if needed. Bilstein sells the threaded tube 9100 (minus hardware) for the same price as the smooth body.

 

[XJLI]

If you are on the fence then order a threaded body coilover tube with no coil hardware, you can always add coil hardware later if needed. Bilstein sells the threaded tube 9100 (minus hardware) for the same price as the smooth body.

why yes, yes they do. i have some coming my way

 

[casual]

I was mainly asking cause I saw Mikes setup. I'm running 2.0's on my rig & thought maybe it would be worth the switch.
From what I can see, Mikes running a simple shock hoop & is running some bilstein coilovers. I wonder if its even worth the effort, it sure looks sick but idk if that warrents the change.

(2) 9100 coilovers cost $700+ new. I can get (4) 7100's for just under $800 new.. I just don't know if its worth the extra cost.
Do those coilovers come with springs or do you have to buy your springs seperate.

 

[GrimmJeeper]

I'll throw my two cents in here and tell you that my rig is undriveable as it sits. there is nothing supporting the front end that will keep up with the force the coilovers are putting on that hoop. I thought it would be enough plating the front of the frame rails but it isn't, it moves and creaks every time i hit even a slight bump. If you are going to do what I did don't bother until you have the means to build a complete cage to tie it into. I'm worried that if I take it out to play i'll end up cracking the unibody directly behind where the front plating stops.

 

[casual]

Mike I tryed txting u 2 times abuot those fenders..not sure if you still got them or not....let me know.

Ya I guess its easier to keep the 2.0's. Not sure if anyone saw us at the jeepspeed race last weekend. But we ran a few trails that parallel the track in a primer black xj with tan rockers. Sounded loud as hell cause we ran a open cat, no exhaust. We ran right where the ran took off after the pits.
We have 3" coils & a 1.5" puck up front with 1 bilstein 7100 & 1 fox 2.0 lol. Out back we are running RC shit shocks & some old RC packs that litterally are falling apart and some 33x10.5's. Its 4.5" up front & 3" rear. Nothing special at all.
We were even surprised how well it handled at 60-65mph through the whoops. It seem that anything lower than 50 the rear would slam hard & 60+ we just sailed across it all. We took off with the 1700 class as they came by & we out ran a few of them.
Some of those Fu*kers are fast though. We were pedal to the metal & they would still walk by us.
Fastest we got over the whoops was 74mph gps verified.

I wonder about a 4 link rear setup like the 3704 car. Maybe a cheap linked setup with 10" or 12" shocks. Nothing through the floor...yet.

 

[Papercut]

Mike I tryed txting u 2 times abuot those fenders..not sure if you still got them or not....let me know.

Ya I guess its easier to keep the 2.0's. Not sure if anyone saw us at the jeepspeed race last weekend. But we ran a few trails that parallel the track in a primer black xj with tan rockers. Sounded loud as hell cause we ran a open cat, no exhaust. We ran right where the ran took off after the pits.
We have 3" coils & a 1.5" puck up front with 1 bilstein 7100 & 1 fox 2.0 lol. Out back we are running RC shit shocks & some old RC packs that litterally are falling apart and some 33x10.5's. Its 4.5" up front & 3" rear. Nothing special at all.
We were even surprised how well it handled at 60-65mph through the whoops. It seem that anything lower than 50 the rear would slam hard & 60+ we just sailed across it all. We took off with the 1700 class as they came by & we out ran a few of them.
Some of those Fu*kers are fast though. We were pedal to the metal & they would still walk by us.
Fastest we got over the whoops was 74mph gps verified.

I wonder about a 4 link rear setup like the 3704 car. Maybe a cheap linked setup with 10" or 12" shocks. Nothing through the floor...yet.

If you try running c/o plan on spending some cash. Dare to ask grimm how much he has in if front set up.

 

[Cache96]

I have been planning on putting coilovers on my jeep for a while now, its not as easy as it looks that is why i have not done it. I just finished my internal cage and if i do end up running the coilovers i will tie the cage into an engine cage to make it hold up.

For now i am running (front)4.5" Iron rock offroad springs with a 1"puck and king 12" 2.5 triple bypasses. This setup actually works very good and i have no problems with it out in the desert.:woohoo:


if you are looking for shocks check out http://downsouthmotorsports.com/
ask for sonny and tell him cache sent you.

He has great prices on shocks with free valving for your application and free shipping. He will valve your shocks 2 separate times for free.

 

[casual]

If you try running c/o plan on spending some cash. Dare to ask grimm how much he has in if front set up.

I'm scared to ask lol. I know he has Jims old shocks,..right? If so then don't ruin my hopes to have my built one day lol. I'm young & broke..not debt & plan to keep it that way lol. I only have 2.0's because I'm broke lol. I wish I could get 2.5 cause I'd never need more.
I'm starting to think about "pulling a Mike"..Parking the jeep & getting a commuter car, so it can be finished faster. I'm 19 with a new born...man I love it, then I hate it, then I love it again.
My daughter is 7 months & loves the out doors & our dog already. So plan is to have this build for to prerunner/camping vehicle. My goal is preruuner, I never crawl or anything so that doesn't matter.

For now i am running (front)4.5" Iron rock offroad springs with a 1"puck and king 12" 2.5 triple bypasses. This setup actually works very good and i have no problems with it out in the desert.
if you are looking for shocks check out http://downsouthmotorsports.com/
ask for sonny and tell him cache sent you.
He has great prices on shocks with free valving for your application and free shipping. He will valve your shocks 2 separate times for free.

Nice, thanks. I'm looking at getting some 12" short body 7100 rights now. Not sure what I want for the rear yet. I was thinking a 10" 5150 but then again idk if I should just pay up and get 7100's all around? Have the cash, just need to purchase. Like I said I'm running some 5 year old shocks, 1 bilstein 7100 & 1 fox 2.0. Its mismatch. But it does really good for what I'm doing. I hit some whoops probably 3-4 foot deep at 60-65 & it soaked it all up.
I've got currie steering & currie uppers & lowers. Still have a d30/d35 combo:doh:
But Chris Amrein(sp?) just did a bang up job on my 2wd beam & ford 8.8! I already did the 4wd to 2wd conversion. Yes I'm full time 2wd. I'm making progress but its going slow!

 

[XJLI]

i wasn't happy with my 5150s when i was out west, and you can get 9100s for not much more than 7100s.

 

[chris_amrein]

I've got currie steering & currie uppers & lowers. Still have a d30/d35 combo:doh:
But Chris Amrein(sp?) just did a bang up job on my 2wd beam & ford 8.8! I already did the 4wd to 2wd conversion. Yes I'm full time 2wd. I'm making progress but its going slow!

Thanks for the props Casual. I have some used 2.5 x 10 inch travel shocks if you are interested.

My advice is to run coils, 2.5 shocks, and hydraulic bumps. Less build time and money and you'll be amazed at how hard you can drive your car. Plus those parts have good resale value when you get bored and want to go faster.

 

[GrimmJeeper]

My advice is to run coils, 2.5 shocks, and hydraulic bumps. Less build time and money and you'll be amazed at how hard you can drive your car.

Before I went apeshit and put coilovers up front I was set up as Chris is suggesting but minus the bumps, with 14" king 2.5s through the floor in the back, 4" coils up front and 3.5" leafs out back with a 1.5" extended shackle. It did pretty damn well for what I had into it, less than 500 bucks and I was hitting 60-65 in the rollers. Without bumpstops though the upper coil buckets caved in, and without a cage and a plated frame the body cracked everywhere. I have a thread with pics of the carnage in the socal chapter if you care to dig for it.

Don't ask what I have into the jeep right now, I'll leave it as there is more $ just in parts in my front axle and suspension than I paid for both of my XJs put together, and it's only half way finished. I'm chasing 100mph in the dirt, until I get there my jeep isn't finished.

 

[casual]

i wasn't happy with my 5150s when i was out west, and you can get 9100s for not much more than 7100s.

How much are you finding them for?
I'm finding 12" short body 7100's for 170-ish & 10" weld top 9100 for $354...
They are double the cost of a 7100 lol. Thats why I said I can buy (4) 7100's new & the price would be comparable to (2) new 9100's...

These are the shocks I'm looking at,
12" 7100 short body- Extended Length 27.68", Collapsed Length 16.10" ($178 ea.)
10" weld top 9100- Extended Length 26.26", Collapsed Length 16.65" ($358 ea.)

 

[casual]

I'm chasing 100mph in the dirt, until I get there my jeep isn't finished.

I'll be happy to have a stable 60-75mph & be able to substain it without ripping the jeep apart.

 

[XJLI]

How much are you finding them for?

hit up joel @ bilstein.. randomthoughtsrace on the board.

 

[slowjeep]

hey grimm what coils and leafs were you running?

 

[GrimmJeeper]

RE 4.5 leafs with a 9" long shackle, and eibach coils on the coilovers. the rear couldn't keep up with the front and was bucking all over the place, but i think that had to do with my shocks being too short in the back.