Need Shock Advice:

[seanof30306@yahoo.]

'96 XJ Classic Up-Country

I'm resto-modding my XJ. It's been my daily driver since I bought it new in '96. Never been off-roaded. Now I'm going through and fixing all the little things that bug me about it.

I'm on the original shocks. I want a set of really good road shocks, I'm looking at Bilsteins, but man, are they expensive! Is there anything as good or better than them for less?

https://www.suspensionlifts.com/shop...OW84bM23Lp0jSw

 

[Anak]

JK take-offs?

 

[Unclewolverine]

I used some air shocks off Amazon to help with the sagging springs and extra load of mail. They are still working great after about 2 years of postal miles suprisingly!

 

[Rob Mayercik]

I'm on the original shocks. I want a set of really good road shocks, I'm looking at Bilsteins, but man, are they expensive! Is there anything as good or better than them for less?

A '96 that still has the same shocks that were put on it when it was built? Am I reading that right, or do you mean it's still running stock-style shocks?

Either this thing almost never gets driven, or it must ride horribly - I can't imagine a set of shocks being 26 years old and doing any damping any more.

Most off-road shocks are likely going to be longer than stock, under the assumption that the vehicle's running higher-than-stock suspension. Is this lifted at all?

 

[jeep ride]

Monroe sensa tracks I've had good luck with them in the past.

 

[75SV1]

I did have some KYB silvers (Japan), on a stock XJ. It handle fairly good. I do have the KYB Monomax on a 2" lift. Almost as stiff as Bilstein 5100s.

 

[seanof30306@yahoo.]

A '96 that still has the same shocks that were put on it when it was built? Am I reading that right, or do you mean it's still running stock-style shocks?

Either this thing almost never gets driven, or it must ride horribly - I can't imagine a set of shocks being 26 years old and doing any damping any more.

Most off-road shocks are likely going to be longer than stock, under the assumption that the vehicle's running higher-than-stock suspension. Is this lifted at all?

I've owned it all 26 years, it just turned over 200,000 miles and those shocks have been on it all that time.

It doesn't ride horribly. I just bought a 99 2 door with 145,000 on the clock and it will rattle your teeth! My Jeeps pretty smooth except for some bump steer.

It's an Up Country, so it came with a 1" lift from the factory. I'm running 255/65-16 Yokohama Geolanders right now. They fit perfectly. I'll be going to 265/65-17 KO2s at some point. If I have to, I'll lift it another inch to clear them.

And I definitely don't want an off-road shock. This is my daily. I bought ExJay because I wanted all-weather capability and an XJ with a limited slip diff and an NP242 transfer case is virtually unstoppable in snow and ice. I drive for Meals On Wheels and more than once I've been the only one who could get through.

My tires still wear perfectly, so I know the shocks aren't so worn out they're killing the tires. I'm refreshing a lot of things on the Jeep so I can continue to use it as my daily, and I figured after 26 years it was time for a new set oc shocks!

 

[N8N_99xj]

A '96 that still has the same shocks that were put on it when it was built? Am I reading that right, or do you mean it's still running stock-style shocks?

Either this thing almost never gets driven, or it must ride horribly - I can't imagine a set of shocks being 26 years old and doing any damping any more.

Most off-road shocks are likely going to be longer than stock, under the assumption that the vehicle's running higher-than-stock suspension. Is this lifted at all?

My 2000 had the original shocks when I bought it at 250K miles. They were OK ish but one was completely blown probably because the wheel on that corner was badly bent as well, and apparently the PO just drove it like that. I replaced them with Monroe police spec shocks (I have upcountry, like the OP) and they are a little soft but good for daily driving, have about 50K miles on them now, and they had the advantage of being cheap.

 

[N8N_99xj]

I've owned it all 26 years, it just turned over 200,000 miles and those shocks have been on it all that time.

It doesn't ride horribly. I just bought a 99 2 door with 145,000 on the clock and it will rattle your teeth! My Jeeps pretty smooth except for some bump steer.

It's an Up Country, so it came with a 1" lift from the factory. I'm running 255/65-16 Yokohama Geolanders right now. They fit perfectly. I'll be going to 265/65-17 KO2s at some point. If I have to, I'll lift it another inch to clear them.

And I definitely don't want an off-road shock. This is my daily. I bought ExJay because I wanted all-weather capability and an XJ with a limited slip diff and an NP242 transfer case is virtually unstoppable in snow and ice. I drive for Meals On Wheels and more than once I've been the only one who could get through.

My tires still wear perfectly, so I know the shocks aren't so worn out they're killing the tires. I'm refreshing a lot of things on the Jeep so I can continue to use it as my daily, and I figured after 26 years it was time for a new set oc shocks!

heh, my XJ has Icons on it as well, *and* the 242 TC. If it weren't such a roach I'd keep it for as long as I possibly could, because it's the greatest bad weather beater and it's also great for driving in DC and Baltimore where the roads are practically off-roading... I think the upcountry handles better than the heavy duty suspension too, which I had on my previous XJ.


I also put a set of Geolandars on mine when I bought it but I grew to hate those tires; they had NO wet traction whatsoever. I sadly also hate the General Grabbers that I replaced them with; they are great with the exception that they are SQUARE and I messed around replacing all sorts of stuff trying to get my Heep to stop vibrating, after I got all new u-joints and wheel bearings I found it was the tires but I didn't realize that/reach out to Tire Rack until something like 2 weeks after the "uniformity warranty" expired. The ones I was happy with were Falken Wildpeaks which I had on the previous XJ, they have finally introduced those in sizes that fit my Icons so those may be my next tires.

 

[75SV1]

I have the Wild Peaks on my '98. Basically, a 32 tire. I really like the road manners. I have Wild Countries 31's on my 2000. OK overall. To the OP, I'd look at Doetsch-Tech. My present setup on my 2" is the KYB Monomax (TJ), and the Rancho RS900 adjustable. I touch harsh for road, but manageable. I did have some white shocks from IRO. They were a bit soft to match the KYBs. The 900s at mid adjustment seem good. I also use polyurethane swaybar bushings. Steering improvements might help too.

 

[Woodswanderer]

YMMV but id suggest staying away from the KYB Monomax. Ride is stiff, but quality is hit or miss. I blew out a set in under 4000 mi on the rear and ended up replacing them with Gabriel Hijackers. Front isnt much better either after 7500 miles, i can push them by hand and they have slow rebound.


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