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I disagree with your disagreement.:thefinger:
I rode in my buddies Rubi the other day that is fitted with Rock Krawler springs.....3.5 inch. I thought the Jeep rode way too firm. Even when setting the procomp shocks to a soft setting, they still did not ride as well as stock....and they were even more firm than my 6 inch Skyjacker set up. But again, much of this has to do with shock set up. A "Better Ride" is all subjective anyway. I think this guy is looking for the "softest" ride, according to him. I like a more firm and responsive suspension and not just a plush and gooshy ride. On another note, I'm swapping out my Skyjacker long arm kit for a new Rock Krawler Long Arm, coil over set up this month. Look for the full review soon.
Can't wait to see it Pete.

My Teraflex lift with Teraflex shocks is not quite as soft as I would like, but I think it could be with the right shocks. One day.

I drove a friends Rubi with the Rock Krawler 3.5" standard arm lift. He has Fox remote reservoir non-adjustable shocks and it rode a softer than mine.
 
Can't wait to see it Pete.

My Teraflex lift with Teraflex shocks is not quite as soft as I would like, but I think it could be with the right shocks. One day.

I drove a friends Rubi with the Rock Krawler 3.5" standard arm lift. He has Fox remote reservoir non-adjustable shocks and it rode a softer than mine.
Rock Krawler has some pretty neat new tricks up their sleeves. I think a lot of the guys who wheel their JK's hard are going to jump all over this new kit!

You should try a different shock. I believe the Tera springs have one of the softest spring rates out there. They may use a more firm shock to compensate for the soft spring. Not sure though.
 
Discussion starter · #24 ·
I figured there would be many different opinions on ride quality, but on softness of ride I really thought there would only be a few. You guys that had/have skyjacker... how does it compare to stock ride? My grand Cherokee was way softer after the skyjacker 3" than it was stock. At this point I am leaning toward maybe rancho 9000s with maybe OME springs. but I havent decided anything. I will do all apropriate changes for what ever spring height I chose (i.e. track arms, control arms, etc). The poly performance springs always looked appealling to me because the progressive rate is ez to see. I would think progressive springs by nature could be softer. I know nothing about it though.

I know there are better shocks than OME and rancho 9000s, but that is my budget. Any opinions, idead greatly appreciated. I am looking to buy a new system in a week maybe 2 tops. Thanks for all the help so far.
 
I dont know what anyone else said but the one magazine that tested all of the kits out there rated Donahoe Racing a.k.a. ICON as the best riding kit... but it wasnt cheap.... and Black Diamond from superlift came in 2nd..... and was about 1/3 of the price of the DR/ICON
 
Rock Krawler has some pretty neat new tricks up their sleeves. I think a lot of the guys who wheel their JK's hard are going to jump all over this new kit!

You should try a different shock. I believe the Tera springs have one of the softest spring rates out there. They may use a more firm shock to compensate for the soft spring. Not sure though.
Yeah, I might see if I can borrow my buddy's fox shocks and see what I think. Speaking of wheeling hard. I've always felt that a stiffer shock would help in off camber and steep climbs. It just seems it would make it less tipsy. Would this be wrong to assume? The shock will compress, but just at a slower rate won't it, so my theory may only be half true.
 
The shocks are there to control compression and rebound. If the weight of the jeep is shifted, it will control that sudden shift but not compensate. It is the springs rate that will allow it to "lean" or not to lean the jeep over.

Note: We should all remember that the shock absorber is really the suspensions springs (leafs, coils, torsion bars).....NOT the "shock". What we all call shocks should really be called dampers. The springs absorb the "shock" to the suspension and the damper controls that energy. We should also take a good look at the tires and air pressure we are running for ride comfort. First...a tire is like a basketball that is bouncing up and down, sending shock(energy) to the spring....then, the damper controls it and slows the movement down. So....if your tires are large and heavy, like 37's or 40's, you are going to need a damper that can handle a tire that big and heavy or your ride will suffer. Always consider the unsprung weight when trying to get good ride quality. Guys with Dana 60's should look at this more than guys with Dana 44's and so on. Also consider how much air pressure you run. Remember....the first shock absorber you have on your jeep is your tires. They are the first thing that absorbs the bumps in the road and take the brunt of that shock. We've all driven our jeeps with 10 lbs in the tires after a trail and thought about how nice the jeep rode, until we air'd back up. Think about tire type too. A radial rides much better due to its construction compared to a bias ply. More or less sidewall affects ride quality as well.
So....remember to get a shock that matches your tire size. Adjustables are nice because you can "tune" them to your suspension and tires(unsprung weight).
As for a firm shock....I like a very firm setting for crawling because it doesn't allow over compression when hitting rocks hard. This is why Jounce Shocks are becoming so popular....it keeps you more under control and less bottoming on rocks, etc. It can also help a bit in controlling squat and so forth.
 
Thanks Pete. I've hunted around with the tire pressure and still move around a bit. Too little pressure and you get wandering, too much and check your fillings on pot holes. I'm using the tires for the only adjustment, but would love to be able to add the shock adjustment to the equation.

The fox and Poly shocks are a little out of my price range right now. Are the Rancho Adjustables worth considering?
 
Thanks Pete. I've hunted around with the tire pressure and still move around a bit. Too little pressure and you get wandering, too much and check your fillings on pot holes. I'm using the tires for the only adjustment, but would love to be able to add the shock adjustment to the equation.

The fox and Poly shocks are a little out of my price range right now. Are the Rancho Adjustables worth considering?
I have the procomp mx-6 adjustable and they seem fine, I havent owned any other adjustable though
 
Discussion starter · #30 ·
I dont know what anyone else said but the one magazine that tested all of the kits out there rated Donahoe Racing a.k.a. ICON as the best riding kit... but it wasnt cheap.... and Black Diamond from superlift came in 2nd..... and was about 1/3 of the price of the DR/ICON
I have never seen anything by superlift that was real soft. Did it mean like a sporty ride or something?
 
I dont know what anyone else said but the one magazine that tested all of the kits out there rated Donahoe Racing a.k.a. ICON as the best riding kit... but it wasnt cheap.... and Black Diamond from superlift came in 2nd..... and was about 1/3 of the price of the DR/ICON
The Donahue was the rated the overall best but not necessarily the best riding. That same article called the TeraFlex kit as the cadillac ride of the kits. I don't know if that means it's the "softest" riding or not. Supposedly the TeraFlex kit was the 3" but I am not sure.
 
On my JK I have run the Teraflex 9550's and now I am running the ProComp MX6 adjustables. I hate to say it, but I think the Teraflex shocks are a better ride. The MX6's I am NOT impressed with at all. I can tell VERY little difference between the lowest setting to the highest setting on them. Now on my Chevy 2500HD I just put the Rancho 9000's on it and so far I am impressed. They ride very nice and their adustments are quite nice.

Just my 2 cents... Ben
 
On my JK I have run the Teraflex 9550's and now I am running the ProComp MX6 adjustables. I hate to say it, but I think the Teraflex shocks are a better ride. The MX6's I am NOT impressed with at all. I can tell VERY little difference between the lowest setting to the highest setting on them. Now on my Chevy 2500HD I just put the Rancho 9000's on it and so far I am impressed. They ride very nice and their adustments are quite nice.

Just my 2 cents... Ben
Good info from somebody who's used a variety. Thanks.
 
Discussion starter · #34 ·
awesome info. I am glad I made this thread! Anyone else have an opinion?


I am honestly kinda thinking either OME springs or skyjacker springs and Rancho 9000s. What is everyones opinion. Like I said before I will replace whatever is required to keep everyhing aligned and angled properly. I wish I could od a long arm, but the bdget can't take it I don't think.
 
awesome info. I am glad I made this thread! Anyone else have an opinion?


I am honestly kinda thinking either OME springs or skyjacker springs and Rancho 9000s. What is everyones opinion. Like I said before I will replace whatever is required to keep everyhing aligned and angled properly. I wish I could od a long arm, but the bdget can't take it I don't think.
I can't say anymore than this.....so don't ask.
If you are thinking of purchasing new shocks for your JK, wait a few more months and see what Rock Krawler Suspension will have to offer. It will change everything and you won't regret it!
 
I have the Skyjacker 2.75" lift and Nitro shocks on my JK unlimited. It is a very harsh ride and I am looking to either change my shocks or upgrade the entire lift. I'm also ruinning the ProComp Extreme tire (about 33") which may be contributing to the harshness. The set up does well air downed to 17 psi on the trail but freeway is miserable.
 
I have the Skyjacker 2.75" lift and Nitro shocks on my JK unlimited. It is a very harsh ride and I am looking to either change my shocks or upgrade the entire lift. I'm also ruinning the ProComp Extreme tire (about 33") which may be contributing to the harshness. The set up does well air downed to 17 psi on the trail but freeway is miserable.
You might try a decent Hydro shock. I through on some nitros vs. hydro for some testing and actually kept the hydros for street driving for quite some time. mUch better ride. I would only run a nitrogen charged shock on a Jeep if it were multi adjustable. I have 4 inch skyjacker springs and it rides like a dream on the highway. You should also check all of your control arm mounts to make sure they are not over tightened.
The Procomp tires with the 3 ply sidewall tend to be a little stiffer on the road than many others. It is a tough tire that is best suited to off road. I run them and find them a bit harsh but certainly not bad compared to others, especially bias ply tires.
 
it costs more, but since your back is as jacked up as my foot is... airock would be the way to go.. just my opinion.
 
Discussion starter · #40 ·
it costs more, but since your back is as jacked up as my foot is... airock would be the way to go.. just my opinion.
Are you running that AirRock? It is way way out of my budget, but it is awesome. I am a full time college student living on a disability check, so money is mega tight.


I am surprised to hear that skyjacker stuff is rough... I had a Grand Cherokee with like a Skyjacker 3.5" lift on it, and it rode way way softer than stock.
 
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