Frequent Shock Replacement?

[LibertyFever]

I have a Rusty's Offroad 2.5" spacer lift on my 04 Liberty and shortly after I installed the lift the OEM front shock struts failed. Luckily I was able to have them replaced under warranty. Well once again the OEM front shock struts failed again and its only been a couple of months. Is this what I have to expect with a spacer lift?

 

[LibertyOrDeath]

I do believe that is a high possibility for the spacer lifts that don't go inside the strut assembly

 

[jsc7002]

is it an OTT b/c if it is then yes expact that, and also did you replace your front bumpstops? that will help you out alot

 

[jsc7002]

there isnt a cheap way to make them either like the rear bumpstops b/c on the rear you can just use hockey pucks

here are the longer front bumpstops

http://www.trailquest.com/teraflex/KJ/suspension.shtml#bumpstop

 

[KJ04]

I have a Rusty's Offroad 2.5" spacer lift on my 04 Liberty and shortly after I installed the lift the OEM front shock struts failed. Luckily I was able to have them replaced under warranty. Well once again the OEM front shock struts failed again and its only been a couple of months. Is this what I have to expect with a spacer lift?

Try adding a set of front Teraflex bump stops to help with the problem.

 

[LibertyOrDeath]

Crap, I forgot I need those new bump stops.

 

[tommudd]

bumpstops will help to a point but the real problem is the OTT style lift

 

[tjkj2002]

bumpstops will help to a point but the real problem is the OTT style lift

And using OEM struts that only last about 20,000 miles at best.Hope you are running longer rear shocks since the OEM ones are way to short.

 

[JeepJeepster]

And using OEM struts that only last about 20,000 miles at best.Hope you are running longer rear shocks since the OEM ones are way to short.

What makes you say that? Im running the ome 132 rear shocks with my lift and I have no problems. They are the same(within 1/2in) length as the stockers..


And yea, an OTT lift needs longer bumpstops but will also cause the upper ball joint to hit the spring.. You spend money to save money when buying those lifts..

 

[J-Thompson]

What makes you say that? Im running the ome 132 rear shocks with my lift and I have no problems. They are the same(within 1/2in) length as the stockers..

I am wander this my self
I know that if you ride with shocks that are to short it will ride like a ****
but other wise not damage the shock
the shock is designed to hold the axle and tire on so you can not hurt it by over extending it
over compression is the biggest issue but again with the stock shock length then the stock bump stop takes care of that
an explanation would be better for all

original poster
your problem has nothing to do with strut quality
the problem is lift or spacer quality
get rid of it and you get rid of the problem

 

[tommudd]

But stock struts are junk! They are designed to be replaced....soon! and then with using them on a lifted vehicle even though all are the same lenghth using the stockers is just asking for more problems, over extending or over compressing are both issues, have had both cause me problems in the past

 

[J-Thompson]

But stock struts are junk! They are designed to be replaced....soon! and then with using them on a lifted vehicle even though all are the same lenghth using the stockers is just asking for more problems, over extending or over compressing are both issues, have had both cause me problems in the past

I am not 100% on the strut construction so you may be right
I am 100% that shock are what keeps the axles from falling off of my TJ
If I do not remove the shocks then my springs will not just fall out
How ever if I remove the shocks I can lift the bumper with a fork lift so high that both front springs will fall out and the wheels will never leave the ground
This is what they are designed to do and will not hurt them
I was told this by the guys with Nth* mobility who as far as I can tell know jeep suspension better than most

 

[LibertyFever]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I figure you guys know the Libby better than I do.

I always thought an OTT lift was a homemade lift I guess I'm learning something new everyday.

I tend to agree that its my lift that's causing the early failure of the stock OEM struts but I'm not sure that the extended bumpstops will prevent their premature failure. I don't want to remove the lift so I'm going to start shopping for some proper length struts complete with coil springs. Any recommendations as to brand & part numbers? Maybe EMU or Rancho?

 

[jsc7002]

Rancho RSX17505 for the front about $100 shipped from Summit Racing and a little bit cheaper if you buy it from Amazon.com, and you will still need the extended bumpstops

 

[tommudd]

front springs OME 927 front shocks/(struts) RSX 17505
rear shocks RSX 17004 rear springs OME 948

 

[tommudd]

I am not 100% on the strut construction so you may be right
I am 100% that shock are what keeps the axles from falling off of my TJ
If I do not remove the shocks then my springs will not just fall out
How ever if I remove the shocks I can lift the bumper with a fork lift so high that both front springs will fall out and the wheels will never leave the ground
This is what they are designed to do and will not hurt them
I was told this by the guys with Nth* mobility who as far as I can tell know jeep suspension better than most

I will argue that point with anyone, unless a shock has some sort of BUILT IN bumpstop stop then it will ruin them by over extending it, granted you can pick your whatever up and extend the shocks out , BUT when out on a trail and you are banging over rocks etc then it is not a gentle lift, it is slamming the shock out as far as it will go and trying to pull it off whatever it is you are driving, why do you think they put limiting straps on off road rock crawlers???????? Send whoever it is from Nth on over, just because someone works for a company does not mean they know it all, could of been some PR guy blowing smoke up your butt, but I do know that over extending a shock can and will cause premature failure and 30 plus years of off roading tells me that, didn't get into this game last weekand haven't always been gentle with my junk

 

[J-Thompson]

I will argue that point with anyone, unless a shock has some sort of BUILT IN bumpstop stop then it will ruin them by over extending it, granted you can pick your whatever up and extend the shocks out , BUT when out on a trail and you are banging over rocks etc then it is not a gentle lift, it is slamming the shock out as far as it will go and trying to pull it off whatever it is you are driving, why do you think they put limiting straps on off road rock crawlers???????? Send whoever it is from Nth on over, just because someone works for a company does not mean they know it all, could of been some PR guy blowing smoke up your butt, but I do know that over extending a shock can and will cause premature failure and 30 plus years of off roading tells me that, didn't get into this game last weekand haven't always been gentle with my junk

Tom I have always seen eye to eye with you but you are wrong
first shocks extend just as slow as they compress so they can not slam
if they do slam then they are bad
second rock buggies and the "*********" dont run limit straps for the most part ,at least NONE of the "built" trailer queens that I wheel with do
simply put if you were right then EVERY wheeled Jeep would need limit straps or would be replacing shocks every 5K
what keeps the shocks on the rear of your KJ from over extending?
remember that in order to remove the springs you need to remove the shocks
that means that the shocks are holding the axle up EVERY SINGLE TIME a wheel comes off the ground and we both know that it happens way more in a KJ then in a TJ

think about it but dont try to argue it with me

 

[tommudd]

what ever.......... but I know what I have seen happen before I have seen shocks with the tops pulled out before and it happened on one set with only one run on them, of course it was going up over some big old rocks

OH well doesn't really matter at all to me as most on here will never know because they will never use their Libertys to the extend I used some of my old rides

Peace

also I agree with you ...most of the time

 

[tjkj2002]

J-ThompsonQuote:
Originally Posted by tommudd
I will argue that point with anyone, unless a shock has some sort of BUILT IN bumpstop stop then it will ruin them by over extending it, granted you can pick your whatever up and extend the shocks out , BUT when out on a trail and you are banging over rocks etc then it is not a gentle lift, it is slamming the shock out as far as it will go and trying to pull it off whatever it is you are driving, why do you think they put limiting straps on off road rock crawlers???????? Send whoever it is from Nth on over, just because someone works for a company does not mean they know it all, could of been some PR guy blowing smoke up your butt, but I do know that over extending a shock can and will cause premature failure and 30 plus years of off roading tells me that, didn't get into this game last weekand haven't always been gentle with my junk


Tom I have always seen eye to eye with you but you are wrong
first shocks extend just as slow as they compress so they can not slam
if they do slam then they are bad
second rock buggies and the "*********" dont run limit straps for the most part ,at least NONE of the "built" trailer queens that I wheel with do
simply put if you were right then EVERY wheeled Jeep would need limit straps or would be replacing shocks every 5K
what keeps the shocks on the rear of your KJ from over extending?
remember that in order to remove the springs you need to remove the shocks
that means that the shocks are holding the axle up EVERY SINGLE TIME a wheel comes off the ground and we both know that it happens way more in a KJ then in a TJ

think about it but dont try to argue it with me

You both are wrong and right.Typically shocks made for offroad use have some sort of internal bumpstop.And most shocks of this type also have different valving for compression and extension to help ease this effect.Constant extending of the shocks will hurt them but not as bad as fully compressing them,hence bumbstops.

Most "********" rigs do not use typical shocks anyway,they mostly use airshocks which act as the shock and coil and are considerbly stronger then regular shocks.




Oh and just to clarify Nth is no more,they flopped and AEV bought there designs and then modified them to be better.I have not been a real fan of Nth,plus there bushing wear real fast.

 

[tommudd]

Yes anymore most shocks do but I still have had shocks blow, maybe it was back in the day before all of this fancy crap stuff but they did,