Deciding on Shocks

[4x4illustrator]

I'm looking for the most comfortable ones out there. I have a completely stock Liberty and I'm looking for the smoothest ride and dampening around corners. Highway driving mostly.....(tired of sliding passengers around on leather seats)
I've heard Bilsteins are the best but might be too firm a ride. Ranchero are good too and then I've heard Skyjacker Hydro are really smooth.....Any one care to share their wisdom with me?

 

[tommudd]

I'm looking for the most comfortable ones out there. I have a completely stock Liberty and I'm looking for the smoothest ride and dampening around corners. Highway driving mostly.....(tired of sliding passengers around on leather seats)
I've heard Bilsteins are the best but might be too firm a ride. Ranchero are good too and then I've heard Skyjacker Hydro are really smooth.....Any one care to share their wisdom with me?

Bilsteins , Ironman and OME are good
Rancho used to have a great shock that worked really well and rode great, but they did away with the RSX line, so they no longer have a good shock
Skyjacker, no
But if not replacing springs as well, its a waste just replacing shocks
weak springs on the KJ if over 55-60,000 miles they are toast as well as the shocks
Installing new shocks on weak springs will feel good for a short time only. But the worn springs will cause the new shocks to wear out quicker

 

[M38 Bob]

If you want a good car-like ride with no plans to lift Monroe Quick Strut assemblies on front with regular Monroe and new springs in rear are hard to beat. As Tom says your springs are probably in worse shape than the actual shocks. The Monroe Quickies with new springs are about the same price as the additional labor to install new shocks in old springs.

Bob

 

[4x4illustrator]

thanks M38 Bob, that information helps me a lot. I plan on doing this myself, although I'm surely not a mechanic I think I'm able to do this. If you have any helpful tips I'd appreciate it. Thanks again

 

[tommudd]

thanks M38 Bob, that information helps me a lot. I plan on doing this myself, although I'm surely not a mechanic I think I'm able to do this. If you have any helpful tips I'd appreciate it. Thanks again

Just know that in 50-60,000 those will be gone as well if not sooner
OME etc may cost more but provide way better ride and last twice as long
I recently tried the Monroes , two days of them was enough

 

[oldtomjeep]

Please allow me to jump into this thread. I have the same need: a smoother ride in my Liberty. We never go off-roading; we like the Jeep because it is towable behind our motorhome.

Our springs do not seem to be sagging or leaning to the side, so I'm not sure what would indicate bad springs. It's an 05 with 145k miles, so maybe they were replaced in the past.

I have no history of the car before we got it last year, so I'm still a little in the dark.

Any further info would be greatly appreciated.

Tom

 

[tommudd]

Please allow me to jump into this thread. I have the same need: a smoother ride in my Liberty. We never go off-roading; we like the Jeep because it is towable behind our motorhome.

Our springs do not seem to be sagging or leaning to the side, so I'm not sure what would indicate bad springs. It's an 05 with 145k miles, so maybe they were replaced in the past.

I have no history of the car before we got it last year, so I'm still a little in the dark.

Any further info would be greatly appreciated.

Tom

145,000 miles its due for a full spring/shock replacement
The springs are very weak brand new, railroad tracks/ pot holes etc on a stock suspensioned KJ are a nighmare. An upgraded suspension is better on and off road both, doesn't matter if you only drive down the interstate. I find it funny that people think that since they never go off road they don't need to worry about the suspension.
Ask anyone who has a aftermarket suspension and they will tell you how much better it rides and handles afterwards. We've done a bunch of KJ lifts and everyone said they wished they would not of waited.
So now I just bought another KJ with 80,000 miles one owner, its sagged over an inch. The 05 I picked up last fall, one owner again 78,000 miles, sagged an inch.
Measure from the middle of the wheel/hub in front to bottom of the flare . If it was made after April 12, 2002 it would of been 19 inches when brand new
My 04 suspension was replaced at 20,000 miles, 19,999 to late IMO
The 03 will get it next

 

[Emoto]

145,000 miles its due for a full spring/shock replacement
The springs are very weak brand new, railroad tracks/ pot holes etc on a stock suspensioned KJ are a nighmare. An upgraded suspension is better on and off road both, doesn't matter if you only drive down the interstate. I find it funny that people think that since they never go off road they don't need to worry about the suspension.
Ask anyone who has a aftermarket suspension and they will tell you how much better it rides and handles afterwards. We've done a bunch of KJ lifts and everyone said they wished they would not of waited.
So now I just bought another KJ with 80,000 miles one owner, its sagged over an inch. The 05 I picked up last fall, one owner again 78,000 miles, sagged an inch.
Measure from the middle of the wheel/hub in front to bottom of the flare . If it was made after April 12, 2002 it would of been 19 inches when brand new
My 04 suspension was replaced at 20,000 miles, 19,999 to late IMO
The 03 will get it next

I know I am bringing back an old thread, but what are people currently recomending, i.e., brand and model of shock/strut, for a stock Liberty?

 

[tommudd]

I know I am bringing back an old thread, but what are people currently recomending, i.e., brand and model of shock/strut, for a stock Liberty?

Sadly there are not many options if stock , they are all same spring rate which does not give a good ride even new .
If you want near stock height I would do a full OME replacement using OME 925 front spring which are rated 40 lb more than stock and 947 rear springs , This would provide a much better ride and handling with only a slight increase in height.
If I were to do a stock height thats what I would do and just recently also suggested to a future customer

 

[Emoto]

Sadly there are not many options if stock , they are all same spring rate which does not give a good ride even new .
If you want near stock height I would do a full OME replacement using OME 925 front spring which are rated 40 lb more than stock and 947 rear springs , This would provide a much better ride and handling with only a slight increase in height.
If I were to do a stock height thats what I would do and just recently also suggested to a future customer

Thanks for the response! Sounds like you have some experience with these things. Trying to make sure I understand you - When you say better ride and handling, does that mean more compliant over road bumps, e.g., less high speed compression damping, and yet also less body roll when cornering?

 

[tjkj2002]

Thanks for the response! Sounds like you have some experience with these things. Trying to make sure I understand you - When you say better ride and handling, does that mean more compliant over road bumps, e.g., less high speed compression damping, and yet also less body roll when cornering?

If you want less body roll your going to have to get coils that are no less then 400lbs rated(fronts),which means at least 2.5" of lift,and sadly the best shocks were discontinued years ago so I can't say what's good for a IFS KJ anymore.The ultimate reduction of body roll would be using the OME CRD front coils but you may want to get on the kidney donor list since you'll need them shortly with that ride.

 

[Emoto]

If you want less body roll your going to have to get coils that are no less then 400lbs rated(fronts),which means at least 2.5" of lift,and sadly the best shocks were discontinued years ago so I can't say what's good for a IFS KJ anymore.The ultimate reduction of body roll would be using the OME CRD front coils but you may want to get on the kidney donor list since you'll need them shortly with that ride.

HAHAHA! Yeah, I don't need a punishing ride. Reduction of body roll is not really a goal. It would be nice, but the Liberty isn't a sports car, so I'm not too worried about it. I was just trying to understand what was meant by "better handling" in the OME recommendation.

 

[tommudd]

Stock you feel every little bump, every rail road track you have to slow down for, every time you brake it nose dives those are things I look at when answering questions and what I think someone maybe wanting
My suggestions are always 927/948 combo but like mentioned that gives you 2.5 inches of lift, BUT for an upgrade with very little lift over new stock height is what I posted before

 

[TheBlueKJ]

The ultimate reduction of body roll would be using the OME CRD front coils but you may want to get on the kidney donor list since you'll need them shortly with that ride.

Lol that's what I have up front with no steel bumper (yet) and it doesn't bother me at all. If you really want to experience a rough ride get an old obs 1 ton Ford and take it on a bumpy road:anitoof: