Need Help Buying New Shocks

[mjestes17]

Hey guys my comanche is sitting on what the previous owner calls a 5.5" lift. he has rough country suspension but they're so worn down its hard to drive this thing without getting brain damage. I've been shopping for shocks and everything i run into has an application for a 2.5" lift but nothing that says it will fit my 5.5. what do I do in this situation? also if you have any shocks for sale please let me know.

[Garvin]

Might be easier finding shocks for a 6" lift as that's a fairly common lift height and the 1/2" won't make a difference (assuming you have no sag). Your best bet though is to flex out the Jeep and measure then buy the appropriate shock lengths.

 

If you have no access to something to flex on, the easiest way to tell what size lift shocks you need is to measure from the hub to the lower edge of the fender flare. I don't have those measurements on me right now but maybe someone else can chime in with them.

[mjestes17]

I'll get those measurements for you. Thanks man!

[Eagle]

If you still have the factory flares, the stock measurements from the center of the hub to the bottom edge of the flare should be 17-1/2" front and 21-1/2" rear.

 

My suggestion for searching shocks is the Monroe catalog. Their web site has the same info. They offer listings in the back for physical dimensions of all their shocks, with the type of mount on each end, and they offer a reverse look-up from shock number to vehicle. So you look up the shocks for a stock MJ. Take those numbers and go to the dimensions chart, and find out the minimum and maximum length for each shock. Average those and you have the mid-length measurement, which is where the piston should be sitting at the curb on level ground.

 

If you have a 5-1/2" lift, next you just leaf through the shocks by dimension until you find one with the correct end mounts that's 5-1/2" longer (or as close as possible) than stock. If you like that series of Monroe, just buy it. Or ... take that to the reverse lookup chart and see what vehicle it fits. Then you can shop other brands for that make and model vehicle and you'll have your shocks.