ghendel Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 Bed sags under modest loads. Ride has been getting rougher over the potholes with a little give/smoosh on the turns. Everything is stock with only 82k on it, but I am thinking its time to upgrade. Can someone walk me through the (very) basic anatomy of what needs to get replaced? Control arms, shocks, springs, leafs, bearings etc. If I take to a mechanic, the list will never end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dzimm Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 You've only got 2 suspension components to the rear, leaf springs and shocks. Shocks are what's causing the rougher ride. Leaf springs will lose strength and sag more over time. I'd take a look at the leaves and see if you see any noticable cracks or signs of wear and check the bushings and shackles as well. Post up pictures so we can see what you are working with. If you replace the rear shocks, replace the fronts as well. Also a good time to check the front suspension and make sure bushings and links are in good shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 the more you spend on shocks, the better the ride will be. but even cheap shocks are probably better than 30 year old dead shocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dasbulliwagen Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 For stock height, JK takeoff shocks can be easily modified to work and ride very well. They can usually be had cheap or free as well from guys lifting their wranglers. They work on front and rear. I had a set of black ones on for several years before I lifted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted July 1, 2019 Share Posted July 1, 2019 Step number one to address sag is to determine whether or not the rear has actually sagged. Read this thread: https://comancheclub.com/topic/11098-how-to-measure-ride-hight/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeep Driver Posted July 2, 2019 Share Posted July 2, 2019 On 7/1/2019 at 2:47 AM, ghendel said: Bed sags under modest loads. Ride has been getting rougher over the potholes with a little give/smoosh on the turns. Everything is stock with only 82k on it, but I am thinking its time to upgrade. Can someone walk me through the (very) basic anatomy of what needs to get replaced? Control arms, shocks, springs, leafs, bearings etc. If I take to a mechanic, the list will never end. Shocks will not compensate for weak worn springs. Yes, you are correct, with a mechanic it will never end and the cost will be steep. Do a lot of reading, study and compare parts and prices, study what others have done. Map out a plan for replacement, save and buy parts over time. Example: You'll set out to install new unit bearings in the front and realize that your axle shaft ujoints also need replacing........make your joints part of the plan. You'll plan to install new brakes and realize your soft lines also need to be replaced.............do it all at once and be done with it the first time. After 30 years your springs have sprung and your bushings are shot. The slosh in the corners are not just worn shocks.......track bar, uppers and lowers (bushings), bushings in rear springs......shackles.....etc.......all play a role. Buy quality the first time. Or do like I did, I've had three suspensions under my truck......one of the very reasons my build thread is titled Evolution '88. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeep Driver Posted July 2, 2019 Share Posted July 2, 2019 Last thought here- Shocks I've installed on my MJ- KYB, good shock for stock suspension but one failed on me and I will not buy KYB again. Monroe, fair ride but too soft.......slosh. Gabriel truck shocks, harsh, way too harsh, @$$-end would literally bounce over RR tracks. Gabriel air shocks, early attempt to compensate for sagged out rear leafs.........................DON"T even waste your time. Bilstein 4600s, great for stock trucks, on the softer side but responsive, good shock. Bilstein 5100s, must have for trucks lifted 3" and beyond, matched perfectly with GS rear springs and OME front springs. Great shock at a reasonable price. Cost- Parts only, you do the work, moderately priced stock parts, based on my experience- somewhere around $1600 to $1800. To include brakes, uppers and lowers, bushings, rear leafs, shocks, joints.......etc....and don't forget your ball joints. My guess on the mechanic's bill- somewhere between $2200 and $2600. You'll get all kinds of opinions, take it all with a grain of salt, you have to be happy with yours and that's what matters. I'm one who is not happy driving around in a slosh-bucket, my truck will see a lot of back roads and winding highways. And don't neglect your steering sector.......ZJ boxes are good, find a tight one. And check your intermediate shaft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeep Driver Posted July 3, 2019 Share Posted July 3, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rokinn Posted July 3, 2019 Share Posted July 3, 2019 I've been using the KYB Gas A Just shocks (kit @ amazon) for 4 years now and they still perform quite well. I drive a lot of winding mountain highways and rutted dirt roads and have no complaints about how they handle, but then I can't really compare them since it was the first thing I replaced when I bought my MJ. Only problem is that they cost a hundred bucks more now than they did then for the set. The springs sag more under load than I would think it should but empty it sits exactly at the designated manufactured height. A couple hundred lbs in bumper tongue weight shows but doesn't seem to affect handling very much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted July 4, 2019 Share Posted July 4, 2019 10 hours ago, rokinn said: I've been using the KYB Gas A Just shocks (kit @ amazon) for 4 years now and they still perform quite well. Oh, dear God! I put a set of KYB Gas-A-Justs on my '88 Cherokee a long time ago. I think they were on it maybe a month. HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE! They were vaery harsh over pavement cracks and small bumps, and had almost no damping over large bumps. Just awful. I couldn't get 'em off the XJ fast enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rokinn Posted July 4, 2019 Share Posted July 4, 2019 12 hours ago, Eagle said: Oh, dear God! I put a set of KYB Gas-A-Justs on my '88 Cherokee a long time ago. I think they were on it maybe a month. HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE! They were vaery harsh over pavement cracks and small bumps, and had almost no damping over large bumps. Just awful. I couldn't get 'em off the XJ fast enough. Not my experience at all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted July 4, 2019 Share Posted July 4, 2019 opinions on shocks and ride comfort vary wildly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted July 4, 2019 Share Posted July 4, 2019 42 minutes ago, Pete M said: opinions on shocks and ride comfort vary wildly. True. I tried the KYBs because my brother thought they were the greatest thing since sliced bread. (My brother had some very strange notions about ride and handling.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted July 4, 2019 Share Posted July 4, 2019 1 hour ago, rokinn said: Not my experience at all! But you stated that you have no basis for comparison. I do. KYBs suck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rokinn Posted July 4, 2019 Share Posted July 4, 2019 Have it your way if you like. I could care less. But given that I've been driving trucks and pickups since I was 13 (I grew up on a farm, and that would make 58 years of driving now) as well as having driven professionally for a number of years and have owned vehicles from Ford Mustangs to Triumphs, among many others, I do know a little bit about vehicle handling. KYB's don't suck, in my ever so humble opinion. But clearly, if it's not your way, it's a strange notion. That's not to say that I might not try something else next time and prefer that. Also, I don't experience the issues you referred to with the KYB's. They don't jar at every little bump and they damp just fine. Are there better ones for the Comanche? That may well be! Maybe you just got a bad batch. My best friend of 40 years, now deceased, owned an auto repair business. He and his techs all raved about KYB's. But then they worked on Japanese and European cars, what would they know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted July 4, 2019 Share Posted July 4, 2019 as I stated... opinions on shocks vary wildly and circumstances and preferences are strong influencers that cannot necessarily be replicated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMO413 Posted July 4, 2019 Share Posted July 4, 2019 1 hour ago, Pete M said: as I stated... opinions on shocks vary wildly and circumstances and preferences are strong influencers that cannot necessarily be replicated. Shocks are allot like beer brands. We all have our favorite and there are some we just don't like. Everyone has an opinion! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghendel Posted July 6, 2019 Author Share Posted July 6, 2019 That escalated quickly! Thanks for the help guys. I'm thinking I might upgrade from completely stock to a 3" with the blistein 5100. My pockets are not deep these days, so we will see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 2 hours ago, ghendel said: That escalated quickly! Thanks for the help guys. I'm thinking I might upgrade from completely stock to a 3" with the blistein 5100. My pockets are not deep these days, so we will see. Especially if your pockets aren't deep, why do a lift at all? How do you use the truck, and how do you plan to use it in the future? Are yo aware that you can run up to 9and including) 31x10.50-15 tires with NO lift? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghendel Posted July 7, 2019 Author Share Posted July 7, 2019 Yeah, just will be using for towing a small boat and kayak stuff, mostly city roads with some gravely pothole roads. Stock will be fine for now, but the upgrade in all these components will still cost me a pretty penny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minuit Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 3 minutes ago, Eagle said: Especially if your pockets aren't deep, why do a lift at all? How do you use the truck, and how do you plan to use it in the future? Are yo aware that you can run up to 9and including) 31x10.50-15 tires with NO lift? Yep yep yep yep. A lift will make your truck worse in just about every way except for off-road performance and tire clearance. To get a decent lift you'll be spending a lot of money that's better used elsewhere if you do not do anything with this truck that'd require a lift. For towing and other non-offroad tasks, I'd hardly call adding a lift an upgrade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghendel Posted July 9, 2019 Author Share Posted July 9, 2019 Here is what I am dealing with. Looks like the shocks in the front are even leaking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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