Rear Shocks recommendation

[Whitaker717]

Hi guys I just recently started towing my 4 wheeler to take out deer hunting. I have some duralast shocks on the truck currently, but when I hook up the trailer it seems to get a bit squatty. I know with the size of the truck that is bound to happen, but I am looking for a beefier rear shock. Any recommendations would be great. 

[DesertRat1991]

Squatting under weight is really more if a spring issue than a shock issue.  Swapping in a stiffer gas shock will just make your ride quality worse.

 

Upgrading your leaf packs would be the best move, but there are load adjusting shocks available with helper springs that can provide supplemental support for worn out leaf springs. Monroe makes a popular version:

 

https://www.monroe.com/products/carry-the-load/load-adjusting-shocks.html

 

 

[Whitaker717]

That makes sense. I appreciate the input. 

[88towmanche]

Airbag kit:        Amazon.com: Air Lift 59503 Ride Control Rear Air Spring Kit, Black : Automotive

 

Should help squat issue without affecting ride

[ghetdjc320]

On 12/8/2022 at 9:07 AM, 88towmanche said:

Airbag kit:        Amazon.com: Air Lift 59503 Ride Control Rear Air Spring Kit, Black : Automotive

 

Should help squat issue without affecting ride

The airbag kit is nice. Wondering the max travel on those bags though. It would seem like it might limit suspension travel??

[88towmanche]

48 minutes ago, ghetdjc320 said:

The airbag kit is nice. Wondering the max travel on those bags though. It would seem like it might limit suspension travel??

Probably would - I was a bit concerned about that so figured that when I put the 2" puck & shackle lift on the truck I needed to add a 2" spacer to the airbags.

 

I'm not out flexing the truck on trails so don't think will be an issue.

[Whitaker717]

8 hours ago, ghetdjc320 said:

The airbag kit is nice. Wondering the max travel on those bags though. It would seem like it might limit suspension travel??

Not to hijack the thread but you still making switch plate bezels? I have messaged you a couple times about them. 

[ghetdjc320]

2 hours ago, Whitaker717 said:

Not to hijack the thread but you still making switch plate bezels? I have messaged you a couple times about them. 

Man apologies , but I'm absolutely slammed right now with the build . I had an unexpected deadline pop up to finish it and am in a mad dash to get it done. Everything else is in the back burner. I have several switch trim covers made but they are incomplete (need to be bonded and finished with matte texture). I’ll see if I can knock a couple out over the weekend. If I don’t send you a message by Monday, shoot me a PM (or two lol) and I’ll let you know if I was able to get them finished. 

[Whitaker717]

17 minutes ago, ghetdjc320 said:

Man apologies , but I'm absolutely slammed right now with the build . I had an unexpected deadline pop up to finish it and am in a mad dash to get it done. Everything else is in the back burner. I have several switch trim covers made but they are incomplete (need to be bonded and finished with matte texture). I’ll see if I can knock a couple out over the weekend. If I don’t send you a message by Monday, shoot me a PM (or two lol) and I’ll let you know if I was able to get them finished. 

Will do. Thanks!

[Eagle]

On 12/7/2022 at 10:54 PM, Whitaker717 said:

Hi guys I just recently started towing my 4 wheeler to take out deer hunting. I have some duralast shocks on the truck currently, but when I hook up the trailer it seems to get a bit squatty. I know with the size of the truck that is bound to happen, but I am looking for a beefier rear shock. Any recommendations would be great. 

 Other than Load-Levelers, which have coil springs on them, it doesn't matter what shocks you put on. Shock absorbers don't carry any weight and they don't affect ride height -- all they do (and all they're intended to do) is dampen the bounciness of the suspension. You need helper springs or air bags.

 

If you look in the Monroe  catalog, you WON'T find Load-Levelers listed for the Comanche. The reason is that they affect ride height (:duh:), which affects the way the rear height sensing brake proportioning valve works. By not letting the bed settle as much under load, they fool the brake system into NOT providing enough braking to the rear when you're heavily loaded.

 

Monroe makes Load-Levelers that will fit a Comanche -- you just won't find them listed for the Comanche, so you'll have to do some homeworjk to figure out which ones are the right ones. But I wouldn't install Load-Levelers (or helper springs, or air bags) unless you remove the height-sensing valve and replace it with a manually-adjustable proportioning valve.

[Whitaker717]

14 minutes ago, Eagle said:

 Other than Load-Levelers, which have coil springs on them, it doesn't matter what shocks you put on. Shock absorbers don't carry any weight and they don't affect ride height -- all they do (and all they're intended to do) is dampen the bounciness of the suspension. You need helper springs or air bags.

 

If you look in the Monroe  catalog, you WON'T find Load-Levelers listed for the Comanche. The reason is that they affect ride height (:duh:), which affects the way the rear height sensing brake proportioning valve works. By not letting the bed settle as much under load, they fool the brake system into NOT providing enough braking to the rear when you're heavily loaded.

 

Monroe makes Load-Levelers that will fit a Comanche -- you just won't find them listed for the Comanche, so you'll have to do some homeworjk to figure out which ones are the right ones. But I wouldn't install Load-Levelers (or helper springs, or air bags) unless you remove the height-sensing valve and replace it with a manually-adjustable proportioning valve.

Thanks Eagle. I don’t have that load sensing valve on the back I don’t think. My whole brake system has been redone like 3 times. Lol. Just a portion valve under the hood and 4 individual lines. Any hood leaf spring recommendations? Sounds like that’s where I need to head. 

[OldSch88L]

On 12/9/2022 at 9:40 PM, ghetdjc320 said:

Man apologies , but I'm absolutely slammed right now with the build . I had an unexpected deadline pop up to finish it and am in a mad dash to get it done. Everything else is in the back burner. I have several switch trim covers made but they are incomplete (need to be bonded and finished with matte texture). I’ll see if I can knock a couple out over the weekend. If I don’t send you a message by Monday, shoot me a PM (or two lol) and I’ll let you know if I was able to get them finished. 

Just let us know when you'll officially be back to making those switch plate bezels; I'll need some as well... Back to the topic, I'm sorry than I can't give an immediate opinion, but my MJ is in storage for the winter, as I'm gathering parts for a new lift, and I got me some Rancho RS9000XL's adjustables. I figured that with everybody's varying definition of a "good" or "confortable" shock, varying leaf springs condition and overall truck setup from one guy to another, I might as well get me a shock that gives me some options to get it right. I should have it buttoned up by this summer to give an honest review about those shocks.

[ghetdjc320]

1 hour ago, OldSch88L said:

Just let us know when you'll officially be back to making those switch plate bezels; I'll need some as well... Back to the topic, I'm sorry than I can't give an immediate opinion, but my MJ is in storage for the winter, as I'm gathering parts for a new lift, and I got me some Rancho RS9000XL's adjustables. I figured that with everybody's varying definition of a "good" or "confortable" shock, varying leaf springs condition and overall truck setup from one guy to another, I might as well get me a shock that gives me some options to get it right. I should have it buttoned up by this summer to give an honest review about those shocks.

I believe it’s just the compression that is adjustable on the 9000 correct? Or can you adjust the rebound too?  I’ll let everyone know when I can get back to making those. I’m just slammed right now.

[OldSch88L]

3 hours ago, ghetdjc320 said:

I believe it’s just the compression that is adjustable on the 9000 correct? Or can you adjust the rebound too?  I’ll let everyone know when I can get back to making those. I’m just slammed right now.

You got me there, bud!!! I never thought about that. I got what I believe to be a Rough Country 3" lift right now, because of the stance, silver springs and shocks, and tubular lower control arms up front. They ride a hair on the stiff side, which I always guessed was because they were tuned for the weight of a 4.0 MJ. So I figured that those Ranchos might help me find a happy medium. But after I read your post, I did a quick google search and couldn't find any info about what that adjustable knob controls; the official Rancho video only says it controls "dampening"...