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Help me understand shock valving?!

Borgli

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Hagerman
Hi guys!

I'm looking to get new shocks for my 92 Xj restoration and stroker build. I've heard great things about bilstein shocks. Are they the "best"? I don't really care about price/performance this is a ba**s to the wall build!

Anyways, I've seen recommendations for 5100s, 5160s and 7100s. I've also seen talk of valve-something or other for example 255/70. What does this mean? I presume it has something to do with stiffness and or rebound?

The Jeep will be a mall crawler about 75% for the time. I'm not really sure how firm I'd like it to be, I kind of like the ride in my father in laws 2011 tahoe.

It has a 3.5in lift.


Thanks!
 
How are we defining "best" ? Cheap parts are cheap for a reason, but more expensive does not mean more better. Your choice of shocks will have greatest effect upon the firmness of the pavement ride, and the control of the suspension on the 4x4 trails. Too firm a shock will give a very harsh pavement ride, too soft a shock will have the suspension crashing onto the bump stops all the time. If you are not building a dedicated trail rig, coil over shocks, or custom valving seems to me like a waste of money.

Some good quality, properly valved, shocks for an XJ with stock suspension or a small lift include BDS, Bilstein 4600, and DoetschTech DT3000.
 
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Hi, thanks for the feedback. I suppose "best' was a poor choice of words. Most trusted brands maybe?
 
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http://www.eshocks.com/bil_ORgd.asp?Manf=All#Ratings


That gives you a mechanical definition of the numbers. As far as valving goes, 255/70 is a common starting point and generally acceptable for street and offroad. 275/78 is a little bit firmer for heavier rigs with bigger axles, available on 7100's. Some go fast types get into 360/80, which is firmer yet but i'm not really sure I would call it better.

If you really set something up for good fast offroad travel, road performance does start to lessen. I'd stick in the 255/70 range unless you're going to pay a professional tuner for multiple sessions (tune, drive for a few weeks, and then tune again to make it more streetable). :)
 
Ok thanks cal. I'll stick with 255/70 then. Maybe see if I can find someone who 255/70 and 275/78 and test drive them.

What about the larger volume of oil in the 5160 and 7100? Any real life benefits? The road up to our cabin is pretty much a washboard.
 
Rather than jump wildly from one shock idea to another, figure out what your Jeep "needs" based on what you are going to ask it to do for you, and what its' off-road capabilities will be when completed. Calculate what would be pointless bling on a basically stock or even mildly lifted Cherokee, determine what the shock budget is, and then decide what shocks fulfill the actual needs/capabilities, and fit the budget.
 
Like I said;
75-80% on the road I want it to handle potholes and poor roads well. The rest of the time will be washboard gravelroads, pastures and fields, mountain passes (heavy snow) and the occasional trail though the woods. I will NOT rock crawl it, jump sand dunes or mud it. (OK I might mud it).

Budget would be whatever I need to get what the Jeep needs to do what I need it to do ;)

I guess priority onu is I want it to be smooth and comfortable on harsh/low grade roads for long periods of time.
 
You'll be happy with 5100s.



This or Old Man Emu shocks which are comparably close. I think you are wondering to far into the weeds for a cherokee that isn't using long travel suspension.

It doesn't matter what sort of shock you have you are still going to feel that washboard in the cab of your XJ.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Ok thanks cal. I'll stick with 255/70 then. Maybe see if I can find someone who 255/70 and 275/78 and test drive them.

What about the larger volume of oil in the 5160 and 7100? Any real life benefits? The road up to our cabin is pretty much a washboard.


I've had both valving and both shocks. To be honest, if you're asking these questions I don't think you'll be able to tell any difference between them.
 
How are we defining "best" ? Cheap parts are cheap for a reason, but more expensive does not mean more better. Your choice of shocks will have greatest effect upon the firmness of the pavement ride, and the control of the suspension on the 4x4 trails. Too firm a shock will give a very harsh pavement ride, too soft a shock will have the suspension crashing onto the bump stops all the time. If you are not building a dedicated trail rig, coil over shocks, or custom valving seems to me like a waste of money.

Some good quality, properly valved, shocks for an XJ with stock suspension or a small lift include BDS, Bilstein 4600, and DoetschTech DT3000.

Why not the pre-ruunner 8000 series ?

https://www.ironrockoffroad.com/product/doetsch-tech-8000-shock-kit-xj.html
 
your best bet would be to go to a couple offroad shops in your area and see what they are comfortable rebuilding.

Fox, Bilstein, King, Sway Away, they are all very similar.
 
Raced ECORS with 5100 Bilsteins and they never let us down. Tough shock, great for the price.

I now run valved 7/8 shaft Fox 2.5 Rem Res. with a flutter stack. Its super easy to tear down a shock if necessary. Rides like a dream over hole filled back roads. Obviously they're pricey, but getting Fox 2.0 that are valved to your weight and throw a flutter stack in there, I think you will be very happy. Comes down to your budget I guess. Can't go wrong with Bilsteins.
 
I run 255/100 up front with a 7100 series 14" travel short body. been very happy with them. I have the same thing in the rear but some wierd valving thats not listed on their site.

foudn the rear was 246/94 with a 30% increase in high speed valving for use with air bumps.
 
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