Need suggestions on Monroe Sensatracs

I am doing a 3-3.5" budget lift. Does anyone know some monroe shocks that would work with this amount of lift. I read that a 1995 Ford F150 4x4 would work with the bushings changed out. Can anone confirm what will work?

You can go on monroe's webpage and find the application guide. In the back of the guide, there is a mounting lenghts chart that will tell you mount type, collapsed lenght, extended lenght and part number.

I used this chart to find my rear shocks which had the correct lower mount but just the open eyelet on top. I used some Zep45 teflon lubricant to remove my old cross bars from the stock shocks and pushed it into the new ones. They've worked fine. I'll be doing the same thing for the front shocks when I can afford them. Also, since monroe makes/sells Rancho, they have their part #'s too.

Here it is, "mounting and lenght sheet" on the page in the link. Its a PDF

http://www.monroe.com/catalog/miscApplications.asp

That helps. I looked up the 1995 Explorer and for the rear shocks part# 37035 you can see that they are a good length for a lift, but you have to swap out the bar pins and the bushings. Thats not bad though.

I run Monroes and have swapped out several types as my rig has grown. For the kind of travel you will want (10-11.5 inches) you are looking at truck shocks which are very stiff for an XJ but I have learned to live with it.....

I wish I was home, I would give a long list of applicable Monroe shock part numbers. Study the shock chart carefully. You can get shocks for the rear that have up to 11.5" of travel and if you change to stud mount on the lower end in the front you can have up to 11.5 inches of travel. You can even use two different shocks in the rear to account for the different installed lengths due to having one mount in front and one behind the axle. To use stud mount in the front you need bolt a plate over the lower shock mount on the axle with a hold drilled in it for the stud. The stud mounts save you almost two inches in overall length so you can go with a 2" longer compressed length which allows for 2 inches more extended length.

Note that for there rears you can use several styles of upper mounts on the XJ. You can use the types with two bolt holes, just cut them open to "U" shapes, or you can use the factory "U" shape uppers. You can also swap out lower bushings allowing you a wider range of choices for lower mounts

Here is the web site for the full 55 page listing of Monroe shocks, mount types, lengths and part numbers.
http://www.monroe.com/catalog/documents/08_MountingLengthSheet.pdf


John

mbogosia said:

I am doing a 3-3.5" budget lift. Does anyone know some monroe shocks that would work with this amount of lift. I read that a 1995 Ford F150 4x4 would work with the bushings changed out. Can anone confirm what will work?

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I ran monroe sensa-tracs for a while. In my opinion they are too soft and do not provide nearly enough rebound dampening, especially for a lifted jeep. I would go with the monroe reflex shocks if you are looking for an inexpensive shock. For much better rebound control I would go with Bilstiens.

Monroe application chart: http://www.monroe.com/catalog/documents/08_MountingLengthSheet.pdf

Okay, I just picked up some sensatracks for a 1995 2wd Ford explorer. They are 5" longer and offer 3" of more travel vs. the stock cherokee shocks. All I need to do is swap out the bar pins(or cut open the explorers) and then swap out the bushings and I am good to go. Sierra, I know you wern't crazy about the sensatracks, but I have always heard good things about them for the most part. I would say whichever shocks I choose someone will have something bad to say most likely.

I am staying stock on the fronts for now. I might get a extender for them at autozone for $5.99 jsut to be safe.

mbogosia said:

Okay, I just picked up some sensatracks for a 1995 2wd Ford explorer. They are 5" longer and offer 3" of more travel vs. the stock cherokee shocks. All I need to do is swap out the bar pins(or cut open the explorers) and then swap out the bushings and I am good to go. Sierra, I know you wern't crazy about the sensatracks, but I have always heard good things about them for the most part. I would say whichever shocks I choose someone will have something bad to say most likely.

I am staying stock on the fronts for now. I might get a extender for them at autozone for $5.99 jsut to be safe.

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That doesn't sound right,but w/o actual length #'s its meaningless anyway!

That shock extender you mention at Autozone is a shock "stud" extender and is not really the best way to use your shorter stock shocks if you've lifted your front end. They have a tendency to bend or break under adverse offroad use. You can fab some up "somewhat easily" if you have access to a tig welder and some steel stock. Or you can buy them at numerous 4x4 online locations for more money. Take a look at either Yucca man or Go Jeep websites for additional info. I run Monroe Sensatracs with homemade extenders front and rear and they work just fine for the road and OK for off. Would go stiffer next round of shocks I buy and get the right length at that time since my Monroes were new when I lifted the unit. Good luck.

Well I got the lift on and the stock shocks seem okay for now. I am going to get some new correct length shocks in a couple of weeks. Taking those explorer shocks back now.