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98xj shock options

blistovmhz

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Vancouver, BC
98 XJ, 4.5" lift.
Lift is mostly RE's package.
Shocks pictured here
C360_2011-06-28%25252007-26-35.jpg

Some XXXXer, as you can see, stole the remote reservoir hose fittings. I thought they'd just broke off, but they both disappeared at the same time and there was a real big puddle of hydraulic oil under and all over my Jeep the morning they disappeared, along with oily footprints leading away :)

I've asked around at a few shops about rebuilding but no one seems to know.
Anyone know if theses can be rebuilt? RE says they were manufactured by Edelbrock so I called them. They don't have specs but suggested they might be similar to their AIS shocks and that they take a 15wt hydraulic oil and that the procedure (the guy wasn't very clear) is to open them up, push the rod all the way down, put the piston 5.5" from the bottom, fill up both sides, reassemble and push 180-220psi nitro into the res chamber.
Can anyone confirm this?
I'm starting to think I should just pick up a new set, but it'd be nice to have them matching the rears which are also RE remote nitros.

If I do have to replace them, what should I stay away from? Edelbrock has a sale on their AIS line right now. $45 for their regular 6.5" travel AIS and $80 for the 5.4" AIS with remove res.
 
:) Thanks. Explanation though? I'm not cheap but I don't like to pour money into a rather stupid system. I am very careful to buy the right tool for the right application.
What's wrong with the RE's/Edelbrock and why?
What is better? My driving is split city/hw/or around 60/15/25. I'm not crawling, mostly just bombing through the bush, climbing hills that'll bury my rear bumper but usually not on super aggressive terrain. I like my things to be bomb proof and light, and I take function over form every day. I don't care about a rough/bumpy ride, so long as I know my Jeep will always get me where I need to be.
 
is there a nitrogen schraeder valve? if not, throw them away, theyre not serviceable.


THIS IS WHY I TELL PEOPLE NOT TO BUY THIS SHIT. on a similar fox or bilstein shock, you'd replace the hose, and re-charge them. good to go.
 
Yes, there is a schrader valve for the nitrogen. These were RE's top shock right up till they went out of business/got bought up.
I'm not a fan of RE at this point as I've had problems with everything I own by them, but the shocks haven't let me down, they're just prone to theft. :)
The big problem is support though. Edelbrock and RE are terrible for after-sales support.
 
They don't have specs but suggested they might be similar to their AIS shocks and that they take a 15wt hydraulic oil and that the procedure (the guy wasn't very clear) is to open them up, push the rod all the way down, put the piston 5.5" from the bottom, fill up both sides, reassemble and push 180-220psi nitro into the res chamber.
Can anyone confirm this?
I'm starting to think I should just pick up a new set, but it'd be nice to have them matching the rears which are also RE remote nitros.

If I do have to replace them, what should I stay away from? Edelbrock has a sale on their AIS line right now. $45 for their regular 6.5" travel AIS and $80 for the 5.4" AIS with remove res.

their instructions sound about right. the important part is the distance to push in the floating piston. heres a video for a fox... its similar.... but should help you understand the process.
 
Video?
Yea, the part I'm not understanding is the rod vs. piston. I'm guessing the piston is of the floating type, sitting inside the reservoir, to keep the nitrogen out of the hydraulic oil and the rod is just the big push rod. Haven't actually taken apart a shock this size, and these are so simplistic compared the the ones I'm used to servicing (ie: DH/FR bike shocks).
 
SORRY man, forgot the link! =\\\
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POunLnsInQk


as you'll see, theres 2 pistons, the one at the end of the shock shaft, that has holes in it, and valving discs bolted to it..... and what fox calls an 'internal floating piston' inside the remote reservoir, this is a solid piston, without holes. on one side(the hose side) is shock oil, and the otherside(schraeder side) has
nitrogen
 
Looks simple enough. Makes perfect sense now. Seems like it may be cheaper to just buy new shocks though. Can't find a seal kit for these RE's and I'd have to buy/build a few tools to do the work. Will probably try it without replacing seals and see how it goes.
 
bilsteins are the top dawg of 'conventional shocks', however for a jeep, they aint got shit on fox, king, or swayaway. there are a lot of bilstein fanboys.

if it was me, i'd skip all the seal's, and replace the hose, and recharge. depending on what the new hose/adapter will cost, and how much you gotta pay to have em charged.... might be worth it to fix em, since you can.
 
I'm really looking for reliability/bombproofiness and serviceability.
all 'rebuildable shocks' should fit your need. basically a 2.0 with available seals, aka fox 2.0 or bilstein 7100.

NO SHOCK, is bombproof. you gotta keep it from bumpstopping or limit strapping your suspension, however the rebuildables all have available replacement parts, SHOULD YOU toast a seal...
 
Well got the shocks apart. Was super simple.

So FYI, the disassembly procedure for Rubicon Express monotube w/remote reservoir shocks:

  1. Remove schraeder valve cap from the remote res.
  2. Release Nitrous from the remote res.
  3. Put the schraeder cap back on.
  4. Give the nitrous valve a little tap with a rubber mallet to force it down into the reservoir body (only need it to move a mm or so, but more won't hurt).
  5. Use a c-clip tool or knife (careful not to scratch the internal cylinder) to remove the retaining clip from the bottom of the reservoir.
  6. Use a schraeder valve puller or big pair of pliers to pull the end cap out of the reservoir body (attached to the schraeder valve).
  7. Back over to the monotube side, pull off the shock boot if you've got one and push the piston down into the body. If you push hard and fast, you can usually use the end of the rod to push the end cap into the body a little bit. That failing, break out the mallet. You just need to push the end cap in enough to remove the retaining clip.
  8. Remove the retaining clip.
  9. Pull the rod back as hard as you can. This will force the end cap, some seals and washers out the end of the shock body, but the piston will still be stuck.
  10. Once the end cap has been removed and is sitting on the rod, push the piston back down an inch to expose the second retaining clip and remove it.
  11. Remove the rod and piston.
At this point I only suspect what needs to be done but will do a proper writeup when I've got one finished. Still don't know if its 15 or 50 wt hydraulic oil though, and everyone I've asked gives either 15 or 50.
 
i would go with the thinner weight oil... when i did my foxes first time around i bought shock oil from a motorcycle shop.

good to hear you got it apart and all that.
 
I also need to weld a washer onto my lower control arm brackets (axle side) because the bolt hole is worn out and there's a tonne of play. Anyone know exactly what size washer to weld on there? (I don't have my calipers with me). I've got a welder waiting on me but no calipers to measure the bolt so no idea what size washer I need. I've been told it needs to be grade8 steel, but all I can find is grade5.
 
Also, the bolt is seized to the bushing so I suspect I"m going to have to weld it in place witout being able to replace the washer on the bolt end side (though I can replace the one on the nut side). Thinking I"ll just throw a g8 washer on the nut side, push the control arm forward so the bolt is at the front of the bolt hole, tack both washers in as far forward as possible, and leave it at that until I have shop space to remove the axle and install new mounts (and new control arm bolts and bushings).

Anyone think this is a terrible idea? Will it hold?
 
doesnt sound like a GREAT idea.... but if it fails, your entire axle wont fall off. so i can say go for it.

my only concern is the castor adjustment might throw you into DW territory.
 
Found some half inch washers and welded the hell out of them. Seems to be holding. Also, through 5 Jeeps I've never experienced dw. Guess I'm lucky, especially as I've done all my alignment work with a tape measure and a few 2x4s.
 
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