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Monroe Sensa Trac Load Adj Shocks

RNMCGUIRE

NAXJA Forum User
Location
INDIANA
Hey, has anyone used these before? My XJ is an 89 2-door sport at stock height. The rear springs are sagging slightly(about 1/2 inch). I'm wondering if they ride nice and if they will boost up the rear a little. I pull a small trailer occasionaly and thought these may be ideal. My buddy is a manager at NAPA and can get me these for about $80! Thanks for the help!
 
Shocks will in no way affect the ride height of a vehicle. The only way to get back clearance is to replace the springs.
The shocks pretty much just control the spring. As you hit a bump, the spring gets a load and bounces, the shock slows the bounce.
If you see a car bobbing up and down as it goes down the road, it has bad or missing shocks.

You can get replacement springs from www.quadratec.com
 
These particular shocks have external coil springs that maintain ride height when the vehicle is loaded down with gear or a trailer. Just wondering if anyone has any experience with them?
 
peeweexj said:
Shocks will in no way affect the ride height of a vehicle.
I have them and gained about an inch to help my sagging rear. I expected to feel a difference in ride, but haven't really noticed much.

YMMV
 
I have them on my 2000 xj. I tow a boat and found them to be great under load..but they are a little stiffer than I would like if not towing. If you do any off-roading you will be hitting pretty hard..

Also they are a pain to put on...but all that being said they are fantastic for towing, or if you have anything of weightin the back
 
Ive used the air adjustable shocks before, wasnt overly impressed when they quit holding air. If i were you I'd just spend the $120 to replace rear springs and then get some conventional type shocks.
 
Thanks for the replies. Just wondering were I can get new springs for $120? The cheapest I've seen are about $85 apiece plus shipping.
 
I put a pair on a customers Cherokee a couple weeks ago. It did raise the ride height by about an inch. Keeps a good ride as well without too much stiffness. I still would recommend new springs as the small coils on these shocks are not designed to support but rather assist in keeping the vehicle height.

You could use some used MJ springs as they have more arch than XJ springs. Or, build your own leaf pack using other leafs from a YJ or Dakota. Used they are about $25 each from a boneyard.

There is a good writeup on this site for doing this.
 
I'll see if i can find them again. It was either on here or jeepforum someone was talking about the place. They might have been $65 but Ill see if i can find it again.
 
I vote for going to restore the rear suspension the way it was designed. If your rear springs are sagging, spend a few extra dollars to replace the rear springs with the correct springs. I've seen several sources for springs at $69-$79 a piece. Throw in good shocks its only 10's of dollars more.

The shock mounts are desinged to take the load of the shocks, not springs and shocks. So even if the spring over shock, or air shocks, do level out the vehicle, you could still tear out your shock mounts and/or body after a few years. Air Shocks, if abused in their use, have a rep of doing this to car bodies, I imagine spring over shocks would easily do the same.

BTW, Air Shocks, used properly, usually work fine and don't damage the body of the car. Proper use of air shocks usually means adding just a little extra spring force to properly working springs, desinged for the load, to level the rear a little, when its properly loaded. Over Load the vehicle, or use the air shocks to make up for bad springs, and they often tear up the shock mounts, body/frame they mount to.
 
Last edited:
I got the monroes on today after breaking only one bolt! Had to drill out the old bolt with a 5/16 in bit. Went to autozone and got replacement bolts and anti-sieze just in case there is a next time! Ended up using a 3/8" body bolt to replace the broken one even after the guy at autozone told me I wouldn't be able to crank it in the hole without an impact wrench. Yeah right! Went in like butter! I'm very pleased with these shocks as they ride nice and lifted my a$$ up about 1". I'm now sitting at 17.5" in front and rear. I'll probably get the sensa-tracs for the front next week and do them also.
 
RNMCGUIRE said:
I'm very pleased with these shocks as they ride nice and lifted my a$$ up about 1". I'm now sitting at 17.5" in front and rear. I'll probably get the sensa-tracs for the front next week and do them also.
Do you know what the spring rate/force is on the spring over the shock?
 
Re: Thanks for $ saving link!

klonestar said:
Just wanted to say "THANKS" for the cash saving link on replacement leaf springs. Just saved about $150.00! Ken
You're very welcome. I was pretty amazed when I found that source. I actually bought the Quadratec HD springs used from a NAXJA member who only ran them for about 8 months ... still good as new.
 
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