Hi,

Forgive me if I've asked this a long time ago....I did search and haven't come up with my answer. A while back I bought a set of renegade KJ springs for my wifes 04 KJ. It's got about 154k on it and the suspension is getting tired. It's her DD, we take it on long road trips (because it's the only vehicle we have that doesn't have mud tires/super swampers, haha) and occasionally down just dirt fire roads....she doesn't like for me to slam it up rock faces anymore after the alignment guy showed her how bent the front sub frame was, haha. I sometimes tow my brothers 16' aluminum boat with it, and sometimes a small (~5x8' ish) snowbobile trailer with sleds or quads on it...nothing heavy.

Anyways, not going for a lift here, although I'm sure the renegade springs should bring the height up a tad. Here's what I've seen for struts:
Sensa-trac ~85 each. I've heard lots of good things about these. Not the choice for heavy wheeling but for normal use people say they're great bang for buck.
Ranch RS5000 ~100-110, not interested as these usually ride harsh on small vehicles.
Rancho RSX ~114, maybe....hear that they're not as bad on lighter vehicles.
Bilstein ~140, love my bilsteins, but I duno if she needs em....

She's got the 225 General Grabber AT2s, if that factors in at all.

Thanx in advance for your recommendations.

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Civilisation exists by geological consent, subject to change without notice. -Durant

Renegade springs will not give you any extra height or not much at all, they may over your sagged out springs on there now if the new ones are new and not takeoffs.
The KJ is a heavy vehicle and needs a good front "shock" I would not even take the time to install the Sensatracs
RSX 17505s are great still some around and not a harsh ride
Bilsteins are a good shock or even the OMEs
Why shouldn't she have a good shock on there, don't you want a better ride than stock?

All OEM springs are rated in the 300-320 range, If you really want touse them OK but I would upgrade to at least the OME 925s rated at 350 lbs better ride, handling etc

Also just for S&G's measure from the center of the wheel to the bottom of the flare, like to see what you measure out at
Thanks

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MUDD'S MOTORSPORT'S We do IFS lift installs ,
03 OVERLAND EDITION /Kilby-Skidrow-Mopar-4XGuard skids/ 2.5 inch TOTAL CONTROL JBA coilovers -JBA Arms/MOABS-31 FALKEN WILDPEAK AT3W / 4.10's etc, 04 Kilimanjaro Edition loaded, plus 05 KJ limited

fake plastic fender rivits do not promote lift height...

I hope you go those "rene" springs because hey have like zero miles on them. Renegade was an appearance package and sat no higher than any other KJ

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LOST # 633
'05 KJ 3.7L/6spd/241 245/75/16 MT's
'88 MJ 4.0L/AW4/231 SWB HPD30 & trac-loc D44 w/3.73's
A dirty Jeep is a happy Jeep

darn, I thought the renegade ones were a higher spring rate, oh well. They have low miles, so that will help. I'll try to measure when I get a chance.

So nobody uses the sensatrac?? I want better than stock ride but she could really care less and I have two jeeps, a quad and a house to put money into!! I'd like to pick something up local to avoid shipping, ya know!

I was thinking maybe sensa trac up front and bilsteins or ome in the rear.....but that's kinda backwards. My big jeep has 5150s up front and doo doo shocks in the rear....rides mint, the wife falls asleep on the highway with Q78 TSLs.

What are these RSX 17505s that you speak of?? Don't see them at napa or autozone.....I could go to crown too for parts! could you give me a link to the struts that you're recommending, pretty please??

So nobody else has heard good things about sensatrac?? Some people even wheel with them!! Everyone says they're a pretty good shock for the money.....


Oh....and so when I swap in the new springs and get no added lift (other than eliminating the sag) would an extra isolator in the rear even it out if I were to do a tiny bit of the clevis lift up front?? Again, I dont' want to lift the thing but a tiny bit more clearance can never hurt!!

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Civilisation exists by geological consent, subject to change without notice. -Durant

Sorry for being such a scatter brain....just found a site with some struts http://jeepinbyal.com/cat-Front_Struts_ ... ngs-9.aspx

If the bilsteins are only 95 bucks.....I may do that.....

Another apology for asking this, because I've had a discussion about this before when I do the front struts, I wont' need to replace the strut mount....correct?

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Civilisation exists by geological consent, subject to change without notice. -Durant

Front has shocks, but on to the question no you will not ned to replace anything but the springs/ shocks, do a 3 to 4 ring clevis and a extra upper isolator and you'll be a little higher. Personally lots of work for not much considering you are going with used springs. I would not even think of it if they have over 35,000 miles on them but yes they maybe somewhet better

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MUDD'S MOTORSPORT'S We do IFS lift installs ,
03 OVERLAND EDITION /Kilby-Skidrow-Mopar-4XGuard skids/ 2.5 inch TOTAL CONTROL JBA coilovers -JBA Arms/MOABS-31 FALKEN WILDPEAK AT3W / 4.10's etc, 04 Kilimanjaro Edition loaded, plus 05 KJ limited

I think they're pretty low mileage, bought them from someone on here a while back. They have to be better than springs with 155k!!!

So 3 or 4 conduit nuts on the front strut and an upper isolator in the rear to even it out? It's not much work if I'm already replacing the struts and springs!

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Civilisation exists by geological consent, subject to change without notice. -Durant

I have been happy with the performance of the Rancho RSX shocks I installed all around two years ago on my 2005.
I do not know why they are not available anymore.
Was it lack of sales?

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2005 Sport, Light Khaki, manual trans 6 speed, front spacer lift, tinted glass, tow hooks, ProComp black rock crawler rims, Toyo AT tires, K+ N filter charger, Magnaflow muffler, Bilstein shocks, Daystar sway bar bushings, skid plates, trailer hitch, fogs, 50 watt back up bulbs, Sylvania plus headlights, Thule rack and SiriusX Satellite radio.