Lift specifics. Time to crunch the numbers!

Powerman04 · **Posted:** Thu Apr 22, 2010 1:50 pm

OK so I am finally going into the "looking for specific parts and buying" stage for my lift, but I had a few questions (of course).

First, I know our front strut length is always the same, but when we lift we need to purchase longer rear shocks. How are we able to tell really when we look at buying them, cause when I search for shocks I get tons, but no real info besides the fact they fit. How do we know they aren't stock length?

Second, in my search for springs, i realize OME and BDS are about the only ones worthy of getting this done (since I've searched this forum long enough to know doing it right the first time is always worth it *points at tom* :lol:

) I heard BDS had the same spring rates but numbers would be helpful.

I just want to piece it all together with decent prices and perhaps go a bit out there in terms of shock's, since ranchos will only be around for so long. :dead:

Also the KJ market could use some expanding so why not trial/error eh?

Thanks! :JEEPIN:

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Thu Apr 22, 2010 2:47 pm

Front

Rustys front 310 (Pair 129.00 via rustysoffroad.com)
OME light 925s are 350 (Pair 160 via jeepinbyal.com)
OME Med 926s are 375 ("160/pair ")
OME HD 927s are 400 ("160/pair ")
stock CRD springs are 410
BDS fronts are 435(240/pair)
OME CRD 790s are 500

Rear

OME 948's 200 (160/pair)
BDS 210 (131/pair)
Skyjacker's 230 (132/pair for 2.5" , 195/pair for 4")

the front shocks (some term as struts) are stock struts

the rear shocks are durango length shocks so "stock" shocks for a dodge durango, = shocks for lifted KJ's

"rear shocks from 99-04 Dakota 4WD and 98-03 Durango 4WD"

combination of information from several threads for ya plus some price info
by the way, JBA2.5 and JBA4 red coils are skyjacker coils

InCommando · **Posted:** Thu Apr 22, 2010 3:51 pm

(golf clap) Good Post!

tommudd · **Posted:** Thu Apr 22, 2010 4:00 pm

Good job JJarhead

you make very fine grasshopper

Powerman04 · **Posted:** Thu Apr 22, 2010 4:08 pm

Indeed! I already tracked most of my parts. I'm going with the OME HD 927's in front and OME 948's in back.

For the struts/shocks, I had a little bit of a snag. Finding the front was easy enough, but for the rear I had another question. Does the year matter for the Durango rear shocks? And also, just to be clear, if I look for rear shocks from any vendor, then I search for the Durango ones?

Awesome list of the springs though. Made that decision that much easier. :pepper:

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Thu Apr 22, 2010 5:02 pm

lol, i took half the info from a thread in general and added some price info and reorganized the list because im ocd about things like that

to be honest, it's probably getting time to rebuild our lift faq and reorganize it

really couldn't find price info for stock crd springs

tommudd · **Posted:** Thu Apr 22, 2010 5:29 pm

rear shocks from 99-04 Dakota 4WD and 98-03 Durango 4WD

Powerman04 · **Posted:** Thu Apr 22, 2010 7:30 pm

I'm considering Koni's all around. I saw a few CRD owners raving about them, but I'm curious how it will do for the gassers. That, and I only saw them using the fronts, so I'm going to assume the rear's need to fit the Durango, which I found as well. $135 for both rear, and $304 for the front pair.

Add in the OME's, that makes $756.40, round about. Doesn't include any bump stops or rear iso's. :pepper:

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Thu Apr 22, 2010 7:35 pm

that's about dead on price wise for 2.5" lift

conduit nuts for the front clevis are purchased in matter of pennies if you decide to do that

you should be quite pleased with the ride quality

Powerman04 · **Posted:** Thu Apr 22, 2010 7:40 pm

JeepinJarhead03 wrote:

that's about dead on price wise for 2.5" lift

conduit nuts for the front clevis are purchased in matter of pennies if you decide to do that

you should be quite pleased with the ride quality

Yea I wasn't sure if I wanted to do a clevis now or later. Was highly considering the 15x7 steelies and a set of 30x9.5 r15's. If I remember right those fit nicely after a lift, but if I'm going this far, I might as well go for it? Same thing for rear iso's.

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Thu Apr 22, 2010 8:18 pm

yup

30x9.5 will fit before a lift with heavy pinch rubbing and depending on the amount of lift and backspacing may or may not rub at all after a lift

Donkeykong · **Posted:** Fri Apr 23, 2010 10:40 pm

I've gotta chime in and ask....

I have a daystar lift on ATM... I plan to swap out for springs in the front when I replace my front axle seal... I will likely go with newer shocks at the same time.

Would it be a bad idea to use the daystar upper shock mounts (which are recessed about 1-1/2-2") to allow my shocks to be where they would sit when I am using stock rideheight? I would imagine that even at full compression the shock wouldn't bottom out as the bump stop in the shock would stop that... but I would increase the available droop in the shock... or is it a complete :fail: because the upper control arm would become a problem before I need to worry about any of this?

Great thread BTW.

So BDS is selling springs outside of a kit now?

Mark

Powerman04 · **Posted:** Fri Apr 23, 2010 11:05 pm

I didn't look to see if BDS sold their springs separately. You can buy the full set with no rear shocks (already doesn't come with front struts) though. That was from their website.

As for the Daystar, I don't think it a wise idea to because of the UCA angle you would get from that. I imagine that if you're running the Daystar on stock suspension (do correct me if I'm wrong) then it has sagged to the point where the angle is alright. However, a new strut/shock would put it back into an extreme angle. To be fair, I haven't dealt with a Daystar at all so I could be off, but I would try the new stuff without that and go from there. The only thing I know of that would go up there is bumpstops but that is for the spring.

jafstl38 · **Posted:** Fri Apr 30, 2010 11:27 am

Ive been debating on adding 2 conduit nuts to my clevis as well, where did everyone purchase these? And does anyone have pics of the install? do they just slide right onto the clevis?

tommudd · **Posted:** Fri Apr 30, 2010 11:43 am

The conduit nuts can be bought in any hardware store, ask for conduit nuts 2 inch ones
they slide up over the bottom of the shock, mostly used for measurement purposes as they do not hold anything.

BDS do sell their springs by themselves but are expensive compared to OME, about 80-100 per two more or was

30-9.50s "may" fit before lifting, depending on the sag, another member here in Toledo tried it, and it was rubbing pretty good, had to do a clevis and top plate to make it work

tommudd · **Posted:** Fri Apr 30, 2010 11:47 am

Donkeykong wrote:

I've gotta chime in and ask....

I have a daystar lift on ATM... I plan to swap out for springs in the front when I replace my front axle seal... I will likely go with newer shocks at the same time.

Would it be a bad idea to use the daystar upper shock mounts (which are recessed about 1-1/2-2") to allow my shocks to be where they would sit when I am using stock rideheight? I would imagine that even at full compression the shock wouldn't bottom out as the bump stop in the shock would stop that... but I would increase the available droop in the shock... or is it a complete :fail: because the upper control arm would become a problem before I need to worry about any of this?

Great thread BTW.

So BDS is selling springs outside of a kit now?

Mark

What kind of shocks do you have in the front? Only OMEs have an internal bumpstop, rest will blow , you could maybe use the daystar top plate and their top isolator , but if it was me I would use stock everything with new springs, works great and you can sell the Daystar stuff to someone else

Powerman04 · **Posted:** Fri Apr 30, 2010 3:56 pm

tommudd wrote:

30-9.50s "may" fit before lifting, depending on the sag, another member here in Toledo tried it, and it was rubbing pretty good, had to do a clevis and top plate to make it work

Well in order to cut a few costs, I plan on now simply keeping my stock steel wheels and wrapping them with 245/75/r16's. I read this was the largest without considering re-gearing so that's where I want to be. Any trimming issues with these once lifted with no clevis or rear iso's?

Lift specifics. Time to crunch the numbers!

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