need new strut shocks

PALiftedKK · **Posted:** Tue Dec 02, 2014 8:34 pm

I have a 2012 kk with an actual 3.25" lift with stock suspension. I've been led to believe the strut shocks are toasted. Just wondered what brand and size any other kk or kj owner has on theirs.

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Dec 02, 2014 8:43 pm

PALiftedKK wrote:

I have a 2012 kk with an actual 3.25" lift with stock suspension. I've been led to believe the strut shocks are toasted. Just wondered what brand and size any other kk or kj owner has on theirs.

I would rate them as best
1)OME
2)Ironman ( although are longer than stock, OME or Bilstein )
3)Bilstein

If you are going to keep the spacer lift I waould also suggest getting the front bumpstops as well ( Teraflex )
Thats helped in the past to save the front suspension a little while longer

PALiftedKK · **Posted:** Tue Dec 02, 2014 9:10 pm

tommudd wrote:

PALiftedKK wrote:

I have a 2012 kk with an actual 3.25" lift with stock suspension. I've been led to believe the strut shocks are toasted. Just wondered what brand and size any other kk or kj owner has on theirs.

I would rate them as best
1)OME
2)Ironman ( although are longer than stock, OME or Bilstein )
3)Bilstein

If you are going to keep the spacer lift I waould also suggest getting the front bumpstops as well ( Teraflex )
Thats helped in the past to save the front suspension a little while longer

What length would be acceptable. Or just any strut shock will do?

PALiftedKK · **Posted:** Tue Dec 02, 2014 9:32 pm

http://www.autoanything.com/suspension-systems/61A5657A0A0.aspx

These ok then?

Bmxer524 · **Posted:** Tue Dec 02, 2014 10:04 pm

Stock length shocks are used in the front, even when lifted. Not sure exactly why, but it's how it is and I just accept it.

huntb · **Posted:** Wed Dec 03, 2014 10:24 am

OP what has led you to believe that? The stock springs wear out pretty fast and it could be them. What kind of symptoms are you experiencing? How many miles on your KK? Your best bet is to replace the whole setup with new spring and shocks if you have the $ for it.

If it is just the shocks, JeepinbyAl.com has Bilstein's on sale for a great price right now

PALiftedKK · **Posted:** Wed Dec 03, 2014 12:08 pm

huntb wrote:

OP what has led you to believe that? The stock springs wear out pretty fast and it could be them. What kind of symptoms are you experiencing? How many miles on your KK? Your best bet is to replace the whole setup with new spring and shocks if you have the $ for it.

If it is just the shocks, JeepinbyAl.com has Bilstein's on sale for a great price right now

it has almost 22k on it. when I hit a bump the steering goes crazy. the front suspension usually sounds like it is rattling and has an annoying metal on metal sound. sway bar bushings are brand new with zerks. the last time the front end was taken apart, all the bolts to my knowledge were probably over tightened. those strut shocks were a pain to tighten!

heres my original post about the issues.

http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=88&t=80771

huntb · **Posted:** Wed Dec 03, 2014 10:33 pm

PALiftedKK wrote:

huntb wrote:

OP what has led you to believe that? The stock springs wear out pretty fast and it could be them. What kind of symptoms are you experiencing? How many miles on your KK? Your best bet is to replace the whole setup with new spring and shocks if you have the $ for it.

If it is just the shocks, JeepinbyAl.com has Bilstein's on sale for a great price right now

it has almost 22k on it. when I hit a bump the steering goes crazy. the front suspension usually sounds like it is rattling and has an annoying metal on metal sound. sway bar bushings are brand new with zerks. the last time the front end was taken apart, all the bolts to my knowledge were probably over tightened. those strut shocks were a pain to tighten!

heres my original post about the issues.

http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=88&t=80771

Well before I got my lift I had tons of bump steer like you describe. Couldn't tell you if it was shocks or springs since I replaced all of them at the same time. Bump steer is totally fixed. As for the metal on metal noise - you had your suspension apart? Top shock not might not be completely tight. Make sure everything down under is tightened to spec with full vehicle weight on it (Jeep on the ground)

PALiftedKK · **Posted:** Thu Dec 04, 2014 2:03 pm

huntb wrote:

PALiftedKK wrote:

huntb wrote:

OP what has led you to believe that? The stock springs wear out pretty fast and it could be them. What kind of symptoms are you experiencing? How many miles on your KK? Your best bet is to replace the whole setup with new spring and shocks if you have the $ for it.

If it is just the shocks, JeepinbyAl.com has Bilstein's on sale for a great price right now

it has almost 22k on it. when I hit a bump the steering goes crazy. the front suspension usually sounds like it is rattling and has an annoying metal on metal sound. sway bar bushings are brand new with zerks. the last time the front end was taken apart, all the bolts to my knowledge were probably over tightened. those strut shocks were a pain to tighten!

heres my original post about the issues.

http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=88&t=80771

Well before I got my lift I had tons of bump steer like you describe. Couldn't tell you if it was shocks or springs since I replaced all of them at the same time. Bump steer is totally fixed. As for the metal on metal noise - you had your suspension apart? Top shock not might not be completely tight. Make sure everything down under is tightened to spec with full vehicle weight on it (Jeep on the ground)

all of the front suspension is probably over torqued. im already planning on new shocks. :furious:

I know its not recommended to replace the shocks and not the springs, but my KK sees mud, rivers, boulders, and trees about 4 times a year if that.

the strut shock was supposedly tightened al the way. how much thread should their be after its tightened?

tommudd · **Posted:** Thu Dec 04, 2014 6:03 pm

Springs and shocks work together to provide a good ride and handling on and off road
Replacing one without the other is like buying new shoes while having big holes in your socks,
or new jeans with holey underwear its never going to be right or feel right until you replace both :wink:

PALiftedKK · **Posted:** Fri Dec 05, 2014 9:06 am

tommudd wrote:

Springs and shocks work together to provide a good ride and handling on and off road
Replacing one without the other is like buying new shoes while having big holes in your socks,
or new jeans with holey underwear its never going to be right or feel right until you replace both :wink:

thanks for all of the help tom! the lift kit was installed 2 months ago and I didn't have any plans to do a full suspension lift until 2016, that's the year im moving south. :BANANA:

here in pa to my knowledge there is not a lot of trails to go on. and being that my KK isn't even 3 years old with under 22k miles on it, I have yet to notice the springs sag. I had no plan either to upgrade the shocks either but we all know how that one turned out! ill be tearing the front apart sometime next week or so to put new shocks on and hopefully that minimizes the bump steer issue. :furious:

just that rattleing, so annoying. I guess that's why yall don't recommend spacer kits! :banghead:

PALiftedKK · **Posted:** Fri Dec 05, 2014 9:11 am

huntb wrote:

OP what has led you to believe that? The stock springs wear out pretty fast and it could be them. What kind of symptoms are you experiencing? How many miles on your KK? Your best bet is to replace the whole setup with new spring and shocks if you have the $ for it.

If it is just the shocks, JeepinbyAl.com has Bilstein's on sale for a great price right now

are these the shocks you were talking about? I know they say stock jk. what about a 3" spacer lifted kk

http://jeepinbyal.com/liberty-2008-2012-kk/front-struts-for-kk/bilstein-heavy-duty-front-strut.html

tommudd · **Posted:** Fri Dec 05, 2014 9:24 am

PALiftedKK wrote:

huntb wrote:

OP what has led you to believe that? The stock springs wear out pretty fast and it could be them. What kind of symptoms are you experiencing? How many miles on your KK? Your best bet is to replace the whole setup with new spring and shocks if you have the $ for it.

If it is just the shocks, JeepinbyAl.com has Bilstein's on sale for a great price right now

are these the shocks you were talking about? I know they say stock jk. what about a 3" spacer lifted kk

http://jeepinbyal.com/liberty-2008-2012-kk/front-struts-for-kk/bilstein-heavy-duty-front-strut.html

Same front as has been mentioned before,
doesn't matter if lifted or not, same from 2002-2012

By the way I completely replaced my whole suspension at 20,000 miles, rode what felt like 100 times better
didn't have to slow down for RR tracks that before had to go over at 15 MPH could now take at 50
If I was buying a new KJ/KK today, there would be a full spring lift waiting to swap out before I had 100 miles on it
KJ and KK suspensions suck big time

PALiftedKK · **Posted:** Fri Dec 05, 2014 9:37 am

Quote:

Same front as has been mentioned before,
doesn't matter if lifted or not, same from 2001-2012

By the way I completely replaced my whole suspension at 20,000 miles, rode what felt like 100 times better
didn't have to slow down for RR tracks that before had to go over at 15 MPH could now take at 50
If I was buying a new KJ/KK today, there would be a full spring lift waiting to swap out before I had 100 miles on it
KJ and KK suspensions suck big time

thanks tom! yea, there's not much room in the budget for a $1,500 full lift kit at the moment. hopefully the new shocks don't bite the dust before I go off road in may! and the bump steer, ill take a look at that issue next year.

tommudd · **Posted:** Fri Dec 05, 2014 9:59 am

PALiftedKK wrote:

Quote:

Same front as has been mentioned before,
doesn't matter if lifted or not, same from 2001-2012

By the way I completely replaced my whole suspension at 20,000 miles, rode what felt like 100 times better
didn't have to slow down for RR tracks that before had to go over at 15 MPH could now take at 50
If I was buying a new KJ/KK today, there would be a full spring lift waiting to swap out before I had 100 miles on it
KJ and KK suspensions suck big time

thanks tom! yea, there's not much room in the budget for a $1,500 full lift kit at the moment. hopefully the new shocks don't bite the dust before I go off road in may! and the bump steer, ill take a look at that issue next year.

1500??
Can do a full spring for about half that
Never had bump steer on any we lifted here

PALiftedKK · **Posted:** Fri Dec 05, 2014 11:22 am

http://jeepinbyal.com/liberty-2008-2012-kk/econo-lift-kits-for-the-kk/tommudd-s-econo-3-5-lift-kit-kk-ome.html

when I do a full suspension lift, it would be this with the .5 clevis spacer.

Bmxer524 · **Posted:** Fri Dec 05, 2014 12:36 pm

Get the OME lift. 927 and 731 springs. When the time comes that you want to go up to 3.5" get the a-arms, 1/4" spacer plate(actually get this at the same time as the lift and install it for a 3" lift from the start) and do a 3/8" Clevis lift(OME sits higher than ironman, so no need for the 1/2" Clevis. In fact it might make you sit too high). In the rear you add 2 extra rear isolators per side for a total of 4. If you do install the top plate with the initial lift add an extra iso to each side. Then when you install the arms and Clevis throw the 2nd extra in.

Edit: Tom have you spoken to JBA about redoing the econo lift? I just noticed they swapped the front from Iron man to OME. Whats the reason behind that?

need new strut shocks

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