Shock madness (3 Viewers)

[06reg4x4]

Typical 850/860 30mm front spacer fzj80 on 315’s.
I have the normal Ome shocks. Plan has been to put L’s Atleast in the front.
Did usery pass to Apache junction sat. And the lack of travel was annoying. I’m open open. The type of lines I’m used to trying seemed to just pick a tire up and spin. So from my exhaustive reading Doetsch shocks are cheaper option. (Ran on my Jeep and was happy. “Cheap” long options.)
But I understand too much flex is hard on brackets. But it seems like flex is left on the table with the ome’s and the L’s.
Anyone running the Doetsch shocks? Definitely looking at cheaper options. This is a dual duty family rig after all

 

[Squeegee]

Snag the yellow 6” lift shocks from dobinsons. And enjoy having a car with some travel. The brackets will be fiiiiiiiiiiiine

 

[ZetheGSD]

Snag the yellow 6” lift shocks from dobinsons. And enjoy having a car with some travel. The brackets will be fiiiiiiiiiiiine

I'll have a set of my 6" Dobinson yellows for cheap here soon if you are interested... They have a few thousand miles on them.

 

[voodu3]

Do you have your front sway bar connected? You can gain some extra flex up front with disconnect kit from @LandCruiserPhil

LCP - Sway Bar Disconnects

Sway Bar Disconnects 2nd generation sway bar disconnects are CNC cut/bent Shipping option to Canada

sites.google.com

 

[06reg4x4]

Do you have your front sway bar connected? You can gain some extra flex up front with disconnect kit from @LandCruiserPhil

LCP - Sway Bar Disconnects

Sway Bar Disconnects 2nd generation sway bar disconnects are CNC cut/bent Shipping option to Canada

sites.google.com

That’s on my list.

 

[06reg4x4]

Do you have your front sway bar connected? You can gain some extra flex up front with disconnect kit from @LandCruiserPhil

LCP - Sway Bar Disconnects

Sway Bar Disconnects 2nd generation sway bar disconnects are CNC cut/bent Shipping option to Canada

sites.google.com

Let me read up on those

 

[JoeCova]

Let me read up on those

A lot of people just remove the front sway bar altogether.

 

[06reg4x4]

A lot of people just remove the front sway bar altogether.

Street daddy duty. Had no sway bar on my xj. And wasn’t a fan.
But I feel the stock ome shocks are limiting before you even get to the swaybar hindering flex.

 

[jonheld]

I've been extremely happy with the IronMan 4" springs with the matching foam cell pro shocks. It's my daily driver/wheeling/road trip vehicle. I've gone through several different suspension setups over the years. The worst (most uncomfortable ride IMO) was the OME 850/860.
I have also found that the rear sway bar really limits droop in the rear. I have had mine removed for years now with no noticeable detriment to road manners. However, I do not recommend removing the front sway bar. I had mine removed for a brief period due to partially tearing off the axle mounts, and the road manners were horrible, almost dangerous. But again, the rear sway bar is long gone.

Pic is with 36" Swampers. Daily use is 315/75R16 Toyo AT3.

 

[Squeegee]

Another way is to ditch the front and keep the rear. If you make sure that your shocks are long, the free height of your springs is very tall, and your spring rate is low. It should work pretty well
Lots of ways to set up an 80. A lot of it comes down to personal preference

 

[GW Nugget]

If you like current shock valving & just want longer shocks then just space down the shocks 2".
Ls are 2" longer than normal OME nitros.
In rear 2 bolts mount the shock bracket, Get 1/2 pipe nipples or similar with longer bolts.
I did mine with tubing see my build thread early on like say page 5 or so.
If you have the money then get Dobi yellow Nito front & foam cell rears. Foam cell shocks are not charged & have slower rebound.
Dont disco the rear swaybar, you wont like it....

 

[GeoEng]

Get the LCP front swaybar disconnects and a whiteline rear swaybar (approx 15% stiffer) with the stronger LCP rear swaybar links.
More bueno than no rear swaybar and more control in rough ground. Can still stuff my 37s. And no rubbing in the front with disconnected swaybar on w/37s either.
With the front disconnected, maximum flex on rough ground, at least around Tucson.
Always connect the front swaybar on the pavement.
I like the OME "L" s as they are stiff at speed but thinking ironman procell for the rear.

 

[06reg4x4]

That’s nice!! I just want a budget option for longer shocks. And paranoid about the “L” s being stiffer since I’m ok with the ride. But maybe I’m weird it could be softer. But trying to figure. Was the doetsch shocks just too soft for people?

 

[06reg4x4]

Anyone ever heard of 60018”L” same length of normal l fronts. But soft valved.

 

[Squeegee]

I’d just run the yellow Dobinsons shocks for a 6” lift. From what I hear, low speed compression is valved a little softer than OMEs. They’re about a 12” shock which is more than enough. People don’t really run doetsch shocks because they’re well… not super good. I asked wheeleveryweekend about them a year or so ago and told me to stay away from them. I’m usually a proponent for finding the diamond in the rough cheap but good products and I’ve learned that shocks are a very good place to spend your money because you just flat out get a better product

 

[ajax1]

Just fyi, I run longer shocks on 4 inch springs. I left the front sway connected on the first obstacle on billings canyon, when the front flexed and dropped it ripped the front sway off the axle which took out the right hand hard brake line. Have not ran a front sway since then.

 

[Marvelicious]

I'm sure this has been covered elsewhere, but for you guys recommending those 6" Dobinsons (GS59-684&685?), do they bottom out on compression? Is there a need for bump stop extensions? Do their shorter options limit travel too much on extension? Sorry to second guess, but it seems like a lot to run a shock advertised for a 6" lift on a rig with a 2.5" lift and Dobinsons don't seem to list their specs very clearly.

 

[Squeegee]

I'm sure this has been covered elsewhere, but for you guys recommending those 6" Dobinsons (GS59-684&685?), do they bottom out on compression? Is there a need for bump stop extensions? Do their shorter options limit travel too much on extension? Sorry to second guess, but it seems like a lot to run a shock advertised for a 6" lift on a rig with a 2.5" lift and Dobinsons don't seem to list their specs very clearly.

You have to limit uptravel a little bit for the longer compressed length of the shock. The compressed and the extended length for bolt on options for 80s is in the suspension sticky made by gwnugget

 

[Marvelicious]

You have to limit uptravel a little bit for the longer compressed length of the shock. The compressed and the extended length for bolt on options for 80s is in the suspension sticky made by gwnugget

Oh FFS... I thought I had read better info somewhere, but I was trying to look through the FAQ thread and it really didn't get into detail on much beside the OME stuff...
Thanks.

 

[baldilocks]

I'm sure this has been covered elsewhere, but for you guys recommending those 6" Dobinsons (GS59-684&685?), do they bottom out on compression? Is there a need for bump stop extensions? Do their shorter options limit travel too much on extension? Sorry to second guess, but it seems like a lot to run a shock advertised for a 6" lift on a rig with a 2.5" lift and Dobinsons don't seem to list their specs very clearly.

If you run smaller than 37” tires you may need to drop the front bump stops an inch so as to not bottom out the shocks. I’ve been running 37’s since 2017 with 6” lift shocks front only and the tires dictated how far I dropped the bump stops not the shocks.

Also consider that you run the risk of completely unseating a single rate spring when the shock is at full droop. 6” lift shocks are normally recommended to be used with long travel, dual rate springs when the advertised lift is something much less than 6”, say like 3”.