Air shocks or springover coils?

[I Lean]

You'll spend a little on the springover. (just as an example, I think I've got about $500ish extra in my steering that would have cost about $200ish if I had stuck with the link setup) I think if I had it to do over again, I'd likely do the links with the coil-overs as I had planned originally. The rig does work pretty well, but it's taken some time to tune it to how it works for me and my driving style.

It's a tough call on what will work better. It's like comparing a D300 to an Atlas II. The D300 is about 60-75% of the price of an Atlas II. The Atlas has ALL new parts and is proven and tested. IMHO, the Atlas might have been worth the upgrade price had I known exactly where I'd end up after a few years.

It took me a few leaf setups, and trail failures to find something that's been working for the last couple of years. Now I'm at the maint. level with the leaf springs. Likely a similar process with coil-overs, but you have infinite adjustability. Now I'm wearing out spring bushings (which is better than snapping leaf springs). I DO like the predictability of my leaf setup. I'm very confident with it off-road, but still do get some wheelhop that could be tuned out with a proper link system.



Mine seems to work pretty well with stock XJ springs. Tough to think about changing it now.




I'd be glad to try a set out for you.

I'm pretty sure he's not talking about a leaf spring springover, since he has TJ suspension under there now. (coils/shocks) Just debating between airshox and coilovers.

 

[GOAT]

On my YJ build (which is a couple yrs old now) I chose coilovers in front and air shocks in back. I chose air shocks in back because they worked great on my pals 1/2 yota 1/2 buggy thingy.
My observations since then:
- air shocks on my YJ created a LOT of uncontrolled body roll. stretching the wheel base and linking it made it work fantastic off road but i hate the body roll. (this week i plan to put in a anti-rock sway bar).
And on mine i had one blow out and leave me stuck driving off the trail at 1 mph with no suspension. A coilover would not do that.

- The front coilovers are excellent but i'm sure the body roll is all from the rear. However so i can go faster on the trail i'm installing hydraulic air bumps on the front this week. Packaging is a bit of a challenge.

- i've never experienced shock fade with this setup but it's a crawler not a desert runner so who knows.

If i had to do it again i'd probably not run air shocks on the back and go straight to coilovers, then evaluate if it needs an anti-rock. My buddies stretched YJ on leafs doesn't have the flex that mine has but goes anywhere (and he's twice the driver I am). There is very little that my jeep can do that his cannot.

Finally I don't agree that the set up of the suspension alone would negate the body roll. As was said above by supergpr, the air shock has some peculiarities. I do admit that i've never tried to "tune" them by adding oil, etc etc.

totally OT

Have you made the trek from el paso out to satan's playground yet?

 

[rondo]

I'm happy with my king coilovers. yeah i'd like to do hydro bump stops and that's in the plan.

satan's playground,,,never heard of it. I did quite a few of the Las Cruces trails. On one flat crazy/nasty trail we had 7 jeeps, a zuki and my frontier, and 6 jeeps broke something before we got done at 9 pm haha (not me of course) heh heh

i'm back from el paso now but i could live in new mexico just for the great trails.