Rear shock and spring discussion

[djthumper]

I am definitely waiting to hear a report of the N8030s with the SkyJacker springs. I can't believe how many people are running the shocks that started with a search that Kyle and I started to see what else was out there other than BDS before they got the Fox shocks.

[ErikSS]

I bought mine in March 2013 (yes, this year) because MarkMC suggested them... and the price was very reasonable.

[v7guy]

They're a real valid option. They're only a half inch shorter than the BDS/Fox shocks and both are gas charged so they're really vaild comparisons.

I can offer input on the fox shocks with the Z71 springs. They dampen the springs about as well when it's unloaded as when I'm running around with hundreds of lbs in the hatch area. It doesn't matter if it's a stack of 15-20 sheets of green board or if it's piles of wood from a 20" trunk on a 2.5 story tree... or if I'm going to work with a duffle bag of gear in the back. It just works.


The fox shocks with the skyjacker springs seem to work well under a moderate load as I've experinced in Moots truck. They seem to work well with a couple hundred lbs. A bit softer/bouncier, which could be good or bad. But I've not been in his truck with hundreds and hundreds of lbs in it.

[ErikSS]

A bit softer/bouncier, which could be good or bad. But I've not been in his truck with hundreds and hundreds of lbs in it.

IMHO, Bounce is always bad.

[Moots1288]

A bit softer/bouncier, which could be good or bad. But I've not been in his truck with hundreds and hundreds of lbs in it.

IMHO, Bounce is always bad.

It doesn't bounce that much, I like ride much better then z71s and white body bds shocks. Really don't know how the ride is with z71s and gas shocks.

[mikekey]

I think some folks here just like their rigs to ride like soft Cadillacs and not as HARD as they claim.

[Moots1288]

I love my Cadillac envoy

[JorDaneeKey]

I love my Cadillac envoy

You and Adam are related, aren't you?


(Fast forward to the 4:30 mark.)

[ErikSS]

"You Smashed Every Single Bottle!" hahaha Great Video JorDanee

[dvanbramer88]

I love my Cadillac envoy

You and Adam are related, aren't you?


(Fast forward to the 4:30 mark.)

That was one of my favorite US Top Gear Episodes.

I can also add, that with 3 dudes and a bunch of crap in the back of Moots' truck, probably a couple hundred pounds, it rides awesome on the highway. It doesn't really bounce, It doesn't feel soft, it doesn't feel hard. It just goes down the road level and steady. From what I've seen the Skyjacker springs and the Fox shocks are a good combo.

[mikekey]

I just want to try the setup so I can be qualified to trash talk too. Hehehe.

But in all seriousness, while the Z71s ride more truck like which is fine for me, I was thinking about little passengers and making a better ride, so why not test out a different setup.

[HARDTRAILZ]

To anyone wanting Skyjacker rear spring opinions...please ask Moots, Regulator or myself since we have owned and used them daily.

[v7guy]

A bit softer/bouncier, which could be good or bad. But I've not been in his truck with hundreds and hundreds of lbs in it.

IMHO, Bounce is always bad.

It doesn't bounce that much, I like ride much better then z71s and white body bds shocks. Really don't know how the ride is with z71s and gas shocks.

I'm calling bullshit. Moots ran around with the z71s for a lil while with the fox shocks if I'm not mistaken and he's spent a pretty significant amount of time in my truck. For the record, he's told me he doesn't care for the way my truck rides. On the other hand TBYODA was in my truck the first day of the last TECORE and while I was romping on it through the switchbacks and moving over the washboard sections he made a comment that I was moving pretty good, but I'm very comfortable in the truck in it's current (ever self destructing state) and new exactly how it was going to react, I've never heard him mention to me the truck rode poorly.

The thing that struck me most about Moots is when we were at Badlands going over some heavy washboard stuff the rear end bounced hard, as did the front, but it seemed to be a bit of a teeter totter effect where the rear was bouncing a tremendous amount and pitching the front. The front and rear didn't really feel like it was in sync. Now obviously that's likely not so much a spring problem as it is a shock problem. I would assume the shock would need to be a little stiffer to keep from getting the wheel hop. It probably doesn't need to be a lot stiffer, but a little bit. The rebound felt alright to me, the spring/shock seemed to return the axle back down quickly, but it was just in time to hit the next rise and slam the axle back up.

In Lacey NJ I found that over the washboard stuff the z71s with the fox shocks rode pretty decent, there wasn't near the pitching and heaving that I felt in Moots truck. My front end was still topping out as I came over the rise, and ultimately I broke one shock, but the rear end felt planted and I didn't get the teeter totter effect Moots had. Unfortunately in some situations the rear does feel a little too stiff, but again it's probably a bit more of a shock issue (where it needs softened a smidge). The rear skates a bit in the smaller washboard stuff and I could see it being a problem for some people. I'm pretty familiar with a vehicle that's tail happy though and I'm very comfortable getting it to act like I want... I prefer the skating to something like Moots has where it pitches the whole truck around.


The end result may have very little to do with the spring itself and actually have more to do with the shock we're using with the respective springs. Outside of getting some shocks that you can tune yourself, or one that's dual adjustable I'm not sure you're going to easily solve it without spending a lot of time and money just tossing on different shocks.


As mentioned before, there's a fair amount of personal preference to be considered when making a decision which route you want to choose. I also suspect there's a really good compromise out there to keep the truck from pitching so much and to keep it from skating. For most of us though both setups work reasonably well in most situations and the parts we've been using is just a compromise on readily available cheapish parts that we can adapt.



you can find more info about it all...
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=1747
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=411
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=260

[TBYODA]

On the other hand TBYODA was in my truck the first day of the last TECORE and while I was romping on it through the switchbacks and moving over the washboard sections he made a comment that I was moving pretty good, but I'm very comfortable in the truck in it's current (ever self destructing state) and new exactly how it was going to react, I've never heard him mention to me the truck rode poorly.

That is because through the switchbacks I was car sick for the first time ever in my life and thought I was going to In between the monuments of nausea it felt fine as lifted TB should be.

[HARDTRAILZ]

I know the shocks are a big portion.

Jason... maybe the MX6 or RS9000 or something similar. I know there are others but if I remember right those are decent price w 6 n 9 levels of adjustment.

[v7guy]

I think either one would be a real valid choice for something to play with. You're stuck with what they select for the rebound adjustment, but as I mentioned before, I'm inclined to think that the compression is the bigger issue in the z71s and skyjackers. I can't think that the rebound would be far off. So being able to dial in the stiffness would probably really help the skyjackers and the z71s a lot. I was surprised too cause the price isn't bad, right inline with the Fox/BDS shocks Moots and I have.

Personally I'm really leaning towards FOA for the latest TB project, they're cheap, and despite some problems initially, the warranty is solid and they have a reasonable reputation on pirate. You can open em up and revalve them if you're inclined... most of the forums say you should at minimum open em up and clean the metal shaving out

Given the cost of the race bilsteins on the firebird that can also be revalved (I've really appreciated that ability) the FOA stuff seems like a steal. But they are more of a "tinker with it" project shock. They probably aren't worth it for most people especially if the adj shocks can be tweaked enough for the spring each of us is using.