[kropka]

Apologies if this have been already discussed.

I currently have black diamond lift installed including some shackle lift (i believe additional 2") total lift aprox 4.5-5.5"

My jeep already had that when i bought it, myself i have done 6000miles on it so it should have been broken in enough.

Ride is STIFF - just bad. I have ridden other jeeps and this one is by far the worst. So in result i'm considering changing it to something else.

On the cheap side i can just replace the shocks - would i expect any improvement? or should i not bother with it knowing that others have same experience with black diamond.

Other options include Rusty's or OME.
With OME, i have 3 choices - Light / Medium / Heavy - how do i translate difference between those in real life scenario (couldn't find any info). It's my daily driver / fun driver with occasional offloading - but nothing crazy yet.

Thanks in advance as i really want to understand the differences and hopefully your help will steer my decision.

 

[MudMagnetYJ]

I have OME and I'm not too impressed. I went with the heavy duty front and rear. It's stiffer because of that, which I realized. I bought it because I'm going to be puttingaa winch bumper on the front and I carry bike racks in the rear, plus the tongue weight of trailers.

I've heard great things about Rusty's lifts, and I have their steering products. Socks don't stiffen or soften the ride, they simply absorb shock like their name states. They help on small bumps mostly.

 

[StanF]

Apologies if this have been already discussed.

I currently have black diamond lift installed including some shackle lift (i believe additional 2") total lift aprox 4.5-5.5"

My jeep already had that when i bought it, myself i have done 6000miles on it so it should have been broken in enough.

Ride is STIFF - just bad. I have ridden other jeeps and this one is by far the worst. So in result i'm considering changing it to something else.

On the cheap side i can just replace the shocks - would i expect any improvement? or should i not bother with it knowing that others have same experience with black diamond.

Other options include Rusty's or OME.
With OME, i have 3 choices - Light / Medium / Heavy - how do i translate difference between those in real life scenario (couldn't find any info). It's my daily driver / fun driver with occasional offloading - but nothing crazy yet.

Thanks in advance as i really want to understand the differences and hopefully your help will steer my decision.

First, what type, size and load rating tire do you have? And how much air pressure are you running in them?
More than 25psi is likely too much - adjust down and check your contact pattern (google this)
Load range E tires will ride harsh because of their stiff sidewall.
15" rims are usually the best, as they provide a taller sidewall to absorb more of the road imperfections.

Second, what torque do you have on your leaf spring shackles and ends? About 60-65 ft-lbs is what I run. You can try a little less or more.

How many leaves do your existing springs have? YJ leaf springs come with anywhere from 4 (Zone, Rough Country) to 9 (Deaver). The more leaves, the softer the ride.

The more lift you have in your springs, the more arch is necessary, and you will get a harsher ride.

Do the simple stuff mentioned above before you start throwing new parts on it.

 

[StanF]

Also, if you want to confirm that it is the shocks, then take off the shocks and go for a short ride.

If the ride is the same without shocks, then they aren't your problem.

If you do this, be smart, don't go too fast, etc.

 

[kropka]

I have Goodyear wrangler AT with kevlar - 31x10.5x15. Not sure what pressure is in, i usually put as much as the sticker in glove compartment says. Load index is 109.

I'll check torque, leaf count and tire pressure when back at home, thanks for the tips.

 

[wcjeep]

You are running an oversized tire. What load range is the tire? What does the max pressure say on the sidewall? What is the recommended pressure on the door sticker? Is your current lift installed correctly?

It's not a TJ. Are the seats original? My factory YJ seats were marginal on the road. Horrible offroad.