Stock CJ Owners please help me!!!!

NCHornet

New Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2006
Location
Mt Airy
I have a problem and need some help. My son and I are restoring a 77 CJ5, we took it down to the frame and redid everything. The old shocks were shot so I chucked them. After removing the tub and stripping refinishing the Frame in KBS I purchased some Monroe shocks for the Jeep. I have used Ranchos and Bils in the past on my truck and found them to stiff, but I have had good luck with the Monroe Reflex. Back to the problem, when I got the shocls and cut the restrainer, with the shock fully extended it was about 1/2" from reaching the mounting stud. I know the tub is heavy, but surely it isn't that heavy!!! My son and his buddy as well as myself all got on the rear end and the suspension only dropped about 1", I reckon we were 450lbs+, so this means with the shocks in place they are only 1/2" from being fully extended. This was the same for the fronts as well. I had Napa check their numbers and they were right. They said the only other shock they showed was one for a Mark V suspension. I had them order a set of those, but they were the same length extended as the others. I then contacted Monroe directly and their response was basically " this is what our computer shows so it must be something wrong with your Jeep" Our Jeep is totally stock, no lift or spacers anywhere. I now have the tub back on and need to get some shocks for it. I thought I could take a measurement fully extened by jacking up the jeep by the frame until the tire comes off the ground and then fully compressed by jacking from the axle until the tire comes off the ground. The difference between these two measurements was somewhere around 2 1/2" for the rear and IIRC 3 1/2" for the front, ( I don't have the numbers with me right now) I know this isn't the full distance of travel but I have no way to test articulation here at the house, so can I use the mesurements I have for anything? Maybe some of y'all with stock CJ5 suspensions could give me a make and model # off your shocks I would sure appreciate it. It doesn't matter what brand as what I need are the specs off of the shock then I can find the right shock for us by the specs. Thanks ahead of time.
NCH
 
i just finished a 78 cj5, i put on gabrial ultras from auto zone about $30 ea. i did not have any problems. i ask for stock shocks or something one step better, this is what they recommended. they ride good, not to stiff
 
SOunds like to me something has changed. Are you sure you don't have some lift prings on the Jeep?
 
Add-a-leafs in there perhaps?
 
3.5 inches of travel is not unusual for stock length SUA travel without full weight on it.
What do you have on the Jeep now? Tub? Engine and drive train? Seats, gas tank, etc?

A small amount of weight one way or the other will make a difference in the ride height.

To make sure you get what you need, you can flex the Jeep, loaded with an approximation of final weight (sandbags, cinder blocks, neighbor kids), and measure the extended and collapsed lengths. Then contact whatever manufacturer you prefer, give them the lengths and get the shock that it closest to both. I like to add an inch in each direction when possible.
 
The Jeep is fully assembled, seats, tub drivetrain, ready to roll!!
78JeepCJ5, with your shocks fully extended how much longer are they than the distance between the mounting studs while it sits on the ground? What I am learning is all shock manufacturers have it wrong for the 77?
There are no helper springs, totally stock.
Thanks for the help/

NCH
 
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