TJ shocks

shawn

shawn

running dog lackey of the oppressor class
Administrator
Joined
Mar 13, 2005
Location
Raleigh, NC
The internet is full of all kinds of people trying to sell all kinds of widgets for TJ shocks. Bar pin eliminators, bayonet eliminators, etc etc. You can spend $300 on shocks and another $300 on crap to mount them.

What's the secret sauce here? Is there anything wrong with the factory locations? Better to hack off the bayonet mount and weld on a couple of tabs? Does the shock length match the available travel at stock height?

I want to buy some 5100s, but don't want to do it twice.
 
I believe you have more options for shock length when you just have the eyes on the end.

the bar pin is just a PITA... flex it out, measure your extended and collapsed distances and start searching for the right shock.
 
Don't bother with the bar pin eliminators. Yes, they are stronger than a stamped squashed piece of steel. If you are using your TJ as a desert prerunner and are using your shocks as bumpstops, then maybe they are a good idea.

As far as shocks are concerned, I wouldn't get anything other than Old Man Emu. Mine are from about 2001 and still ride well and have gas pressure in them. They also flex well and have plenty of travel. You definitely get what you pay for.
 
Save $$$ and just get a pair of normal shocks. No need for bar pin eliminators.
I have the rancho 9000xl's on mine and they ride great ( considering it is a jeep)
 
Yeah, I'm a big fan of Bilsteins. They make a 0-2" 5100 with OEM mounts on it, so that's not a problem. But after looking around at all the other crap people had for sale, I started to wonder if there were fundamental problems with the factory setup.
 
most that i have seen break bar pins have had shocks that were too short for the amount of flex in the axle( upward or downward), the rest were just hellish rusted.
 
I assure you, factory shocks are not the ticket. Not after 13 years, anyway.

The ones on the Dodge were pretty crappy after 5 yrs... but it turns like a race car with the 5100s on it. ;)
 
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