Ride quality of coilovers vs regular coil springs

WJCO

Meme King
For those of you that run coilovers and still use your Jeeps a decent amount of time on the pavement, is the ride quality still decent? I'll admit I don't know much at all about coilovers but if I decide to build up the JT, I'm going to go big and do it once. With that being said, this truck is still used for long road trips and my family nor I would appreciate the extra cost spending if the ride isn't nice.

Once I do this, I'll be going 40s so I'm probably going to be running 5-6 inches of lift. I don't want to regret getting coil springs and wish I'd gone coilovers. And I don't want to get coilovers and then wish I had just gone with regular springs.

I understand the benefits off-road and understand the extra maintenance with coilovers. My main question is ride quality on longer trips on the highway.

I will likely do bolt ons and I will definitely do long arms.
 

JAGS

Hooked
Actually, the amount of travel you get from long arms is a popular misconception. The only thing that determines travel is the length of your shocks. The only reason to install a set of long arms is to correct suspension geometry after installing a taller lift. The longer arms will restore the angle that they sit at ride height and where you feel the most benefit from them is on pavement and driving hard and fast across the desert. This is the same reason why you'd want to install things like a track bar relocation bracket and do a drag link flip as opposed to just installing an adjustable track bar, it helps to correct the geometry of them and this improves roll center and handling.

With that said and depending on how tall you set your ride, you may not feel that much of a difference between factory length arms and long arms. In other words, it may not be worth the extra expense... depending on how tall you set your ride.
I think I asked you this privately at some point, even back with my Jk too. but will ask here again. This whole topic discussion always makes my head spin as there are real pros and cons to any decision.

the king 2.5s give a fair amount of travel. I ended up with these on my JK paired with plush ride EVO springs and EVO lower front control arms.

where are the +/- of a similar lift on the JL platform vs additional arms and even the LA set up with coilovers. And EVO also sells the LA kit with their coil and king shocks....does this even make sense vs a coilover/LA?

no dumb questions thread??? Lol.
 
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wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
I gotcha, so the shock length is what allows the wheel travel, but with all that bring true- the EVO bolt ons say you need the long arms to get to that maximum wheel travel, right? Its Because the coilover is long enough to allow for it? So, You won't get that type of travel with a standard shock, hence needing the limit straps because the length of extended shock.. Realizing the arms aren't what allows the wheel travel, If you were to run evo bolt ons with standard arms you can you achieve the max wheel travel stated or is there a geometry issue? I'm assuming driveline is a issue as well with that droop. I feel like I'm talking in a vortex haha
What I can tell you is that the bolt on coilover kit for the JL is NOT the same thing on the JK before. On the JK before, you could totally run the coilovers with standard length arms and guys like piginajeep did it. Worked great too. On the JL, the amount of travel you get is HUGE - way more than the JK before and this does cause problems with standard length arms as the axle swipes a lot more and that causes the coilovers to make too much contact with the frame rails. Driveline bind is always an issue with too much droop.
 
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wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
I think I asked you this privately at some point, even back with my Jk too. but will ask here again. This whole topic discussion always makes my head spin as there are real pros and cons to any decision.

the king 2.5s give a fair amount of travel. I ended up with these on my JK paired with plush ride EVO springs and EVO lower front control arms.

where are the +/- of a similar lift on the JL platform vs additional arms and even the LA set up with coilovers. And EVO also sells the LA kit with their coil and king shocks....does this even make sense vs a coilover/LA?

no dumb questions thread??? Lol.
As I just mentioned to Ben, the JL bolt on coilover setup is a LOT different than the one made for the JK before. It is a MUCH better kit in my opinion and one that offers a LOT more travel. On our JL, it allows me to drive very fast and I feel like it can almost keep up with Moby on all but the whoops. I was never really a big fan of the bolt on coilover kit on the JK being that it really didn't offer that much more than the coil and king shock setup and with a set of 2.5's, the later offered a nicer ride. Of course, with coilovers, you can adjust them, install different spring rate and even have the valving changed to give you a ride that you like. We have done this and we are happy with that.
 
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benatc1

Hooked
What I can tell you is that the bolt on coilover kit for the JL is NOT the same thing on the JK before. On the JK before, you could totally run the coilovers with standard length arms and guys like piginajeep did it. Worked great too. On the JL, the amount of travel you get is HUGE - way more than the JK before and this does cause problems with standard length arms as the axle swipes a lot more and that causes the coilovers to make too much contact with the frame rails. Driveline bind is always an issue with too much droop.
Thanks for the info, I think a big part of it to is why spend the money on the coil overs and rob myself of 3" of wheel travel by staying with standard arms, which is fairly significant.
 
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wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Thanks for the info, I think a big part of it to is why spend the money on the coil overs and rob myself of 3" of wheel travel by staying with standard arms, which is fairly significant.
Yup, people pay good money just to get 3" of lift.
 
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MericaMade

Active Member
I felt like the Evo coils were great and I was very happy with them. The CO ride amazing but the one thing I preferred about the regular coils was no noise like you hear with the COs.
 
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jdofmemi

Active Member
One more thing I will add to the discussion that I haven't seen mentioned yet, in this thread at least, is when approaching an obstacle with a front tire dropped out.
With short arms the axle moves back much farther than it does with long arms. This causes the front tire to struggle much more to climb up, as it has to push the whole Jeep backwards as the tire climbs.
With long arms, the arc is flatter, so much less push in the wrong direction when climbing.

Even if the travel is equal, the long arms make climbing up ledges and such easier because of this flatter arc.

I hope that makes sense.
 
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wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
I felt like the Evo coils were great and I was very happy with them. The CO ride amazing but the one thing I preferred about the regular coils was no noise like you hear with the COs.
Yup, coilovers are a performance mod. They are noisy and they need servicing. I would NOT recommend them to people who want their Jeep to be more like a quiet car or SUV that they use as a daily driver.
 
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wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
One more thing I will add to the discussion that I haven't seen mentioned yet, in this thread at least, is when approaching an obstacle with a front tire dropped out.
With short arms the axle moves back much farther than it does with long arms. This causes the front tire to struggle much more to climb up, as it has to push the whole Jeep backwards as the tire climbs.
With long arms, the arc is flatter, so much less push in the wrong direction when climbing.

Even if the travel is equal, the long arms make climbing up ledges and such easier because of this flatter arc.

I hope that makes sense.
Yup. Geometry correction is the primary reason to run long arms.
 
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JAGS

Hooked
As I just mentioned to Ben, the JL bolt on coilover setup is a LOT different than the one made for the JK before. It is a MUCH better kit in my opinion and one that offers a LOT more travel. On our JL, it allows me to drive very fast and I feel like it can almost keep up with Moby on all but the whoops. I was never really a big fan of the bolt on coilover kit on the JK being that it really didn't offer that much more than the coil and king shock setup and with a set of 2.5's, the later offered a nicer ride. Of course, with coilovers, you can adjust them, install different spring rate and even have the valving changed to give you a ride that you like. We have done this and we are happy with that.
This is an interesting tidbit. So the JL and Jk are not necessarily equal or on the same level. I went with the 2.5 on my JK for that reason. Heard from many people including those at ORE at the time.

so now I’m the CO/LA provides a more pronounced difference. Noise and cost being the limiting factor.

let’s dismiss cost for a second.

The noise issue...do the optional new glides/slides improve noise enough to reduce this issue. Have you heard both to know if it’s helpful? Anyone else used both?

Not that I “need” COs, but if I’m already spending 75%, what another 25%? It’s just 💰
 
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Not that I “need” COs, but if I’m already spending 75%, what another 25%? It’s just 💰
I like where this is going.

My concern with coil overs is solely the cost of axels. My brain doesn’t allow one without the other. Can someone set me straight on how strong or lack there of JL/JT axels are.
 
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JAGS

Hooked
I like where this is going.

My concern with coil overs is solely the cost of axels. My brain doesn’t allow one without the other. Can someone set me straight on how strong or lack there of JL/JT axels are.


10-12k minimum for Dana 60s front and rear. Plus labor. Ouch.

Since I know I won’t be doing anything that crazy while the JL is my daily, I’m hoping the stock axels will hold for a couple years.

Kinda wish Dana had a front option similar to the PR44.

I too am curious if the stock axels are a bad plan???
 
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Seahawkfan

Hooked
10-12k minimum for Dana 60s front and rear. Plus labor. Ouch.

Since I know I won’t be doing anything that crazy while the JL is my daily, I’m hoping the stock axels will hold for a couple years.

Kinda wish Dana had a front option similar to the PR44.

I too am curious if the stock axels are a bad plan???
What about this..
 
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wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
This is an interesting tidbit. So the JL and Jk are not necessarily equal or on the same level. I went with the 2.5 on my JK for that reason. Heard from many people including those at ORE at the time.

so now I’m the CO/LA provides a more pronounced difference. Noise and cost being the limiting factor.

let’s dismiss cost for a second.

The noise issue...do the optional new glides/slides improve noise enough to reduce this issue. Have you heard both to know if it’s helpful? Anyone else used both?

Not that I “need” COs, but if I’m already spending 75%, what another 25%? It’s just 💰
So, I think it's important for me to clarify that I personally don't think the "noise" is all that bad. In fact, most of it can be mitigated and I rarely hear them on my Jeeps. It does take effort and regular adjustments but it can be done even without expensive glides. But, even if they were noisy all the time, I'd still want them for how they perform! It's the ONLY reason why you should get coilovers - their performance. If you want a quite ride, DON'T MODIFY YOUR JEEP. It really is that simple. The Jeep engineers spend millions of dollars and countless hours designing and developing things like bonded rubber bushings that should last the lifetime of your Jeep in stock form.
 
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OverlanderJK

Resident Smartass
So, I think it's important for me to clarify that I personally don't think the "noise" is all that bad. In fact, most of it can be mitigated and I rarely hear them on my Jeeps. It does take effort and regular adjustments but it can be done even without expensive glides. But, even if they were noisy all the time, I'd still want them for how they perform! It's the ONLY reason why you should get coilovers - their performance. If you want a quite ride, DON'T MODIFY YOUR JEEP. It really is that simple. The Jeep engineers spend millions of dollars and countless hours designing and developing things like bonded rubber bushings that should last the lifetime of your Jeep in stock form.
And on the JK they put the crappiest tires that are so loud. Lol
 
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wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
I like where this is going.

My concern with coil overs is solely the cost of axels. My brain doesn’t allow one without the other. Can someone set me straight on how strong or lack there of JL/JT axels are.
If axles are your hang up, just don't run tires bigger than 37". Mel and I have been talking about this at length and the fact of the matter is... Dana finally got their shit together and have made pretty decent axles for the JL and JT. With the exception of the rare axle breaks at the FAD and ALL of them were caused impacts that could be considered collisions at significant speeds, we simply have not seen the kind of bends, breaks or failure that we used to on the JK and it's been over 3 years since the JL came out. I saw my first JK axle break within months of it being released and tons of bent C's. We've seen NONE of that on the JL and JT. Heck, I'm still running the factory rear axle on my JL and really, I'd still be running the front as well if Dynatrac hadn't given us a PR44 to help promote it. If anything, I really wish I still had my factory axle as... I know it's sacrilege to say it but I really liked the FAD and mainly because I could add in more positive caster and without having to deal with driveline vibes.
 
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