Help me understand flexing in the rear

aaronstephen

New member
I'm trying figure out what the max amount of down travel I can get with my suspension in the rear. I have the EVO 4" coils and they measure 19" with no weight on them. I am figuring the coil retainer adds about a 1/2" to that length putting it at 19.5". The rear bottom shock mount sits roughly 8.5" below where the coil spring sits on the axle. So my guess is that my shock fully extended should be no longer than 28".

But, do I actually get that much droop with the sway bar connected to the links? Also, would longer links give me more flex in the rear? My links are 10" right now but I'm thinking they should be about 12.5".

Thanks for any help
 

OverlanderJK

Resident Smartass
Your lower shock mount sits 8.5" below the lower coil mount? That doesn't make any sense. It would be almost on the ground. :thinking:
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
As mentioned, your sway bar WILL NOT limit your flex. IF your sway bar links are too short, they may limit your flex. Having shocks that are too long WILL cause them to bottom out. Flex is a good thing but it seems that you are obsessing about it and really, there's no need for it. Learn how to pick good lines and how to drive better and that'll do more for you than anything you can bolt onto your Jeep. :yup:
 

aaronstephen

New member
As mentioned, your sway bar WILL NOT limit your flex. IF your sway bar links are too short, they may limit your flex. Having shocks that are too long WILL cause them to bottom out. Flex is a good thing but it seems that you are obsessing about it and really, there's no need for it. Learn how to pick good lines and how to drive better and that'll do more for you than anything you can bolt onto your Jeep. :yup:

Wow. Sorry for asking a question to help me understand a bit more on how my Jeep performs. Obsession? NOPE. just looking to learn.

picking good lines and learning to drive better will help me more than anything I can bolt on? Of course! I'm not a dumb ass. That of course wasn't my question though, was it?
 

cozdude

Guy with a Red 2-Door
Wow. Sorry for asking a question to help me understand a bit more on how my Jeep performs. Obsession? NOPE. just looking to learn.

picking good lines and learning to drive better will help me more than anything I can bolt on? Of course! I'm not a dumb ass. That of course wasn't my question though, was it?

a little hostile are we?
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Wow. Sorry for asking a question to help me understand a bit more on how my Jeep performs. Obsession? NOPE. just looking to learn.

picking good lines and learning to drive better will help me more than anything I can bolt on? Of course! I'm not a dumb ass. That of course wasn't my question though, was it?

:cheesy: Woah, easy there champ - didn't mean to step on any toes, it just seemed to me that you've been asking a lot of questions about bump stops because you want more up travel, joints because you want more flex and now longer shocks because you want more droop. Not suggesting that you're a dumbass, just that maybe you should spend more time wheeling instead of being so concerned with how much flex you have. If you're just wanting to learn, please forgive me and please ask away. :yup:
 

aaronstephen

New member
:cheesy: Woah, easy there champ - didn't mean to step on any toes, it just seemed to me that you've been asking a lot of questions about bump stops because you want more up travel, joints because you want more flex and now longer shocks because you want more droop. Not suggesting that you're a dumbass, just that maybe you should spend more time wheeling instead of being so concerned with how much flex you have. If you're just wanting to learn, please forgive me and please ask away. :yup:

My posts and questions are coming from my experiences from wheeling. I have been feeling like I should be getting more droop in the rear. I'm not getting much before a rear wheel is airborne. I realize that this happens all the time when wheeling but it just seems like I could get a bit more performance in the rear.
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
My posts and questions are coming from my experiences from wheeling. I have been feeling like I should be getting more droop in the rear. I'm not getting much before a rear wheel is airborne. I realize that this happens all the time when wheeling but it just seems like I could get a bit more performance in the rear.

Well, how much shock shaft are you seeing at ride height? How much space do you have between your bump stop extension on the axle and your jounce stop pad above? That'll tell you how much up travel you can afford to have and how long of a shock you can actually run. If you have way more shaft exposed than you have space available, your shocks are probably on the short side and you could benefit from a set of EVO rock stars more than a set of new longer shocks. If you have about the same + a bit more, they are the proper length and I would NOT get longer shocks as you will just end up bottoming them out. And, if you're still hanging a rear tire in spite of it, you're probably just playing on some badass terrain - take some time to enjoy it rather than worry about your Jeep's performance :thumb:
 

aaronstephen

New member
Well, how much shock shaft are you seeing at ride height? How much space do you have between your bump stop extension on the axle and your jounce stop pad above? That'll tell you how much up travel you can afford to have and how long of a shock you can actually run. If you have way more shaft exposed than you have space available, your shocks are probably on the short side and you could benefit from a set of EVO rock stars more than a set of new longer shocks. If you have about the same + a bit more, they are the proper length and I would NOT get longer shocks as you will just end up bottoming them out. And, if you're still hanging a rear tire in spite of it, you're probably just playing on some badass terrain - take some time to enjoy it rather than worry about your Jeep's performance :thumb:

I have 7 3/4" of shaft showing and 6" between the jounce stop and bump stop extension.

With the rock stars raising the mount 1.5" , would I be ok with only 1/4" to spare before bottoming out my shocks?
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
I have 7 3/4" of shaft showing and 6" between the jounce stop and bump stop extension.

With the rock stars raising the mount 1.5" , would I be ok with only 1/4" to spare before bottoming out my shocks?

Is that measurement to the base of the jounce stop or taking to account that it will compress about 1/2"? Either way, you're the one who's wanting the most flex that you can possibly get and that'll give it to you.

Oh, and you're welcome for the help ;) :D
 

aaronstephen

New member
Is that measurement to the base of the jounce stop or taking to account that it will compress about 1/2"? Either way, you're the one who's wanting the most flex that you can possibly get and that'll give it to you.

Oh, and you're welcome for the help ;) :D

It's taking the 1/2" into consideration. Thanks
 

JKbrick

Active Member
I did the rockstar skids but more for the skid and ground clearance benefit. They went on perfectly
 
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