shocks

AwesomeJ10 · Post by **AwesomeJ10** » Tue May 13, 2014 1:15 pm

I know that not many people run Fox/King/Foa/etc shocks on their rigs, but I thought I would share my experience.

Last year I finally got into the realm of Fox shocks (2.0's with reservoir). I bought them from http://downsouthmotorsports.com/ and they also put some custom valving in there. I also did the same on my Lexus.

Boy what a difference! They soak up the bumps and handle MUCH better both on and off the road.

Well on the way home from Moab last week I noticed that the old Honcho was swaying a lot more on the hwy and wasn't handling like it should on the rocks. So I went down to my local motorcycle/dirt bike/atv place and had them charged at the tune of $25 each. They checked the nitrogen pressure and found that it was at 150psi and it should be at 250psi.

Filled 'em up and now it's ready for the Walden Sand Dunes trip next week, towing the camper too

tndonor · Post by **tndonor** » Tue May 13, 2014 4:29 pm

I run the 2.0s as well. I was hesitant since I have a heavy rig. They are great! I like that they are tunable and rebuilable. When you think of them like that, the price over the lifespan goes down. Blown most other shocks and you have to buy a new one.

haminawag · Post by **haminawag** » Tue May 13, 2014 4:46 pm

Blake, I think you overcharged your shocks, your door fell off.

jpswapmohn · Post by **jpswapmohn** » Tue May 13, 2014 5:38 pm

I went to Blistein 5150's w external reservoir on my YJ and have loved them.. not quite to the caliber of Fox, but a world better than rancho and others I have used. Probably going to put them on the GW as well one of these days.

BTW, I look back at your build tread regularly. That is an awesome truck!

will e · Post by **will e** » Tue May 13, 2014 7:15 pm

Which Fox's do you have?

AwesomeJ10 · Post by **AwesomeJ10** » Tue May 13, 2014 8:40 pm

12"

http://downsouthmotorsports.com/i-67485 ... shaft.html

will e · Post by **will e** » Wed May 14, 2014 7:05 am

They are $220 each!

AwesomeJ10 · Post by **AwesomeJ10** » Wed May 14, 2014 8:26 am

will e wrote:They are $220 each!

some are several thousand each!

believe me, if you like a smooth and more controlled ride, then you want some shiny new shocks to go with that shiny new atlas

FSJ Guy · Post by **FSJ Guy** » Wed May 14, 2014 1:17 pm

Unfortunately, like most things, you get what you pay for. :-/

I'd upgrade my shocks, too, but I don't drive my Jeep near as much as Blake does. He certainly gets his money's worth out of his equipment! : D

lobie · Post by **lobie** » Mon Sep 08, 2014 4:53 pm

Blake, you have some pics of the rear shocks? I got some 12" Bilsteins and not sure how the rears are gonna work. May have to go up in the body.

AwesomeJ10 · Post by **AwesomeJ10** » Mon Sep 08, 2014 8:47 pm

lobie wrote:Blake, you have some pics of the rear shocks? I got some 12" Bilsteins and not sure how the rears are gonna work. May have to go up in the body.

I'm actually using the stock rear upper mounts.

I'll try to get some pics soon...

lobie · Post by **lobie** » Tue Sep 09, 2014 4:56 am

Blake wrote:
lobie wrote:Blake, you have some pics of the rear shocks? I got some 12" Bilsteins and not sure how the rears are gonna work. May have to go up in the body.
I'm actually using the stock rear upper mounts.

I'll try to get some pics soon...

I may not have as much lift as you but if I use the stock upper mount my shock would hang about 4" below the axle tube. I have 63" springs set up similar to TT's shackle flip.
You have the Fox 12" in the rear too?
I'd be interested in pics of yours if you can, Thanks

Front hanger

Rear hanger

lobie · Post by **lobie** » Tue Sep 09, 2014 5:39 am

This is the situation I find myself in with the rear shocks.
From off-camber.com

AwesomeJ10 · Post by **AwesomeJ10** » Tue Sep 09, 2014 9:13 pm

I need to take better pics, but this is where it's at. The upper mount is in the stock location, but I welded a brace on it so it would be double shear. Also have broken traction bar bolts and bent 63" chevy springs.

I think the rear shocks are 10" or 11". Front are 12".

lobie · Post by **lobie** » Wed Sep 10, 2014 6:37 pm

You must have 10" in the rear. I compare the 12" fox and bilstein and are about the same length. The fox 12" can't fit stock mounting location without modification.

Thanks for the pics. I'll have to figure something out.

lobie · Post by **lobie** » Sun Sep 14, 2014 2:24 pm

Gonna order some 10" shocks. Don't want to hack the body up so I can't make the 12" work. Being that the rears are more inboard than the front the 10" should work fine.
I'll save the 12" for another project.

Lumpskie · Post by **Lumpskie** » Wed Feb 18, 2015 9:12 am

Blake wrote: Last year I finally got into the realm of Fox shocks (2.0's with reservoir). I bought them from http://downsouthmotorsports.com/ and they also put some custom valving in there. I also did the same on my Lexus.

Boy what a difference! They soak up the bumps and handle MUCH better both on and off the road.

Hey Blake,

Do you know what valving you got with your shocks? I'm thinking about getting some Bilstein 5125s for my GW and was hoping to find some info on what valving works well on these rigs. (Was thinking about just going 255/70?)

AwesomeJ10 · Post by **AwesomeJ10** » Wed Feb 18, 2015 12:29 pm

Lumpskie wrote:
Blake wrote: Last year I finally got into the realm of Fox shocks (2.0's with reservoir). I bought them from http://downsouthmotorsports.com/ and they also put some custom valving in there. I also did the same on my Lexus.

Boy what a difference! They soak up the bumps and handle MUCH better both on and off the road.
Hey Blake,

Do you know what valving you got with your shocks? I'm thinking about getting some Bilstein 5125s for my GW and was hoping to find some info on what valving works well on these rigs. (Was thinking about just going 255/70?)

I don't think the valving numbers interchanges between different brands.

Here is what downsouth motorsports provided for the Honcho

Comp:
1.60" x .008
1.425" x .008
.010 x .008 Flutter
1.425" x .008
1.350" x .010
1.10" x .010
.950" x .010
.800 x .020
Rebound # 80

I now have three rigs with Fox 2.0's at all 4 corners and starting to think about maintenance. I paid like $70 bucks to get the shocks on the Honcho charged back up (I think I over charged them to 250psi for the dunes). I'm thinking about getting the Fox rebuild kit that has all the valves, seals, shims etc and start to play with the valving...

Lumpskie · Post by **Lumpskie** » Wed Feb 18, 2015 1:09 pm

Hey Thanks for the quick reply, Blake.

So, I'm not sure what I'm looking at with your numbers... is the last one a Rebound of 80 pounds? I think that seems a little low because when I convert Bilstein's valving (255 for rebound) to pounds, I get 573.

Here's the way I came up with that. (Tell me where if/where I went wrong)
Rebound is written as 10% of actual value so the actual value should be 2550. Convert 2550 Newtons by dividing by 4.45. So 2550/4.45=573, giving me a 573/15.7 rebound/compression in pounds force.

Maybe I'm reading your valving numbers wrong... Can you fill me in on what they mean?
Also, I'd love to see what you come up with when you start playing with valving. Post up what you learn, when you dig into it!

Thanks for the help, as usual!

AwesomeJ10 · Post by **AwesomeJ10** » Wed Feb 18, 2015 1:39 pm

no man, I really have no idea what those numbers mean.

I basically called up Sonny at Downsouth Motorsports and told him I had a Jtruck on tons and 42's and wanted some shocks. I told him I do some Colorado mountrain trail 'wheeling and sand dunes and that is what he came up with.

although I think you might be right on the rebound and I think I do want to stiffen that up...

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