Shocks

[Crusty old shellback]

That depends. If you change the spring rates and match shock valving to those spring rates you have accomplished a lot with the way the truck handles. The way the suspension cycles is as important as the amount of travel. But it is true, most lift kits don't accomplish that.

True that. But now you are talking big money. Deaver or Atlas springs, king or fox shocks.
However, icon does seem to have a decent kit that's somewhat affordable.

I had Deaver springs and King shocks on my '73 K5 Blazer. 12" front/18" rear travel. Think drove nice and soft inroad and was even better off road at speed.

 

[LateToTheParty]

I recently switched from 5100s to fox IFPs and I can tell you the bilsteins are easy to compress by hand and the foxes put up a good fight once mounted on one end and past the mounting point on the other. Foxes caused a lot more cussing, but I like them!

Beyond the installation issues, how do they ride? Big difference?

 

[Squatch]

Beyond the installation issues, how do they ride? Big difference?

Fortunately, and unfortunately for your question, I replaced the front coils with a Thuren 1.5 inch lift coil. It rides a lot better now, but to what degree the shocks contributed is anyone’s guess.

 

[LateToTheParty]

Fortunately, and unfortunately for your question, I replaced the front coils with a Thuren 1.5 inch lift coil. It rides a lot better now, but to what degree the shocks contributed is anyone’s guess.

Then yeah, not a valid comparison.

I contemplated the 5160s as well as the Fox IFPs due to the wait time for anything King, but still can't talk myself into pulling the trigger.

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

I recently switched from 5100s to fox IFPs and I can tell you the bilsteins are easy to compress by hand and the foxes put up a good fight once mounted on one end and past the mounting point on the other. Foxes caused a lot more cussing, but I like them!

Should take ~61.35 lb of force to move the shaft if you have 2.0 shocks with 5/8” shaft charged to 200psi. I have seen them charged with more than 200 from the factory but it’s usually 200 or just over.

a 2.5” shock with 7/8” shaft with 200psi nitrogen takes over 120lb of force to move the shaft. I certainly can’t compress one without a ratchet strap.

 

[Crusty old shellback]

Yep, I used a ratchet strap to compress my 2.5" shocks 9" in the rear so I could get them in the mounting holes. What a pain.

 

[Brewbud]

Yep, I used a ratchet strap to compress my 2.5" shocks 9" in the rear so I could get them in the mounting holes. What a pain.

I did the same thing the first time I installed my Fox2.5s. The second time I let the nitrogen out and recharged. I don't even want to think about the pressure my 3.0 Kings would take to compress. Reminds me I need to fix my Nitrogen regulator.

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

Mmmm those are gorgeous shocks @Brewbud

I like to drive fast over rocks in my Toyota. Thats a 38” TSL for reference (my old tires)

 

[Brewbud]

Mmmm those are gorgeous shocks @Brewbud

I like to drive fast over rocks in my Toyota. Thats a 38” TSL for reference (my old tires) View attachment 16211

Those will definitely help you to do it!

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

Those will definitely help you to do it!

Oh yea! A few rides and a few times trying different valving and tuning and they have been amazing for years now

 

[Brewbud]

Oh yea! A few rides and a few times trying different valving and tuning and they have been amazing for years now

Did you do your own tuning? I haven't wanted to jump into that. I may be able to describe what I don't like but describing what I do would be a bit tougher. I know Carli has helped with getting the tuning profile right for customers. A trip to the whoops with a tech and some time would be my best direction. I haven't needed it yet. Carli's valving out of the box has been great for me.

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

Did you do your own tuning? I haven't wanted to jump into that. I may be able to describe what I don't like but describing what I do would be a bit tougher. I know Carli has helped with getting the tuning profile right for customers. A trip to the whoops with a tech and some time would be my best direction. I haven't needed it yet. Carli's valving out of the box has been great for me.

Yea I do my own tuning. There are a few specialty tools that make the job easier but they aren’t 100% necessary.

On these I ended up taking the .010” compression valve stack out and the .012” rebound valve stack out and replacing them with .008” compression stack and I believe the rebound is .010” stack now. I also drilled an auxiliary bleed port in the piston

a good vise is needed. Shock clamps make the job (much) easier. I have a kit for 2.0 and for 2.5s. A really good low volume gauge that doesn’t let air out when you check psi with it is handy. Calipers. Spanner. Torch. Etc

 

[Crusty old shellback]

Nice. I rebuilt/revalved my Kings, but didnt have all that fancy tools.
Ran out of fluid. Found out Icon red fluid is kings fluid with a red die. King told me that.

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

Shocks are very fun to mess with. Even different jounce bumpers have different characteristics. Here is a compression curve for a bumper.

 

[Brewbud]

Great info. I have helped rebuild and tune. Deciding what to change would be my hardest decision. LOL At least the shocks are easier to get to with the newer trucks. My 2007 had the billet towers and the shocks were inside the coil springs.

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

Great info. I have helped rebuild and tune. Deciding what to change would be my hardest decision. LOL At least the shocks are easier to get to with the newer trucks. My 2007 had the billet towers and the shocks were inside the coil springs.

here is a valve stack cheat sheet for fox 2.5. I can’t find my 2.0 sheet but measure what you have with calipers and go from there. They’re similar. Gives you good place to start if you want to move down or up in valving.

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

I keep my valve stacks organized with zip ties and keep them wet with shock oil in a ziplock.
here are the bleed ports I drilled in the 2.5 piston inside my Toyotas rear shocks. They’re the small holes that live outside the valve stacks. Instead of drilling bleed ports you can get bleed shims

 

[Rgpracer]

You're worried about gas mileage?!?

Not worried, just like to get as much as i can.
Cousin got some Nexen tires.....big dudes...big nubs.....i think 35/12.5's instead of stock 275/70's, he said mileage took a -5 mpg hit.....i don't want that.

 

[Rockcrawlindude]

Not worried, just like to get as much as i can.
Cousin got some Nexen tires.....big dudes...big nubs.....i think 35/12.5's instead of stock 275/70's, he said mileage took a -5 mpg hit.....i don't want that.

He could be getting more than he thinks if he didn’t recalibrate. He’s traveling further per each tire revolution. I didn’t see a -5 hit on my 35s (I’d be in single digits if I did. lol)

 

[RTillery]

Has anyone come up with an aftermarket shock for a SRW 3500 with air leveling suspension, stock height?