Off-roading - AEV or Carli

[jems007]

There was another 7 page thread here that did nothing but make me shake my head. Seven pages talking about off-roading and not a single mention of shock travel. So here we go.

I am a Jeeper. I know that coils hold the vehicle up mostly, shocks absorb, and the length of the shock defines how much travel you’ll get—all things being equal with control arms and radius arms.

I also know keeping wheels on the ground is crucial off-roading. I have never ran AEV but I laugh when I see people talking smack about them trying to keep the geometry solid. Let’s just table that for a moment…yes a coil should be tuned to a shock or vice versa..whatever, the coil doesn’t define the articulation. The shock does. The coil length doesn’t matter as long as it doesn’t fall off—so spacers don’t scare me. as long as it can support the flex I want with my shocks and not fall out.

does anyone know if the Bilsten 8100 shocks on the AEV kit have a longer stroke than the Carli shocks?

 

[Enve46]

There was another 7 page thread here that did nothing but make me shake my head. Seven pages talking about off-roading and not a single mention of shock travel. So here we go.

I am a Jeeper. I know that coils hold the vehicle up mostly, shocks absorb, and the length of the shock defines how much travel you’ll get—all things being equal with control arms and radius arms.

I also know keeping wheels on the ground is crucial off-roading. I have never ran AEV but I laugh when I see people talking smack about them trying to keep the geometry solid. Let’s just table that for a moment…yes a coil should be tuned to a shock or vice versa..whatever, the coil doesn’t define the articulation. The shock does. The coil length doesn’t matter as long as it doesn’t fall off—so spacers don’t scare me. as long as it can support the flex I want with my shocks and not fall out.

does anyone know if the Bilsten 8100 shocks on the AEV kit have a longer stroke than the Carli shocks?

I did a fair bit of research to find the shock travel on the AEVs as I was about to buy one and came up empty.

I’m a big fan of Thurens stuff as it has worked well for me and I’m also a big Jeep guy previously- had Savvy tuned Foxs with their/Currie lift. So I’m a big proponent of having matched valving to spring rate. I would have to imagine AEV spent a good amount of time valving their shocks accordingly to match the spring rate of the stock springs. However they do run into contradiction here- they mention there’s 80 some spring combos Ram uses and that’s why they stuck with stock springs. Ok, so does that mean they also have 80 different shock valving combos? And I say this as not a hater if AEV. I don’t love how they accomplish what they do but I am in love with their Prospectir XLs and I doubt I’d be unhappy with it. I don’t like being limited on what I can change is my biggest gripe.

I think Carli takes a different approach, Thuren as well, they’re main focus in offroad performance and maintaining stock capability with towing/hauling second while AEV is vise versa. I don’t take the right vs wrong approach, everyone is different with different needs. Purely off-road you’d have a hard time being a proper full Carli or Thuren kit, in my opinion.

 

[jems007]

I did a fair bit of research to find the shock travel on the AEVs as I was about to buy one and came up empty.

I’m a big fan of Thurens stuff as it has worked well for me and I’m also a big Jeep guy previously- had Savvy tuned Foxs with their/Currie lift. So I’m a big proponent of having matched valving to spring rate. I would have to imagine AEV spent a good amount of time valving their shocks accordingly to match the spring rate of the stock springs. However they do run into contradiction here- they mention there’s 80 some spring combos Ram uses and that’s why they stuck with stock springs. Ok, so does that mean they also have 80 different shock valving combos? And I say this as not a hater if AEV. I don’t love how they accomplish what they do but I am in love with their Prospectir XLs and I doubt I’d be unhappy with it. I don’t like being limited on what I can change is my biggest gripe.

I think Carli takes a different approach, Thuren as well, they’re main focus in offroad performance and maintaining stock capability with towing/hauling second while AEV is vise versa. I don’t take the right vs wrong approach, everyone is different with different needs. Purely off-road you’d have a hard time being a proper full Carli or Thuren kit, in my opinion.

I appreciate that. You have a good point that there are many different coil rates from the factory.

I’ll have to check the Carli site. I find it interesting nobody really wants to share their stroke length for their shocks. They said it’s “proprietary”—but any Joe blow could just take the shock and measure it. It feels like a cop out. Why not just share the stroke length and not hide it? Raises flags for me.

I tow a 7000lb trailer and appreciate the payload I have on my rebel Cummins. It’s approx 1800lbs and I’d rather not eat into it if I can.

 

[jems007]

So I found on the Carli site that their backcountry system actually has more travel than the pin top, coming in at 9.6”, and their commuter has the most at 10”. Now if I could put find the AEV Bilstein travel numbers…

 

[Enve46]

I appreciate that. You have a good point that there are many different coil rates from the factory.

I’ll have to check the Carli site. I find it interesting nobody really wants to share their stroke length for their shocks. They said it’s “proprietary”—but any Joe blow could just take the shock and measure it. It feels like a cop out. Why not just share the stroke length and not hide it? Raises flags for me.

I tow a 7000lb trailer and appreciate the payload I have on my rebel Cummins. It’s approx 1800lbs and I’d rather not eat into it if I can.

Carli makes an R2 heavy duty rear coil that’ll maintain factory payload.

 

[jems007]

Carli makes an R2 heavy duty rear coil that’ll maintain factory payload.

Ah I just saw that. Pretty sweet. So down the road if I want to run 40s with a 10” wide wheel, would the Carli allow that? The AEV allows up to 41” with their axle relocation parts. Carli says 37 with their 3.25 kit.

 

[Enve46]

So I found on the Carli site that their backcountry system actually has more travel than the pin top, coming in at 9.6”, and their commuter has the most at 10”. Now if I could put find the AEV Bilstein travel numbers…

I doubt AEV had Bilstein create a whole new shock. Typically they take an off the shelf shock for a given lift height and alter the valving.

Ah I just saw that. Pretty sweet. So down the road if I want to run 40s with a 10” wide wheel, would the Carli allow that? The AEV allows up to 41” with their axle relocation parts. Carli says 37 with their 3.25 kit.

I don’t know you need the relocation parts with you’re running their flares. People have ran 38s under stock openings with leveling kits and Carlis 3.25” systems. I can’t imagine you’d need to relocate the axle with bigger wheel wells and many have discussed this theory.

 

[Lakanen77]

After jumping down this rabbit hole the last year, I finally decided to go to King Shocks website as I was considering AEV, Carli, and Thuren as well. Under their specification tab it tells you the max compressed length, extended length, and stroke. I finally just ordered a pair and am having the shop install them as soon as they get delivered.

 

[jems007]

I ended up going with the 2.75” thuren and long travel rear coils with fox resi. I just did white rim off road trail—about 100 miles—and it was flawless. I did disconnect the sway bar and used my rear locker (didn’t need it, but would rather not lose traction on some of the steep stuff). The suspension cycles great. I didn’t get many photos but the ride was great!