Best riding springs

[shumthisway]

Alright, so I've had my jeep for a while now. I was looking for what the consensus was on the best springs to improve the ride quality. I know shocks play a big part in ride quality and I recently threw on some rancho shocks and they definitely improved the ride. So whatcha got? Also, anyone know of any good trails in the jacksonville, FL area?

 

[L J]

I was looking for what the consensus was on the best springs to improve the ride quality.

 

[macleanflood]

Springs set ride height. Shocks most strongly influence "ride quality" along with alignment, proper geometry, sway bar, tire type and pressure to name a few.

-Mac

 

[speeding_infraction]

Ohh boy. Where's my popcorn?

 

[lBasket]

 

[TheBoogieman]

I was looking for what the consensus was on the best springs to improve the ride quality.

 

[TheBoogieman]

"Unless you dialed in the ride height to be the same with the correct amount of shock travel, then the issue is not spring rate related, it is ride height related.

Put another way. If you take a heavier rate spring and put it on a rig that is lighter with a shock that is set up for a specific lift height, then the balance is off. What will happen when you encounter higher level events is the rear end will kick up faster and hit the end of the shock which tries to lift the axle off the ground and that will seem very harsh in ride quality.

If you take the same exact set-up and put a softer rate spring in that lowers ride height and brings the shock travel back into balance, then the ride improvement is from the travel of the shock being utilized better and not from the softer spring.

I also find it very odd that we can swap a different rate spring in without making any other adjustments. I've yet to see springs with these different rates that didn't also produce a different ride height. What am I missing about these springs?"

blackmagicbrakes.com
Knowledge does not equal understanding.

 

[macleanflood]

And I guess an alternative answer is making sure you don't rip the rear shocks off the upper mounts, eject the spring a few times, lose the bump stop and then the track bar axle bracket comes up and severs the fuel line and wiring leaving you at Loon Lake on the Rubicon Trail. Luckily I brought tools.

-Mac

 

[ColoJeep]

Alright, so I've had my jeep for a while now. I was looking for what the consensus was on the best springs to improve the ride quality. I know shocks play a big part in ride quality and I recently threw on some rancho shocks and they definitely improved the ride. So whatcha got? Also, anyone know of any good trails in the jacksonville, FL area?

You have unknowingly opened a can of worms.

If they can be adapted , these M998 springs may be an option , since springs play NO part in ride .

If you camp with a lot of equipment , perhaps some HEMTT springs could be adapted . Determining ride height is the only things coil springs do .
Of course if you use these springs , please use the best custom tuned Fox or King shocks you can buy.

To the OP , in my opinion , group think can narrow opinions and options . Think about pickup trucks , if springs only provide ride height , why does a 1/2 ton ride much smoother than a 1 ton ? If the only thing different is 2" ride height ? That said , shocks are a HUGE factor in ride and handling , however , in my opinion springs are also a factor in the overall picture . Load capacity of springs definitely can effect ride .

 

[YonderNorthwest]

How much lift do you have? I am more than willing to help you spend your money. Lots of options out there. Not much* difference in performance.

Also, what do you mean by "improve ride quality"? Springs could be part of the problem, but most likely other things are bigger contributors to ride quality issues you may be having. Try sharing your symptoms first, and others here can help you figure out where to fire the parts cannon.

 

[jjvw]

You have unknowingly opened a can of worms.

If they can be adapted , these M998 springs may be an option , since springs play NO part in ride .

View attachment 646144
If you camp with a lot of equipment , perhaps some HEMTT springs could be adapted . Determining ride height is the only things coil springs do .
Of course if you use these springs , please use the best custom tuned Fox or King shocks you can buy.

View attachment 646146

To the OP , in my opinion , group think can narrow opinions and options . Think about pickup trucks , if springs only provide ride height , why does a 1/2 ton ride much smoother than a 1 ton ? If the only thing different is 2" ride height ? That said , shocks are a HUGE factor in ride and handling , however , in my opinion springs are also a factor in the overall picture . Load capacity of springs definitely can effect ride .

Keep it in context or stay out of it.

Springs that are designed to fit and function in a TJ can only exist within a narrow design range of free lengths and spring rates to create the common ride heights and shock travels we are building around.

The variances in spring rates in springs that also result in the same ride height on the specific Jeep we are working with are not wide enough to be perceivable by the driver.

 

[ColoJeep]

Keep it in context or stay out of it.

Springs that are designed to fit and function in a TJ can only exist within a narrow design range of free lengths and spring rates to create the common ride heights and shock travels we are building around.

The variances in spring rates in springs that also result in the same ride height on the specific Jeep we are working with are not wide enough to be perceivable by the driver.

It would be interesting to see a chart of the available TJ springs , that includes spring rate and ride heights . Ive never seen a comparison of spring rates available. I have seen some crappy "2 stage " springs that would effectively make the 2nd stage solid with minimum travel. I would like to see the various rate capacities available to compare the range with quantifiable specs. Without actual specs. , there isn't a realistic way to determine spring effect on dynamics other than opinions.

 

[jjvw]

It would be interesting to see a chart of the available TJ springs , that includes spring rate and ride heights . Ive never seen a comparison of spring rates available. I have seen some crappy "2 stage " springs that would effectively make the 2nd stage solid with minimum travel. I would like to see the various rate capacities available to compare the range with quantifiable specs. Without actual specs. , there isn't a realistic way to determine spring effect on dynamics other than opinions.

Look in the resources section for the big spreadsheet of coils and shocks I made a while back. That is the closest you will ever get.

 

[shumthisway]

How much lift do you have? I am more than willing to help you spend your money. Lots of options out there. Not much* difference in performance.

Also, what do you mean by "improve ride quality"? Springs could be part of the problem, but most likely other things are bigger contributors to ride quality issues you may be having. Try sharing your symptoms first, and others here can help you figure out where to fire the parts cannon.

From my research on here I think it's a 6" lift. (Lift was put on 2 owners ago) I'm on 35" KO2's no idea on the brands for anything else suspension wise. So there's a couple things I'd like to improve. I wanna be able to take little bumps in the road without getting bounced around in the driver's seat. Also, at around 60-68 MPH I have a decent amount of vibration, around 70 it smooths out for the most part.

 

[YonderNorthwest]

From my research on here I think it's a 6" lift. (Lift was put on 2 owners ago) I'm on 35" KO2's no idea on the brands for anything else suspension wise. So there's a couple things I'd like to improve. I wanna be able to take little bumps in the road without getting bounced around in the driver's seat. Also, at around 60-68 MPH I have a decent amount of vibration, around 70 it smooths out for the most part.

You said you just bought new shocks. Did you buy them for 6" of lift? It's important that at ride height, half of the shocks travel goes up, and the other half goes down.

Jarring over little bumps could be as simple as tire pressure. Do you know what PSI you have in your tires?

 

[ColoJeep]

Look in the resources section for the big spreadsheet of coils and shocks I made a while back. That is the closest you will ever get.

Thanks , Information is a good thing . I Appreciate your effort to make it.

 

[mrblaine]

You have unknowingly opened a can of worms.

If they can be adapted , these M998 springs may be an option , since springs play NO part in ride .

View attachment 646144
If you camp with a lot of equipment , perhaps some HEMTT springs could be adapted . Determining ride height is the only things coil springs do .
Of course if you use these springs , please use the best custom tuned Fox or King shocks you can buy.

View attachment 646146

To the OP , in my opinion , group think can narrow opinions and options . Think about pickup trucks , if springs only provide ride height , why does a 1/2 ton ride much smoother than a 1 ton ? If the only thing different is 2" ride height ? That said , shocks are a HUGE factor in ride and handling , however , in my opinion springs are also a factor in the overall picture . Load capacity of springs definitely can effect ride .

You are using your own examples to prove the stupidity of your assertions about group think. Group think has nothing to do with what you are trying to get a spring to do when you design them. Your own fucking examples show precisely why examples out of context are just dumb and irrelevant. If you make a spring stiff enough to affect ride quality, then it fails at all the other parameters that are inviolable to a spring performing the functionss based around design intent.

Show me the TJ rear spring that is stiff enough to affect ride quality and stay in the buckets at reasonable droop lengths. If you get it stiff enough, then you violate the free length side of things because it can't extend far enough to stay in the buckets at reasonable amounts of travel.

The same is true for "soft springs" in that if you were trying to build in super cushy ride with soft springs, they wouldn't allow much uptravel since they would by design have to go into coil bind before the axle moves very far upwards.

What that leaves you with is a very narrow range of spring rates that hold the rig up at the requisite lift height, have enough free length to stay with a normal amount of shock travel, and avoid coil bind at full stuff. The difference in ride quality between any of those various rates is wholly indiscernible by anyone.

 

[mrblaine]

Without actual specs. , there isn't a realistic way to determine spring effect on dynamics other than opinions.

You don't need that set of specs to apply common sense to the problem. But if you find them, you'll discover why it doesn't matter.

 

[mrblaine]

From my research on here I think it's a 6" lift. (Lift was put on 2 owners ago) I'm on 35" KO2's no idea on the brands for anything else suspension wise. So there's a couple things I'd like to improve. I wanna be able to take little bumps in the road without getting bounced around in the driver's seat. Also, at around 60-68 MPH I have a decent amount of vibration, around 70 it smooths out for the most part.

If you can find a safe way to do so and the little bumps are on a road that is fairly close to you, pull your shocks and go drive that same section of road at a safe speed. Once you do that, you won't be asking about springs again.

 

[ColoJeep]

You are using your own examples to prove the stupidity of your assertions about group think. Group think has nothing to do with what you are trying to get a spring to do when you design them. Your own fucking examples show precisely why examples out of context are just dumb and irrelevant. If you make a spring stiff enough to affect ride quality, then it fails at all the other parameters that are inviolable to a spring performing the functionss based around design intent.

Show me the TJ rear spring that is stiff enough to affect ride quality and stay in the buckets at reasonable droop lengths. If you get it stiff enough, then you violate the free length side of things because it can't extend far enough to stay in the buckets at reasonable amounts of travel.

The same is true for "soft springs" in that if you were trying to build in super cushy ride with soft springs, they wouldn't allow much uptravel since they would by design have to go into coil bind before the axle moves very far upwards.

What that leaves you with is a very narrow range of spring rates that hold the rig up at the requisite lift height, have enough free length to stay with a normal amount of shock travel, and avoid coil bind at full stuff. The difference in ride quality between any of those various rates is wholly indiscernible by anyone.

Thanks Blaine , The travel comments make sense.