Hi, just got my rear shocks off while installing my lift and discovered they were completely worn out. Seeing as I will be paying to have it aligned, I better get struts for the front now and save some money in the long run. Anybody have any preferences?  I am just installing the 1.5 spacers up front with the strut spacers as well.

Thanks

 KYB has a good strut for the $$$. Monroes, if you are cheap/broke...

I'd be in the cheap/broke category. I'll start looking into both though. 

Thanks

A good set of salvage yard struts are better than a new set of Monroe junk,
we had Monroe struts go out after 3 weeks and a few trails, but they failed
in Moab, and with no parts available in town, had to order them.

A higher priced alternative are the Bilstein replacements, better than OEM

Wild

Are any adjustable shocks/struts available for a '95 Sidekick with 1&1/2" lift?

Not struts, you might be able to get some shocks for the rear like Rancho
that have the adjuster knob

Alright,

How about rear shocks for a 2" coil spring lift grocery getter/family truckster/occasional off roader? I just installed some Rocky Road shocks in the back and they are way too stiff for what I am looking for...

Dan

I used 91 Crown Vic Monroe shocks for the back of mine and they ride good. Friend also had Crow Vic shocks from Auto Zone and they were to stiff. They cost like $25 each.

I used kyb crown vic shocks on the rear for  my 2.5 in lift. They work good except I went  for the heavy duty police interceptor model and they are too stiff on my 97 tracker. I think the standard model would probably have been a better choice..but bigger is always better...right? 

oh where to start.....

shocks are actually dampeners/absorbers correct? dont worry about the damn application. (crown vic, interceptor, ejaculatior etc.) if those fit the application thats fine and good.

now think about whats going on inside them "shocks". if you get "gas" (nitrogen) charged shocks (usually sold as "preimum" or "HD") that have a gas charge for a 4,000 pound car (crown vic,etc.) it will ride like shit!!!! your 2000 pound zuki cant begin to overcome the resistants of the shock charge designed for  twice the weight. right?

get the cheap hydraulic "shocks" for the same application if thats what fits. saves you money and will ride wayyyy better.

hydraulic--- can push shock stem down and will not rebound quickly
nitrogen or "gas" shocks--- push stem down (fairly hard too do) and it instantly rebounds. <bad for a 2k# rig)

Jluck nice simple point there. 

Now for the $64,000.00 question if you are wanting something with a bit more travel b/c you have a 1-2.5" lift what application would you use for up front.  The guys at Autozone(only as example could be any of them) don't like opening any more boxes than they have to.     I think that the Crown vic, chevy cav. and Ford F150 have the rear shock thing covered but wondering about the front struts.  Is there a particular application that the parts guys say "yeah we got that...which brand you want..."    Then we can tell them we don't want the premiums b/c we have a vehicle that is around half the orig. application weight and don't need the fast recovery rate(using our new found knowledge that you provided us with ).

Thanks

I think OME is the only readily available longer strut for trackicks.You will still run in to overtravel issues more than likely. Do you already have strut extenders (spacers) or just coil spacers?
I'm sure you know already that there's a limit with this type of suspention with out either major mods or broken cv's or over extended struts.

I was not tring to be a dick of directly point at you but this question comes up weekly it seems and I also have went and got the HD shocks ( cuz they gotta be better wright??) and there for learned the hard way with some brand new and too stiff shocks under the bench.

Jluck,

Speaking atleast for myself I wasn't thinking you were being out of line.  You brought up a very valid point that I and probably many others had not thought of when getting shocks and struts that have longer travel than the stock units b/c we are lifting the rigs.  Honestly I would probably have made the same mistake and got the gas charged thinking better but forgetting that the vehicle I would be using in is half the weight or so of the orig. intended application.  This would have most likely given me a harsh ride and a pissed off wife( I can hear it now, "It was just fine till..." ).   I say thank you for saving me probably a good $50 and a  bunch of heartache from her.

I am sure there are but have not personally measured the dimentions of the front struts and cross referrenced with other vehicles to know what else would potentially have the same mount style but an inch or two longer.  I am curious though if a mid 80's Mustang would be the same.  The Trackick seems to look somewhat like my old Stangs did but shorter.

I am pretty new to the modification of my Trackick and am trying out what I can and seeing what has worked for everyone else around.  Maybe in order to keep from having the same thing come up over and over would be way cool to have a pinned thread where the "experienced mods good or bad" can be posted and us FNG's can be referenced there for the basics. 

My Tracker is a '96 2dr.  I was planning on getting some OME springs for it but would probably go with the 4dr units as they can be longer ones and a bit heavier in spring rate(atleast from the info I have found).  The reasoning for this is I don't want a bunch of lift but am planning on putting bumpers, winch, 29 maybe 30" tires, etc. on and the heavier rate will be compensated by the added weight. 

I have heard reference to Cavalier shocks.  What are the pros and cons of those units?  As of now, it looks like I will be settling on some $19 monroes for the back (91 crown vic).

Also, does anybody run limiting straps?  My Rocky Road shocks let the springs get a bit loose when fully extended.  I'm thinking of giving seatbelts a new use for making those.

Lastly, how about bump stops?  I am just thinking about tacking on some 1" or 2" rigid pipe to the original bump stop and securing the threads to a coupling and then see if I can find some allthread to make up the rest...

Any thoughts?

I have heard reference to Cavalier shocks.  What are the pros and cons of those units?  As of now, it looks like I will be settling on some $19 monroes for the back (91 crown vic).

Also, does anybody run limiting straps?  My Rocky Road shocks let the springs get a bit loose when fully extended.  I'm thinking of giving seatbelts a new use for making those.

Lastly, how about bump stops?  I am just thinking about tacking on some 1" or 2" rigid pipe to the original bump stop and securing the threads to a coupling and then see if I can find some allthread to make up the rest...

Any thoughts?

Limiting straps are a good idea for front and rear of lifted Trackicks with more than 2" of suspension, but I'm thinking your shocks are just a tad too long. A limit strap should work for that application. And seat belts work just fine. Extending your bumpstops is also a good idea IMO.