JK Rubicon shocks
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,676
Likes: 301
From: WV
Year: '96
Model: Cherokee
Going to install a set in the next few days. Always ran w/o boots because of dust or mud on the 1/2 mile road to our house. Any advantage in leaving the dust covers on these Rubicon shocks?
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,676
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From: WV
Year: '96
Model: Cherokee
That's the way I'm leaning so far.
I'll post the results for sure. The KYB MonoMax shocks I run now are mono tube with a gas charge of near 300psi so there may be no noticeable change in the performance. Doing it mainly to increase travel which is a bit more than 1" in the front and a bit less than 2" out back.
By the way the MonoMax shocks are great for smoothing out washboard roads. No rear end hop like I had with the OEM shocks.
I'll post the results for sure. The KYB MonoMax shocks I run now are mono tube with a gas charge of near 300psi so there may be no noticeable change in the performance. Doing it mainly to increase travel which is a bit more than 1" in the front and a bit less than 2" out back.
By the way the MonoMax shocks are great for smoothing out washboard roads. No rear end hop like I had with the OEM shocks.
CF Veteran
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,394
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From: SEMO
Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0 L6
Yep, gas-charged monotubes have great control. I'm going to guess that the JKs will be a bit more comfortable, but hopefully not so much that you'll lose anything in the control dept.
I gave these some serious thought for a while, but they won't benefit me at all with my current setup. The price/performance can't be beat though, so I'm going to consider them very seriously again if/when I wear my Bilsteins out.
Are you running stock length KYBs?
I gave these some serious thought for a while, but they won't benefit me at all with my current setup. The price/performance can't be beat though, so I'm going to consider them very seriously again if/when I wear my Bilsteins out.
Are you running stock length KYBs?
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,676
Likes: 301
From: WV
Year: '96
Model: Cherokee
Yep stock length although longer ones are available.
Bought these JK shocks on e-bay for $93 to my door. Now wishing I had kept the OEM ones for the bar posts. Oh well.
Bought these JK shocks on e-bay for $93 to my door. Now wishing I had kept the OEM ones for the bar posts. Oh well.
CF Veteran
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,394
Likes: 8
From: SEMO
Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0 L6
You should gain a bit of droop and overall articulation with these. You'll definitely want to check your front bumpstop length. Are you going to use BPE's then?
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Joined: Aug 2011
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From: Prescott, Az
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
CF Veteran
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,686
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From: Hudson, FL
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L Inline 6
I gave a set of my JK Rubicon shocks to a fellow forum member here and he liked them too. We left the OEM dust covers on. You can do the same if you only do sand or rocks, but I'd take them off if you do mud because it'll just get up in there and stick to everything.
CF Veteran
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,394
Likes: 8
From: SEMO
Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0 L6
Good call. Those have a long enough collapsed length that you probably won't want BPE's with "our" setup. You might very well get by without having to adjust bumpstops using just the bar pins. The Rubicons are even slightly longer collapsed than regular JK if I remember correctly.
CF Veteran
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,394
Likes: 8
From: SEMO
Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0 L6
You pointed them out to me in the first place. More people need to take your advice and use these. They are a total no-brainer for the price. I would have gone this route had I realized it before I bought my Bilsteins (which cost about 4x as much!!!)
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 534
Likes: 2
From: Kentucky
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee(XJ)
Engine: 4.0L I-6
I got all four of mine, still had the stickers on them,,, $60 shipped ebay !!! I am planning on going with the JKS bar pin eliminaters front and rear. What size is the nut at the top ? I heard that the stock XJs wont fit ?
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 43,971
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From: Prescott, Az
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 5,676
Likes: 301
From: WV
Year: '96
Model: Cherokee
Got the rear ones installed. Got 3/4" shaft left after bump stop hits. I'm going to extend the b/s another 1/2". Only broke one upper bolt and it was my fault.
Got the front shocks ready to install as soon as I press in the bar pins. Figure if I round off the edges on one side a grease them good they should go in with no problem.
Got the front shocks ready to install as soon as I press in the bar pins. Figure if I round off the edges on one side a grease them good they should go in with no problem.
::CF Moderator::
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 43,971
Likes: 1,578
From: Prescott, Az
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee (XJ)
Engine: 4.0
Got the rear ones installed. Got 3/4" shaft left after bump stop hits. I'm going to extend the b/s another 1/2". Only broke one upper bolt and it was my fault.
Got the front shocks ready to install as soon as I press in the bar pins. Figure if I round off the edges on one side a grease them good they should go in with no problem.
Got the front shocks ready to install as soon as I press in the bar pins. Figure if I round off the edges on one side a grease them good they should go in with no problem.


