EZEARL

Well that they did. Was going to finish up tomorrow but things were going so well I went ahead and installed them. Ended up with the same compression clearance up front as in the back so I'll extend the front bump stop another 1/2" to.
In comparing the gas charge of Rubicons to the MonoMax to me they feel about the same. So we're talking 280psi.

krazo

Tbone289

Sounds great Earl! Are you using the stock bumpstops and adding more at the bottom with pucks? I've always wondered how compressible the stock stops are, so this should be a good test. When you get this all set up, I'm looking forward to seeing the results of the zip-tie test. I would actually like to go back to stock bumps eventually--they're much more forgiving than the poly ones I'm using.

krazo

Where are the bump stops installed on the rear? can you post a pic?

on the front, the bump stops are on the coils? this stops the shock from bottoming out? no bump stop on the actual shock itself?

you got any pics of the bar pin conversion? was that easy to get out of old shock? why not use bar pin eliminators? whats the advantage/disadvantage of going either route?

EZEARL

These are the b/s I'm using up front so they're not stock. I'll measure and post the length:
https://www.quadratec.com/products/9...tm_source=bing

I plan on using a puck or pucks depending on the thickness. As I posted I do have that 3/4" safety margin but like you I am concerned with b/s compression.


Here's what I used in the back. Plan on using a 1/2" spacer to extend them.
https://www.quadratec.com/products/918280_09.htm

EZEARL

I ended up right at 2" over stock measurements.

Bump stops on the rear are located on the unit/frame right above the axles. In front they are located inside the coils suspended from the top. Both front and back b/s are meant to keep the shocks from bottoming out. Some brands of shocks do have they're own b/s. The Rubicon's or KYB's don't.

There are links on different ways to remove and install the bar pins. To remove them I just clamped one end in a vise and sprayed the bushing with PB Blaster. Rotated and lifted on the shock until they separated. On my KYB's the b/p is vulcanized to the bushing so I had to cut the bushing from the b/p. Some shocks may not be this way. To install the b/p in the Rubicon's you must remove the metal bushing first. I tapered and rounded off one end of the b/p and greased it and the shock bushing. Once I got the rounded end started in the bushing I pressed it in using the vise. Finished getting it through by clamping the b/p in the vise and working the shock back and forth while pushing down.

BPE's are bar pin eliminators. They are useful in some applications. I can't use them front or back as they would shorten the amount of shock shaft exposed. I only have 3/4" exposed front and back now. I plan on extending the b/s another 1/2" for insurance to hopefully allow for b/s compression.

Wife has the camera and is on vacation. I'll get pics up when I can.


P S:
The bar pins on the rear won't work in the front. Don't ask me how I found this out. LOL

EZEARL

FINALLY went for a spin. They are noticeably a bit less firm than the MonoMax were but what's left of my old bod appreciates that. Handling on the 1/2 mile rutted dirt road to the house and a 2 mile run out and back on the curvy state road was very good. Still need to do the washboard road and the out on the highway w/o the stabilizer bar connected test but I have no doubt they'll pass both. With the Upcountry suspension and extra stiff MonoMax shocks I had no concern about not having the s/b disconnected up to 70 mph.. But I will connect it when towing. Anyways these red Rubicons really need to be considered when looking for shocks.

CRLAMBERTJR

I bought the black ones! Wish I'd known earlier !!! I called JKS tech department yesterday. I was concerned if the bp sizes were different ? He told me that they were the same for JKs and XJs. But he couldn't confirm wether the mounting bolts were the same. I figured it out on ebay. Exact same part #s. So what were you saying about the bp sizes being different? The tech never mentioned it ? So, if you only have 3/4" left, i should be fine with the black ones and BPEs.

Tbone289

They are different sizes front to rear, I believe, and this is why most of the BPEs on the market are also different front to rear.

EZEARL

The rear bar pins are longer than the front ones so they wouldn't line up with the mounting holes. Found this out after removing the rear ones from the shocks!!

Unless I'm misunderstanding BPE's if I were to use them I would lose that 3/4" safety margin by another 3/4" if the BPE is 1.5" tall causing the shock to possibly top out. I am going to extend the bump stops by 1/2" in the rear and 1" (thickness of a hockey puck?) in the front.

CRLAMBERTJR

Good to know! I was also wondering about the lengths and bolt patterns. Yet the part #s are the same for the JKs and the XJs, with different #s for front and rear . IIRC, the JKS add 1/2" travel ?

Tbone289

That is about right. I posted all the shock lengths here somewhere a couple of months back. I will try to find them.

Tbone289

Nope, I think you got it. The height from the stock mount added by the BPE adds to the length of the shock, compressed or extended. So, you would need to add bumpstop accordingly to protect from bottoming (fully compressing) the shock. This would not change your overall suspension travel, it would just change where you are in the shock stroke at rest. In the stroke range of the shock, you would loose compression distance and add to the extension. My setup puts me right in the middle of the shock stroke at rest, which is where I want to be so I decided to not use BPEs.

CRLAMBERTJR

Well good, may be something else I wont have to buy!!! I'll just wait and see where I'm at after I install mine. Thanks !!!

Tbone289

Yeah, that's really the best thing to do. Trying to take measurements and get it all right before you have the shocks mounted can be an exercise in futility. Just be careful about fully compressing the suspension before you've had a chance to measure and adjust.