Unfortunately we have not. We are still running the stock Bilsteins. I just can't justify spending $4,000+ for shocks. I talked to Fox over 1.5 years ago and they said they were working on something other than their Elite Series shocks. But as far as I know, they have never released them. So we are still waiting and wondering if there will ever be a softer shock solution.
I don’t think it is a shock thing but more of a spring rate issue. On Monday I towed my ski boat which is right at the max tow capacity and the rear suspension hardly sagged. When if finally goes to the dealer someday I’ll complain about it and see what they say.
I really wonder if the folks at Tire Rack are correct. We have KO2s on our Bronco and my son has a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon that also has KO2s of the exact same size. The Bronco has a much firmer and harsher ride. The KO2s may contribute to the harch ride but it is not the cause. It's the shocks!
I got tired of waiting for Fox and started doing more research. I found that the Bilstein 5100 shocks are probably what I want to make the ride softer on rough roads at slow to moderate speeds. I found a deal on them yesterday at Stage 3 Motorsports for $490 and I could not pass them up. I am excited and have high hopes. They will be here tomorrow and hopefully I can get them installed and tested out in the next couple of weeks.
So I got the 5100s installed on the Bronco. It't a lot more difficult than installing new shocks in a Jeep Wrangler.I got tired of waiting for Fox and started doing more research. I found that the Bilstein 5100 shocks are probably what I want to make the ride softer on rough roads at slow to moderate speeds. I found a deal on them yesterday at Stage 3 Motorsports for $490 and I could not pass them up. I am excited and have high hopes. They will be here tomorrow and hopefully I can get them installed and tested out in the next couple of weeks.
FYI... Here is a video from Shock Surplus that helped convince me. Enjoy.
Changing shocks in a coil-over is a pain!
Thanks for the update. I may have to try this. I have a 2-door non-squatch Badlands, and compared to my other vehicle (Jeep Grand Cherokee), the FAR harsher ride of the Bronco over bumps in the road is my only major complaint with it.So I got the 5100s installed on the Bronco. It't a lot more difficult than installing new shocks in a Jeep Wrangler.
But wow! It made a big difference and I am very happy with the outcome. They took all the harshness away. It is still firm but no longer harsh. I amnow able to drive over rough terrain about twice as fast as I was able to with the stock Bilsteins. This is the ride I was expecting when I got the Bronco.
Just a few notes...
- After watching the video that I linked to in my previous post, I was a little worried that the ride would be too soft. It's not! It is still firm but not jarring.
- The stock Bilsteins were so harsh, we would air down our tires to 20 psi nearly every time we hit dirt just to take the edge of the bumps. To get an idea of how the 5100s improved the ride, they feel a little bit better than when we would air down. This is a significant difference. Now when we air down, it feels even better.
- On-road handling was not effected. It seems to drive and feel the same as before.
- I was also a little worried that I was "down-grading" my shocks by installing the 5100s. But I believe the 5100s are better shocks than the stock yellow Bilsteins. The shock shaft is bigger and the finish is better on the 5100s. It is definately an upgrade and the resulting ride is better.
- Best $500 I have spent on the Bronco so far!!!
Who made the trailing arms? It's very unusual for someone to lower the durometer value of suspensions bushings. Aftermarket almost always goes higher. Usually rubber to urethane. Don't have our Bronco yet but know which vendor provides what options I'm making a list on how to dial in the suspension on the Bronco
Bumps don't technically affect spring rate. Spring rate is set by the specs of the coil steel. For a linear spring the rate is the same across its duty length. Progressive rate springs do load up as compression increases. That's their "thing". Under fairly high differential loads across the axle a sway bar may make a difference in felt impacts. But if you're cruising along on a mild bumpy road like something with uneven or swollen expansion joints a sway bar will make no appreciable difference. On my old Mini I've changed the bar from full soft to full hard and felt almost no change. That was 125% stiffer than OEM to 275% stiffer. It definitely wanted to rotate more at 275%.
