Coilovers on a front Short Arms? Not my only dumb question....

[REDLYNER]

I did some reading and saw where people chastised someone for wanting coilovers on a short arm lift, I'm in a slightly different situation, so I thought I would look for some opinions.

The jeep gets wheeled on roughly 20 to 25 trails per year. 95% rocks (Moab, Harlan, private parks through out the SE)


TJ current setup: locked, 37" radial Rockers, 100.5" wheelbase.

Current suspension-

Rear:
Clayton long arm rear stretch
RE 3.5" springs
BDS $35 12" Emulsion shocks

Front:
Rokmen short arms
RE 3.5" springs
Rancho old ass shocks (5 years old)


The Clayton kit does not allow for coilovers without basically cutting up their entire kit, so I'm sticking with coils and adding a Fox or FOA res shock on the back.


But the front, this is where I would like to move into some coilovers. Knowing this thing sees rocks pretty frequently, is it worth the cost ($1000= C/Os, brackets, labor) to run coilovers on the short arms? Any benefit to them over a set of reservoir shocks if I'm on the short arms?

[ONEtonXJ]

you could always upgrade to longarms in the future....

[pcoplin]

What is your reasoning for wanting them? Are you changing lift height, axles, etc.?

[imped4now]

Short arms can handle no more than 12" of travel well so IMO, you're wasting your money with CO's. I think you'd be better off extending the front upper shock mounts and running a good 12" shock. I've done that with Ford towers, 2.5" coils, and Bilstein 5125's. I set it up for 6up/6down. Are you having unseating problems with your current coils? RE coils are well known to be relatively stiff and short. I've found the BDS 3" front coils to have a very long unsprung length and a good rate that won't sag.

[REDLYNER]

I've just wheeled this setup for awhile, and like everything else on the jeep, I am slowly upgrading it. Eventually, the front will be 3 linked, but for now, since I had to replace my shocks anyway, I was thinking this could be a time to upgrade.

$290 to $360 for new front shocks, or $900 to $1000 for the coilovers (installed).

I was also thinking this swap could help move my front axle forward an inch or two.

[pcoplin]

Originally Posted by REDLYNER

$290 to $360 for new front shocks, or $900 to $1000 for the coilovers (installed).

I was also thinking this swap could help move my front axle forward an inch or two.

I'm be tempted to just get some quality shocks for now, even $160 5100s or something less expensive, I'll think you'll get sufficient performance for now, especially with the short arms.
If you wanted some good external reservoir shocks, you can go onto Desert Rangers or Race Dezert classifieds and get some used reservoir 12s for the front for now that'll perform well, and won't need much modification.

If you were doing anything with relocating or swapping the axle, I would say you could do some coilovers. They're going to be easier to locate, but it'll be a bit of work on your current axle. But you'll have to work hard to get the full uptravel for 14s and will want to limit the droop while you have the short arms.

Definitely keep us posted on what you end up doing.