Shock options for towing and leveling

[3blackbirds]

Hello All,

I'm working on my parents' 2008 1500 Big Horn. 115k miles. I'm a Jeep guy that does all my own work. I'm out of my element with this truck (a little). I'm shopping around for shocks. They use the truck for towing a 3500 lb. camper trailer with the hitch that has the torsion bars/sway bar. They also occasionally tow two horses.

I'm looking at the Monroe load adjustment shocks. I've used them before on my jeep when the rear leaf springs flattened out until I got a proper lift. I'm not new to them, they were nice. They lift 1"-1.25"

My real question is for the front. What to do to level it? I'm okay with a little rake. Stay Monroe and add a 1" spacer or Rancho Quick lift or Bilstein 5100? I've been researching, but it seems that Ram people have a lot of different opinions on all of these shocks with good and bad experiences. I have 5100's on both of my Jeeps and love them. ('99 Cherokee with 265k and an '04 Grand with 223k) I'm just looking for a little direction.

Thanks in advance!

 

[justin13703]

If it’s 4wd then 100% do bilstein 5100s in the front.

As for the back depending on budget, I’d do a set of airlift bags if they want to level it out with the trailer on it.

 

[gofishn]

Bilstein 5100 all the way around.
Set fronts to 2.1 or 2.8. If going 2.8, add a 3/4 to 1" rear spacer (Poly, not metal)
2008 Model Year so your UCa can handle 2.8 front lift with no issues, though, if you wish, replace with Mevotech UCA that you have primered and painted with 3-5 coats.
If goign 2" front lift with shocks then can also use Icon UCA's but they ain;t cheaap and I got 5 ytrouble free years oout of my Mevotechs.

Pick up a seto of tuftruck springs. Yes, real actually srpings. go with 1223Vm, if parents wanbt to keep soft OEM liek ride
GO with 1211 if they want consistant rate of compression and do not a more truck like feel to their suspension.

I love mine.

Come to think of it, never heard anyone, ever,m compain about any of the tuftruck springs. no matter what they get, they all seem to love them.

Get air bags, after you do springs, if you so desire. I have had nothign but 3/4 ton pickups, for decades, until I dropped down to this 1.2 ton and, with myt tuftruck 1211 springs and bilstein 5100, I am good. no need for air bags.

good luck and let us know what you did and how you liek it.
sorry for spelling but am almo9st 60 and never learn to type and hate going back and fixing crap that you cna underestand, mostly, anyways

 

[3blackbirds]

Thanks for the replies. No worries on the spelling.

Yes, it's 4wd. I took the wheels off last night, they are getting the corrosion on the lips fixed and powder coated black. (Lead weights...) Since they are off, I took a closer look. The driver front is a Monroe Reflex and the passenger front is a Monroe Quick Strut. If I go with 5100's, then I have to source the spring seats, springs and caps. The quick struts seem to be what I was looking at in terms of a complete package, the reflex however, seems to be just the shock. Makes me wonder if there are two different springs up front. The truck does feel floaty, but that's why I'm replacing this stuff. Furthermore, can I take these seats off of the quick strut and reflex and then use them on the 5100's? (They are a bit rusty).

According to Tuftruck's website, they don't make springs for 2008. I'll keep searching around though.

Since I have to replace those lower strut bushings, I have snowballed it into replacing both control arms (Mivotech) and tie rod ends. For the price, why not? I'll look into air bags, didn't even think of it. Even after all those episodes of Diesel Brothers on TV. Budget isn't limited, but it's also not unlimited.

 

[3blackbirds]

Update.

I bought the Rancho and Monroe rear adj. shocks. I didn't even get them out of the box because I thought that my parents wouldn't be happy with the Monroes when they weren't towing. It just didn't sit well with me. I tore down the drivers front, got the Monroe strut out and broke it down. The spring seat can be removed from the strut. I bought the Bilstein 5100s and returned the Ranchos and Monroes. The strut spring seat is a little wider than the barrel of the shock. With the snap ring and collar in place, the spring seat will self-center on the shock. I'm wondering if the spring seat will rock on the collar.

How does the stock spring seat sit around the barrel of the shock? I'd say without measuring, there's a 1/8" gap when the seat is held against the barrel.

-Thanks

 

[3blackbirds]

Update.

A few weeks ago, I sourced stock strut assemblies from a salvage yard. I removed and just used the spring seat. It fit perfectly on the Bilstein. I used the Monroe springs, isolators and hats on the Bilsteins since they were in better shape. I put the Bilstein adjustable ring on the third ring from the bottom to level it. I also replaced the leaf spring bushings and shackles. It looks nice and drives nice.

Thanks and hopefully this helps someone in the future.

 

[justin13703]

Update.

A few weeks ago, I sourced stock strut assemblies from a salvage yard. I removed and just used the spring seat. It fit perfectly on the Bilstein. I used the Monroe springs, isolators and hats on the Bilsteins since they were in better shape. I put the Bilstein adjustable ring on the third ring from the bottom to level it. I also replaced the leaf spring bushings and shackles. It looks nice and drives nice.

Thanks and hopefully this helps someone in the future.

I’m glad it worked out, have you thought more about bags in the rear? Airlift has a new auto leveling setup with a sensor that keeps your truck at the same height regardless of load. Or are you just going to leave it how it is?

 

[3blackbirds]

I'm going to leave it how it is. The truck belongs to my parents and they didn't want to go that route since they don't tow heavy loads.