2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission best all round suspension for canadian back roads

[jessekai]

ok so i know this has probably be done to death but i have no luck with the search function so if this annoys you sorry. currently building up a 97 i just picked up after abusing my 95 for the last 11 years and want to do better then the levelling spacers in my last one. so here is the question for the average person that is not hammering out baja how much of a diff does upgrading from bilsteins to the various other shocks out there really make. and who in your opinion (carli, kore, lorenz,synergy or thuren, ?did i miss anyone) makes the best riding system right now? for some reason every post i find on this is from 06-09. i mostly spend time on the back roads cruising or shuttling mountain bikes so not stupid fast but we all know that its fun to let the boost build and some dirt fly at times. as well is there a better setup for our cold canadian winters as the truck will see time in northern canada for work at times

thanks guys
jesse

 

[SnoKing]

Sorry I made a post here by mistake.

 

[jessekai]

looks like the right place to me? where else would i post it ?

 

[SnoKing]

Sorry I made a post to the wrong forum not you. Snoking

 

[jessekai]

oh ok no worries

 

[GrantP]

I'm sure you'll get lots of opinions on this one but ultimately any that you mentioned will be better than a spacer lift. I had Kore on my 97 with Fox 2.5's and the ride was pretty stiff all around but it handled dirt roads at speed very well, the faster the better. Those shocks were not good in cold weather at all and made a ton of noise when it was well below freezing until they warmed up. At -17F every crack in the road sounded like someone pounding on the frame with a sledgehammer. Maybe there's a different oil that could've been used to eliminate that but since I live in Phoenix those temps were only (rarely) encountered on hunting trips and I didn't worry about it too much.

As far as whether the Bilsteins are worth the extra money over Rancho and similar I don't think there's any question that they are worth it, I've used them both. When I get around to replacing the spacer lift on my 06 (it was on there when I bought it) I'll be going with the Carli Backcountry system with Bilsteins. I don't drive fast enough off road anymore to warrant Fox 2.5's but I can still blow through a set of Rancho's. ;-)

 

[AEdelheit]

I personally prefer Thuren, and he can do stainless shock shafts to help with the climate. His 2.0 fox or a custom valved 2.5 King package will fit all your needs and the best value for the money IMO. A few things to note though, shocks wont do much good without the right springs to match the shock valving, also on second Gens the rear leafs are far from ideal for good ride, a shackle flip or new spring pack will go a long ways. Control arms and a track bar will also really help the front axle travel smoothly and controlled.

 

[Regcabguy]

I had Thuren's 3" coils for awhile. They rode great offroad but proved to be a bit too soft with the leverage of the camper. Too much lean in curves and onramps etc. If I ever chuck the camper I'll reinstall them. He specially valved his King 2.5's for me also. Quality guy along with Sage.

 

[AEdelheit]

Yes his springs are softer and not ideal for vehicles with a high center of gravity!

 

[Bob4x4]

I have Carli coils and full leafs on my second gen along with his adjustable 3rd gen track bar and 2" shocks.It makes a very comfortable ride and good for moderate speeds off road.There are at least 3 Carli dealers in Canada Making it much easier to get product and support

 

[Bob4x4]

proHRT OffRoad
P.O. Box 86
Okotoks,Alberta, T1S 1B4
(403) 933-5445
Baja North Enterprises
615 Dairy Road
Kamloops, BC Canada, V2B 8N5
250 579-8509Big Dog Performance
11450 - 29th Street
SE Calgary, Alberta
(403) 279-6966

Big Dog Performance
11450 - 29th Street
SE Calgary, Alberta
(403) 279-6966

 

[jessekai]

thats great info guys. ya i will be doing rear springs for sure i was thinking mini packs but with 490k on the old main leafs full coils will prob be the way to go. i would only consider the 5100s as a base line and possibly go better from there i do have set of king 2.5s i picked up a number of years ago so i think i am leaning towards thuren for coils and a rework on the shocks if there is a solution to the cold weather issue as i run in pretty cold temps for a part of the year. how about rear leaf packs for the second gen seems like kinda slim picking out there most stuff looks like its geared for the 3rd ten stuff.

i will have to get ahold of baja north i only live a few hours from them thanks for the info

 

[Bob4x4]

Carli has the cold weather fixes dialed in

 

[Heetseeker_1]

+1 on the Carli.

 

[WalterJ]

What's so plush with the Lorenz Plush Ride leafs, when they advertise the 'same spring rate'? What am I missing? I guess I expected to see a spring pack with double the leaves at 1/2 the thickness, et al.

p.s. I didn't find a "Contact us" tab on their web site; that's why I'm bothering y'all.