Base Shocks vs. Upgraded Shocks and Why You Should Upgrade
If you love to go off-road in your truck or Jeep, you may want to upgrade your shocks. But how? We’re here to walk you through all things shocks. Learn why it’s important to upgrade your shocks before going off-road and how to choose the right shocks for your vehicle.
Shocks 101
If you’re wondering what shocks are and how they work, you’re not alone. Shock absorbers are a crucial part of your vehicle’s suspension system. They control the up and down motion of the system, dampening the energy of the spring and suspension. This creates resistance to the up and down motion, so the vehicle doesn’t go beyond its capabilities. The shock absorbers turn the energy created by this motion into heat, which gets dissipated into the atmosphere. This makes the ride more comfortable for you the driver and your passengers.
If you look at your shocks or start shopping for shocks online, you’ll see the body and the rod, but inside there’s a piston assembly with a valve system. Shock manufacturers like King Shocks, Fox Shocks and Bilstein shocks, two of the biggest and most respected names in the industry, will use the valve system to tune the damper for specific applications. A valve system that is specifically tuned uses oil to reduce the vibratory motion by turning the energy of the suspension movement into heat. This allows the energy to be dissipated through the specific oil or fluid within the shocks.
Why Upgrade Your Shocks?
Every vehicle comes with factory or base shocks, but, if you plan on going off-road with your vehicle, it’s best to consider an upgraded shock. If you own a lifted truck or Jeep, you’ll likely have more aggressive tires. This means your vehicle will generate more heat when making the up and down motion. Most upgraded shocks are wider and longer, which helps increase the amount of oil used in each shock and allows the extra heat to dissipate. You can also look at remote reservoir shocks which will help increase the fluid or oil flow when the shock experiences more extreme heat conditions.
One of the most popular types of shocks for off-roading is the coilover shock. This combines the shock and spring of a suspension system in the same assembly. Coilover shocks allow for taller springs than traditional coil-spring suspension systems. This also makes it easy to alter the spring rate or frequency when handling different kinds of terrain.
You may also want to consider adding additional shocks like a Triple By-Pass shock or even more progressive coil spring rates with the coilover shock option. Having multiple options can help conquer a wide range of terrain obstacles.
Most lift kits come with base or mid-grade shocks to upgrade to coilover shocks ot shocks with reservoirs to account for the vehicle’s new suspension system, including more aggressive tires and new handling characteristics. Some shocks also let you adjust the valving system yourself, so you soften the shocks when you go rock crawling and tighten them again when you get back on the highway. To adjust the valving system, you’ll need to turn the knob at the base of each shock. It’s best to use a super-soft setting for rock crawling and other off-road adventures and a moderate setting for highway driving.
While base style shocks are fairly inexpensive, upgraded shocks from King to Fox can run over several hundreds of dollars. But you will get what you pay for when it comes to upgraded shocks. If you’re a serious off-roader, investing in high-quality shocks will help you tackle all kinds of bumpy terrains with ease and help you stay comfortable behind the wheel. If you prefer to stay on paved surfaces, you could consider a more mid-grade shock upgrade like a Bilstein and not worry about upgrading with a high-performance shock like a coilover with a reservoir.
Get Shocks and Get Control
If you decide not to upgrade your shocks before going off-road, you should practice extreme caution as base shocks can wear down more quickly and add more stress to the suspension. Your vehicle will have more freedom as you go over rocks, bumps, and curves as the body and axles move out of sync with each other.
To stay safe when going off-road, invest in a lift kit that comes with coilover shocks. Look for a performance-based shock company like King shocks or Fox shocks to make sure you’re getting the best shocks money can buy.