2025 Suspension Recommendations (by Snacktime)

[Chrome_Pony]

Went with the 4WP coilovers on my 23 Non-Squatch Badlands 2DR.

Those plus DX4 Recons with 315/70R17 Bridgestone Dueler AT3 REVOs actually lost me 4lbs per corner over stock. Ride well, flex well. Installed the rears myself, then had a shop do the fronts and align.

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[BigShan808]

Been rockin' RC's 2" N3 coilover kit for just over a year and recently upgraded to M/T's Legend EXP 295/70r18 A/Ts. FTW, we're more than pleased with the handling and ride this setup delivers.

 

[crenca]

The track bar I've seen so many on both sides that I figured I'd err on the side of caution. The shop also does an alignment there too.

If it was me, I would wait and see what the mild lift actually did to the track bar - is it significantly displaced when the vehicle is parked on a level surface and at its "normal" or "typical" weight?

Just wondering out loud, but does the non-sas Bronco have the same length/location of the track bar as the SAS one? If so, the SAS Bronco small lift seems to not call for one... At least my SAS bronco, at "typical" weight (recovery gear, skids, etc.) is just about perfectly level, and a preload inch or two lift I don't believe would benifit from a relocation bracket - it would just displace the bar from level in the opposite direction...which would just reintroduce non-ideal geometry.

All that said, I would have to eyeball it (after lift) and then decide...

 

[BattBronco35]

If it was me, I would wait and see what the mild lift actually did to the track bar - is it significantly displaced when the vehicle is parked on a level surface and at its "normal" or "typical" weight?

Just wondering out loud, but does the non-sas Bronco have the same length/location of the track bar as the SAS one? If so, the SAS Bronco small lift seems to not call for one... At least my SAS bronco, at "typical" weight (recovery gear, skids, etc.) is just about perfectly level, and a preload inch or two lift I don't believe would benifit from a relocation bracket - it would just displace the bar from level in the opposite direction...which would just reintroduce non-ideal geometry.

All that said, I would have to eyeball it (after lift) and then decide...

I appreciate this! I had the guys at Shock Surplus say yes good idea to do it but again been split otherwise. I'm not getting it installed there but I like your idea. I'm gonna email the shop and see if we can see how it sits with stock rear trackbar and then go from there. Thank you!

 

[telenerd]

Not sure if you saw my story. But I’m 2 door Sas Badlands. I followed some other people’s advice here and ended with a money pit.

I wanted more height due to my belly pan skids scrapping all the time off-road even stock skids I would scrape all the time. So I went clip 6 front and 5 in the back to level it and was too high in the front and rode weird on the highway with the Bronco leveled. Lowered it to Clip 5 in the front and now it seems perfect for my needs with 1 inch of rake. But the shocks do ride a bit firm at clip 5 but that may be due to me swapping out to D rated tires plus the alignment shop could not get the caster and camber dialed and had to buy UCAs. The rear was also off center and I corrected it with an adjustable track bar. According to my alignment shop the rear geometry is still slightly off and would benefit from rear upper and lower adjustable arms. Plus I should get a little more flex. Over time as the suspension settled I lost almost an inch.

If I could do it over again I would have bought track bar, uca, and rear uppers and lowers. Started in the middle clip height position on all 4, aligned it then adjust it from there after it settled and then get alignment for second time. If you’re more conservative on height and don’t wanna buy uca and rears go with the lower clip heights.

Take all this with a grain of salt since everyone’s builds are different and looking for different things off-road. Plus the Bilstien charts are different depending on if you have Sas or Non Sas or Badlands.

Hopefully I confused you even more.

 

[BattBronco35]

Not sure if you saw my story. But I’m 2 door Sas Badlands. I followed some other people’s advice here and ended with a money pit.

I wanted more height due to my belly pan skids scrapping all the time off-road even stock skids I would scrape all the time. So I went clip 6 front and 5 in the back to level it and was too high in the front and rode weird on the highway with the
leveled. Lowered it to Clip 5 in the front and now it seems perfect for my needs with 1 inch of rake. But the shocks do ride a bit firm at clip 5 but that may be due to me swapping out to D rated tires plus the alignment shop could not get the caster and camber dialed and had to buy UCAs. The rear was also off center and I corrected it with an adjustable track bar. According to my alignment shop the rear geometry is still slightly off and would benefit from rear upper and lower adjustable arms. Plus I should get a little more flex. Over time as the suspension settled I lost almost an inch.

If I could do it over again I would have bought track bar, uca, and rear uppers and lowers. Started in the middle clip height position on all 4, aligned it then adjust it from there after it settled and then get alignment for second time. If you’re more conservative on height and don’t wanna buy uca and rears go with the lower clip heights.

Take all this with a grain of salt since everyone’s builds are different and looking for different things off-road. Plus the Bilstien charts are different depending on if you have Sas or Non Sas or Badlands.

Hopefully I confused you even more.

Hey I appreciate all the feedback and stories! I'm a non-sas 2 door badlands so slightly different but definitely trying to keep it as low as possible with the 6112s. I'm getting the UCAs regardless, but I decided against rear lower control arms just with how much on road driving I do vs offroading (it was on my list for a while). My bronco doesn't have much extra weight so I think the settling hopefully won't be as much. But greatly appreciate your insight on this, helpful for talks with my shop too.

 

[telenerd]

Hey I appreciate all the feedback and stories! I'm a non-sas 2 door badlands so slightly different but definitely trying to keep it as low as possible with the 6112s. I'm getting the UCAs regardless, but I decided against rear lower control arms just with how much on road driving I do vs offroading (it was on my list for a while). My bronco doesn't have much extra weight so I think the settling hopefully won't be as much. But greatly appreciate your insight on this, helpful for talks with my shop too.

Glad it helps. One thing I did notice with UCA is my front wheels go to center very quickly with the higher caster and even on the rocks it goes to center and less tiring off-road. Plus I noticed a little more flex and my tires stay on the ground more. There are plenty of UCA options, I went with JBA. Only downside those were pain in the ass to install due to tight fit on the shock towers. Then you have to remember to grease them. UCAs changed the ride of my Bronco in a good way. I’m super excited to try rear lowers and uppers for the added flex and better geometry.

 

[BattBronco35]

Glad it helps. One thing I did notice with UCA is my front wheels go to center very quickly with the higher caster and even on the rocks it goes to center and less tiring off-road. Plus I noticed a little more flex and my tires stay on the ground more. There are plenty of UCA options, I went with JBA. Only downside those were pain in the ass to install due to tight fit on the shock towers. Then you have to remember to grease them. UCAs changed the ride of my Bronco in a good way. I’m super excited to try rear lowers and uppers for the added flex and better geometry.

I'm getting the Icon DJ Pro UCAs, excited for them as well. Any little bit helps off-road so can't wait to get it out soon after the 13th.

I was really on the rear lower for a bit but again just with how much on road driving I do, just put it on the shelf for now. I'd love to hear how your experience is with those on yours!

 

[ThunderFlash]

Eibachs don't belong in the same sentence as HOSS 3.0 or Raptor.

Funny you'd say that. I have the Eibach 2.0 Pro Trucks with HD springs on my little piglet early '22 build 2-dr WT and I find them far better than the HOSS 2.0 that came on it, particularly with the weight that's been added. But I also far prefer the Eibach ride on and off road (low speed trails) over the HOSS 3.0 on the wifes 4-dr WT, even with the shorter 2-dr wheel base. Goes to show how personal preference and use case it can be. The Fox's definitely shine on hard hits and I suspect they probably come into their own in high speed stuff, but we don't do much of that.

 

[Snacktime]

Funny you'd say that. I have the Eibach 2.0 Pro Trucks with HD springs on my little piglet early '22 build 2-dr WT and I find them far better than the HOSS 2.0 that came on it, particularly with the weight that's been added. But I also far prefer the Eibach ride on and off road (low speed trails) over the HOSS 3.0 on the wifes 4-dr WT, even with the shorter 2-dr wheel base. Goes to show how personal preference and use case it can be. The Fox's definitely shine on hard hits and I suspect they probably come into their own in high speed stuff, but we don't do much of that.

I agree that Eibach makes the best road shocks. I have since installed Eibach 2.0 on my F150 and Jeep Wrangler. The on road ride is absolutely fantastic, they are stiff yet isolate the road better than Bilsteins. I also don't run huge tires with the Eibach 2.0s which is why I chose to go less duty.

Just comes down to preference. Still think 6100 shocks are the absolute best middle ground option especially with Eibach's last price increase.

 

[crenca]

The on road ride is absolutely fantastic, they are stiff yet isolate the road better than Bilsteins.

Interesting. From reports here I assumed they are (a word at least one person has used to describe them) "cush", like many OEM/out of the box (non "tuned") Fox, and thus would have their share of brake dive, roll, etc. They are linear are they not? Maybe they are not all that that "cush" but the linearity makes for better small bump/chatter isolation

 

[ThunderFlash]

Interesting. From reports here I assumed they are (a word at least one person has used to describe them) "cush", like many OEM/out of the box (non "tuned") Fox, and thus would have their share of brake dive, roll, etc. They are linear are they not? Maybe they are not all that that "cush" but the linearity makes for better small bump/chatter isolation

I'd say they are soft. It took me a bit to get used to it, but now with some time I have confidence in it. The springs are progressive, but the HD springs have very limited first stage wraps. The first pic is the rear standard spring I started with, the second is the HD spring. I had the HD spring on the front from the get go. A wee bit more compression damping in the rear would be good with my weight.

 

[Snacktime]

Interesting. From reports here I assumed they are (a word at least one person has used to describe them) "cush", like many OEM/out of the box (non "tuned") Fox, and thus would have their share of brake dive, roll, etc. They are linear are they not? Maybe they are not all that that "cush" but the linearity makes for better small bump/chatter isolation

They are digressive like Bilstein. Which is why people some say more roll as they get softer the more they compress. Bronco is also heavy making them feel softer. Then add in shock angles and the 1.6 to 1 ratio on the front suspension you are getting a reduced dampening. Lot of reasons to buy 6100s over the 5100s and Eibach on this particular platform.

On a 4000lb 2 door jeep they are perfect because of the shocks being out boarded and near 1 to 1 motion ratio. This is why I went with softer Eibachs 2.0 over Bilsteins 5100. Also helps that I am only running small 33s (285/70R17) with aftermarket wheels which are heavy but not compared to true 35s and 37s. This is the reason so many people are happy with certain brands on other platforms but doesn't translate over to Broncos.

 

[ThunderFlash]

@Snacktime, that spring itself is considered progressive, though, no?

 

[Snacktime]

@Snacktime, that spring itself is considered progressive, though, no?

Yes, the spring gets progressively stiffer the more you compress it. Which is something people like for on road driving. The more the vehicle leans the stiffer the spring gets prevent it from leaning more.

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