• Welcome to ClassicBroncos! - You are currently viewing the forums as a GUEST. To take advantage of all the site features, please take a moment to register. It's fast, simple and absolutely free. So please join our community today!
    If you have problems registering or can't log into your account, please contact Admin.

8 shocks or 4 shocks for best ride?

oneeyedjackass

New Member
Joined
May 12, 2018
Messages
2
Hi Everyone
Picked up a 74 a few months back. It was going to be fully off-roaded out by previous owner. It has dual shock set ups at all the corners. Not sure if springs have been changed, they are blue. We're looking for a more comfortable ride for cruising about, no hard core bashing. Should I remove 4 shocks and get back to stock set-up? What about springs, any advice on what to install?
thx!
 

Broncobowsher

Total hack
Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
34,835
Blue springs usually = Duff suspension.

Usually 1 shock per corner is best ride. But there are a lot of shock valving options.
 

904Bronco

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Sep 28, 2004
Messages
5,749
Loc.
San Martin, CA
Shock Technology has improved greatly since the 70's, where two were needed.

One quality shock at each corner should be fine...
 

bronconut73

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
9,916
Hi Everyone
Picked up a 74 a few months back. It was going to be fully off-roaded out by previous owner. It has dual shock set ups at all the corners. Not sure if springs have been changed, they are blue. We're looking for a more comfortable ride for cruising about, no hard core bashing. Should I remove 4 shocks and get back to stock set-up? What about springs, any advice on what to install?
thx!

Post some photos and welcome to CB.
 

SteveL

Huge chevy guy
Joined
Jun 24, 2001
Messages
11,613
Loc.
Hawthorne ca
One shock per corner. Most guys prefer the bilstiens or rancho 9000s. Count how many leafs are in the rear spring pack. If 5 or 6 they are the stock style with a stiffer ride. The newer better riding rear springs are 9 or 11 pack. Up front the newer springs also ride much better than stock. Like said above if they're blue they're likely from duffy. If so they're variable rate coils. They ride soft over the little stuff but get stiffer as they compress. The other option is linear rate coils where they compress evenly when cycling up and down. You'll get different opinions which fronts ride better. I prefer the linear from bc. Another thing to think about is the softer your ride the more body roll you're gonna get especially at highway speeds.
 

blubuckaroo

Grease Monkey
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Messages
11,795
Loc.
Ridgefield WA
Welcome to CB oneeyedjackass!
What brand are the shocks?
Sounds like you may have a Duffy suspension. I have a lot of respect for their products, and their packages are usually well designed.
Duffs still recommends doubling up on their own bran shocks on their Duff suspensions. Their 70/30 shocks are designed for their own spring packages.
 

Monster Mike

Sponsor/Vendor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Dec 29, 2010
Messages
1,768
Welcome to CB oneeyedjackass!
What brand are the shocks?
Sounds like you may have a Duffy suspension. I have a lot of respect for their products, and their packages are usually well designed.
Duffs still recommends doubling up on their own bran shocks on their Duff suspensions. Their 70/30 shocks are designed for their own spring packages.

Like blubuckaroo said. If they're Duff shocks you can run 2 per corner and experience great all around performance from them.
 

Z Bronco

Bronco Guru
Joined
Mar 17, 2007
Messages
1,138
I have two Duff shocks on all corners with WH coils and rear springs. Very happy with the ride.
 

ntsqd

heratic car camper
Joined
Jan 30, 2005
Messages
3,229
Loc.
Upper SoKA
Ride quality is terribly subjective. What is good for one guy is carp for another. Suggest riding in as many broncos with different set-ups as you can.

That said, my desert racing experience combined with my experience on my own vehicles with mono-tube dampers (Bilstein, Fox, King, SAW, etc.) is such that all of my keepers get them. I've even found that RCD modifies some Bilsteins to fit my '65 Valiant DD, so those are in transit at the moment.
 
OP
OP
O

oneeyedjackass

New Member
Joined
May 12, 2018
Messages
2
Thanks for the info. It does look like I have Duff shocks all around. Maybe I'll do a little experimenting.... or just leave it as is and drive it:)
 

Broncobowsher

Total hack
Joined
Jun 4, 2002
Messages
34,835
The nice part is taking them off and trying it that way is free. The fronts you can do a little tuning by trying singles in the stock location (slightly under 1:1 ratio) or singles in the front location (slightly over 1:1 ratio). It's just the matter of spinning a few wrenches and going for a drive.
 
Top