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Shock Guy questions

Jeep&dogs

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I know a few guys on here have played with shock valving. I’m pretty new to this on a Jeep, drag race stuff I have played with but that’s about it.

I just put the FOX 2.5 DSC shocks on the Jeep, last time I drove the thing it was 30 ish degrees out. I haven’t driven it for a few weeks. Last night I did some other changes and took it for a ride. Honestly it drove like crap, it felt like the sway bars were disconnected. It was 14 degrees out, if the shocks are cold could it make THAT big a difference? I tightened the Low speed adjustments in one click today and it felt more like it did last time I drove it.

Can the cold really make that big of changes?

Maybe @AccuTunedJL any thoughts?
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AccuTunedJL

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What "other changes" did you make prior to driving it. Adjusting the DSC adjusters? Sounds to me like you have two variables in the mix, temperature and these "changes". Did you go back to the original setup prior to the changes to see if that resolved it?
 
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What "other changes" did you make prior to driving it. Adjusting the DSC adjusters? Sounds to me like you have two variables in the mix, temperature and these "changes". Did you go back to the original setup prior to the changes to see if that resolved it?
Nothing shock related. Changed the knuckles to Reid racing and did Dynatrac ball joints.
 
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Nothing shock related. Changed the knuckles to Reid racing and did Dynatrac ball joints.
I haven’t touched the shocks since I got them set a month or so ago. But it hasn’t been this cold either. Turning the Low speed adjustment in one click seems like it has improved it. I was just wondering if temp will make that big of changes. I would have thought if it was colder it would have made them more stiff I guess not softer?
 

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I saw a review of Fox 2.0IFP shocks and the reviewer mentioned they didn't ride well when cold, but he drove on them a little while and they got better as some heat built up. He also said that a few days later when the weather was warmer, they rode very well. Makes me wonder if the oil used in Fox shocks is less viscosity stable at low temps than some others.
 

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I saw a review of Fox 2.0IFP shocks and the reviewer mentioned they didn't ride well when cold, but he drove on them a little while and they got better as some heat built up. He also said that a few days later when the weather was warmer, they rode very well. Makes me wonder if the oil used in Fox shocks is less viscosity stable at low temps than some others.
Don’t know,the thing drove fantastic before it was really cold. Honestly I normally wouldn’t even drive it in the winter because all the salt they use around here so it really isn’t an issue. I was just curious if the temperature changes could make the ride that much different.
 

AccuTunedJL

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Got it. Temperature like that wont have a huge affect, but as they warm up the shocks should perform as usual.Usually the main concern we have with high and low temperatures is the shock seals, not the oil.

Plenty of other factors could be in play as well since replacing balljoints and knuckles is a decent upgrade/change. Alignment, confirm all bolts are torqued properly, tire pressure etc.
 
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Got it. Temperature like that wont have a huge affect, but as they warm up the shocks should perform as usual.Usually the main concern we have with high and low temperatures is the shock seals, not the oil.

Plenty of other factors could be in play as well since replacing balljoints and knuckles is a decent upgrade/change. Alignment, confirm all bolts are torqued properly, tire pressure etc.
Yes, I went through all that. Alignment specs are the same before and after. Toe changed 1/16 and I set it back to where I had it. The best way I could describe it was it drove like you were going down the expressway with the sway bars disconnected. There was a ton of body roll and any time you turned the wheel it was like it dove that side. Almost like there was no shock at all. I actually looked down at the dash just to make sure I didn’t actually hit the sway bar disconnect.
 

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Thats very odd. How far did you drive on them when you had these issues? Wonder if it got better as you continued to drive on them and warm up the shocks/tires.
 
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Thats very odd. How far did you drive on them when you had these issues? Wonder if it got better as you continued to drive on them and warm up the shocks/tires.
Honestly I drove probably 40 ish miles. It was mostly flat so I don’t know if that had anything to to with it. But today I turned the high speed in one more click so I am at 3, and the low speed in 2 clicks so both of them are at 3 turns in and it pretty much drove the same way it it did when it was warm and they were both set on the 1st click.
 

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Maybe the piston isn’t sealing when it is that cold and it is bleeding more? I wouldn’t be too surprised if 14 degrees is below where most of these desert shocks are tested for street use (vs rigs where normal use gets shocks up to temp quickly).
 

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What about your tire pressures? Cold temps will cause them to drop a couple of pounds which will soften up the handling.
 
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What about your tire pressures? Cold temps will cause them to drop a couple of pounds which will soften up the handling.
I normally run 28 in the tires, the dash said they were at 28. I did check them and they read pretty much the same. The lowest was 27.6.
 
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Maybe the piston isn’t sealing when it is that cold and it is bleeding more? I wouldn’t be too surprised if 14 degrees is below where most of these desert shocks are tested for street use (vs rigs where normal use gets shocks up to temp quickly).
I have no clue, this is the first time I have ran reservoir shocks on anything, with the windchill it was actually about-10 so I don’t know. Like I said, not an issue for me really I was just trying to see if the temperature could change them like that. I would have thought they would get firmer in the cold? Maybe the fluid is not transferring from the reservoir as easily?
 

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I have no clue, this is the first time I have ran reservoir shocks on anything, with the windchill it was actually about-10 so I don’t know. Like I said, not an issue for me really I was just trying to see if the temperature could change them like that. I would have thought they would get firmer in the cold? Maybe the fluid is not transferring from the reservoir as easily?
That would make it stiffer if it cant flow as easy. Id agree more with seals being so cold maybe they let a tiny bit of oil past, but thats a hard hard maybe
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