As some of you may know, GasMan and I are working on a new two seater frame for myself to replace the ol Surf Green buggy. I have came to the conclusion that I am 1. too lazy and 2. limited on time, so I do not plan on making air bag mounts and installing them on this car, and I also don't want to mess with resetting my torsion numerous times (laziness). So, does anyone have any experience with Fox air shocks on the back of a light weight two seater? Buggy will have 2x3 and be set up for climbing...
-2.0's?
-2.5's?
-Set up with torsion to hold buggy weight up?
-No torsion at all?

I would go with the 2.5 on the rear and the 2.0 on the front. Fortydegnorth on here built a nice two seat with air shocks all the way around no torsion and he seems quite happy. I run fox 2.5 coil overs out back, but I am running a V6 with 3x5 trailing arms.

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Water Cooled Consortium, Chairman of the Build (Former AC purist)

I think 2.0's would work, but I'm leaning towards 2.5 for when I rollover they don't blow out under the added load... (I've been known to bounce it on its roof down hills)

If it's a lightweight buggy I wouldn't spend the money on the 2.5's. The 2.5 are rated at 1700# per shock. Your entire buggy would probably weigh that. The 2.0's on my buggy are too small but they are working. I have them over charged a little bit now. I will likely upgrade to the 2.5 fox or Profender. My buggy has 4x5 trailing arms and a ton of weight back there......literally. Never weighed the buggy yet but the engine alone is close to 600 plus radiator, intercooler, turbo, large fuel cell etc. A hillclimber built light would never need more than a 2.0. They ride amazingly smooth. If you find a deal on 2.5 airshocks by all means it won't hurt or you could let me know. lol. I have 16" 2.0 but in 2.5 the 14" travel will work for me. I really only probably need 12" but got a decent deal on the ones I bought used.

You're 3.5 hours away from me. Come on over and I'll take you for a ride in the Lincoln! It feels like riding in your grandma's cadillac that has bad shocks. If it leans it stays leaned a little. Kind of like riding in a boat or something. Very smooth especially if you cross a bump or ditch at an angle. You'll never even know you crossed it. I have long 1.5x4 arms on the front too and airshocks. I love them so far.

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"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal." -Henry Ford

I would run 2" Racerunner Air Shocks. 1000lbs per corner.

2" Racerunner Air Shocks
Racerunner 2.0” Air Shocks were designed with the most extreme Rock Crawler in mind, and offer incredible stability and control over the most demanding rocks Moab has to offer. RaceRunner Air Shocks come standard with Com10 Teflon lined steel spherical bearings, 1 3/8” hard-chromed chromoly tubing, and O-ring Schrader valves. RaceRunner Air Shocks offer full adjustability from 50-500psi, supports up to 1000lbs per corner and come standard with smooth Nickel plated cylinders.

There are 4 main companies for airshocks:

Sway-a-way, King, Fox and Profender. Not sure of all the differences or if one is really better than the other. Profender only has a 2.5 but the price is right. I have never changed the valving from the standard 60/40 or whatever it is that Fox uses.

You could also consider coil overs on a budget. Profender and FOA seem to have decent prices. Springs add up though for dialing it in. Better weigh the buggy complete before going this route.

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"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal." -Henry Ford

Bilstein is building the 5100 series coil overs but I think they have an air shock as well. Fox was great I had my car weighed on all four corners and called them, the tech department gave me some great advice. Thanks for chiming in Fortydegnorth. I wish I lived close I am considering air shocks for my SS project this winter.

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Water Cooled Consortium, Chairman of the Build (Former AC purist)

Air shocks are the shit! Never will I try and run coil overs again.way to many spring changes and trial and error to get it where you want it,and always seemed like it worked good for some situations and not so good at other times.and unless you got lots of money and time it takes both to get it where you like them.air shocks a lot faster and easier to set up and cheaper and less weight.Chad

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NOW GAS IT!!!!!

here is the websites for most of the more popular shock manufacturers

http://www.woodsbuggy.com/index.php?opt ... f=4&t=9643



im probably gonna go with the 2.0 racerunner air shocks on my new cobra frame unless i decide to try the fox air/coilover combo shocks like these

http://www.ridefox.com/product.php?m=of ... ref=filter

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Just Stand On It!!!!

Chris

i have sway a way race runner 2.0 air shocks on all 4 corners of my honda 2 seater. The buggy is under got honda in the buggy build section. I have been riding it for 3 or 4 years now and have not had any problems out of the air shocks. The buggy weights 1800lb.

go with the 2.5 fox air shocks . i run 400 + psi in my 2.0 shocks and max psi is 500 .if you get the 2.5 shocks then you can run lower psi . I know you will love them. i do

Thanks for asking the question. Because of all the good things said about air bags I was thinking of going that route but the problem I was debating was the need for shocks also(lots of moving things and fabbing). The less than optimal coil overs I have give a sorta nice ride right before they bottom out which had me looking at gas bump stops. I've come to realize that all of the money wasted on different torsion bars,shocks, coil overs, etc. would of been better spent on some good 2.5's.

so if my calculations are correct you need 1 shock to hold your ball sack up ?!

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Theirs no replacement for displacement !

The BEST suspension is by far coil over. Yes they are expensive but the best of anything usually is. After owning a car that was designed for air bags in the back and eventually going to coil over's up front I will tell you it was a pleasure to drive. I think my lay-z-boy rides rougher than that car did. So don't let that LAZY F@#$ Jeffy change your mind. he has air bags now and he loves them. I can't say for sure but I don't think he will like the air shock better than the bags and I KNOW he wouldn't know how to act with coil over's. Then again he doesn't know how to act period.

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Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.
M
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G
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2.0 Air shocks all the way around......best bang for your buck, I will not run coil-overs again, too heavy and $$$$, rides nice, but I believe the air shocks will do better, That's what I am going to run on my new Baddvw 2.0 whenever I get in the groove to start on it

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"Loud pipes saves lives"

I think id go with 2.5's just for the simple fact of they have more adjustment, could be used on a heavier car in the future. But then again Im never doing anything without airbags ever again!

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"IT IS WHAT IT IS"

To step up to the 2.5 is $170 extra per shock. 2.0 are $211 and 2.5 are $382.

I wouldn't spend the extra if I didn't need it. Almost double would make me rethink coilovers unless I found a good deal.

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"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal." -Henry Ford

I did a little research into the cost of my 14" travel Fox 2.5 coil over shocks and I paid $400 each with the dual rate kits. That being said I also paid another $300.00 for the Eibach springs. I got the Shocks from Kartek and the springs from Polyspring. I have had great results from the package. I was planning on Fox 2.0 coil overs up front but I think the air shock might just work for less money.

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Water Cooled Consortium, Chairman of the Build (Former AC purist)

If u run 2.0 air shocks on the back when u mount them to the trailing arm center it over the axle and remember the farther back on the buggy u mount the shock the more leverage u have. So if u buy 2.0 and have presure issue, move the shock mount back. I run race runner coil overs on my two seater and they are ok but on my one seater I run fox 2.0 x 10" on front and 2.0x14" on back and in 25 years it's the best 850.$ I have spent by far. Best ride I've had yet. I run 450 psi in the rear and shocks are leand forward more than I should have . I did it just to match the angle of the bars.