During the late 1990s I drove a 91 Jimmy 4x4. 2002 I got a 92 Blazer 4x4, both were stock.I notices the Blazer had stiffer seat cushioning and a stiffer bumpier ride where the Jimmy was softer riding. Is that how they are engineered?
Last week I retired the 92' 4x4Blazer and bought an 80k mile1999 Jimmy 4x4. Compared to the older Blazer the 99 Jimmy feels heavier and leans around corners andis not as fast.
Back in 1995 a friend bought a new Blazer 4x4 and he had to take it back to the dealer for shock R&R. My 99 has thoseoriginalorange shocks that lookspindly and weak.Are they characteristicly bad?
My truck will remain stock but I wouldn't mind if it rode a little higher.
What is the application or purpose of coil over shocks? Do they raise the truck any?How do they change the ride?
Any recommendations for new shocks on my 99 4x4 Jimmy?

Thanks for you time.

 

well first off the 2nd gen. blazer/jimmy's are heavier bye a few hundred pounds. but as for coil overs they are to just give you a bit more hauling capacity. thats all the newer blazers/jimmy had belstien shocks. and every one here who has them say they are the best and last a long time. if you want a smooth ride get belstien but if you want a firm ride get the monroe reflex or sansa trac.

 

Yah unless you have some extra cash you probably wont be going for a new set of the stocks. As noom said the coil overs increasing hauling capacity. They are really only good if you haul alot or tow alot, otherwise they will seem stiff. If you are looking for a cheaper shock then the stock ones you could go with the sensa tracs. I dont think they come in lift versions though only standard height. I put sensa tracs on my bravada like 5 months back they seem good, you arent riding on a pillow but you also not strapped to the bed of a pickup. I think the 99s have the air assist feature so they probably cost a little more than my standard type in 97.

 

There are quite a few different suspension packages (mostly shock changes) for these trucks. The GMC is supposed to be more of a professional brand than the Chevy so it got predominantly softer riding shocks than the Chevy. All suspension packages were offered, but a lot of these trucks were standard orders which were just based on trim level and not an individual customer requirement.

Coil over shocks are used for load handling. I used Monroe Sensa-trac with load assist in the back of my old Bravada due to carrying around 200+ lbs of tools. They stiffened up the ride and lifted the back end around 1" when unloaded which settled down to normal ride height with all of my tools inside.

Since shocks only dampen motion, they do not need to be large or overly strong. Typically, it is the seal on the shock piston that goes bad long before any other physical damage occurs. This is due to dirt/debris that contaminates the seal, causes a leak, and subsequent poor performance.

 

ProComp ES3000 front/ES1000 rear really tightened up the ride of my truck.

 

you could even get the load assist Monroe with the coil over for the front and rear and get some lift? maybe. it sounds cool and possible.

 

i have coil overs in the rear and i love them. really helps with the cornering lean...