Before you get upset about...
Before you get upset about the grass we ran over, let us explain. This privately-owned field gets plowed down to dirt every spring to prevent brush from accumulating during fire season. We showed up just before the tractors did and got a few turns in since we didn't take any photos during testing.
We like running photos of ultra-modified vehicles. High-speed off-road technology makes us drool, and it's all the better when it's applied to real-world trucks. High-dollar dream machines give us ideas for our own rigs, and we hear from readers who like to see vehicles that they aspire to build someday.
Custom long-travel suspensions are great, but when you've only got enough money for an off-the-shelf lift kit, you make do with what you have.
With this in mind, we've been building our Bronco (The Juice) in stages, starting with low-cost modifications and then stepping up from there. You may recall that we installed a Skyjacker 6-inch lift on The Juice, and had a lot of fun taking advantage of the extra clearance it provided. Now that we've tested the abilities of that particular suspension setup, it was time to take the next step and find some suspension parts that would enhance the vehicle's performance.
In the end, we replaced The Juice's shocks, shock mounts, and leaf springs with components that were better suited to situations where performance matters. We built a pseudo-custom suspension-still retaining the Skyjacker brackets and radius arms-for less than the price of a new off-the-shelf lift kit. We didn't have to weld anything, and nothing was fabricated. Although the parts we used were suited to the Bronco itself, the ideas and methods we utilized are applicable to almost any vehicle. It's not brain surgery; you can mix and match suspension components to best fit your needs. Doing this takes some research, a bit of planning, and some wrenching, but it's affordable and entirely realistic.
We used Bilstein shocks, Deaver Suspension leaf packs, and OEM dual-shock mounts that we ordered from Jeff's Bronco Graveyard (The Juice was one of those odd TTB Broncos that came with only single front shock mounts). The respected crew from Off-Road Evolution in Fullerton, California, helped us with the install while we worked the camera. Once ready, we went out and flogged the Bronco for a while in the dirt after a fresh rain. Did our upgrades pay off? Keep reading for the answer.
What We Thought
We want this Bronco to go fast, and we want to stay in control. After the suspension upgrades had been made, we hit the dirt immediately. Within a minute, we knew The Juice's abilities had been enhanced. The Bilstein shocks and Deaver spring packs were much more supple (though not too soft) than the previous setup, allowing us to hit bumps at speeds that would have guaranteed some kind of airborne incident. To put it bluntly, the stuff worked. It's worth noting that we did experience increased driveline vibration, even though the height of the vehicle stayed the same. This was due to the slight difference in center pin position with the new leaf springs and unturned rear axle spring perches. This kind of problem requires rotating the perches on the rearend (or-ugh-using shims) to improve the pinion angle.
 Here's what the front end...  Here's what the front end of the Bronco looked like when we started the current phase of suspension upgrades. The Skyjacker 6-inch lift kit had actually done pretty well for us, but we wanted to install dual shocks and also see if we could squeeze out some additional wheel travel. Looking at this photo reminds us that we'd like to do a brake upgrade sometime soon as well. |  These single-shock towers...  These single-shock towers had to go. Some Broncos came with them from the factory, and some came with dual-shock mounts. These were attached to the frame with rivets, so Colin Fletcher of Off-Road Evolution torched 'em off. We were, however, able to retain the steel brake lines that had come with the Skyjacker lift. |  If you're a Bronco fan, you...  If you're a Bronco fan, you probably know that Jeff's Bronco Graveyard carries just about every part you will ever need. We got these Ford factory dual-shock towers for about $200 from the Graveyard, and when they arrived in the mail, we spent a good hour with the catalog that came in the box, finding parts we wanted to order-it's quite a resource. |
 For this upgrade, we used...  For this upgrade, we used piggy-back reservoir Bilstein 5150-series shocks. These are pretty affordable, at about $100 each, and we've always been impressed by how well they work. We've used them a few times in past builds, and we have many friends who swear by them. In order to use them on the Bronco's front end, we also ordered the pin-mount conversion kit from Bilstein. We simply unscrewed the eye bushing mounts and screwed on the pin mounts. |  We retained the Skyjacker...  We retained the Skyjacker coil springs, which are well suited to a variety of off-road environments. However, we may try softer ones soon, with the goal of better adapting the Bronco to high-speed situations. Companies like Deaver Suspension and Valley Spring Works have a variety of coil springs that we're interested to learn more about in the near future. |  Here, our new front end suspension...  Here, our new front end suspension components are installed and ready to rock. It is important to note that, on the Bronco, the shocks nearest to the front of the vehicle need to be longer than those on the other side of the coil spring, due to the mounting points. Be sure to carefully figure out the length you need when you order shocks, as those with a body that is too long may get destroyed at full compression under the weight of a vehicle, and those that are too short will limit wheel travel and eventually pull apart. We utilized Bilstein's online length guide to find the part numbers of the shocks we needed. |
 Deaver Suspension leaf spring...  Deaver Suspension leaf spring packs have always been on many bad-ass vehicles. The guys at Deaver are actually experts when it comes to Bronco suspensions, so we knew we were in good hands. |  These Deaver packs are built...  These Deaver packs are built from ten leaves-our old packs consisted of six leaves. A high leaf count, using thinner springs is an advantage; it provides a more compliant ride both on and off-road. Imagine bending 10 pieces of paper, compared with six pieces of cardboard, and you'll get an idea of how this works out. |  Replacing shocks and leaf...  Replacing shocks and leaf springs is not an overly-complicated process. The leaf springs are held in by six bolts, and the shocks have a bolt at each end. We anticipate a better ride and more articulation. Using shocks with the appropriate valving is extremely important, so we called around and got some professional advice. |
 The rear Bilstein 5150-series...  The rear Bilstein 5150-series shocks mounted without any problems, and it was not necessary to use the pin-mount conversion in this case. We've seen some Broncos utilize longer shocks by moving the upper mount point several inches closer to the front of the vehicle. In this photo, you can see some space where this can be accomplished. It's something we'll be thinking about as we continue to build The Juice. |  | |