1997 Jeep TJ

Coilovers have several advantages over the standard coil and shock setups. With coilovers, more than one rate of coil can be stacked on top of another for an easy progressive coil rate, virtually all coilover shocks feature a threaded body for easy height adjustment, most coilover shocks are a high-performance design for cooler running and more control at speeds, and a coilover's compact packaging makes a clean, tight installation a no-brainer. This isn't always so with regular coils.

When TAG Motorsports foreman Jay Miller decided to upgrade the front of his '97 TJ, we put our heads together and scoured the market for those components we felt offered the best blend of performance, ease of install, and price. Here's what we came up with.

We began by installing the remote-reservoir Walker Evans Racing shocks to the rear of the Jeep. The shocks feature an easily manipulated 16-way adjuster on the reservoir to dial in the ride.

Obviously, the first step is to remove the factory coil buckets and mounts from the frame and axle. TAG Motorsports' Jay Miller used a combination of a saber saw, plasma cutter, and grinder to make it happen.

The Rock Jock coilover mounts don't include axle brackets, so Miller whipped up his own out of some 3/16-inch steel. A length of tubing the same width as the coilover mount and misalignment spacers were inserted for welding to protect the shock body from weld splatter.

Before-and-After Impressions
On the trail, Miller reported a much-improved feeling of stability. Before, under full droop, the factory-type coil would unseat from its mount, leaving about 3-4 inches of dead, unsprung travel. As the Jeep came down an obstacle, the lack of suspension would allow the Jeep to gain momentum until the vehicle weight came back to rest on the coil. The coilovers don't unseat, so the body has no opportunity to gain momentum when climbing down obstacles because the vehicle's weight is always supported by the springs.

Miller also says the most drastic changes were noted over high-speed blasts down fire roads and extremely rough sections of trail. The high-performance Walker Evans Racing shocks really come into their own here, allowing a smooth and controlled ride over terrain that before would prove to be a few steps above punishing. The steering reacts more quickly and the tires are able to adhere to the contours of the trail way better. Miller runs all four adjustable shocks five clicks up from the softest setting, but with 16 adjustment positions, there's a setting for everybody.

There are lots of coil brackets on the market, but none offers the simple install or affordable price as the Rock Jock (Currie Enterprises) parts. The 3/16-inch steel brackets are designed to weld to a TJ frame. The coil mount accepts a 1/2-inch bolt and has a full 2 3/4-inch mouth for larger coilovers. Miller made up some spacers for his Walker Evans Racing coilovers. Note all the bulky factory brackets (right) you can rid yourself of.

With the brackets welded in, it's only a matter of assembling the high-quality, 225-pound-over-400-pound spring rate Eibach Springs coils to the shock body, mounting the shock, attaching the reservoir, and adjusting the ride height. Eibach stocks coils in a huge variety of heights, rates, and diameters, so finding the perfect coils for your Jeep should be easy.

Duplicate It With . . .
Here are the parts and tools we used:
* PN CE-9602: Rock Jock (Currie Enterprises) coilover mounts
* PN ERS-1000-250-400: Eibach Spring coils
* PN ERS-1000-250-225: Eibach Spring coils
* PN 500-16-008: Walker Evans Racing rear shocks
* PN WER-700-16-010: Walker Evans Racing front coilover shocks
* Welder
* 3/4-inch wrenches
* Grinder
* Saber saw