Do king shocks need time to break in?

[jross20]

This is really more so about the rear, which I finally got put on this week after waiting months to get them...

The fronts feel close to what I expected, maybe a little bit stiffer but I still need to adjust the lift and then make a judgment.

HOWEVER... The rears on the other hand are a totally different story. These have got to be the stiffest shocks that I've ever felt on a vehicle. Holy shit. I mean it literally feels like I replaced the shock with a solid steel pipe with no give. I'm totally baffled by this, to me they don't feel like the same kind of shock at all compared to the fronts.

So I'm really hoping that they just need to be broken in or something, and yes I did check the adjustment valve, and unless they put the valve knob on backwards, as far as I can tell I'm on the softest setting which I honestly find extremely hard to believe is legit...

Now if this is just the way they are, then I guess I'm just going to have to go for a revalve? if that ends up being the case, does anybody have any experience with that or recommend anybody?

 

[Brian.]

No, shock's don't "break in". It's fluid passing through holes (sometimes while under a gas spring load). The only thing that would change is the viscosity of the oil as it breaks down with heat and age.

Aren't King shocks adjustable? Rebound and/or compression damping settings?

 

[Bad Luck]

This is really more so about the rear, which I finally got put on this week after waiting months to get them...

The fronts feel close to what I expected, maybe a little bit stiffer but I still need to adjust the lift and then make a judgment.

HOWEVER... The rears on the other hand are a totally different story. These have got to be the stiffest shocks that I've ever felt on a vehicle. Holy shit. I mean it literally feels like I replaced the shock with a solid steel pipe with no give. I'm totally baffled by this, to me they don't feel like the same kind of shock at all compared to the fronts.

So I'm really hoping that they just need to be broken in or something, and yes I did check the adjustment valve, and unless they put the valve knob on backwards, as far as I can tell I'm on the softest setting which I honestly find extremely hard to believe is legit...

Now if this is just the way they are, then I guess I'm just going to have to go for a revalve? if that ends up being the case, does anybody have any experience with that or recommend anybody?

There's no shock break in period. Try turning the adjusters all the way to the other end of the adjustment spectrum and see if that changes anything.

 

[jross20]

No, shock's don't "break in". It's fluid passing through holes (sometimes while under a gas spring load). The only thing that would change is the viscosity of the oil as it breaks down with heat and age.

Aren't King shocks adjustable? Rebound and/or compression damping settings?

Okay I didn't think break in applied but wasn't sure. My rears have the little piggy back reservoir with the adjuster knob.

There's no shock break in period. Try turning the adjusters all the way to the other end of the adjustment spectrum and see if that changes anything.

Like to max "firm"? Okay I will try that, maybe the knobs are flipped by accident and I have them on Max stiffness...haha. I hope that is the case, as annoying as it would be.

 

[Bad Luck]

Okay I didn't think break in applied but wasn't sure. My rears have the little piggy back reservoir with the adjuster knob.



Like to max "firm"? Okay I will try that, maybe the knobs are flipped by accident and I have them on Max stiffness...haha. I hope that is the case, as annoying as it would be.

Strangers things have happened lol I doubt it will help but at least you can eliminate the possibility

 

[MStudt]

Settling of the springs is considered break in, and yes the springs will settle some. You'll notice this right away after your first drive. Mine settled to there current height with 20-30 miles, and no changes since that time.

Mike

 

[Endlessblockades]

I'd just email them - I'm sure they'll support their product. Are you running the Smoothies with compression adjusters?

Tuning Department: [email protected]

If there is a problem they can't help you with, the sooner you start the RMA or refund process the better.....

 

[Bad Luck]

Settling of the springs is considered break in, and yes the springs will settle some. You'll notice this right away after your first drive. Mine settled to there current height with 20-30 miles, and no changes since that time.

Mike

You're correct, but we're talking about shocks not springs

 

[jross20]

I'd just email them - I'm sure they'll support their product. Are you running the Smoothies with compression adjusters?

Tuning Department: [email protected]

If there is a problem they can't help you with, the sooner you start the RMA or refund process the better.....

Alright so I confirmed one side was on max "firmness" so I adjust it and the other both to max "softness".

I don't know... I gotta say to me it feels more like a sports car setup than an off-road one, very firm with very little travel even though I do have a lot of travel with this setup...haha.

So, definitely going to look at a revalve, I presume that's the other point of kings, getting them where you want them?

 

[Kwikvette]

Settling of the springs is considered break in, and yes the springs will settle some. You'll notice this right away after your first drive. Mine settled to there current height with 20-30 miles, and no changes since that time.

Mike

You're correct, but we're talking about shocks not springs

Maybe he was just tossing in there the possibility that the OP also replaced his springs, and didn't mention it, because springs could definitely be a factor here.

But it looks like it was the adjuster.

Just wish King rear shocks were longer...should've custom ordered mine.

 

[MStudt]

You're correct, but we're talking about shocks not springs

Exactly! Where would you be without coils & springs on/with your shocks? There's a lot to be said about progressive rate springs vs linear rate springs.

Maybe we should determine what rear springs [MENTION=388984]jross20[/MENTION] is running.

Mike

 

[fullmoonguru]

Just remove one side. It'll be 1/2 as stiff then!

 

[MarkamisPrime]

Alright so I confirmed one side was on max "firmness" so I adjust it and the other both to max "softness".

I don't know... I gotta say to me it feels more like a sports car setup than an off-road one, very firm with very little travel even though I do have a lot of travel with this setup...haha.

So, definitely going to look at a revalve, I presume that's the other point of kings, getting them where you want them?

Bleed out nitrogen it’ll soften them up

 

[jross20]

Exactly! Where would you be without coils & springs on/with your shocks? There's a lot to be said about progressive rate springs vs linear rate springs.

Maybe we should determine what rear springs [MENTION=388984]jross20[/MENTION] is running.

Mike

I could have sworn I had replied to this, I'm running 890s in the back.

Bleed out nitrogen it’ll soften them up

Really? Is that like a legit way or like a hack way? Haha, I don't want to damage them. They are a bit expensive for me to just screw around with

 

[MarkamisPrime]

I could have sworn I had replied to this, I'm running 890s in the back.



Really? Is that like a legit way or like a hack way? Haha, I don't want to damage them. They are a bit expensive for me to just screw around with

If you put a gauge on it, Should be at about 200psi.
I wouldn’t go less than 150psi but it’ll work perfectly fine and not harm anything.

 

[jross20]

If you put a gauge on it, Should be at about 200psi.
I wouldn’t go less than 150psi but it’ll work perfectly fine and not harm anything.

Is there any kind of special gauge that I need? Just a bit weary of messing with $900 shocks lol

 

[Brian.]

Yeah, a shock nitrogen gauge:

Shock Gauges & Fill Kits - Kartek Off-Road

Same tool you'd need to fill it back up. Hit up any 4x4 (or motorcycle racing) shop in your area, they'll have the tool and Should be more than happy to bleed out some pressure for free.

The pressure determines the "air spring" (nitrogen is used because it's dry), less pressure, "softer" initial feel.

 

[MarkamisPrime]

Is there any kind of special gauge that I need? Just a bit weary of messing with $900 shocks lol

Yeah
What he said.
I’m sure king just assumes that you have an extra 1k lbs weight on your rig.
Almost every set of kings I’ve ever installed I have just removed both sway bars because they are so stiff you just don’t need them.
And that’s across the board from 1ton to 1/4 ton trucks.
Any shop that rebuilds shocks will be able to bleed out some air for you. It’s not hard at all

 

[jross20]

Hey guys, replying with an update for anyone else who was in the same boat as me.

So, several months ago we did drop them to 150 psi and that made no difference that I could feel. The fronts are just at the verge where I think the weight of the ARB bumper will perfect them, but the rears are still super stiff.

Stuff as in, when I hit a bump the rear axle doesn't move up, the whole truck rockets up and slams down.

I ended up talking with a Tacoma driver I happen to meet in a parking lot one day who also had kings (and a sweet Tacoma as well), he jumped on the back of mine via the bumper and such to feel the shocks and said "damn man these are rock hard".

Then he showed me how plush his shocks were. So maybe something is wrong with my rears?

Fast forward to today, I'm going to send them in to King for a revive, but I've had the problem of not having another vehicle to drive while I take the shocks off of the truck. I really don't want to spend a bunch of money buying shocks to use for like a few weeks...

Anyway, also just a heads up for anyone who's wondering where I've been. Had a lot of stuff going on at home and I was basically just checked out mentally for a long time.. I'm starting to get back into things again

 

[TravThePro]

Hey guys, replying with an update for anyone else who was in the same boat as me.

So, several months ago we did drop them to 150 psi and that made no difference that I could feel. The fronts are just at the verge where I think the weight of the ARB bumper will perfect them, but the rears are still super stiff.

Stuff as in, when I hit a bump the rear axle doesn't move up, the whole truck rockets up and slams down.

I ended up talking with a Tacoma driver I happen to meet in a parking lot one day who also had kings (and a sweet Tacoma as well), he jumped on the back of mine via the bumper and such to feel the shocks and said "damn man these are rock hard".

Then he showed me how plush his shocks were. So maybe something is wrong with my rears?

Fast forward to today, I'm going to send them in to King for a revive, but I've had the problem of not having another vehicle to drive while I take the shocks off of the truck. I really don't want to spend a bunch of money buying shocks to use for like a few weeks...

Anyway, also just a heads up for anyone who's wondering where I've been. Had a lot of stuff going on at home and I was basically just checked out mentally for a long time.. I'm starting to get back into things again

It sounds like something was messed up during the assembly of those rear shocks. I have seen similar problems to this with fork oil getting into the gas chamber of motorcycle shocks, but your shocks have held the pressure just fine from what you say.

There is a chance they overstacked the shim stack or someone third party rebuilt them with poor quality parts/assembled it incorrectly. The only other issue I could see would be a blockage in the damper/piggyback.