Photos: Courtesy of Fox and 4WP
Do you remember riding in a school bus as a kid? If you sat in the back of the bus with the cool kids like we did, then you know that ride was rough. School buses aren’t known for their superior suspension and handling, but what about our off-road vehicles? Do the shocks really make a difference?
We set our sights on the ultimate proving grounds and attended an in-person 2-day event hosted by 4 Wheel Parts and Fox Shocks with their “Go Farther” campaign. We joined a group of other media professionals where we were invited to meet at the 4 Wheel Parts Riverside store, check-in and get COVID approved. What is COVID approved? Smittybilt goggles, Mechanix Wear gloves, Fox long sleeve shirts and 4WP masks were all supplied and required to participate.
Next, we travelled to a local trail just a couple miles away in Jurupa Valley where Fox and 4WP created a desert compound with race trucks, a semi-trailer, catered lunch, LED screen showing the FOX academy video and FOX Jeep’s outfitted in their full shock program. It was like finding a distant mirage in the 108-degree California weather.
After some introductions and a drivers meeting, we were able to get into some Jeeps and start the 1.5 mile course around the compound. First up, we rode in a stock Jeep Wrangler JK with stock suspension, in order to give us a baseline of road noise, comfort and durability. Let’s be honest, this ride gave us flash backs to the school bus rides where you couldn’t keep your butt in the seat and we never got the Jeep over 24 mph.
Next up was Jeep #2. This Jeep was equipped with the Factory Performance Series 2.0 shocks. These shocks make a clear difference with the one-piece aluminum bodies that dissipate heat that is normally caused after rolling over rough terrain. The shocks not only increased the comfort but also stayed consistent over the bumpy trail allowing us to hit speeds up to 27 mph.
The newest addition to the FOX lineup was the Performance Elite 2.5 shocks. Brand new and never seen before, this shock was the star of the show. We hopped into Jeep #3 which was equipped with the 2.5 shocks and we immediately felt the difference.
The last Jeep in the lineup was #4 and this was Jason Scherer’s personal Wrangler JL that was equipped with Fox Factory Race Series 3.0 shocks.
If you like to go big, this is it. High and low speed compression adjusters are modifiable to any terrain anytime from the outside of the vehicle.
These shocks are built to last and are made with the highest quality materials and oversized 7/8-inch shafts which proved to be perfectly sealed even during the high temperature conditions. These shocks were fine-tuned, and they were a blast to take on every whoop and obstacle; plus, we were able to get up to 58 mph.
Ultimately this was a fun day to see some old friends, get off-road in some Jeeps and see the new Performance Elite Fox shocks in use. If you are looking for a new set of shocks, Fox is definitely on the list of brands to take a deeper dive at and ultimately the 2.5 shocks are the best of both worlds to get the full benefits of comfort and high-speed ride as well as adjustability and durability.
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