Shock absorbers

+1 on valving and other variables aside from gas charging being the culprit for a particular shock not working well on a cj2a. 

It's my understanding that the nitrogen charge is to help prevent foaming of the oil under harsh use conditions. If that's the case, it shouldn't cause a  bad seat-of-the-pants felt ride unless its charged to a relatively high pressure.

I would expect the Skyjackers in the ad above are intended for an offroad vehicle with a lot of suspension travel going over a very rough road at greater speeds than most old cj2as go.

I honestly don't remember, sorry. I just visited the Rock Auto site just to make sure I wasn't "on my ass" regarding this topic, and they are there. You have to look under Jeep and not Willys to find the CJ stuff. If you check in the "original ride quality" section, you will find them.

While I was there, I might entertain getting a pair of the Rancho RS5000 series for the front of my black jeep. It has aftermarket lift springs and the cheapo shocks will NOT dampen these springs at all.

What are the part numbers for the shocks!

I honestly did not know Monroe made non-gas charged shocks that would fit our application. 

I guess if you have stock springs, get stock shocks. If you have different/stiffer springs you probably need a little more damping.

I suppose that's possible but the "Napa" shocks I'm taking about are the standard bright blue painted rebranded Monroe or Gabriel shocks that they sell.  Invariably those are nitrogen charged shocks.  When I inquired with manufacturers, they freely acknowledge that while the shocks that are currently sold will fit and operate dimensionally correctly that they may not act as the OEM shocks originally did on these vehicles? And that is, because they are nitrogen charged and the original shocks were Not nitrogen charged, but rather dual action hydraulic shocks.

I'm thinking, that part of the problem might be that a lot of folks have aftermarket springs that are simply stiffer to begin with than the originals? So that the nitrogen charge shocks really don't stand out because the springs are already pretty doggone stiff?

The other trick is to lubricate the spring packs regularly! I find that soaking the edges of the spring packs with liquid wrench penetrating oil or PB blaster makes a huge difference in the compliance of the springs because they do slide against one another. If nothing more it greatly reduces the squeaks and moans and groans that happen from the suspension system.

The other thing is don't over tighten the spring shackles!  They need to be backed off at least a half to three quarters of a turn otherwise they bind.

All I can say to the folks who are skeptical is that every flat fender guy who is ridden in my jeep has been impressed with how smooth and refined the suspension feels.  And that's running NDTs with about 25 psi of pressure.

A kid you not, it rides like a short wheelbase cadillac.

Anyway too many miles to go and too many smiles to go. Enjoy your rides guys.

I look forward to meeting you down in Tompkinsville Roc.

For me, with a bone stock MB/GPW, original springs and no mods, the very clear winner is Non-gas charged, like the original suspension was designed.

Going over bumps and imperfections in the road feels rubbery, compliant and soft, definitely not jarring or harsh the way the over the counter Gas filled shocks make it feel.

I actually feel kind of bad for folks with stock setups and that have never tried "old school" plain hydraulic shocks.  They'll never know how smooth the suspension on these old jeeps can be!  

This is the way a major manufacture describes the difference.  I agree with their assessment.