Shock absorbers are a very important component of any car. It is almost essential if you want a smooth and comfortable ride. The surfaces you drive around on are not always smooth and even.
Many of them are rough and bumpy. Going over them can cause significant discomfort for occupants of the vehicle. Installing shock absorbers can easily solve this issue.
Some of the best shock absorbers, especially for bigger trucks, are manufactured by Rough Country. Two of their better-known shock absorbers are the N3 shocks and the V2 Monotube shocks.
To know how they differ, keep on reading.
A Quick Comparison Table
| Specification | Rough Country N3 Shock Absorbers | V2 Monotube Shock Absorbers |
| Shock Absorber Body | Fast cooling 54 mm body with a metallic silver paint job | T6061 brushed aluminum body with black anodized accents |
| Shock Absorber Piston | 35 mm piston | 46 mm piston |
| Front Shocks Available | 185 front shocks | 69 front shocks |
| Rear Shocks Available | 284 rear shocks | 120 rear shocks |
| Lift Kit Sizes Available | Stock to 8 inches | Stock to 8 inches |
| Cars Compatible With The Shocks | Chevrolet, Ford, Jeep, Ram, Dodge, Cadillac, and Toyota | Chevrolet, Ford, Jeep, Ram, Dodge, Cadillac, and Toyota |
| Price Range of The Shocks | $89.95 to $99.95 | $159.95 to $259.95 |
Differences Between N3 And V2 Monotube Shocks
After going through the comparison table, you should have a pretty good idea about all the characteristics and differences between the two different shock absorbers by the two companies.
Now, let’s go a bit more in-depth into the characteristics of the shock absorbers by the two companies and really break down and analyze each different characteristic of the N3 shocks and V2 Monotube shocks sold by Rough Country.
- Body of The Two Shock Absorbers
The N3 shock absorbers by Rough Country have a fast cooling 54 mm body with a metallic silver paint job.
On the other hand, the V2 Monotube shock absorbers have a T6061 brushed aluminum body with black anodized accents.
- Piston Specification of Each Shock Absorber
The piston is a very important part of any shock absorber out there.
A piston is directly related to how exactly the shock absorber dampens the kinetic energy from bumps and rough surfaces.
Most of the shock absorbers that exist today mainly consist of pistons sitting within a reservoir of oil.
Whenever you hit a bump on the road or any rough area, the piston moves in response to that bump.
The holes in the head of the piston allow the piston to pass through the oil.
And the viscous force that arises during the movement of the piston through the oil is what causes the force to be dampened. That is roughly how a shock absorber works.
The N3 shock absorbers by Rough Country have 35 mm pistons. On the other hand, the V2 Monotube shock absorbers have 46 mm pistons.
Also Read: Differences Between Icon And Fox Shocks.
- Number of Front Shock Absorbers Available of Both Types
Both the N3 shocks and V2 Monotube shock absorbers come in front and rear variants. Let’s take a look at the front shocks first.
Rough Country offers 185 different front variants of the N3 shock absorbers. These include shock absorbers for all the different vehicle companies and kit sizes.
On the other hand, Rough Country only offers 69 different front variants of the V2 Monotube shock absorbers.
- Number of Rear Shock Absorbers Available of Both Types
Afterward, let’s compare the different numbers of rear shock absorbers available for both the N3 and V2 Monotube shock absorbers.
Rough Country offers 284 different rear variants of the N3 shock absorbers.
On the other hand, Rough Country offers only 119 different rear variants of the V2 Monotube shock absorbers.
These include shock absorbers for all the different vehicle companies and kit sizes.
- Lift Kit Sizes Available For Each Shock Absorber
Another area where the N3 shocks and V2 Monotube shock absorbers differ from each other is the number of lift sizes available for them.
Both shock absorbers have 17 different kit sizes available for purchase. However, the place they differ is the number of different shock absorbers of each variant available for every size.
Below is a list of all the kit sizes as well as the available shock absorbers for those sizes in parentheses.
N3 Shocks:
- Stock (118)
- 0.5 inches (115)
- 1 inch (124)
- 1.5 inches (134)
- 2 inches (139)
- 2.5 inches (137)
- 3 inches (130)
- 3.5 inches (124)
- 4 inches (129)
- 4.5 inches (133)
- 5 inches (130)
- 5.5 inches (133)
- 6 inches (122)
- 6.5 inches (110)
- 7 inches (98)
- 7.5 inches (80)
- 8 inches (59)
V2 Monotube Shocks:
- Stock (43)
- 0.5 inches (45)
- 1 inch (47)
- 1.5 inches (45)
- 2 inches (48)
- 2.5 inches (52)
- 3 inches (57)
- 3.5 inches (52)
- 4 inches (50)
- 4.5 inches (55)
- 5 inches (58)
- 5.5 inches (62)
- 6 inches (59)
- 6.5 inches (58)
- 7 inches (53)
- 7.5 inches (50)
- 8 inches (36)
But how about car compatibility?
- Cars Compatible With Each Shock Absorber
The N3 shocks and V2 Monotube shock absorbers are made specifically to work on bigger trucks, vans, and SUVs such as Jeeps and Fords.
With that in mind, both the N3 and the V2 Monotube shock absorbers have hundreds of variants tailor-made for specific car models. Compatible car manufacturers include Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, Jeep, Ram, Toyota, and more.
For more information, check out Rough Country’s official website.
- Price Range Of Each Shock Absorber
The final area where both the N3 shocks and the V2 Monotube shock absorbers differ from each other is their respective price points.
The N3 shock absorbers are on the cheaper side. Those shock absorbers’ prices range between $89.95 and $99.95.
On the other hand, the V2 Monotube shock absorbers are quite a bit pricier. Those go for between $159.95 and $259.95.
Also Read: Should You Pick Aldan American Over QA1 Suspension?
Which Shock Absorber Should You Pick?
We now come to the ultimate question. Which shock absorber from Rough Country should you choose?
The answer to this question depends entirely on you. The V2 Monotube is quite a bit more expensive than the N3 shocks. However, there is a lot of information that is not included in this article.
You should find out more before making the final decision.
Wrapping Things Up
In the end, shock absorbers are a vital component for any vehicle. But it is especially important for bigger vehicles such as trucks, vans, and SUVs. This is because the rides tend to be rougher and they often go off-road.
Hopefully, this article on N3 and V2 Monotube shocks gave you all the information you were looking for.
