rear shocks through floor, ideas?

[gearwhine]

I actualy haven't had rear shocks for a LOOONG time. I can only fit around stock length shocks to get full use out of them in the stock body location and raised axle end, but not getting full use of my suspension

I really want to see some ideas for through the floor set-ups. I don't want them angled tremendously and am not a fan of really far inward either. I have a tendency to get into many tippy situations...driver skill...or is it spotter suckiness...well, I'll figure that out some other time.

I'm looking at running them on the spring plate, between the frame and wheel well, however clearance under droop scares me there.

Since my jeep is not together and able to be flexed at the moment...would anyone with a good amount of travel...seriously, measure how far their spring plate moves inward at full droop. This will at least give me an idea if I have to cut a huge chunk or small chunk or nothing at all out of the frame.

There have been some posts a long time ago with pics of cagedxj's setup, but they are gone now.

Thanks, _nicko_

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/2/web/170000-170999/170272_99_full.jpg

[fatwreck]

the pics I could find of cagedxj's rig:

http://www.projectxj.com/images/rigs/fbd16e2b-2.jpg

http://www.projectxj.com/images/rigs/fbd16e3f-2.jpg

[gearwhine]

aha, thanks...I actually just PM'ed him to post the pictures up, but you beat him to it. Ok, so he did it between the frame and the wheel well...hopefully he'll chime in on how it worked out clearance wise. Thanks. _nicko_

[David Taylor]

I put mine through the floor there as well. The shocks move side to side very little. They move for and aft more.

[XJ_ranger]

I put mine through the floor there as well. The shocks move side to side very little. They move for and aft more.

more front and back?

are you linked in the rear?

[David Taylor]

more front and back?

are you linked in the rear?

Yes and no.
But, I go through almost 14" of wheel travel.

[cagedxj]

I did have some rubbing on the inner wheel well at first, but noting that I couldnt fix with a BFH. I really liked that setup and ran it for 2 years with Rancho 9012s and then with a set of Bilsteins. The 9012s were my favorite shock set up like that. The axle end was mounted to the top of the spring plates with some standard shock mount brackets. I also then made some plates with innertube rubber to seal against the shock body and used silicone to seal around the floor.

[gearwhine]

Thanks for the replies. I went ahead with that location. Once the holes were cut there appears to be more space between there.

I made them a little longer than I wil probably use, just for future's sake...I can always add a crossbar or longer tabs if I want to "shorten" them.

I plan on using DT3000 32" extended shocks (cheapest shocks there are :)). I ran them before in shorter length and liked them. From spring plate to mid bend I'm at 26.5" at ride height. With tabs and maybe a crossbar like I said, I will get full use out of the shocks for sure.

These are not complete yet, they are still tacked to the frame, and I will probably have a support going to the rear hoop, not sure if it's really needed though. I am not fully welding them until I get the shocks in my hand.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/2/web/170000-170999/170272_100_full.jpg

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/2/web/170000-170999/170272_101_full.jpg

[cagedxj]

Looking good! With the hoops tied to the frame like that you may be good to go without braces. But keep an eye on them, you dont want any cracks in the frame from flexing in and out.

[JeepFreak21]

Looking good! With the hoops tied to the frame like that you may be good to go without braces. But keep an eye on them, you dont want any cracks in the frame from flexing in and out.


I dunno... it looks like it'd be cake for him to brace it from the cage.
Billy

[David Taylor]

A short brace over to the rear seat latch area maybe.

[gearwhine]

Thanks, I am kind of leaning on not bracing these at all. 95% of the loading will put the welds in shear (seriously, i did all the calculations....no I didn't), rather than wanting to bend side to side. If that's the case, a brace will do almost nothing.

They are just shocks...formed sheetmetal holds them in the front, and many people have them in single sheer with 1/2" bolts...how much force can they exert??? anyone ever have a problem?

_nicko_

[cagedxj]

The stock shock mounts in my XJ had actually torn away from the frame causing a crack to form in the 'frame rail'. Keep a close eye on them, there are some pretty extreme forces exerted on the chassis when the shocks cycle rapidly.

[OT]

Just to add to the ideas on this thread.......

Here's Kid4lyf's rear shock setup.

http://www.savepic.com/freepicturehosting/is.php?i=388594&img=rear_up_shock_cl_sm.jpg

[TrailHunter]

This is an interesting solution for adding longer traveling shocks. What are you doing to your leaf pacs to take advantage of all of this new shock travel? Are you relocating the lower shocks above the axle's centerline?

[OT]

This is an interesting solution for adding longer traveling shocks. What are you doing to your leaf pacs to take advantage of all of this new shock travel? Are you relocating the lower shocks above the axle's centerline?
It's a four link with coils.
On top of axle.

[BrettM]

coils?

aren't those airshox?

[TrailHunter]

Terry's pic was definitely air shocks, but nothing was said about the suspension. A linked rear would explain things.

[Roxtar]

Yea, it's a four link with Fox 2.5"X16" air shox.
No coils.

[gearwhine]

This is an interesting solution for adding longer traveling shocks. What are you doing to your leaf pacs to take advantage of all of this new shock travel? Are you relocating the lower shocks above the axle's centerline?


well to answer your question for leaf springs, yes, the shocks are way above the axle centerline, on top of the leaf spring plate. Just by guessing, that's probably an 8-10" raise over stock.

The main thing I did for more travel in my leaf springs was to move the shackle out of the box to get full swing. There are a few other little tweaks here and there like replacing some leafs with longer ones, but the shackle has given me the most benefit so far.
_nicko_

[OT]

Yea, it's a four link with Fox 2.5"X16" air shox.
No coils.
I knew that.
What the hell was I thinking?
Well, at least I got the picture right.:D