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Perhaps a silly shock question

E

Ed Wulfe+

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Apple Valley, CA (So Cal)
I want to relocate my lower rear shock mounts higher on the axle. My little brain tells me that if I move the shock mount up, let's say 4", that I should now use a shock that is 4" shorter than I used before. Is it really that simple or am I over looking something? Your input is appreciated.
 
Then you reduce extention of the axle.. Better to tilt the tops inward.. Currie sells a relocating shock mount. I have not tried it...yet....still rebuilding rear axle and will also be moving the lower mounts out of rock range.. Invested in "good" shocks and don't want to buy new ones.
 
keep in mind the more you tilt the tops in the less efective your shocs will be. not saying you souldn't do it just keep that in mind. If its a trail only rig that never sees high speed than great do it if you like but if its a dd i would think pretty hard about it. Imagine doing 70 mph with shocks that are 1/2 as efective as what they are now.
 
I wouldn't do 4" but your theory is what I applied when I bought shocks. I moved my mounts up 2" so they are level with the axle...not on top. Just so they're out of the way and not hanging down.

2" moved up = 2" less extended and collapsed lengths. Friend of mine and the parts guys agreed.

I bought new mounts to weld on instead of using stock ones.
 
Manatee,
Thanks. It won't be 4", probably closer to the 2" that you quote. What new mounts did you buy? I was going to cut a spring perch in half and use the Chevy style shock studs. The question that I am still kicking around is: is raising the shock mounts worth the loss of extension that results? The loss is real but does it translate to less performance in the field? Is there enough droop with the leaf springs to use the added extension that the stock mounts give you? This may be an academic question with no real "right" answer.
 
You can cut the stock mount and shape it to be re-welded on the axle. You can also keep the same shock but just extend your bumpstops, unless you are concerned about mad uptravel.
 
muddeprived,
You are right of course. The question really is when you do this you lose axle extension and how important is that loss?
 
Depends: not all spring / shackle setups are going to droop the same. Some will be able to use the extra 2", some won't. Best way to tell is to disco the shocks and flex the suspension, see what happens.
 
I would agree that your best bet is to disconnect the shocks, flex the suspension & take some measurements. Depending on how much travel etc your springs have your going to have to compromise somewhere.
I know I had to compromise the uptravel of the shocks, but my springs are really stiff so I picked a length that gave me what I wanted. I had to learn the hard way as well, since the first time I hit the trail they bottomed out a few times & I had to switch shocks. Unfortunately actual wheeling can cycle the suspension further than your jack at home.

Since I'm cheap I used the monroe shock length chart to find shocks so I could replace them easliy off the shelf. http://www.monroe.com/catalog/documents/08_MountingLengthSheet.pdf

scan2047.jpg
 
How do you guys figure you lose any flex? Raise the shock mount 2" and get a 2" shorter shock. Now when the axle is at full droop, the shock mount is 2" higher than it was before, meaning your shock will be 2" less extended. A 2" shorter shock would be at its max extension at the same point it was before.

As long as the compressed and extended lengths are the same amount shorter as you raised the mount, you're good to go. My issue is with the compression. I got the JKS raised shock mounts, but still have OME long travel shocks in the rear. Had to bumpstop quite a bit as I only get about 4" of bump travel before the shocks bottom out.
 
muddeprived said:
What's your opinion on those monroe shocks?
Click to expand...

The monroe-matic (blue color) shocks suck, you can compress them with your pinky (very soft), the sensatracs are much better. I wouldn't go racing with them but for occasional wheeling they are fine.
 
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