shocks as bumpstops

can you let the shocks (like DT8000) to act as your only bumpstop? are the mounts strong enough, or regular bumpstops are the only recommended way to go?

Mounts could be an issue,but the shocks are not to be used as stops!

dennisuello said:

can you let the shocks (like DT8000) to act as your only bumpstop? are the mounts strong enough, or regular bumpstops are the only recommended way to go?

Click to expand...

Sure you can.... but only once usually

No, shocks are not bump stops. Nor are they limit straps. Relying on them to be either can be both costly and dangerous.

I've seen shocks break apart and people roll as a result because they were trusting their shock to be a limit strap and it wasn't.

I've also seen, and re-welded, many broken shock mounts on vehicles that have over compressed a shock and broken off the mount. If the mount is strong enough, you may just break the shock.

In general I would say you bump stop about an inch before the shock bottoms and about the same on the limit strap side.

Thumbs up C-Rok. Well put....

Very few shocks have provision to act as bump stops, or limiters. If you can snag a copy of the paper Monroe catalog, you'll see that they spercifically identify which ones are set up to do this -- and it isn't many.

As an aside, one of the provisions in Connecticut's motor vehicle regs relating to altering suspensions is that you may not alter a suspension in any way that allows the shock absorbers to top out or bottom out. I don't know if any other states have sich a provision, but if Connecticut has it I'll bet at least a few other states have something similar buried in the DMV regulations.

I got winched out of this creek, bottomed the shock out. didn't hurt the shock any, but it pressed the bushing up into the engine compartment. kinda neat really, acually separated the bushing into two pieces.

so yea it's generally not a good idea, I still don't have bumpstops yet though.