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staggered rear shock conversion

wildcat-xj

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Kingwood, Texas
is it feasible to convert my 8.25 to have both shocks on the rear of the axle? similar to a jk. seems the staggered shocks help with wheel hop. honestly the only reason I'm interested in doing it is cuz I like the symmetry of it.

any links to conversion builds? what would this even be called?

thanks
 
ive had both of mine on the back side of my axle since i built my xj and they work fine even though i get crap for the angle there at all the time :) i dont have any crazy axle wrap or anything
IMG00272-20101016-1514.jpg
 
hahaha the gas tank has been changed and i built a skid for it and havent had a problem with no bumpstops yet because the rc leafs i was running were so stiff and the shackle angle was so bad it wouldnt flex enough to need them but i swapped out the gay rc leafs for f100 springs so bumps will be coming this summer :)
 
x2, that pic is more like 'how NOT to setup a rear suspension'

Back on topic, to do that, without going into the cab to a roll cage moun ted upper mount, you'd have to build a new cross member to locate the tops, the stock crossmember is stamped in an S-like shape, wont work.

As for what its called, i'd call it 'mounting both shocks behind the axle'... its not done very often, but your axle wont start wrapping real bad unless youve allready got a pair of dead leafs.

If the axle wrap thing was as critical as mentioned, my shocks that are mounted to the leaf plates, would instantly start axle wrapping.
 
ive had both of mine on the back side of my axle since i built my xj and they work fine even though i get crap for the angle there at all the time :) i dont have any crazy axle wrap or anything

You may not have axle wrap, but your shock is doing nothing for you at that angle.
 
those shocks looks like upper leval shocks, maybe FOA's? it'll be a shame when you kill em from putting off bumpstops...

hell. i wouldnt be surprised if those shocks dont bottom out with the lack of bumpstops. they are pretty ineffective at that angle anyway
 
x2, that pic is more like 'how NOT to setup a rear suspension'
ouch just cause i have angled shocks and no bumps that seems a little harsh
those shocks looks like upper leval shocks, maybe FOA's? it'll be a shame when you kill em from putting off bumpstops...
just crappy rc 2.2's that came with my lift and they haven't bottomed out yet at an angle they have enough travel to let me flex till i hit the wheel wells and drop the tire out as far as my leaves will flex

You may not have axle wrap, but your shock is doing nothing for you at that angle.
please explain how the angle affects my offroad performance :confused1
 
ouch just cause i have angled shocks and no bumps that seems a little harsh




please explain how the angle affects my offroad performance :confused1

Im sorry dude, you bolted those leaf springs up real good, and the ubolts look shiny and new,great job! 2 out of 5 things to setup during an axle swap aint bad!


Shock angle effects shock efficiency, ideally, you want the shock paralel to the travel its trying to dampen, ie verticle, like thru the wheel well to a cage, to the leaf plate down below. Yours are at quite an angle, making them work not so well.
 
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Rule of thumb:
Vertical shocks = 100% dampening performance
Shocks angled 45* = 50% dampening performance

As previously stated, the shocks are staggered front and back to reduce axle wrap. A JK doesn't have staggered shocks because it has linked suspension, which has very very little axle wrap.

It would be a waste of time to put them both on the same side, and will only hinder your jeeps performance.
 
Im sorry dude, you bolted those leaf springs up real good, and the ubolts look shiny and new,great job! 2 out of 5 things to setup during an axle swap aint bad!


Shock angle effects shock efficiency, ideally, you want the shock paralel to the travel its trying to dampen, ie verticle, like thru the wheel well to a cage, to the leaf plate down below. Yours are at quite an angle, making them work not so well.

ok come on i already know there not at a good angle but it was easier and cheaper than buying new shocks or cutting a hole in the floor and i havent had one single problem with axle rap and for ride quality you wouldnt know the difference if you were riding in the jeep and didnt look underneath have any of you had your shocks mounted at an angle before or just read on the internet that its bad ?? its not a dd its just a trail rig and like i said bump stops are coming soon but still never had an issue yet might be a little different if i was doing some jeep speed stuff

and is there a better method to installing a lift other than bolting the springs on real good and using new u bolts please enlighten me a$$ hat since you seem like you know everything maybe i should pre dirty my parts to make you happy or to make my rig hardcore
 
running the shocks at that angle does make them less efficient.

you can ramp up the valving in them to make them handle the angle.

but those crappy RC 2.2s probably have a stiff enough valving that it doesn't make too much of a difference.

as far as the lack of bumpstops go, that could be a problem, but easily remediable.

oh and XCM is a prick...

edit: OP why do you want the shocks both mounted on the rear? why not just get some ruff-stuff raised mounts and be done?
 
there are bumps on the shock shaft.

This, not sure how everyone missed it???

as for the shock angle, we don't need our shocks to work at 100% when we are doing .3 mph over rocks and through trails. Unless you want to win the Baja 5000 your shock angle is fine.



The OP, I also would love to a symmetrical shock setup but its just not worth the hassle unless (as said before) you want to rebuild the whole upper shock crossmember.
 
there are bumps on the shock shaft.

This, not sure how everyone missed it???

those =/= bumpstops.

as for the shock angle, we don't need our shocks to work at 100% when we are doing .3 mph over rocks and through trails. Unless you want to win the Baja 5000 your shock angle is fine.

maybe, but there is something to be said about running effectively valved shocks. and for those of us that have to run several miles of desert between the trails, you need real shock dampening.

The OP, I also would love to a symmetrical shock setup but its just not worth the hassle unless (as said before) you want to rebuild the whole upper shock crossmember.
I will ask again, why?
 
Being that my shock mounting hole are way XXXXed up because of rust I was going to make a new cross member with the shocks at the back of the axle. Why is everyone so worried about axle wrap? The shock doesn't do a damn thing to prevent iAnd they are only used to dampen load and opposing force. How many sand cars, desert buggies, and some tropy trucks have angled shocks? Even some RC cars have angled shocks. Being angled doesn't affect its performance. As long as the shafts protrudes into the shock body dampening will happen. Yes it is out of the norm for an xj but not necessarily a bad thing. And the bump stops are not the end of the world. More needed on a jeep speed than a rock crawler. Over all unless you have to run the shocks symmetrically for a reason I would bother.
 
as for the shock angle, we don't need our shocks to work at 100% when we are doing .3 mph over rocks and through trails. Unless you want to win the Baja 5000 your shock angle is fine.

.

maybe if you have 100% traction at all times and dont use any speed or momentum ever,

shocks help keep the tires planted when tracton is lost or speed is involved.

that and i like doing more with my jeep than crawl rocks at .3 mph.
 
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