Shock Length??

[bigred2004]

How would somebody go about ordering shocks a custom length? I swapped chevy axles under my jeep and made new shock mounts and I need to find where to order my shocks from..... anybody? Ive never had to order any shocks other than off the shelf sizes until now.

[BRUTUS]

How would somebody go about ordering shocks a custom length? I swapped chevy axles under my jeep and made new shock mounts and I need to find where to order my shocks from..... anybody? Ive never had to order any shocks other than off the shelf sizes until now.

Have you flexed out the suspension yet? When you flex the suspension out to max travel, you can measure the minimum and maximum shock lengths. Then you just go to your shock manufacturers website and order shocks according to those values, ensuring that the shock does not stop your suspension from further travel in either compression or extension.

I used this site: http://www.bilstein.com/offroad_5150.php Notice the columns "Ext Length" and "Col Length".

All shock manufacturers publish these numbers so they are relatively easy to find.

[Menace]

How would somebody go about ordering shocks a custom length? I swapped chevy axles under my jeep and made new shock mounts and I need to find where to order my shocks from..... anybody? Ive never had to order any shocks other than off the shelf sizes until now.

When I worked a 4 Wheel Parts we would have the customer give us the static ride height (vehicle sitting on all four wheels) measurment from shock mount to shock mount. That way we could find a shock with the proper compression and extention lengths for the vehicle.
:cool:
Dennis

[BRUTUS]

When I worked a 4 Wheel Parts we would have the customer give us the static ride height (vehicle sitting on all four wheels) measurment from shock mount to shock mount. That way we could find a shock with the proper compression and extention lengths for the vehicle.
:cool:
Dennis

Hold up a sec Dennis, how did you know the compression and extension lengths from the static shock mount dimensions? This one I have to hear...

[JERSEY JOE]

I would hang the vehicle by the frame and let the suspension fall without shocks then measure the eye to eye length and add one inch . Reason being you can't let the shock be the limiting factor or it will break on full droop. Should also run limit straps on an off road only truck. Comprerssion would be the opposite. I would remove all but the main leaf then compress the suspension to the bump stop, ANOTHER MUST HAVE ITEM, to give the short measurment.

[BRUTUS]

Joe.... Brutus does't have or need functional bump stops OR limiting straps. :D

[DieselSJ]

Hold up a sec Dennis, how did you know the compression and extension lengths from the static shock mount dimensions? This one I have to hear...

x2

I'm good friends with the 4WP technical trainer. He loves it when I share these kinds of stories with him.

[JERSEY JOE]

BRUTUS MUST BE ONE BAD MOTHER**CKER. AND YOU DONT BREAK ANYTHING??????

[BRUTUS]

BRUTUS MUST BE ONE BAD MOTHER**CKER.

yup

AND YOU DONT BREAK ANYTHING??????

nope

[AlsChopShop]

BRUTUS MUST BE ONE BAD MOTHER**CKER. AND YOU DONT BREAK ANYTHING?????? no, it even smokes like a champ. one bad arse champ! :thumbsup:

Al

[BRUTUS]

Ok for the naysayers, here is what I did: 1) lift like so

http://www.fsjbrutus.com/jeep/lift/images/reardriverlift3.jpg

Measure shock lengths eye to eye all the way around. Write them down. Also a good idea to check for driveshaft length eye to eye for the front and rear driveshafts. Also check brake lines for binding issues.

2) Lift like so

http://www.fsjbrutus.com/jeep/lift/images/frontdriverlift4.jpg

Re-measure shock lengths. Write them down. Also check driveshaft lengths, brakelines and such again for binding.

Here is my measurement sheet for reference:

http://www.fsjbrutus.com/jeep/lift/images/liftstats.jpg

Keep in mind that I did NOT have shock tabs welded onto the front axle yet so I measured to the top of the spring plate. (I gave a measurement to my welder later when I got the shock tabs welded on referenced from the top of the spring plate)

3) REAR SHOCK LENGTH CALCULATION
Shock length fully compressed has to be less than 23.00" (smallest compression number for the rear)
Shock length fully extended has to be more than 29.00" (largest extension number for the rear)
Look on http://www.bilstein.com/offroad_5150.php
Seems as though the BF5-A187-H1 fits the bill... "OK... I'll order 2"

4) FRONT SHOCK LENGTH CALCULATION
Since I didn't have shock tabs located yet, I eyeballed with a tape measure where I would like to have them and came up with roughly 4" from the top of spring pad to the eye of the shock mount.
Shock length fully compressed has to be less than 16.00" + 4.00" = 20.00" (smallest compression number for the front)
Shock length fully extended has to be more than 24.50" + 4.00" = 28.50" (largest extension number for the front)
Look on http://www.bilstein.com/offroad_5150.php
Seems as though the BF5-A198-H1 fits the bill... "OK... I'll order 2"

It really is just that simple. Obviously you could do all four corners for more accuracy but you are going to order shocks that overtravel both ways anyways and my suspension is setup the same on both sides so...

[JERSEY JOE]

WOW THAT WAS ONE AWESOME DEMONSTRATION OF SHOCK MEASUREMENT. NICE TRUCK TOO. VERY DETAILED MEASURMENTS.
I SHOULD DO THE EXACT SAME THING WITH MY CJ 7 PROJECT, BUT I LACK A FORK LIFT.

[BRUTUS]

BUT I LACK A FORK LIFT.

Cummon that is all you got? Use your imagination...

Believe it or not.. I think that this is why the RTI ramp was initially used for...

http://www.dandcextreme.com/images/galleryimages/gal7c.jpg

Got a stack of tires?
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a30/Sonofmayhem/truck/adam038.jpg

Trail rock?
http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/2291/flex101gn9.jpg

Trailer?
http://www.geocities.com/mygreenbronco/photos_files/Keith_Ramp.jpg

Cherry picker?
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t26/l0udspeker/jeep/DSC_0177.jpg

[AlsChopShop]

Ok for the naysayers, here is what I did: 1) lift like so

http://www.fsjbrutus.com/jeep/lift/images/reardriverlift3.jpg

looks like BRUTUS could use a longer shackle up front.

Al

[BRUTUS]

looks like BRUTUS could use a longer shackle up front.

Al

Actually a longer shackle would limit flex, on the compression side. See image below

http://www.fsjbrutus.com/jeep/lift/images/reardriverlift8.jpg

Because if the spring was a full compression (like is shown here) a longer shackle would force the body to be further from the spring limiting flex. Really I can't imagine the suspension working any better than it does. The rear suspension is definately the limiting factor... notice the back passenger tire was the one coming off the ground. On the flipside I like the rear having less flex than the front because it keeps the tires out of the flares! YEAAAAAH.

No more hijackn'!

[JERSEY JOE]

OK GOOD POINT. I HAVE AN ENGINE HOIST.

[Menace]

Hold up a sec Dennis, how did you know the compression and extension lengths from the static shock mount dimensions? This one I have to hear...

:lol: Look I know that's not the best way to figure shock lengths, but that's how we had to most of the time with the type of customers we had to deal with. If we could get real compressed and extended measurments out of a customer we would, but most that we delt with were usually unable or unwillilg to give us that because that would require some work on their part. So by getting a simple static measurments we could choose a shock with adaquit travel for their rig based on our experience.

DieselSJ
Ask your "good friend the 4WP tech trainer" about how 4 wheel Parts sales employees are trained. Ask him about the ("sell what we have in stock not what the customer want's") mentality. Or ("if we don't have what they want push them into another brand that we have on the shelf and make the sale and move on"). I can't count the number of times I heard that from upper management.
;)
Dennis

[BRUTUS]

Seeing that... I have come up with an initial list of shops that Brutus will NEVER attend:

1. Grease Monkey
2. 4 Wheel Parts
etc etc etc.

[Menace]

Seeing that... I have come up with an initial list of shops that Brutus will NEVER attend:

1. Grease Monkey
2. 4 Wheel Parts
etc etc etc.

Oh no what will they do now? :omfg:

Wait a minute, you mean you take your truck to shops and have it worked on. I would have guessed that you did all of your own work. :sawzall:

:cool:

[BRUTUS]

Oh no what will they do now? :omfg:

Wait a minute, you mean you take your truck to shops and have it worked on. I would have guessed that you did all of your own work. :sawzall:

:cool:

Hardy har har har... I do sub out some of the work on Brutus but mainly because I don't have time. Not to mention that the nearest 4WP is a 45 minute drive away from me. :D