Rear suspension question.....

[NHARINTON]

So I have not seen this brought up before. After looking at a pictuer of JD's rear ( ) I noticed a cheaper way (maybe) of getting our rear end up!


Why not just cut the rear shock mount and move it up 1'', 2'' or whatever height needed? Seems simple to me..... but I am no suspension expert.....



Picture cause I want to draw in paint...





Am I just crazy?

[HARDTRAILZ]

The shocks wont lift it, but might be an idea for not overextending the shocks

[Zero]

springs create lift, shocks control bounce. essentially what you are talking about is what we do. The spacers we use in the rear are like moving the mounting point up. thus creating lift.

Although there are some of us looking in to raising the sway bar and the shock mounts to increase the ground clearance.

[The Roadie]

Moving both shock mounts up a couple of inches was on my mod list to have Neil do soon as I got back to work and my mod budget improved. They are out of place for rock crawling, and hang down and are pretty vulnerable. But the articulation is OK, and the shocks don't contribute to lift; I was just going to do it to get the lower shock mount out of harms way. And more rock protection for the rear control arm mounts. He did the fronts with this little plate while fabbing the fuel tank armor.

[NHARINTON]

Just seems as if lifting the shock would lift the truck... I guess longer springs would be need then also.

[Gordinho80]

Yeah, as everyone else said already. Moving the shocks up will not lift the truck. Springs control ride height. A lowering kit is shorter springs. A lift kit, in our case, is spring spacers to make the springs "taller."

[Zero]

Just seems as if lifting the shock would lift the truck... I guess longer springs would be need then also.

Again to be clear, if you move the shocks up, thats all your doing. is moving them.

Once the mounts are moved up, you will have to look into getting some shorter shocks, unless you can move the top mount up as well to compensate for the lower mount being moved up. Remember it is always better to have a slightly longer shock then you need, so you can avoid ripping them apart if you are at maximum articulation.

[NHARINTON]

I understand now.

[Zero]

I understand now.

As we said back in my training. Hoo Raa!!!! boy, well done.

[Trail X]

There is benefit to moving the lower shock mounts up. It's basically the same effect as getting longer shocks. It allows more down-articulation of the tire, which is actually very handy.

Zero, you won't tear the shock apart by it being too short. That's actually a normal function of a shock... the shock acts as the down-stop of the axle. You can, however, mess up a shock by letting the shock bottom-out before the bump-stop (if the shock is too long) - a ton more force involved there.

[Zero]

Thanx JD thats what I meant, I had it backwards. I stand corrected.

[NHARINTON]

There is benefit to moving the lower shock mounts up. It's basically the same effect as getting longer shocks. It allows more down-articulation of the tire, which is actually very handy.

Might do this when I get the lift.... Found out yesterday that my brother in law has a buddy that is a good welder, has a shop and everything!

[The Roadie]

It allows more down-articulation of the tire, which is actually very handy.

As long as you're sure you have identified the NEXT thing that might break if the down-travel is extended. I think the e-brake cables are the next to be stressed, and you don't want to break those.

[Philberto]

The main ones are, I think, the e-brake cables (don't want to break, but not that difficult to lengthen), the rear brake hoses (REALLY don't want to break, not so easy to lengthen), and the ABS sensor wires if so equipped (ridiculously easy to lengthen). Just FYI.

Also, remember that you don't want so much articulation that the springs come off their mounts... That would be very bad once the axle tries to compress again

[Zero]

True, but thats why i am gona go the same way as AlekG and get limiting straps as well as a spring retainer kit. Just for peace of mind.