My back is killing me

[jason.mcghee]

I am currently running the wrong shock on my jeep. Hey... It is not my fault... I am fixing someone elses mistake. The way that it sits, the shocks are just about compressed all the way. So when I hit a bump, or a rut, I can count on calling the chiropractor. I was thinking of getting the SoftRide Hydo Skyjacker shocks. Has anyone had any experience with that. And when I go to order them, how do I know what size to get? Keep in mind this Jeep in not in the stock configuration. I am not for sure what all this other guy has done to it. (I am finding NHL Hockey pucks all under the body)

[NAILER341]

sounds like you bought someones headache. the hockeypucks are a scary proposition
it is a good indication that the person that assembled it "spared no expense"

for the shock length, the best way is to measure eye to eye on the mounts at rest, and at full articulation. add at least 1.2" to the measurement, and call your suppliers.

what jeep is it? how much total lift, not including body lift?

[ersatz]

inst it beter to measure extende and compressed lengths, its just scary going under the car when one side is really compressed

if ther made in canada hockey pucks, its bad, but not as bad as made in USA or china pucks, find the amount of lift you have.

stock configuration. bottom of rocker panel to floor should be 18"

ex: my jeeps bottom of rocker panel sits at 24" therefore i have 6" of lift.
but if you can also find out how much those hockey pucks are adding than yo can find out and than you could order shocks for a 2 or 4 inch lifted jeep

[aston]

shock length

For basic shock length: measure distance between upper and lower mounts at rest. Then measure distance between the bump stops. Assume that a rubber bump stop will compress one inch.

For example at rest I have 24" with 4" between the bump stops, add one inch and deduct = 19" compressed length. This assumes the shock is vertical.

If the shock is angled you will need to employ some trigonometry.

The easiest way is to make an accurate scale drawing. As an example, lets say the shock is angled forward 30 degrees. If the axle moves 1" upward the shock will compress cos 30 * 1 = 0.866" This makes it easier to get longer shocks in a small space but the shock will be *less* effective, 86% in this example. In many cases if the axle continues to move vertically by another inch the angle is increased. Lets say 35 degrees therefore the second inch would compress the shock cos 35 * 1 = 0.819". At the logical extreme if the shock angle is 90 degrees and the axle moves by 1" the shock will compress cos 90 * 1 = 0"

OK, enough of the bull :poop: As you already know, you don't want the shock to bottom out The bump stops must limit upward travel, not the shock.

Time for a :beer:

[jason.mcghee]

I am with you so far

For basic shock length: measure distance between upper and lower mounts at rest. Then measure distance between the bump stops. Assume that a rubber bump stop will compress one inch.

For example at rest I have 24" with 4" between the bump stops, add one inch and deduct = 19" compressed length. This assumes the shock is vertical.

If the shock is angled you will need to employ some trigonometry.

The easiest way is to make an accurate scale drawing. As an example, lets say the shock is angled forward 30 degrees. If the axle moves 1" upward the shock will compress cos 30 * 1 = 0.866" This makes it easier to get longer shocks in a small space but the shock will be *less* effective, 86% in this example. In many cases if the axle continues to move vertically by another inch the angle is increased. Lets say 35 degrees therefore the second inch would compress the shock cos 35 * 1 = 0.819". At the logical extreme if the shock angle is 90 degrees and the axle moves by 1" the shock will compress cos 90 * 1 = 0"

OK, enough of the bull :poop: As you already know, you don't want the shock to bottom out The bump stops must limit upward travel, not the shock.

Time for a :beer:

Well.... I think that this jeep has the 'over axle kit'. So it looks like the distance between my bump stops and the 'what ever it bumps into is going to be about 2feet or a really large number (but I will measure that tomorrow) and I assume that when you say at rest you mean with the shocks not installed?.

[NAILER341]

you can just stuff the wheel in there as far as it will go, and measure that distance. then take an inch off of that.
that will give you the largest possible body size you can fit in there. that will have to do unless you have intentions of moving shock mounts.

[aston]

Well.... I think that this jeep has the 'over axle kit'. So it looks like the distance between my bump stops and the 'what ever it bumps into is going to be about 2feet or a really large number (but I will measure that tomorrow) and I assume that when you say at rest you mean with the shocks not installed?.

Could be spring over axle - which can be a good setup. If that is the case there should still be a bump stop mounted on the frame that will contact the spring plate. If the bump stops are missing, I recommend you get some.

MORE make some good ones. I've not tried them but they look good!

http://mountainoffroad.com/more.htm

Erik says "stuff the wheel in there as far as it will go" this is a good exercise. I used a fork lift truck to lift each corner safely so I could see what was going on. You might find the tire hits the wheel arch. In which case get a magic marker and a jig saw

I wish I had a digi cam, then I could take some pics :mad: Does anyone have an old one lying around that I could buy for a few quid?

[aston]

I assume that when you say at rest you mean with the shocks not installed?.

Errr... no

At rest just means sitting in the garage. No up, no down, everything installed.

Shocks don't affect ride height, that is set by the springs. But it is a good idea to remove the shocks and measure their compressed and max lengths, to see what ya' got. You may also find they are shagged out

[jason.mcghee]

Look...wow.. I do have bump stops

Could be spring over axle - which can be a good setup. If that is the case there should still be a bump stop mounted on the frame that will contact the spring plate. If the bump stops are missing, I recommend you get some.

MORE make some good ones. I've not tried them but they look good!

http://mountainoffroad.com/more.htm

Erik says "stuff the wheel in there as far as it will go" this is a good exercise. I used a fork lift truck to lift each corner safely so I could see what was going on. You might find the tire hits the wheel arch. In which case get a magic marker and a jig saw

I wish I had a digi cam, then I could take some pics :mad: Does anyone have an old one lying around that I could buy for a few quid?

Well they are there... But there is no way that they would ever hit the spring plate. Unless the springs were broken or cut (Pass the torch this way) Is there an extention or something that I need to put on them since it has the spring over axle kit?

[corey]

Shock recommendation...if you don't want to spend a ton of money, but want to get the correct shock in there with a nice ride, I'd suggest some DT3000's. If you want to spend a little money, I'd go with Billstens.

As far as the hockey pucks go, I've had them under my Jeep for going on 3 years now. I've not had any problems what so ever. I wouldn't worry about them. If it bother's you...take them out. You'll need to get new, shorter bolts, but it should take you only about an hour to take them out. There not as scarry as everyone makes them out to be.

[aston]

Well they are there... But there is no way that they would ever hit the spring plate. Unless the springs were broken or cut (Pass the torch this way) Is there an extention or something that I need to put on them since it has the spring over axle kit?

Most folks mount an extension of some type on the axle to close the gap to the bump stop.

I don't know of any off hand for the spring over, but they *must* be out there somewhere.

[aston]

Jason,

As it happens I do have a pic of the bump stops in the rear of my YJ.



As you can see I added an aluminum block to the bump stop because the 35s were eating the fenders.

Also the lower stop is angled forward slightly so that under full compression the stops are square and centered - almost!

[jason.mcghee]

Ass u me

Jason,

As it happens I do have a pic of the bump stops in the rear of my YJ.



As you can see I added an aluminum block to the bump stop because the 35s were eating the fenders.

Also the lower stop is angled forward slightly so that under full compression the stops are square and centered - almost!

I assume that the distance between the bump stops should be less than the stroke distance there is in the shocks?

[Chris_L]

For basic shock length: measure distance between upper and lower mounts at rest. Then measure distance between the bump stops. Assume that a rubber bump stop will compress one inch.

For example at rest I have 24" with 4" between the bump stops, add one inch and deduct = 19" compressed length. This assumes the shock is vertical.

If the shock is angled you will need to employ some trigonometry.

The easiest way is to make an accurate scale drawing. As an example, lets say the shock is angled forward 30 degrees. If the axle moves 1" upward the shock will compress cos 30 * 1 = 0.866" This makes it easier to get longer shocks in a small space but the shock will be *less* effective, 86% in this example. In many cases if the axle continues to move vertically by another inch the angle is increased. Lets say 35 degrees therefore the second inch would compress the shock cos 35 * 1 = 0.819". At the logical extreme if the shock angle is 90 degrees and the axle moves by 1" the shock will compress cos 90 * 1 = 0"

OK, enough of the bull :poop: As you already know, you don't want the shock to bottom out The bump stops must limit upward travel, not the shock.

Time for a :beer:

ok...so if sally went to the store with 13 marbles and 3 refundable soda bottles, riding a 5 speed bike and wearing a jacket with 9 pockets, how many pennies did she have in her left shoe? How many marbles did she lose on the way? {Damn I hate math. If I could only remember that usless trig class I took}

[igofshn]

Sally must be a happy camper.