Selecting shocks

[Danger]

Hey guys, just wondering what the story is with picking shocks for a truck.

I see places selling "1"lift, 2"lift" etc but what's the go if you're unsure of your lift and how well it flexes?

Do these shocks just provide a longer body to accommodate for the lift with the same stroke?

Do I need to jack each side up and try work out the max/min distance between the mounts?

Probably a lot of dumb questions but its new to me.

Thanks in advance for any help

[SupraLux]

Typically a factory shock has a very conservative extended length, and generally speaking (well, from the Maxitrac stuff I am involved with anyway) the listed shocks are bigger, while still being short enough when collapsed to allow the bumpstops to do their job. If you go too long (ie: just pick a random shock with the right attachments but much more length) then the shock can fully compress before the bumpstop - a sure-fire way to trash it in very short order.

Here is a factory length Monroe Hilux front compared to a Maxitrac Hilux front. They both fit - but factory-length front shocks in Hiluxes are waaay shorter than they need to be.


If you're buying a kit, the shocks should be matched to the vehicle and should be sized to avoid them damaging themselves (assuming you haven't broken off or trimmed the bumpstops).

If you want to find something custom, then you will need to measure carefully what the closed length should be, and work from that. Get the shock with the longest open length that still has a short enough compressed length to allow the suspension to fully compress against the bumpstop (allowing a little more for rubber compression) without the shock bottoming.

Also be sure, if you're going for a custom shock, that the other components can handle the out-travel (ie: brake lines - these can be stretched to breaking if the shock is too long).

Hope that helps

[Danger]

Thanks for the advice. I'm currently fixing up someone else's mistakes on my truck so will have to measure, mix and match to make things fit.


Truck has monroe offroad shocks in the front but they're too short for the job...

Here's what some previous owner did to fix the problem...

http://imageshack.us/a/img266/7356/p1040069v.jpg

Considering a 4inch rancho 5000 off 4wdbits.co.nz at the moment.

Any thoughts?