King Shocks - Remove internal spacer?

Rebuilding some used shocks. I'm working on a pair of 25001-119A-EXT. Has anyone tried running these without the 0.5" spacer? Or maybe a thinner one? See attached.

Any reason not to? With aftermarket UCAs, what binds next? Lower ball joint? UCA on coil? (I guess that depends on the arms) cv joint?

I have already confirmed with King that they are, in fact, extended as setup now with the 0.5" spacer. The Non-extended configuration has the 0.5" spacer I have, PLUS ANOTHER 0.25" spacer.

From king:
Standard configuration : 0.5" spacer + 0.25" spacer
Extended configuration : 0.5" spacer

Anyone taken the 0.5" spacer out all together?

If so - where did it bind? Tie rod ends? Cv joints?

 

Pretty sure removing that spacer makes them extended travel. Not sure if a smaller spacer is needed or if you can just pull that one out and run it.

 

he's saying the other smaller one that is there is what you emove to make it extended according to KING. I have a set of non extended that I was curious on converting (ordered the wrong ones way back when). King would know best but I would assume its there for a reason.

 

@jberry813 you can do this in your sleep...

 

Let's crack those babies open and get a side by side Pic! That's what I was looking for anyways!

 

According to King on the phone:
Standard travel = 0.5" spacer + 0.25" spacer
Extended travel = 0.5" spacer [As shown in my Pic]

The guy on the phone was referring to some documentation while on the phone, so I take it as fact.

My question is if anyone has experience removing the 0.5" spacer all together and running them with no spacers at all?

... Or maybe turning it down to 0.25" or similar...

When I asked the king tech about removing it, they gave me the expected "be careful" disclaimer. I suspect the cv might bind or be close to binding...

 

Just make sure your upper ball joint, your tie rod end and your cv can handle it...

 

You should NOT remove that spacer, it's designed to have that in there for added strength of the rod end. Without it, your shock would extend an extra .5" longer, roughly 1" more at the wheel and could damage your upper control arm or other components pretty bad.

 

Thanks for weighing in; I trust you guys have built a few shocks and are familiar with the suspension on these trucks. Ball joint, cv axle, tie rod end, etc basically the component geometry is one thing, and I appreciate your disclaimer.

I have already acknowledged the factory configuration per king themselves. I am specifically looking to deviate from that.

So... Let's discuss what it would take to get that inch. Ill do what I have to (heim steering?).

Regardless, I can always strap it down.

I am not convinced the kings are that close to causing damage. There are longer shocks on the market for OEM applications. The one variable I can't know without actually measuring all of them is the upper mount.

 

Now that I'm thinking about it...it also helps prevent shaft deflection and binding, does it not?

 

I did wonder if that big steel washer would deflect without the thickness of the aluminum spacer. But... At that point, the shock is topped out, so spring force is min (as low as it is preloaded anyways) it's not the weight of the vehicle on the washer.

I can tell you the rears do not have a spacer - the seal head tops out directly on the steel washer in my Pic.

So the logic that the spacer is providing some sort of lateral shaft support is simply not valid. The spacer is significantly smaller diameter than the seal head. All it is doing is limiting shaft travel.

 

Are you referring to the 'rod end' of the shock? Like the housing for the

$15 COM-10 Aurora Bearing Spherical Bearing, COM Series, 0.625 in ID, 1.187 in OD, 0.625 in Thick, Steel, Each

COM-10? Or the 'rod end' of the steering?

 

The limiting factor will be CV bind. Remove the spacer. Put the shock back together. Put it in your rig and fully droop the front. Then spin the tire. You'll hear and feel the binding in the CV.

That leaves putting on limit straps. That would be set very close to the shock travel without that spacer removed. So, is an extra 1/4" of droop worth that work? lol

 

Incorrect. You're disagreeing with a company that does this as a service.

The spacer is to provide a limitation to the shock travel and prevent damage to other suspension components within the suspension while also providing adequate shaft strength to lateral movement and prevent the shaft from bending. Your example of the rear shocks not having a spacer fails to consider that the rear shocks are not "load bearing" and do not support the weight of the vehicle.

Sure, you may be able to squeeze .010" or so between different shock companies but the same rules apply. The proper way to answer your immediate question would be to cycle the suspension and see what the next component is the limiting factor. Typically, it's the UCA heim, even on aftermarket UCAs. Regardless you run the risk of causing damage if you start to remove spacers.

No, they are referring to the shaft when they say rod. It's a terminology difference but the same part.

 

I wonder if they have designed that oem series shaft to rely on the spacer to keep it from bending and flexing the oil seal.

causing leaks.

I know the multimatics have a problem with that. The shafts are skinny and weak and flex causing massive seepage...
The rears will actually blow out massive oil when in cycle.

 

In principle, the shock shaft doesn't see bending, because the shock has heim joints on both ends.

+1 This is likely the case. It's a known thing with long travel kits. IIRC Dirt King even offered CV joints with cups machined to get more angle, to get around this limitation.

 

Remove and report back with results.. It is the way

 

The rear shocks definitely see WAY more 'side load' in the form of a torque force applied at the rod end bearing. The rears are far less constrained than the fronts.

The front is IFS. The shock is way more constrained than the rear. I guarantee you if the front shocks are subjected to more 'side load' than the rears, then there are WAY bigger problems. That would imply that something else is significantly wrong such as bad control arm bushings, bent upright, etc.

 

Nah, No disagreement. In fact, I said:

Which has been clear since OP.
Im waiting on UCAs. But don't worry, guys! I'll do it in the name of science! I'll get them mounted up and see what binds first.

 

It's interesting how every shock manufacture and their engineers disagree with you. I'm with the others in this thread. Remove the spacer and report back.