Is it possible to prevent shock damage with front spacer lift?

From what I've read so far it seems like for our 5 lugs there are really not that many options for a front lift other than a spacer. I'm pretty knew to all the modification stuff, so I'm a little confused what the controversy is all about.

At least from what I can tell the biggest issue is that you can damage the shocks, which happens frequently.

Is there anything that can be done to prevent this? Will putting in different shocks help? How does the addition of a spacer affect the suspension geometry?

 

I think part of my confusion is I have almost no background knowledge when it comes to suspensions. Is there a good resource that people use outside of general info on google?

 

Do u plant on jumping ur 5 lug like it has mid or long travel? If not then u should not need to worry.

A lot of the first gen 5 luggers say not to use spacer lift either because our LBJ bracket is weak and people break it. But the issue only happens with them doing the same (jumping and mobbing their 5 lugs like they have Long travel)

 

I'm not sure exactly what that means but I can confidently say I will not haha. I guess I'm just a little paranoid because of, and likely naive for believing, posts like this:

What is a LBJ bracket?

 

I haven't extensively researched this but from around the webs I've gathered that the main issues with spacer lifts has been with the 6lug guys. The 6lug geometry must have more of an issue with this route and I'll attempt to create a better word picture below.

I believe the spacers could be REDUCING the front shock travel more on 6 lugs which then becomes an issue where you don't have as much travel, you're being harder on the suspension when you think you can, and possibly the front bump stops are not able to do their job before you treat your shocks as a hard bump stop.

The 6lug front shocks look to have pt load on the bottom of the shock which also seems to be the main failure pt. The 5 lug lower shock mount design looks stronger. I'm an Engineer but don't take my word for it 100%. see failure here

The location of the shock mounting to the lower control arm just over 1/2 way between the inner mount point and the hub mt point on teh 5 lug and the 6lug lower shock mount pt is more outward. This shock angle is greater for the 6lug and with that, the spacer creates a more acute (smaller) angle in all ranges of travel for the 6 lug vs the 5 lug (AKA more side loading on the shock mt points).

 

My knowledge comes from having an 07 Tundra with spacers, the way to combat the shock damage was to put bigger bump stops on.