Correctly Determining Rear Shock Mount Placement for Maximizing Shock Utilization

I feel like I am missing something here. If you jack the frame up to where the axle is at full droop and measure the distance between axle and bump stop, you get the length of shock you need (add bump stop compression, and maybe another inch for a safety buffer). Call that measurement A, which is the total shock stroke you want. Let the truck down on the ground, measure again, get measurement B (do not add bump stop compression). I might cut some 2x4 and brace things and stabilize at this point, you don't want that B thing to change while you are working. Compress the shock down by measurement B plus half of your safety buffer. Now figure out your mounting spots using the shock as a guide, or just measure eye to eye.

Why would that not work?

 

So, everything you're saying in here is relevant for outboard shock placement, and everything @turbodb is referring to is for inboard shocks. The methods and measurements are obviously different between the two setups, and anybody who is reading this shouldn't assume they can use the same techniques for outboarded shocks. Although I assume anyone who is outboarding their shocks probably has a pretty good idea of what they're doing anyway.

Also would like to point out that extreme inboarded shocks travel and articulate great! They just don't really do anything as shocks

 

Mine were the same, but mine were mounted using the factory shock mounts.

of course right next to the spring is negligible, and further from the spring, the measurement will increase.

 

Interesting. This sounds different than my situation - strange since we have (at least) similar leafs. I'll have to experiment some more and see if my perception of what I'm seeing on my setup is not reality. If it's not, then you and I will be in total agreement.

Plus, it's really irrelevant given the limit straps.

(boy, what a sentence in a diagram can kick off, ehh? What do you think about the rest of the steps in the linked post?)

That extreme inboard picture illustrates what I was trying to draw perfectly. I think Brett's point there would be that the shocks aren't vertical, so it changes the whole discussion (even more).

 

Mostly on track. One big thing I would suggest is that ideally, you start with cycling and getting measurements before even ordering shocks. Also, I wouldn't cycle with bump stops. Those should be set after you determine a bump height that you're happy with.

You're saying your leafs droop more than the shocks allow, which means theoretically you could make use of longer shocks. Whether or not you could fit longer shocks in there is another point, but that should be determined before ordering them.

Also, zero issue to having the lower mounts below the axle. Mine sit a couple inches lower and it's presented zero issue even with lots of technical wheeling. I wouldn't base anything off where those end up as it all depends on the extended length of the shocks you're working with.

No, not my point. I need to describe this over a beer and a campfire, as I don't know how else to put it.

 

Thanks for taking a look through. I updated with a note that ideally you'd do this before buying shocks, but also that I think most people buy the shocks first. Over-anxious.

Also made a note about the bump stops, and how, if the uptravel with the bumps installed doesn't result in the right situation (flat/frown) with the leafs, you should get shorter bumps and start that step over.)

I'd like to say I was missing the point just to get around a campfire. hahahahaha. I'm sure when we do, this'll be a 3 minute conversation. But, we should have that conversation this summer sometime!

 

Nice write up Dan! I'll say that I don't think the shock crossmember touching the bed is necessarily a bad thing. Some of us have been experiencing failures to the original bed mounts and this would act as another method of distributing the weight.