Long Travel BS Thread

How could you tell with the tow strap covering it? Lol

 

Can anyone please guide me to a write up on how to properly mount the lower shocks mount points??
I got this done today, need some help now...

 

Disassemble the leaf pack.

Lift the axle up to the frame(or wherever full bump will be)

Compress, or measure very carefully, where the lower shock mounts need to be to leave you about 1/2" of shock shaft showing to be safe.

Tack in place and bolt up shocks to cycle everything a few times before burning everything fully in.

 

Thank you.
Should I mount the hydro bumps first?
I’ve never done any of this before, I’m new.

 

First, not necessarily. But doing it at the same time would be ideal.

Get the axle as close to the frame as you desire, and mount the bumps to be fully compressed there. Then mount the lower shock tabs so there is a small safety zone.

I'd give around 1/2" or a little more before the axle hits the frame to be safe.

 

Got any better photos of the bumps? Looks like you could mount them like that with the bed still...

 

This showed up today
King 3x12x600
Just need to get different misalignments for the coilovers and LT kit will be complete and ready to go on

 

Let me know if you want me to pick you up some from King when I go there (hopefully) on Friday.

 

Theres a camburg kit for 2nd gen on orange county craigslist right now for $1800, looks to be in good shape. Someone buy it before I become an idiot and start to build another long travel truck, then wish I never sold my first one.

 

Link?

 

It sold

 

You can also do this without taking the leaf pack appart.

Measure from the frame to the axle (wherever you have it supported). Then measure from the upper shock tab to the same point on the axle. Subtract the first measurement from the second. Then add the result to the compressed length of your shocks.

The result is the measurement from shock mount to where the tabs need to be on the axle.

 

Edit: Probably should have quoted @Radarninja

A helpful trick is to have a block of steel or aluminum or even a shit load of 9/16” washers because without the thickness of the leaf pack you’ll run down the nuts until there’s 1. no threads left and 2. there’s so much thread exposed on the u bolt that the deep well socket can no longer reach the nut and you have to dick around with a wrench.

If you look closely you can see Tim using an aluminum block.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bc_L8gTgXDx/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1iua7thn2k70p

 

Agreed this is a good tip/ trick. I used my old diff drop spacers when I did mine. Didn't think to mention that

 

couple things...

1. How are you going to know where the axle actually contacts the frame or bump unless you completely cycle the leaf pack by breaking it down ? You do not want to end up with your bumps striking the axle off center and deflecting.

2. Unless your shock is hanging on the same plane your axle path of travel is on that math is not 100% accurate even on leafs right ?

 

This is not just a helpfull tip it is an absolute necessity. IE: if your leaf pack is 2” thick and you do not maintain that true stack height you will never get your tabs placed properly. Depending on if you are spring over or spring under you will be off by +/- 2”. For the DIY home installer a simple chunk of wood cut to the same stack height as your leaf pack works too.

 

I would agree for spring over as you need to account for the thickness of the pack for bump placement. But it's not necessary to be exact for spring under, just need to do something so you can snug the ubolts

 

@Arcticelf, @snowsk8air2, @Hawk373, @Evenflow,
Thank you for all the helpful info, I appreciate it. I think I can start tackling this today or tomorrow. I’ll hopefully have time to disassemble both packs today.
One of my concerns was knowing where to mount left and right on the axle. Do I want the shocks toe-ed in or out? Or not?
At ride height or compressed?
Again thanks for the help I’ve been and will keep searching for useful info on this.
I’m SUA with DMZ Kit and cage 16” triples.

 

1) assuming the truck has been driven, there are witness marks on the frame from where the bump hit. If it's a clean build you'll have to cycle to properly set the bump location, although the high can be determined with this method

2) absolutely correct. Doing some quick math, using 10 degree shock angle, and worst case assumption for shock travel (fully drooped, 16" shocks) it's 1/4" off. If you're at ride hight or somewhere in between it will be substantially less.

 

Looking from the rear the shocks should be straight up and down.
Tim has always, and recommended to me that I notch the frame 3/4”, but he also acknowledged that plenty of guys who haven’t notched have had no contact between frame and shock. He does it for piece of mind; I felt the same. Just maintain a minimum of a 1/2” from the frame and you should be ok.

Seems daunting, but notching was actually one of the easier parts of the install. When you’re cycling the suspension after tacking in your lower mounts: at full compression scribe a line from the back of the shock to the frame; at full droop scribe a line from the front of the shock to the frame. Make approximate 45 degree cuts inward from those lines 3/4” deep (or whatever your preference) and then cut the top and bottom to pop that piece out.

I just made cardboard templates for fill plates. Wish I had my press brake at the time for an even cleaner install.