Extended shocks ( any realistic benifit )

[vit94]

I've got a 94 Vitara LWB with rancho shocks.
Reason for getting those was mainly for the extended travel but also for their adjustability.
Down side to this is the lose of compression.

Old shocks 285 compressed 460 extended.
New shocks 356 compressed 568 extended.

Problem is now i need to put a 50mm spacer in to extend the bump stops so they can do their job properly.

So the QUESTION is how does this affect the articulation while 4 wheel driving.
I can't get my head around it Where I've gained in travel HAVE I lost something somewhere else .

Next question how is the best way to extend the bump stop. From the top or bottom Or do i just swap shocks when I go camping .
With the car sitting in the drive way there is a gap of 115mm between the rear axle an the bump stop. With the spacer in there that is reduced to 65mm.

Are these rancho shocks worth the expence and trouble. Product code 99179
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[11_evl]

normally you get shocks to suit how your car is sitting now. it sounds like you got the shocks from another car and wacked them on.
the best fix is to make custom UPPER shock mounts, but for the extra 45mm of travel in the new ranchos you just bought i wouldnt bother, just live with the std ones or go buy longer ones again and raise the mounts

[danssurf82]

cut thr top mounts off and re-weld them higher, does your springs fall out when u flex up?vl commodore shocks work a treat they dont really need the bump stops to be bigger just weld a locater on your diff inside your spring so the spring re-locates itself due to the massive down travel-i think about 8" more than your ranchos

[vit94]

If i raise the mounts then i've lost the advantage of the extra wheel travel. So no point doing that.

Commodore shocks give an extra 8inch more than the ranchos, I don't think so . And if they do what's thier compressed measurements.
Probably the same as the Rancho's if not worse. So no point doing that.

Ive got the Rancho's , there not cheap so i'm looking at the best way to modify the bump stops .

[atari4x4]

search & you shall find......

this is what i did.

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/phpBB2/ft ... highlight=

[vit94]

Thanks atari4x4 That's the sort of answer i was looking for. I've been experimenting with timber blocks and worked out I'll only need a 50mm spacer . I've also added an extra 20mm spring spacer to give me a bit more travel in the spring.
I just was interested in other peoples ideas. Haven't worked out to post pics yet other wise i would have posted one.

[danssurf82]

when i had vl shocks in mine i didnt loose the up-travel my tyres were still goin all the way up in my guards and just touching the top of my inner guards causeing a bit of a scrape. trust me they give massive up and down travel

[alien]

the rancho shocks are designed to run with a 2" spring lift.... its as simple as that =)

[vit94]

I have the 2 inch lift.
It's as simple as this : It doesn't matter what sort of lift you do , if the springs allow compression more than the shocks can give , you need to modify your bump stops.

[11_evl]

I have the 2 inch lift.
It's as simple as this : It doesn't matter what sort of lift you do , if the springs allow compression more than the shocks can give , you need to modify your bump stops.

OR raise your upper shock mount...

unless you like loosing that extra UP travel...

i only real reason you extend bump stops is if your running a bigger tyre that hits the guards and you cant or dont want to cut!!!

[Rob_macca67]

I have the 2 inch lift.
It's as simple as this : It doesn't matter what sort of lift you do , if the springs allow compression more than the shocks can give , you need to modify your bump stops.

OR raise your upper shock mount...

unless you like loosing that extra UP travel...

i only real reason you extend bump stops is if your running a bigger tyre that hits the guards and you cant or dont want to cut!!!

Interesting..... I would have thought by raising your "Top" mount Up, you in turn would be loosing out on your downward travel.... (ie: wheels likely to lose traction with the ground earlier than it would have)

I would much prefer to lose some up travel via extended bump-stops & protect my shocks from being damaged & possibly breaking the shocky mounting points & still keep my downward travel which I believe is more important in keeping your wheels on the ground......

just my 2cents worth.....

rob

[mrRocky]

i would think that by raising your shock mount to allow fitment of a longer shock would allow the shock not to bottom out, and more downtravel due to running a longer shock. I had a big w/end so that might not make sense

[vit94]

I had a big w/end so that might not make sense

I would agree with you on this

You are also right in saying the shock won't bottom out.

by raising your shock mount to allow fitment of a longer shock would allow the shock not to bottom out

But in doing that your limiting your downward travel which is what you are trying to get more of.
To raise the upper shock mount i would need to raise the body by at lest 50mm. For a longer shock more than this. So I think it's sensible just to raise your bump stops. Any more than this is big dollars and mods I don't want to do with this vechile.
I'm interested though in looking at the commodore shocks, because a few people swear by them, but not convinced yet until there tried out.
So what model commodore should I be looking at.????
I've heard VL and VP ,is this right ???

[mrRocky]

are you sure, all the hardcore cars seem to run shock hoops to allow fitment of a larger shock for more travel.
By raising the top mount point you are not shortening the shock or restricting travel, but fitting a shock with more overall lengh even if you dont use the extra uptravel there should still be more useable downtravel than before.
http://72.34.32.141/~snakerac/product_i ... e015bd0089

[Goatse.AJ]

So long as the shock (remember, we're talking about LONG TRAVEL Shocks here) is able to travel through its FULL range, then you don't have a problem. It's about articulation NOT simply droop, unless you're building something to impress the Emos in the Maccas carpark.

[mrRocky]

but its gonna flex more and with suitable springs and lift at a softer rate should in theory flex up to the standard bumpstops and have more down travel thus giving a better car offroad. I dont know what im talking about but it seems common sense to me as long as its the shock that is the limiting factor to start with.

[just cruizin']

Ok Guys, I'll try and explain the situation.

Presently with the Ranchos in the standard position Vit94 is getting full shock extention, it's limiting the drop, which is fine.

But the shock is also limiting the compression rather then the spring.

He wants to retain the current amount of drop hence leaving the top shock mount in it's position but also protect it from mechanical damage by bottoming out. Obviously the coil isn't doing this so the extended bumpstop is required.

Yes bigger coil spacers would mean the coil bottoms out earlier but I don't think this is the solution.

Yes you could raise the top mount and get longer shocks then the Ranchos but you would need to recalculate your figures again as the 50mm will now be wrong.

Easiest solution add the bumpstops, you won't loose that much.

[atari4x4]

Ok Guys, I'll try and explain the situation.

Presently with the Ranchos in the standard position Vit94 is getting full shock extention, it's limiting the drop, which is fine.

But the shock is also limiting the compression rather then the spring.

He wants to retain the current amount of drop hence leaving the top shock mount in it's position but also protect it from mechanical damage by bottoming out. Obviously the coil isn't doing this so the extended bumpstop is required.

Yes bigger coil spacers would mean the coil bottoms out earlier but I don't think this is the solution.

Yes you could raise the top mount and get longer shocks then the Ranchos but you would need to recalculate your figures again as the 50mm will now be wrong.

Easiest solution add the bumpstops, you won't loose that much.

yeah, what he said.....

only thing i would change on the the link i posted earlier for bumpstop extensions is to round the top edge off a bit as at that length they sometimes rub the spring when it cycles.

looking at the shock mounts on the vitara, to relocate looks like there is some major fab work required.

[vit94]

Thanks guys , your replies have been helpfull and will get something properly fabricated . Will post a pic when done .

vit94