Outer Limits 4x4 Board

How do I accurately measure what length shocks I need to replace the Ranchit's? I dont have a forklift if thats a requirement.

are your ranchos the right length? pull them off and measure them. otherwise if you have a bolt on lift (you're running a 5" lift?) then you shouldn't need to measure, any suspension shop that deals in shocks that long will know what will work on that vehicle with that lift. I higly recommend the 4 way big bore adjustables, they work and they're bling.

give me a yell if you want a price.

measure the length of your shocks at standing height....
then work out how much compression and extension of the shock you want...
then call around asking for a shock that will match

Drive your car forward up the ramp and measure extended and compressed lengths.

Then reverse your car up the ramp and measure extended and compressed lengths.

You should have front and rear lengths after that

dumbdunce wrote:are your ranchos the right length? pull them off and measure them. otherwise if you have a bolt on lift (you're running a 5" lift?) then you shouldn't need to measure, any suspension shop that deals in shocks that long will know what will work on that vehicle with that lift. I higly recommend the 4 way big bore adjustables, they work and they're bling.

give me a yell if you want a price.

whats the price on these shocks for a 3" lift for a GQ?

GQ wrote:Drive your car forward up the ramp and measure extended and compressed lengths.

Then reverse your car up the ramp and measure extended and compressed lengths.

You should have front and rear lengths after that

Just please be carefull

robbie wrote:

dumbdunce wrote:are your ranchos the right length? pull them off and measure them. otherwise if you have a bolt on lift (you're running a 5" lift?) then you shouldn't need to measure, any suspension shop that deals in shocks that long will know what will work on that vehicle with that lift. I higly recommend the 4 way big bore adjustables, they work and they're bling.

give me a yell if you want a price.

whats the price on these shocks for a 3" lift for a GQ?

PM sent...

With your shocks disconnected, messure the distance between the upper and lower mount (this is the distance at rest where the shock will normally sit) Do both sides.

Put your 4b on chassis stands with the wheels off the ground. Jack up one side till the spring is fully compressed ie the chassis would be lifing if you jacked it up any more. Messure the distance between the upper and lower mounting points on both sides. This will give you the fully extended distance of one side and fully compressed of the other.

Now repeat the above step on the other side.

Now you will have the messurements for the shocks that you will need that will allow full articulation of the springs that you have fitted. Take the messurements to a shockie supplier and see how close they can get

Nev62 wrote:With your shocks disconnected, messure the distance between the upper and lower mount (this is the distance at rest where the shock will normally sit) Do both sides.

Put your 4b on chassis stands with the wheels off the ground. Jack up one side till the spring is fully compressed ie the chassis would be lifing if you jacked it up any more. Messure the distance between the upper and lower mounting points on both sides. This will give you the fully extended distance of one side and fully compressed of the other.

this method doesn't work for several reasons. under some circumstances (like the front of a patrol with the bushes at the chassis end of the control arms) the suspension can compress and extend further under dynamic loads than you can force it to while the vehicle is standing still. or sometimes you need to select a shock that will limit down travel to prevent the spring from falling out (patrol rear) - there are a lot of things to consider beyond how far the vehicle will flex up on a ramp or stands - not to mention how potentially dangerous it can be to put a patrol (or any vehicle!) on 4 stands then start jacking at the wheels. do you have any conception of how high off the ground a lifted patrol (80 series, whatever) chassis has to be before (a) the wheels come off the ground to start with (b) the wheels are high enough that as you jack one side and the other side goes down you won't hit the ground (yes even with no shocks, springs at full extension, springs retained by some means other than shock length, if you jack one side UP, the other side goes DOWN - sometimes only a little bit but sometimes lots.

dumbdunce wrote:

Nev62 wrote:With your shocks disconnected, messure the distance between the upper and lower mount (this is the distance at rest where the shock will normally sit) Do both sides.

Put your 4b on chassis stands with the wheels off the ground. Jack up one side till the spring is fully compressed ie the chassis would be lifing if you jacked it up any more. Messure the distance between the upper and lower mounting points on both sides. This will give you the fully extended distance of one side and fully compressed of the other.

this method doesn't work for several reasons. under some circumstances (like the front of a patrol with the bushes at the chassis end of the control arms) the suspension can compress and extend further under dynamic loads than you can force it to while the vehicle is standing still. or sometimes you need to select a shock that will limit down travel to prevent the spring from falling out (patrol rear) - there are a lot of things to consider beyond how far the vehicle will flex up on a ramp or stands - not to mention how potentially dangerous it can be to put a patrol (or any vehicle!) on 4 stands then start jacking at the wheels. do you have any conception of how high off the ground a lifted patrol (80 series, whatever) chassis has to be before (a) the wheels come off the ground to start with (b) the wheels are high enough that as you jack one side and the other side goes down you won't hit the ground (yes even with no shocks, springs at full extension, springs retained by some means other than shock length, if you jack one side UP, the other side goes DOWN - sometimes only a little bit but sometimes lots.

I was thinking of just one end at a time but your reply is valid, I did not take into account different vehicles (raiders are not earth movers in the articulation stakes). I noticed that my "matched" springs and shocks are not quite that matched. With the rear on stands, I undid the bottom shock bolts and noticed the axle dropped another 1 1/2".