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low lift, long shocks, and DIY shock shifters... what's the advantage?

172K views 383 replies 91 participants last post by  Fargo 
#1 ·
finally got some more decent pics so I'll shed some light on the subject.

running 10" long travel shocks on 2.5" lifts poses an uptravel problem in the rear, they tend to leave about 2.75"-3.25" before the shocks bottom out, which can lead to mount, shock, bushing, and bar pin damage. there's a couple different threads with arguments on whether or not 2.75-3.25" of uptravel is enough. it's not for me, or especially a daily driver.

I've made several pairs and even sent off a few mounts to other forum members to run. I've yet to see any of em installed tho.

here's a couple different relocation brackets I made and installed on Saturday and the process involved... dbbd1's tj and cb3's LJ.

all that's needed to make these is a grinder and a 12" piece of 2x3" 3/16" tube steel... then weld em on, I'm still working on some bolt on's but it's kinda a PITA, I prefer to burn em anyhow.

I have a couple different patterns, high clearance, which I use for fully out board shocks, and longer mounts that accommodate the long shocks in the stock upper mounts and give about 1.5" in additional travel which improves the ride quality and they also seem more stable.



mark em..



use a 4" cutoff wheel in the grinder and cut em out.




form the radius if ya don't have a torch to use.





this version gets the center pushed in for more welding surface on the axle.




punch and drill a 5/8" hole.




a 1 ton Chevy front shock mount works great to mount the shock, I actually prefer a 3.25" long grade 8 fine threaded bolt...



the other version.



mount em parallel to the shock on the axle, which is generally 4" from the control arm bolt.




burn em on....




so..... what did we accomplish here with a 2.5" lift and 24.25" long extended, 14.25" collapsed shocks?

it's self explanatory if you can read a tape! they are measured at ride height... ya, no joke this is the advantage.. went from 2.75" uptravel to 4 5/8" without loosing any downtravel....

stock mounts...



DIY lower shock shifters...




I have the mounts on CAD now and have them made as needed!

 
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#95 ·
I've got some that I made with his template and I'm running OME N67Ls and currently have 5" up and 7" down travel. Gonna get some upper mounts that move it up an inch so that I'll have 6 up and 6 down...or may even cut an inch off the bottom of the shock shifters for a little more clearance since my bumpstops are set at 4" of uptravel...

One of the best and cheapest mods I've done to the Jeep! :2thumbsup::2thumbsup::2thumbsup:
 
#96 ·
I've been working on a 2011 E350 Van 4X4 conversion for about a month fabricating all the bracketry, Radius arms and fuel tank from scratch, so I haven't really done anything else other than a flat belly skid for my rubi last sunday.

I'll get back to the mounts tho for sure. As for sending out parts, I can't promise anything, I don't have any pre made and the last pairs my boys made (11 and 15yr) have some holes that weren't centered and got complaints so I won't send them out. I'm at the shop from 7am till 11pm 7 days a weeks as it is, time just flys by.
 
#94 ·
Im in definate need of outboarding bracket that goes on the control arm bracket before I mess up my new bilstein 5100's. This will definitely be one of the best mods I'll do. Pm me mudb8 so I can get a set of weld one soon
 
#98 ·
what is the part # on your shocks?
 
#103 ·
Hello Mudb8,

If I get the Clayton solution below, do you think I can go with the N67L long travel rear shocks versus the standard N66 OME shocks - (can down in both case)? The Clayton solution seems more in line with your original option # 2 for regular N67 shocks where you take the stock brackets, hack them off and weld them on in a more accommodating way.

Tire Wheel Automotive tire Tread Motor vehicle


Tire Wheel Automotive tire Motor vehicle Tread


What do you think?
 
#104 ·
the clayton mount would need to have the top lip hacked off and be mounted lower to run the N67L on a 2.5" lift, you can run the N67 standard travel shock with the mount relocation on stock suspension without bumpstop extension dependiong on where you locate the lower mount.
 
#106 ·
Hey mudb8 had a chance to make any mounts lately let me know thanks
 
#110 ·
Not any extras yet, I do have a tj with Nth degree SA suspension coming in I'll be fixing the shock problems on next week.
 
#116 ·
When they are parallel, at ride height, the shock bushing will not be in any kind of a bind....:D
 
#118 ·
#119 ·
kelso1337 said:
Sorry to hear about the recent issues Mudb8. Hope all turns out well for you.

Here is what i've seen on a local jeep website.

http://www.gemini-sales.com/product.cgi?group=13948&product=13955

Would something like that work for our long travel rear shocks?
I'm thinking I am bottoming out in the rear.
That only extends the mount rearward, not downward or outboard like would be needed to allow for longer travel shocks...that style shock shifter is typically used to allow for the shocks to not contact the axle in applications where the axle is rotated for sye and cv driveshaft applications. Mudb8 correct me if I'm wrong.
 
#130 ·
LOL, I'm starting to come around more, I haven't stopped the fabrication at all, just trying to concentrate on the important things, Now I'm sporting an XJ so we'll be seeing what I have cooking for that POS soon as well.... I MISS my rubi. I haven't figured how to put a BL on it yet tho :confused:
 
#123 ·
yeah man, good luck...we love you here on JF...and that's in a totally "no ****" way! haha
 
#124 ·
LOL~! Seriously though you've done alot for the jeeper on a budget Mud......Hope everything turns around for ya:thumbsup:
 
#126 ·
Man I bought the Terra upper shock brackets and they seem to work fine. I'm running a 10" travel shock for a 4" lift on 2.5" RCX springs and I have about 4"+ of uptravel using the stock lower mounting location. I think Im gonna relocate the lower mount and go with 12" travel shocks when the Skyjacker Hydros wear or rust out.
 
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