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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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#2 ·


I ended up just shifting the lower mounts outboard, since I couldn't really improve the uptravel much cb3's OME N67 standard shocks... 22.5" extended and 13.5" collapsed.

just used the stock mount I cut off and welded it to a plate that got welded to the control arm brackets..








no more spring bucket, exhaust or tank rubbing...


 
#3 ·
I really should do this to solve my bottoming out issue. My room mate recently informed me that following behind my Jeep hitting a bump that it would visibly bounce left and right.

How much does a piece of steel for this project costs? Is it some thing that can be found at a place like Home Depot?

I am considering paying $120 for AEV's version since it includes the upper mounts. I worry about not taking care of the upper at the same time would over load the upper bushings from being twisted.
 
#4 · (Edited)
the last 2"x3" chunk I bought for a pair of mounts was 10 bucks
and I got 3 pairs out of it. not sure about what home depot has, I just goto a steel yard and buy cutoffs for scap price.

there hasn't been any issues with upper bushings yet. portlandcj has the first set I did, and has done alot of wheeling since..

the only concern I have about the nth/AEV shock shifters, I realized yesterday, is the upper mounts get moved forward, and the bracket prolly takes up some or all of the distance gained by moving the lower mounts out and down. I've put a couple sets of nth ss's on, but never measured em.

someone else that has relocated shocks is frome using clayton brackets, which are about the same as the ones I made for cb3 with part of the stock mount, I don't think his gained any uptravel by extending the shock, he just swung the shock over and welded em, but he'd be a good one to ask about the bushings since he's had em on there a long while..

I'll toy with some upper brackets to see what I can come up with... I could cut a set out for you alexia, I won't sell em to ya but the shipping is prolly around 16 bucks + the hardware, It was about that for a set i sent andrew383, you've done alot of interesting things with your LJ. PM me if you're interested.
 
#6 ·
I like the idea.

The first ones hang a bit low for me, but that is part of the tradeoff. The CA mount should help protect them...

The second one is possibly the cheapest mod with real benefit I have seen.

I ran the AEV SS for a while. In all honesty, I did not like them. Option 1 here looks like it solves quite a bit of the problem they are trying to address. That and you need to weld in the same basic area. I did run into issues with the lower shock mount.

These options look to me to be the best way to solve this problem short of out-boarding the shocks. Which is what I will do to solve my little travel and shock problem.

Good work
 
#7 ·
I like the idea.

The first ones hang a bit low for me, but that is part of the tradeoff. The CA mount should help protect them...
yep, it's about level with the bottom of the ca brackets.

I'm thinkin i'll put a skid on the bottom of it for dbbd1... he's got a savvy skid under there that's hamered just short of dented! lol...

The second one is possibly the cheapest mod with real benefit I have seen.
that one took me longer to clean the crap off the metal in the blast cabinet than it took to engineer...
 
#11 ·
Thanks Mudb8

It took some of the stiffness out the ride too, thanks for the hard word and idea.

Thanks Mudb8 (and Rob's Offroad)!!!
 
#13 ·
It took some of the stiffness out the ride too, thanks for the hard word and idea.

Thanks Mudb8 (and Rob's Offroad)!!!
:2thumbsup:
 
#14 ·
I really need something like that. I go to the dunes a lot and and constantly bottoming out. I was looking at doing it the way you did it on your Jeep and kits were way overpriced and I have no way to fab anything up.
 
#17 ·
so..... what did we accomplish here with a 2.5" lift and 24.25" long extended said:
b8, just got done reading this thread, and don't mean to be a d***, but if you have a 10" travel shock, and you move the lower shock mount down say 2", this extends the shock 2", so you gain 2" in uptravel(if your shock was limiting factor), but you lost 2" of downtravel, right? Trying to grasp this as I have only a 2" spacer in rear but I have 4WD Hardware shocks that are for a 4" lift. I did this originally to make it easier to go to 4" lift later, but have decide it is high enough, so I need to make some of those relocator mounts. I extended the rear bumpstops by 2" as well, which was a big mistake, as I now have only about 3-3 1/2" of uptravel:brickwall. This was before I ever heard of Jeepforum, btw. Thanks for any advice.

:wave:

Also, I can flex my front far enough (more than in my avatar pic) that the spring will unseat by 1/2", but that's to be expected with them, huh?
 
#18 ·
they are mounted outboard so, so yes, you loose some downtravel but no where near 2", the axle articulates in a radius, not straight down.
 
#20 ·
As always... nice work, and great documentation.
I'll probably get off my butt and ask you for the pattern when I order the RC 2.5/2.2 lift that's in my future. I'll ASK for the longer shocks to get the benefits you espouse here.

It should be interesting and functional even that low and inexpensive; I just stuffed the trans and tcase up well above the frame rail. I was shooting for a dead flat to the frame belly, but ended up about 1 1/16 below the frame at the bottom of the plate. Could been higher, but I wanted the trans support separate from the armor.

I got a question for ya Mudb8.. Pm if preferred, it's off subject. What are the consequences of a front stretch? I went out about an inch, and noticed my 33s neatly removed the floaties from my bumper, but what else happens? With the belly-up (probably close to 4.5 inches at the front of the tcase), am I getting too close to pulling the front stock shaft splines out? - still stock height - just flat fenders to clear the 33s and a 1" MML/BL.
 
#21 ·


Can you take some more pictures of the lower mount? I am getting ready to outboard my rears with Ford F250 shock mounts and need to figure out how I am gonna mount the axle side of the shock. And where did you get the shock stud for that mount?
 
#26 ·
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj17/mudb8-/shock%20relocation%20brackets/PICT00181.jpg[/IMG

Can you take some more pictures of the lower mount? I am getting ready to outboard my rears with Ford F250 shock mounts and need to figure out how I am gonna mount the axle side of the shock. And where did you get the shock stud for that mount?[/quote]

yep, I have a pattern also for the lower mount I made, the shock stud is a 3/4 and 1 ton chev shock stud, 5/8" mounting, you can also get 1/2" mounting studs that are for use of 5/8 shock bushings from the front of 1/2t 2wd chevs.

[IMG]http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj17/mudb8-/shock%20relocation%20brackets/PICT0042-1.jpg






I only use the short axle mounts for high clearance full outboard mounting or with short shocks...

To allow fitment of longer shocks. Otherwise you're limited by the top of the frame/bottom of the tub being the highest mounting point.
not to mention stability
 
#24 ·
when trying to build a low COG rig, you end up with shocks limiting your downward travel, or you have shocks that are too long and bottom them out entirely too easy
 
#27 ·
is that pattern by chance in a format that you can email or pm? no biggy if its not, just thought i would at least check. and where did you get those shock studs? junkyard? or did you order them from somewhere?

and thank you for the extra pictures
 
#29 ·
and where exactly would i be sending this envelope
 
#31 ·
I'm not enough of a geek to figure out how to put it in a pdf you could just print to actual size.... so ya, send a self addressed, stamped envelope to Dave@rob's or to..

"LT" (long travel) shock mounts or "HC".. high clearance, which ever ones you want...
PO box 869
Estacada, or
97023.

my kids trace the pattern on the self addressed envelope and stick it back in the mail..

I usually have a few sets ready to go, but that'll cost ya... I havent' had time to make another batch for several weeks, I still gotta get alexia's cut out....
 
#295 ·
dave, could you edit this link out? looks like its in tn.....
 
#33 ·
just out of curiosity, how much does a set of the brackets cost?
 
#35 ·
yep, the rear, the front is slightly more involved...

I use 1/4" 3x2" tube for the mounts even tho 3/16" works great, you'll bend the axle before it rips off or bends, provided it's properly welded.

they are well protected behind the ca's and can be redrilled higher up the mount and the lower unused portion cut off, for custom fit and or high clearance.
 
#36 ·
Where did you source you shock studs? Junkyard or did you buy the somewhere?
 
#37 ·
2wd chevy upper front, or 4x4 upper rear mounts.....

I also use 3.25x 5/8" grade 8 or better bolts. the stock chevy mounts are just quick and easy.
 
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