Shorter shocks
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 2,328
Likes: 0
From: Central TX
Shorter shocks
My car is already lowered, and I can tell that there is little suspension travel left in the stock shocks. Yet, I still plan to lower the car some more 
I know the Billsteins are 1" shorter, but is there anything else other than pricey coil-overs or spendy adjustable shocks that would have a shorter body? There are soooo many short nitrogen shocks in the sport truck realm, somebody has had to experiment.
I know the Billsteins are 1" shorter, but is there anything else other than pricey coil-overs or spendy adjustable shocks that would have a shorter body? There are soooo many short nitrogen shocks in the sport truck realm, somebody has had to experiment.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,340
Likes: 35
From: Folsom Lake CA
Originally Posted by jfrc
My car is already lowered, and I can tell that there is little suspension travel left in the stock shocks. Yet, I still plan to lower the car some more I know the Billsteins are 1" shorter, but is there anything else other than pricey coil-overs or spendy adjustable shocks that would have a shorter body? There are soooo many short nitrogen shocks in the sport truck realm, somebody has had to experiment.
I know the Billsteins are 1" shorter, but is there anything else other than pricey coil-overs or spendy adjustable shocks that would have a shorter body? There are soooo many short nitrogen shocks in the sport truck realm, somebody has had to experiment.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,132
Likes: 1
From: Morganton, NC, USA
You can help prevent the rear shocks from bottoming out by reversing
the upper shock mounting plate. To do this properly, you have to shim the side that is now going to get bolted in the upper wheelwell. This is because it is a stamped-out piece with a turned up lip around its perimiter for stiffining. It would not be good to have this lip against the wheelwell. Some guys have used washers. Just make sure that they fit and stick up a little past the lip.
I had my Z51 lowered 2 inches in the rear, and the Bilstein Sports were bottoming out. When I reversed the upper shock mounting plate and machined a spacer ring on the shock rod, I picked up .8 in. of travel. The next time I hit the road depressions that caused bottoming, the shocks did not bottom out. However, the top of the rear wheels barely scraped the top of the inner wheelwell. So, you can see I have found the upper and lower limits of my rear suspension setup and ajustments. To prevent further rubbing, I raised the rear 1/2".
the upper shock mounting plate. To do this properly, you have to shim the side that is now going to get bolted in the upper wheelwell. This is because it is a stamped-out piece with a turned up lip around its perimiter for stiffining. It would not be good to have this lip against the wheelwell. Some guys have used washers. Just make sure that they fit and stick up a little past the lip.
I had my Z51 lowered 2 inches in the rear, and the Bilstein Sports were bottoming out. When I reversed the upper shock mounting plate and machined a spacer ring on the shock rod, I picked up .8 in. of travel. The next time I hit the road depressions that caused bottoming, the shocks did not bottom out. However, the top of the rear wheels barely scraped the top of the inner wheelwell. So, you can see I have found the upper and lower limits of my rear suspension setup and ajustments. To prevent further rubbing, I raised the rear 1/2".
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 2,328
Likes: 0
From: Central TX
hey 2k, nice info
i will give it a view this weekend to see exactly what you are talking about.
really, my front needs to come down more, since the fenderwell gap is larger there. i bought a set of used lower control arms from a forum member. i think if you mill some the height where the shock bolts on top of the lower control arm, you could also gain more shock travel too.
i will experiment with this used first to see if it will work.
all in all , without using coil-overs, i want as little fenderwell gap as possible
i will give it a view this weekend to see exactly what you are talking about.
really, my front needs to come down more, since the fenderwell gap is larger there. i bought a set of used lower control arms from a forum member. i think if you mill some the height where the shock bolts on top of the lower control arm, you could also gain more shock travel too.
i will experiment with this used first to see if it will work.
all in all , without using coil-overs, i want as little fenderwell gap as possible
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 2,328
Likes: 0
From: Central TX
Originally Posted by VetteHunting
Another vote for the Bilsteins
between that, and eventually getting rid of the runcraps, it should be a new car
