Did dual shocks come as stock on the 70's trucks or k5s? I've seen some trucks with them. Is it a bolt in if I were to pull one and put it on my 78 K5?
CK5
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dual front shocks
- Thread starter wazzabie
- Start date
Late 80's, sure... older, don't recall.
Why, is the next question. General consensus on those with the later trucks so equipped is that you replace the two fairly lightly valved factory shocks with one decent aftermarket one made for single use, and be done with it.
-- A
Why, is the next question. General consensus on those with the later trucks so equipped is that you replace the two fairly lightly valved factory shocks with one decent aftermarket one made for single use, and be done with it.
-- A
Good to know. I wasn't aware of that.
Yeah, I never figured paying for two vs one, other than the "looks cool" factor, in which case more is better, right?
Maybe Back In The Day it wasn't possible to get one shock that did it all, but I'm still suspicious...
-- A
The shop manager at my work used to work at a chevy dealership doing heavy line work. He told me that the dual shocks were set up because under hard breaking the vehicle would dive down and to the right really hard. The dual shocks fixed that issue.
He's full of ****.
They put it on most of the diesels, the trucks with the plow package, and other trucks with heavy front ends that were expected to need extra dampening. The shocks of the era sucked compared to now.
I am running just a single set of ACDelco Nitrogen charged premiums and they're better than the four crappy Gabriels it had up front than I bought. Planning on upgrading to some Rough Country Nitro 9000's and I bet it gets even better.
They put it on most of the diesels, the trucks with the plow package, and other trucks with heavy front ends that were expected to need extra dampening. The shocks of the era sucked compared to now.
I am running just a single set of ACDelco Nitrogen charged premiums and they're better than the four crappy Gabriels it had up front than I bought. Planning on upgrading to some Rough Country Nitro 9000's and I bet it gets even better.
ccarley
1/2 ton status
Here's a good one about dual shocks!
When I bought my '89 Suburban last year, the PO had installed a Pro-Comp lift kit. They did it themselves, the owner could not speak English, and his buddy was the translator when I was buying it.
So the lift kit came with 4 shocks, front springs, and rear blocks. What did they do? Stock rear shocks, all 4 shocks up front
You can imagine the ride I had driving it home 3 hours from San Jose. Sunday night even. The rear would buck, and the front was so incredibly stiff... well, you can come up with your own saying for that one LOL!
It's all fixed now. Well, all it took was new springs all around, as well as new shocks all around!
If you are looking for new shocks, I'd go with a modern set of singles. I always recommend Bilstein; they ride pretty well. If you need something custom, they will work with you on getting what you need too.
Clay
When I bought my '89 Suburban last year, the PO had installed a Pro-Comp lift kit. They did it themselves, the owner could not speak English, and his buddy was the translator when I was buying it.
So the lift kit came with 4 shocks, front springs, and rear blocks. What did they do? Stock rear shocks, all 4 shocks up front
You can imagine the ride I had driving it home 3 hours from San Jose. Sunday night even. The rear would buck, and the front was so incredibly stiff... well, you can come up with your own saying for that one LOL!It's all fixed now. Well, all it took was new springs all around, as well as new shocks all around!
If you are looking for new shocks, I'd go with a modern set of singles. I always recommend Bilstein; they ride pretty well. If you need something custom, they will work with you on getting what you need too.
Clay
Ouch. Glad you were able to rescue it.
4xcrazy
3/4 ton status
From my understanding and some research along time ago, the dual front shocks were valved lighter basically to equal a single. Duals dissipate more heat when excessive use like very bumpy roads are present, preventing shock fade from overheating.
I've been running duals since the truck was bought and even now after the lift kit was installed. After a nice run through some washes out here in Arizona, some serious bumpy areas at higher speeds, I decided to check out the shocks once, they were both very warm.
I don't have any complaints with the duals, they perform well, don't ride horribly rough for the lift kit I have installed.
I've been running duals since the truck was bought and even now after the lift kit was installed. After a nice run through some washes out here in Arizona, some serious bumpy areas at higher speeds, I decided to check out the shocks once, they were both very warm.
I don't have any complaints with the duals, they perform well, don't ride horribly rough for the lift kit I have installed.
That's assuming both shocks are meant for the quad shocks. A lot of the aftermarket shocks, replacement and lift, are the standard position shock and then a second shock that may or may not be lighter valved.
They all do that, function of the push/pull stock steering.
88jimmy4x4
1/2 ton status
I like my dual shocks
