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Front quad shocks

bigred88

bigred88

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I'm looking at lifting my blazer, so I need new shocks, too. Are the four front shocks all the same length?

And I've heard some say to ditch the quad setup, but I've never seen a good explanation of the pros vs. cons of doing this. Or which shocks to drop, which to keep. Can anyone help there?
 
The advantages are a softer ride without giving up good handling characteristics on the street. The front set of the quad shocks are longer than the ones towards the rear. When I ditched the quad set up on my 88, I at first took off the front set and used the ones in the rear until I realized that they were shorter than the front ones. Then I tried to replace the rear shocks with the front longer shocks (I wanted that longer travel) and I realized that they would not fit on the rear mounts without hitting the inner fender. The problem with mounting the front longer shocks on the axle by itself is that if you use a shorter bolt to mount them, there is not enough support in the front tab of the shock mount to keep it from working itself loose from the axle. The solution I found is to use the original long bolt and put washers/sleeve/large nuts in the place of the rear shock in order to provide support for the front shock. - Wes
 
For quite a while, I just had a single pair of cheap shocks on the front. I recently added the quad shock mounts and a second pair of cheap shocks, the ride really did not change much at all. It is a little better though. It may sound silly, but I like the look of the quad shocks.

Later on, I may just get a pair of quality shocks to use in place of the longer shocks of the quad setup. Or I may replace all four, I just don't know yet.
 
The idea of quad shocks is basically to "use what you have" to bandaid a problem, and yes, I'm well aware that quad shocks were an option on some GM trucks.

Basically GM was using two underdamped shocks on a system that needed more damping than the one generic one could provide.

Regardless of what anyone is telling you, two shocks will ride rougher than one, assuming the shocks are identical, period. More damping means a harsher ride, thats it.

The downfall to not having enough shock damping is that the truck will keep bouncing up and down after bumps and/or the shocks will overheat.

In all seriousness though, quad shocks aren't really too necessary on anything really, at least not in the recreational four wheeling world. If you were building a desert rally truck and didn't have the money for real shocks, running four cheap ones might be better than just running the two.

IMO, on a recreational four wheel drive rig, more than one shock a corner just adds weight, cost, clutter and makes for a harsher ride.
 
As what people have posted, the tech in shocks has improved since the 80s and a single good shock can outperform a double set of bad shocks.
 
So, just to make sure I'm getting this right-

Quad shocks are unnecessary (when using a quality shock- I'm going with TC SX8000 Nitro Gas, which should fit the bill of quality), and just make for a harsher ride. Not to mention costing more.

And I should use the front mounts (the longer ones), and leave the rear (shorter) ones empty. I understand this is to have a longer shock, therefore more travel. What I don't get is the part about still having to put a bolt in place of the rear shock mount.
 
Pics of my cheap single shock setup. The longer shock has to mount in the side closest to the axle. In order to use the original long bolt made for both shocks, I had to put a sleeve with some washers in place of the missing shock in order to tighten up the the front shock mount. - Wes

SANY0293.JPG
 
pierce88K5 said:
Pics of my cheap single shock setup. The longer shock has to mount in the side closest to the axle. In order to use the original long bolt made for both shocks, I had to put a sleeve with some washers in place of the missing shock in order to tighten up the the front shock mount. - Wes
Click to expand...
I just did the quad shock removal on mine, running only the 2 longer ones. For simplicity, I knocked the steel sleeve out of the old short shock bushing and used it as a spacer. Right size, right fit, looks clean.

The ride was much improved...
 
496truck said:
I just did the quad shock removal on mine, running only the 2 longer ones. For simplicity, I knocked the steel sleeve out of the old short shock bushing and used it as a spacer. Right size, right fit, looks clean.

The ride was much improved...
Click to expand...
That's what I was gunna try :bow:
 
Just to revisit this...
I ordered 2 front Bilstein shocks from Summit for my 84 K2500. Thinking they would be the front longer shock, I was surprised they were the shorter ones. Anyways pulled the quads and just installed the shortys....
We shall see how this plays out.
 
Not sure it particularly helps, but I asked Bilstein the question regarding which shock (of the long or short one on quad setups) to use, this was their response:

To start off our 4600 series and 5100 series shocks are pretty much the same shock technology. The 4600 is for stock ride height and the 5100 for lifted application and are specific to an application, both are 46mm monotube design dampers. The 5100 may have a different valving profile to control the aftermarket spring rates.

On an 85 K5 Blazer the auxiliary shock is actually valved heavier than the primary shock. We offer a 5125 series that are esthetically the same as a 5100 but are sold by extended / collapsed measurements.

Unfortunately we cannot recommend running the auxiliary damper without the primary damper. You can always consult with a good offroad shop to get recommendations on accomplishing more wheel travel.

By not running the primary shock may create an unsafe and unstable front axle oscillation.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen / Best regards"

For folks running "stock" trucks, is there any chance you'd be able to overextend or bottom out the shorter shock?
 
If I read that correctly Bilstein says I should not be running the shorter (aux) shock alone? Yet every online catalog only lists the part number for 1 front shock. Would be nice if I would have known that from the get go.
 
Technically I believe yes. It is kind of a non-answer, but they did provide some decent tech info I felt.

That's why I wonder about shock length...if you are never going to reach the limits of shock travel, I'm not sure why you'd want or need to run a longer shock. And if you were concerned with that, I *think* they are saying run a 5125 the length you need.
 
My old shocks are in the garbage... no way to measure them. I did keep the bolts however..
Maybe stick a cheap set of KYBs in the front?
So frustrated.
 
how much longer is the "longer" shock? Just measure the distance between mounts
seriously though, just run the ones you have, you're not killing a school bus full of nuns
that avatar truck looks clean, you aren't flexing it anyway.
 
K85 Octane said:
you're not killing a school bus full of nuns
Click to expand...
Thats a new one on me. =)
Actually to be clear the shocks went into a 84 K2500.
I shot Bilstein an email to try and pin them down. To me it's not a matter if the truck rides better or not. Moreso if in 1000 miles they fail because I did something wrong.
 
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