Help ordering shocks for my K5...

[WantedaDodge]

So, I took a hiatus for a while from my K5. It rode to rough and got terrible mileage, my brother borrowed it for a while, busted the front shock mounts off and cut the wires for the electronics in the door(high school kids!)

Anyhow, fixing it back up for the summer. I have 4 inch lift springs I found in a wrecking yard, they looked fairly new but I don't know what brand they were. The truck had trail master shocks. they have 6 leafs in them and I am planning on pulling one or two of the leafs out and and adding ORD zero rates. Also, I welded some shock perches back on my axle tube, but I made the mounting holes level with the axle tubes instead of dropping down below the axle tube. Where I feel I messed up was I didn't measure how far up the shock will be moved so I don't know if I should order just +4 inch shocks or like +2 inch shocks.

I just want to get some Rancho RS5000s as this front end is nothing fancy and that is what I have on the back.

Also, someone told me the front shock mounts broke off because I had serious axle wrap and the front sway bar wasn't on to help locate it. I wasn't driving it when they broke off, so I have no idea what happened but is there any truth to this or is this a common occurence?

 

[bot0611]

Id say the position of the bottom shock mount wouldnt matter that much its around and inch diference the trick will be when you buy the shocks, remember they sell shocks for new set of springs, thoose springs would be most likely settled in plus you are taking leafs out. id take the leafs out and then tackle the shock dilema worst case you gave to take the mount off and weld it again.

 

[Ten_Bucks]

Look into some BBCS shocks from Poly Performance.

Scott

 

[WantedaDodge]

So, I bought some Rancho RS5000s supposedly for a 4 inch lifted Blazer and they appear to be stockers to me. Good thing I got them locally, I'll have to take them back...

 

[Mountain_man]

I put 01 ford F350 rear shocks on the front of mine and ride is much much smoother then I ever had with rancho's or others. Great amount of travel as well on them. Something else to look into. I bought monroe's. All I had to do was press out the medal insert in the lower mount from center of bushing on shock and they went in without any trouble. Lifetime warranty as well on monroe's.

 

[WantedaDodge]

I think I will try that! Thanks!

 

[Doc Feel Good]

When I lifted my CUCV, I called the manufacture and they couldn't tell me the exact shocks I needed with the new lift. But what they did tell me was:

measure the distance between the mounts, and add about 5 inches each way for typical travel... (I gave them the measurements, and I installed the shock without an issue)

If you have alot of flex, then you will need more travel.

-Doc