Outboard Rear Shocks - Please share pics

[Art'74]

I have searched and found some discusson and pics (Greg72) of outboarded (outside the frame rail) shocks in the rear but as always can use more info.

I have a 14bff on a '74 K5 frame moved as far rearward as it will go w/o hitting the stock gas tank on compression. It looks like I will have to fab up the lower shock mounts on the front of the 14bff tube.

I was looking at building an inboard crossmember (i.e. - DIY's) but thought an outboard solution might work better. I could even possibly go as far as putting the lower shock mount on top of the axle (or at least near the top) to prevent rock rash and hanging up.

Please share your input/experience/knowlege. And as always, pics are better than words.

That got long fast. Thanks!

 

[Art'74]

Oh, a bit more of info. - I have Rancho 9000's w/ about 13" travel.

 

[muddermilitia]

well you could mount them inboarded on the frontside of the axle, that's what I plan on doing. Let me find some pics of outboarded shocks

 

[muddermilitia]

here ya go, these are from member: bozowise's truck







Mrk5 also mounted his shocks outboard, send him a pm

 

[Art'74]

Hey mudder militia - thanks for the pics. That's an idea or way that I had not thought of. I will PM MrK5 and see what he has to offer.

Anyone else have ideas (pics) that you would like to share. It is always great to see what ya'll have done (and what I hadn't thought of).

Keep 'em coming.

 

[mrk5]

I moved my axle back 4". It clears the gas tank skid because of the spring height. Otherwise it would hit, especially now with DIY4x's Razorback on there. Moving the axle back actually made my shock mounts easier because the rear seat was out of the way.

To partially answer a question from your PM, There's 1.5-2" between the shock and the fender tub. Did I understand your question properly?

One thing to keep in mind, my perches are 1-ton width. This was made possible with a 1-ton shackle flip and a custom hanger made by Kert @ DIY4x. This means I had more room between perch and drum backing plates. It was still easier to go off the top of the spring plate and that's how you could do it with normal K5 perch spacing.

I was going to do inboard shocks but miniwally convinced me otherwise and I'm glad. I think because of the quality shocks and the mounting I did, body roll is minimal with no sway bar. Plus I was having trouble figuring out how to do the inboarding with the axle moved back 4".

 

[Art'74]

Yeah, your reply and your pictures answered my question about the tub perfectly. Thanks again.

I also have the 1 ton perches still in place and I think I have space to go to the plate or even the axle tube. I don't know if I am going up into the bed so that is why I mentioned the axle tube option. This gives me more length for compression and shouldn't deter from droop a whole lot. I may have to angle a bit but I feel this will still be better than the steep angle of inboarding (my opinion only).

Again, thanks all and any additional opinions on what I said above are welcome as well any additional pics anyone may want to share.

 

[mrk5]

A couple of Colorado guys run their shocks at an angle and it works good for them. Stephen (ORD) has them set up at an angle both from the front of the axle towards the bottom of the tube.

 

[Art'74]

From your response, I looked at ORD's website and did not find any good pics of their set up.

Does anyone have pics of ORD's rear shock set up. Stephen you out there?

I may e-mail ORD and see if they would share pics. I guess they would respond?

Thanks for all of the input. Anyone else?

 

[mrk5]

Here's some pics I snapped last time I visited ORD:

They're thinking about selling something similar but Stephen didn't sound too sure that it was going to happen. The brackets are tied together all the way across the frame.

 

[Art'74]

Thanks for the pics.

That is very close to what I had in my head (that's a scary thought). The bracket on top really helps me with how to attach the thing to the frame.

Again, thanks and I will try to fab something this weekend and then share.

If anyone else has input, it is still appreciated and wanted.

 

[Greg72]

You've already seen my pics so there's nothing to add from that perspective.

However, for the mock-up and problem solving aspect of your question use my "stick trick".

Figure out the length that your shock will be at ride-height and cut a piece of 2"x2" wood, or an old wooden yardstick...whatever to that length.

Then, just start slapping it around underneath your truck to establish where it will fit. As you make concessions on the axle end (slightly lower than the axletube, or slightly further outboard) you will find that you probably have room up top for the upper mount.... you may have to lay the shock back slightly unless you want to cut through the floor.

It's a simple trick, but it really help visualize your available space in 3-D.

 

[Art'74]

Greg, thanks for the idea on mock up. I have been using 2" pvc pipe for driveshaft mock so that should work well for shocks as well.

I reviewed your pictures from you homepage. Any chance I could get a close up pic of your top mount fab work?

Also, you brought up another question. How do you guys decide what your ride height will be on your shocks. 1/2 and 1/2 or more droop than compression? Your input, as all of your input, is much appreciated.

 

[BGKYK5]

MrK5, I might want to do something similar someday. Do you think that the shocks would clear the back seat with the axle in the stock location if they were angled rearward slightly, or would they run into something else? It is hard to visualize where everything is above and below the floor at the same time.

 

[Greg72]

Greg, thanks for the idea on mock up. I have been using 2" pvc pipe for driveshaft mock so that should work well for shocks as well.

I reviewed your pictures from you homepage. Any chance I could get a close up pic of your top mount fab work?

Also, you brought up another question. How do you guys decide what your ride height will be on your shocks. 1/2 and 1/2 or more droop than compression? Your input, as all of your input, is much appreciated.

No pics of the upper mount until I re-do them....they were a "quick and dirty" setup a long time ago, and one of them has since broken in half. Time for a v2 of that design.

As for setting the length, you will have an easier time fitting shocks if you figure out your TRUE bump travel available from the rear spring and only provide enough uptravel (plus maybe 1/4" to 1/2" for margin) to allow for that. Set up your bumpstops to prevent negative arch of the springs which will allow you to bottom-out your shocks if you set them up the way I've just suggested.

If you only have about 5" of bump travel, you're static ride height shock length will be a couple inches shorter than if you just set the shock at the midway point...saving those inches will give you a LOT more options for that upper bracket.

 

[mrk5]

MrK5, I might want to do something similar someday. Do you think that the shocks would clear the back seat with the axle in the stock location if they were angled rearward slightly, or would they run into something else? It is hard to visualize where everything is above and below the floor at the same time.

I think at the height of mine, 13" above the cargo floor, they would be into the seat pretty good. You could probably lean them back enough or even just run the tabs off the back of the spring plate.

 

[mrk5]

Greg, thanks for the idea on mock up. I have been using 2" pvc pipe for driveshaft mock so that should work well for shocks as well.

I reviewed your pictures from you homepage. Any chance I could get a close up pic of your top mount fab work?

Also, you brought up another question. How do you guys decide what your ride height will be on your shocks. 1/2 and 1/2 or more droop than compression? Your input, as all of your input, is much appreciated.

I basically ended up building an RTI ramp to get them set up correctly. I also did new bump stops at the same time. I set them up to ensure the shocks didn't bottom out and also to keep the springs from reverse arching too far.

IIRC on mine allowing for 5" up travel on the shocks worked out good. And that seems correct considering it jives with what Greg said. Also like he said, it gives some leeway on the shock mounts. I used 14" travel shocks, about 4" more than I actually need, but that's 4" of wiggle room.