shock selection

[mostwanted]

I am helping a buddy find some shocks for his rig. It is a '79 GMC 3/4 ton longbed with a heavy cummins sitting up front. We have swapped in a 56" 3/4 ton leaf pack out of a burb. He is going to order a pair of Furd towers to mount them to the frame. I have a few of questions:

1. How should we measure? Since we don't have the towers, much less installed. Do we need to wait untill they are installed?

2. Means of measurement: With the truck sitting flat on level ground, do we measure from where the upper part of the shock mounts on the tower to the mount on the axle? Then flex the truck and measure how much travel we need?

thanks in advance.

 

[CDA 455]

I am helping a buddy find some shocks for his rig. It is a '79 GMC 3/4 ton longbed with a heavy cummins sitting up front. We have swapped in a 56" 3/4 ton leaf pack out of a burb. He is going to order a pair of Furd towers to mount them to the frame. I have a few of questions:

1. How should we measure? Since we don't have the towers, much less installed. Do we need to wait untill they are installed?

2. Means of measurement: With the truck sitting flat on level ground, do we measure from where the upper part of the shock mounts on the tower to the mount on the axle? Then flex the truck and measure how much travel we need?

thanks in advance.

1) Install the towers first.

2) Have one side flex up to as much as you want it to go, then hold that position and measure both sides. One will be max flex 'extended' while the other will be max flex 'collapsed'.

 

[mostwanted]

I found these shocks. They run about $190. I wonder with the right valveing, they would work for his application. Currently, the truck sees mostly street, but will be wheeled extensivly in the future. He only wants to buy shocks once. Bilisten makes a crawler specific shock at almost double the cost.
http://www.offroadwarehouse.com/Store_ViewProdDetail.asp!ProdID!8172

 

[CDA 455]

I found these shocks. They run about $190. I wonder with the right valveing, they would work for his application. Currently, the truck sees mostly street, but will be wheeled extensivly in the future. He only wants to buy shocks once. Bilisten makes a crawler specific shock at almost double the cost.
http://www.offroadwarehouse.com/Store_ViewProdDetail.asp!ProdID!8172

I have a set of remote reservoir REBUILDABLE shocks. They're expensive, but most important, you have to rebuild them approx. every 2 years depending on how hard you wheel. And to rebuild them will cost you approx. $50.00 to $100.00 PER shock !! Let me tell you, that gets old real quick !!
My advise is to buy a set of SEALED shocks, like Bilsteins 5100 series shocks.

 

[ntsqd]

Why do you rebuild them?
Bils always have a slightly wet shaft, it's not a big deal.
On one of my trucks that sees a lot of pavement use I dumped the SRE's and put urethane shock bushings in the existing eyelets.
I would flex the truck to figure out what stroke length to get, remove the bumpstops first. Then after the shocks arrive position the upper mount.

 

[CDA 455]

Why do you rebuild them?
Bils always have a slightly wet shaft, it's not a big deal.
On one of my trucks that sees a lot of pavement use I dumped the SRE's and put urethane shock bushings in the existing eyelets.
I would flex the truck to figure out what stroke length to get, remove the bumpstops first. Then after the shocks arrive position the upper mount.

Well it's obvious you've never owned or lived with a set . The seals wear out; you have to change the oil. repressurize the remotes.
NO, it is a big deal. In regards to cost effectiveness.
I bought 6 of them (Race Runners with massive 22mm shafts; remotes, etc) for my '99 Ferd Powerstroke. 2 in each corner up front, one in each corner in back. I bought them because they went perfect with the truck (looks, function). But the reality of upkeep was a surprise.

 

[mostwanted]

I'll be staying away from them. Thanks CDA 455