Shocks, which way??

[jekbrown]

holy hijack batman!!!!

getting back to shocks... AFAIK, pretty much all twin tube nitrogen shocks can be mounted either way. I know the instructions that came with my DT8000s said they can be. My new monotube BBCS-15s are designed to run with the body of the shock on top. I would assume Bilstein etc monotubes are similar.

j

 

[Grieby54]

I don't have nitro though.... and I highjacked my own thread at 2 in the morning... most people didn't care

 

[jekbrown]

I don't have nitro though....

some clarification might help your quest for knowledge... what the model # of the shocks you are using? TC has at least 3 different models to choose from....

j

 

[Grieby54]

SX-6000 Cellular Gas shocks #62201 #62261

 

[jekbrown]

Here is a great response to a question on shocks over on pirate. Wish I could take credit for this one... but anyway, here it is...

To understand what happened you need to understand how a twin tube is built and how it works. There is an inner pressure tube and an outer reservoir tube. There is a working piston attached to the end of the piston rod, which primarily controls rebound. There is a second valve (base valve or foot valve) at the closed end opposite to the rod guide. This valve controls fluid flow from the pressure tube to the reservoir and back. All twintubes either have an air pocket, gas bag, cellular foam or high pressure nitrogen charge. This is to allow for variable internal volume as the piston rod enters and exits the shock. Shock oil is very incompressible. Only shocks with gas bags or cellular foam can be run rod down. If you run a nitrogen charged or air pocket shock rod down, the base valve is located in the bubble and the damping of the shock is reduced significantly.

RS5000 diagram

Now as the RS5000 is a cellular foam shock, it should run rod down. But as is the case with most inexpensive products the foam isn't very durable. If it is over heated, the foam breaks down, releasing its retained gas and creating air pocket.

As you learned running it rod up is a great solution. In my opinion you should run all twintubes rod up as they will always work correctly.

your shocks aren't Ranchos, but the gist is the same. In theory your shocks will work either way... but with cheapo shocks your best bet is body of the shock down, shaft up. The guy goes on to fill in the blanks on higher end shocks too...

In a monotube shock, the reservoir area of the shock and the pressure tube are the same. Because the outside of the shock is the pressure tube, the shocks working piston can be made much larger which makes for more consistant damping. There is a high pressure Nitrogen charge which compresses to allow for piston rod displacement as the shock cycles. Typically the oil and gas are seperated by a divider piston to prevent foaming of the oil.

Bilstein, Edelbrock, Rubicon Express Xtreme Duty, Pro Comp MX-6, are all high pressure gas monotubes.

SAW and Fox both make non-reservoir monotubes that are "emulsion" shocks. Emulsion shocks do not seperate the high pressure gas charge from the nitrogen from the shock oil. As a result an emulsion shock must be run rod down to keep the air pocket at the top of the shock. These are the least desirable monotubes as far as damping fade is concerned. A Fox airshock is an emulsion shock with a large piston rod.

Most reservoir shocks are a form of monotube where the nitrogen pocket and floating piston are moved to a seperate cylinder that is attached by a hose or coupler.

hope it helps. BTW, did you notice that your shocks are designed for small to medium size trucks?

j

 

[Grieby54]

Yea... I asked the guy that I bought them from about that and he told me that I'd be fine with the gas... and that I'd get a softer ride. At any rate... my truck is gonna be at least a good 1k lbs. less than a stock blazer. That does help... thank you very much Jason.

 

[jekbrown]

Yea... I asked the guy that I bought them from about that and he told me that I'd be fine with the gas... and that I'd get a softer ride.

yeah, my DT8000s served me relatively well and I don't think they were designed for my heavy azz trail rig either.

At any rate... my truck is gonna be at least a good 1k lbs. less than a stock blazer. That does help... thank you very much Jason.

yikes, 1000# less is a lot... especially if you are running a beefier set of axles. You making a buggy or...? I know my 85 in stock form is under 4500 pounds... as it sits now, even with lots of the body "missing", no rear seat, no passanger seat and no interior stuff (carpet, consoles, side panels or anything else!) I'm sure its over 5500. 1 ton axles, 205s, 39.5s etc etc tend to add up.

j

 

[sled_dog]

I'd be amazed if you were lighter then a stock K5, at least that much lighter. Post up when youa re done. My S10 blazer project, I expect to weigh about as much as a stock K5. Thats with dana 60, 14bolt, and 36s.