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Old 10-09-2019, 04:35 PM
ScotI ScotI is offline
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Default Choosing/Optimizing Shock Length/Travel

First, I apologize for the lengthy initial post but I wanted to provide enough detail for better/specific responses. The necessary background info:

I've been researching coil-over options for a couple of vehicles I'm working on. The first is a C10 that's being retrofitted w/coil-overs from an air suspension (aftermarket front x-member w/R&P steering). The manufacturer of the suspension now offers a coil-over version but it's different vs. the older version I have installed. His recommendation was to pull the current air suspension based front cross-member & get one of his C/O set-ups. I built the rear suspension for the truck so I feel I can tweak what I have to install & use C/O's @ substantial savings. I know what he specs for his C/O set-up & it's the same as Ridetechs C/O offering for C10's. But the shock travel just seems short... as in OEM limitations short vs. what it 'could' have. I'm also wrenching on a G-body that I've already lowered using 2" spindles, stock steering, Hotchkis 600# 1" drop front coils + bump-stops, & Ridetech adjustable front shocks set to full 'stiff'. It needs a little more spring rate & I would like more adjustability that C/O's would allow.

So, these two different rides with two different set-ups got me researching C/O options. I seem to find most aftermarket systems list shock set-ups very close to what the OE shock travel specs were & oddly (or not?) both have the same recommended shock travel spec of 3.6" stroke length (using Ridetechs easily accessed guide/tech specs).

Since I'm building my own front upper mounts on the truck it seems I can build for more compression/rebound travel. Same w/the car... Seems one can open up the frame & mount the upper end of the shock higher (clearance permitting) which again would allow for increased travel. Speed-Tech & Global West do this w/their A-body kits.

I built my dually (a different truck vs. the one mentioned above) w/a 3" compression/3" extension goal on the suspension. I set my shocks & springs so they could travel up to those dimensions w/o bottoming out & it works as planned. It's low, doesn't bottom out, & rides good on real-world, pothole infested roadways. The 3.6" stroke recommendation is much less then 'my' spec but that's where I wonder just how much is 'better' or if I should just stick to my 3/3 goal & build accordingly.

Using Ridetechs 'universal' spec guide for their C/O shocks, they offer stroke listings beyond the 3.6 stroke spec'd for both vehicles (4,1, 5.2, 6.3, & 6.9). Obviously, with greater stroke dimension comes added shock length. Their spec'd 3.6 stroke travel yields ~2.1" of compression & ~1.5" of extension which seems too little to me. Using my 3/3 goal, the 5.2 stroke seems closer to real world (~3.27" comp; ~1.93" extension).

Thus my thread post.... How do you guys plan your builds? What is the minimal shock travel you use for optimum front suspension travel?
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