Hi guys,
I've got a lowered Challenger (about 2") and am buying shocks. How critical is it to get a shock with a shorter compressed length?

I'm planning on Qa1 double adjustables in front, Qa1 single adjust in rear.

Thanks,
Chris

very - so the shock doesn't bottom out.

With blocks under the axle and turned down torsionbars, only the front shocks will see the lower ride height, not the rears.

Do you have a small or big-block? The big-block has extra front-end weight, as you know. So, with a lowered body, you could bottom out the shocks under hard cornering AND more likely during hard deceleration (I know first-hand on that!) Talk with QA1 and they should be able to recommend the correct shocks. (I highly suggest for you to consider stiffer torsion bars to help prevent the front from diving and bottoming the shocks... FirmFeel's 1.12 would be very helpful and still not very stiff for the street.)

With ordering the QA1's just measure the shock length you need with the car at ride height, mount to mount, call their tech line, and they'll get you dialed in.

Great replies guys, I knew this was the place to ask.

I have a Gen III hemi in it, and the rear is lowered with factory aging, a spring relo kit 1" front hanger drop from Dr. Diff.

I have .92 Tbars for now, but have thought of going bigger. It handled fairly well before the motor swap and I figured with the lighter engine, battery relo to the back, frame connectors and lower profile tires (285/40/18 and 255/45/17 KDWs), it would feel much stiffer with the same bars, but I'll wait and see how it feels.

It also has 1.125" front and .75" rear sway bars, factory big disk swap, A500 trans, and a 3.73SG 8 3/4 rear with 11x2" drums from a C body.

I'm hoping it will be a nice street car with occasional trips through the cones. I'm planning on it being my daily driver.

Ive looked at the Qa1 catalog, and they don't seem to have a shock that immediately shouts "I'm the one to order" so I'll take your advice and call them to see what they say.

It sounds like a lot of folks have had problems getting their cars lower with the new thicker bars and the way they are clocked.

I'd rather not have to spend another $400 for drop spindles (not to mention the effort with the swap).

Have y'all had to go with drop spindle with the thicker Tbars?

For what it's worth, I've lowered 4 of my cars, some upto 3" in the rear and adjusted the front to match, but none of them have needed shorter shocks.
The LCA's bottom out on their snubbers before the shocks will.

Then take the bumpstops off, then see if the shock bottoms out. If not, then don't worry about it, and put the bumpstops back on. After all the rubber bumpstops squish down somewhat.

Depends on how you lower the rear. Flater leaf spring, adjustable/different spring perches, or spacer blocks between the spring and axle tube - which doesn't effect the shock length as the shock plate will be in the same location relavent to the upper frame/shock mount.

And you also have to allow for any additional movement that the rubber bushings in the lower control arm to frame mount, IF they are rubber. Even poly will have a slight movement under extreme pressure of hard cornering and dips and bumps at speed.

You don't need shorter shocks unless you've modified the front suspension. Best way to check is to pull the torsion bar and then cycle the suspension. See if your shocks are too short or too long. Adjust as necessary.