Yup. Thanks Dizuster. I came to the same conclusion and I’m disappointed in myself that I didn’t move the shocks forward when I lowered it- I tried to angle a set of harley shocks 25 years ago making my first custom bike frame/suspension and found out that when shocks are diagonal to the action they resist it makes them useless. I know better but just thought well it’s still almost the stock location and Ma Mopar knows what she’s doin. Detroit didn’t anticipate me moving the axle forward an inch and up 8 or more.

I really appreciate your saying that it uses up all the travel then it’s done. That’s the kind of info I can sink my teeth into. I don’t have a good understanding of the shock’s role in a launch other than ‘controlling the movement’. I guess I want to allow but slow down the separation then have it fairly stiff as the weight transfers? I might have it backwards but start 3/4 stiff and meep adjusting stiffer tlll it spins then back it off a touch softer? Is that the correct tuning strategy?

The stock crossmember takes the shocks with the 2 bolt bar thru the top and I would just move it forward except I tied it into the fuel cell mount. The upper mounts are pretty close to the inside frame rails so now I’m looking at just welding little boxing plates and bolting on aftermarket shock studs to hole eyelet style tops.

I don’t know which shocks I should get. The bottom ears I welded on the axle are for eyelet style and I gotta measure but it’s not much more than a foot to the top of the frame. I might have to extend the axle mount down if I can’t get a shock with short enough travel. I’m guessing like most things you probably want to use the middle 80% of shock travel and not need the top and bottom 10%? I looked at 9 way ranchos and they are real long which makes sense for like a dart with 30” slicks but I don’t know what shocks I should be looking at.

I want to spend no more than $300-400 on the whole shock swap. I want something adjustable so I can tune it. I need half decent street manners and an occasional shot down the strip.

In other traction news my drive to work today was my first experience with drag radials. I just put on 275/50-r17 M&H racemasters and I didn’t expect a big change, especially with 27psi in them for street driving and the crap shocks, but wow I gave her a launch and it takes off WAY harder from a dig now. A new shock setup can only make that better. In the meantime the laid back $15 shocks ride kinda like a normal 80s truck which is very livable.

Any more pointed advice or recommendations are more than welcome- I don’t wanna sound like I think I know what I’m doing here!