Rear shocks are an inch too short. Does it matter?
#2565334
10/17/18 01:25 PM
10/17/18 01:25 PM
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,277 West Coast, USA
jbc426
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Using the stock shock plate for my rear shocks. While swapping in a fresh set of SS springs on my E-Body, I noticed the rear shocks are about an inch shy of fitting back on with the springs at full sag (rear end hang down with full extension of the springs).
Is this something I should correct or does it matter?
1970 Plymouth 'Cuda #'s 440-6(block in storage)currently 493" 6 pack, Shaker, 5 speed Passon, 4.10's 1968 Plymouth Barracuda Convertible 408 Magnum EFI with 4 speed automatic overdrive, 3800 stall lock-up converter and 4.30's (closest thing to an automatic 5 speed going)
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Re: Rear shocks are an inch too short. Does it matter?
[Re: jbc426]
#2565364
10/17/18 02:25 PM
10/17/18 02:25 PM
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,206 New York
polyspheric
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If the shocks top out it'll unload the tires X2 - your rebound valving is now infinite and not safe. In general, when any suspension component hit its travel limit, that wheel isn't helping.
Boffin Emeritus
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Re: Rear shocks are an inch too short. Does it matter?
[Re: jbc426]
#2565376
10/17/18 02:38 PM
10/17/18 02:38 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,996 Frostbitefalls MN (Rocky&Bullw...
gregsdart
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How much sag do you have? Measure it, and figure from there. There is a wide difference in what amount of sag will happen due to spring rate and shackle angle, plus shackle length. You should end up with at least 1/2 the shock travel left when the car is at rest, and preferably 2 /3. Some cars rise a little, some setups will really lift the back. I have had both extremes. You might want to consider some adjustable shocks like ranchos. Best though to start a thread listing your current and future combo to get an idea of what to do. On my Dart I have been through five different sets of shocks, each one better as the power went up. Hopefully you can spend less than I did!
8..603 156 mph best, 2905 lbs 549, indy 572-13, alky
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Re: Rear shocks are an inch too short. Does it matter?
[Re: oldschool]
#2565803
10/18/18 08:46 AM
10/18/18 08:46 AM
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,243 Charlotte, North Carolina
sgcuda
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Its normal, the shocks hold up the rear end at full sag. It might be normal for a production car, but that doesn't make it right for performance. With that reasoning, I wouldn't be doing as many recalls on new cars because the cars are "Normal". The shocks need to have the same or more travel than the spring at full extension.
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Re: Rear shocks are an inch too short. Does it matter?
[Re: jbc426]
#2565905
10/18/18 01:39 PM
10/18/18 01:39 PM
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,277 West Coast, USA
jbc426
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Thanks guys. I'll cut and re-weld the mounts so they don't stop the spring sag, and measure how far they compress with the weight of the car on them. I like the look of your spring plates AndyF.
I'm running a somewhat unconventional & controversial combination of parts, but the car rides and hooks on the street better than anything else I've tried in the last 3 or more decades. Same set-up on both my E-Body & A-Body except the A-Body has Koni's.
They weigh virtually the same, which was a surprise. Without the slapper bars, the light springs would bend the front segments. You could feel it in the car. With them, it's the best riding and hooking suspension I've ever had in a Mopar. The slapper bars protect the front spring segment so they don't bend into an "S" on the front segment. It just hooks hard, but rides like a normal car. They stop the housing rotation effectively and cause extension of the body and the rear suspension, but unlike a pinion snubber it is hard on the axle tube attachments into the differential housing.
The poor ride quality of a properly adjusted pinion snubber is why I went away from the fixed pinion snubber concept. If AndyF would make a remotely retractable pinion snubber that can be remotely deployed or retracted from inside the driver's area with a cable or electric servo for launching and then retracted out of the way so the car rides smooth on the road; it would be the ultimate Mopar rear suspension accessory. Hint, hint AndyF. A mechanical locking pinion snubber with a knee like hinge to extend and contract. And, a threaded adjustable rubber snubber to fine tune the height on extension it could be what has been missing for our cars for 50+ years! Hard launching with smooth, compliant ride quality on the open road.
Let's face it, a pinion snubber that's properly adjusted is fine on a smooth track, but beats you up out on the open road.
3700lbs cars 2800lbs SS springs properly adjusted slapper bars(1/2 snubber just touching the front spring eye) AFCO double adjustable shocks(E-Body) Koni shocks (A-Body)
1970 Plymouth 'Cuda #'s 440-6(block in storage)currently 493" 6 pack, Shaker, 5 speed Passon, 4.10's 1968 Plymouth Barracuda Convertible 408 Magnum EFI with 4 speed automatic overdrive, 3800 stall lock-up converter and 4.30's (closest thing to an automatic 5 speed going)
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Re: Rear shocks are an inch too short. Does it matter?
[Re: AndyF]
#2565963
10/18/18 03:03 PM
10/18/18 03:03 PM
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 4,457 Washington
madscientist
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I made my own shock plates for Koni shocks since some idiot at Koni insists on using a 5/8 bushing rather than the correct Mopar size. Rather than argue with the idiot I just made shock plates with a 5/8 double shear mount. I'm going to make some more of these and put them up on my website in case other folks want to run the Koni rear shocks. I like the Koni shocks on a street car since they are super high quality and they are adjustable. Too bad the engineers at Koni can't read blueprints but such is life. LOL. This post just made me LOL.
Just because you think it won't make it true. Horsepower is KING. To dispute this is stupid. C. Alston
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Re: Rear shocks are an inch too short. Does it matter?
[Re: AndyF]
#2566601
10/19/18 06:55 PM
10/19/18 06:55 PM
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 4,457 Washington
madscientist
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Well there is a little more to the story. There was an actual conversation with an engineer from Koni who insisted that Mopar vehicles used a 5/8 mounting stud. He said he had the blueprints to prove it. So who are you going to believe, the blueprints or 10 million vehicles on the road? He is going to believe his blueprints every time. Even though they are wrong. You'd think someone at Koni would have the gumption to go investigate is there is an issue, but no that won't happen either.
Just because you think it won't make it true. Horsepower is KING. To dispute this is stupid. C. Alston
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Re: Rear shocks are an inch too short. Does it matter?
[Re: AndyF]
#2566608
10/19/18 07:15 PM
10/19/18 07:15 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 17,844 S.E. Michigan
ZIPPY
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I Live Here
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So who are you going to believe, the blueprints or 10 million vehicles on the road? "Whatever information that comes with the least amount of effort is always the best." We've all worked with these guys before, right?
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