Viking shocks, anyone had issues?

I'm doing some work on my Dart, changed out the 8" Ultimate converter for a 8" Coan. While it's on the lift I'm going to install new adjustable strut rods and look all the front suspension over..

Yesterday I got the converter changed out and started on the front suspension. After removing the tension on the torsion bars I removed the bottom bolts on the shocks. I pushing the drivers side shock up out of the way and moved to the passengers side. I had trouble getting the shock out of the bracket on the lower control arm, no problem I thought maybe I had tightened the bolt to much and pinched mount. After prying the shock free I couldn't push it up. I had to back the compression all the way off and it's still very stiff.

I moved back to the drivers side and set the shock to full stiff on compression, I could move it but it was vary hard, Backing it off a couple clicks at a time it got progressively easier, like it should. Back to the passengers side and anything more than two clicks from full soft I can't compress it. The rebound side works fine.

Time to contact Viking.

Yep, please let us know what you find out.

Everything on a race car needs to be checked and stay on top of . Good you caught it now instead of scratching your head chasing a traction issue later . Race car maintenance !

Bump stops to keep the shocks from bottoming out? One good wack is all it takes.

Yes, upper and lower. It's just a coincidence but the reason I put the Vikings on the car was both shocks on the passengers side were bad when I checked them a couple years ago. I'm lucky that way. LOL

To go with the luck part, the starter fell out while I was taking the transmission lines off and busted the nose and plastic where the terminals are. It cost me $85, go figure.

I called Viking this afternoon and was told that for any out of warranty work they recommend Afterworks in Sinton TX. Viking doesn't have the man power to do repair work. Going to try to ship mine tomorrow. Also thinking that tonight I'll unbolt the rears and see if anything different is going on with them.

I don’t know if he does Vikings but I’d try Fastshocks. At least worth a shot.

http://www.fastshocks.com/

Thanks 68.

I sent the shocks to Ron Galbreath at Afterworks, they should arrive at his shop today. He's going to put them on the dyno to evaluate them and let me know what he finds, then go from there. He said that Vikings are good shocks with good parts but they don't get the love (his term) when being assembled as higher end shocks.

Yesterday I put the front tires back on so the car would done when the shocks come back. For some reason I grabbed one of the tires and turned it. When it started moving there was a bump, so I stopped and turned it back the other way, same bump. Turns out my idler arm is bad on the k member end the end on the drag link would move up or down almost 1/2". I used all Moog parts when I rebuilt the front end years ago, it probably has 8-10,000 miles on it since.