Homebrew Rear Shock Extensions

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FJBen

FJBen

SILVER Star
Joined
Apr 1, 2004
Threads
263
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Location
Northern Colorado
In a quest for bilsteins, we all know we have to convert to eye configuration on the top in rear of the 80 series. You can buy bolt in converters, but you will loose 1" maybe a little more depending on the style. I wanted to run longer shocks as well to get every ounce of flex I can out of the cruiser without going stupidly custom. I was running "L" shocks and was easily able to fully stuff/extend them.

Well, I have it...more travel than I will probably EVER use on this in the rear. I took the idea from actionjackson, modified it to work with a stock (no bodylift) setup. Basically a conversion to pin style that mounts on top of the factory spot gaining more extension.

Right now, I have sorry test shocks some crappy pro-comp 14" travel shocks on there. Extended 32.8" comp. 18.8", and I still have ~1.5" to spare on compression. I haven't lost any compressed length from the L shocks! :cool: same stuff, a bit more droop!

So heres what I made, took a piece of 2X4" 3/16" sqaure tube and plasma'd out the shape I have attached. Drilled the holes, just enough for very minor adjustment and still sit on top and used the factory bolts up from the bottom. There was plenty of room to add nuts on top to secure it. You better be a bit dextros with this setup as it's a lot of reaching up and not seeing what you are doing. The style that ATS4x4.com has is very sweet and at that price, worth it rather than building your own unless you are just bored or prideful.

Pic #1 is the drawing and measurements:
Pic #2 how it looks on the vehicle
Pic #3 1st flex pic, 30 degree ramp, standard 80 setup, 14" rear shocks, the front tire was 29" off the ground at the bottom/center
shockbracket (Custom).webp
mount (Custom).webp
14rear (Custom).webp
 
Pic#1 Same setup except for the "hitch pin pulled", tire was 33" above ground
Pic#2 Same setup except for hitch pin pulled, and front shock disconnected to simulate better spaced travel/extensions up front tire 37" above ground.
Pic#3 Going backwards same as #2, tire 37" off...

You can tell there are some pretty serious gains from my last RTI thread outing, I will be adding this to that RTI thread as well. With the front in the standard setup (L shocks/pin in) she was leaning pretty good as you could tell the rear was doing all the work, with the front shocks in a better travel range/pin pulled it wasn't leaning *that* bad for how high she went up.

Definintely beyond satified with the flex, bilsteins are on order, next to get the front shocks replaced/spaced correctly.
14rearpinpulled (Custom).webp
14rearpinshockpull (Custom).webp
14rearpinshockpullback (Custom).webp
 
You didn't really gain a heck of a lot more flex by pulling the front radius arm bolt, did you? I expected more of a gain.
 
Last edited:
Nice Ben. When I measured my L shock compression and extension with the Slee 6" springs & 37" tires I noticed I still had ~1.5" of compression and they would easily max out on extension. My "cheapo" interim solution for retaining the L shocks was to use poly bushings (the ones from the pins of OME shocks) stacked to lower the top of the rear shock mount plate down about an inch. This took two bushings per bolt and I just bought bolts that were 1" longer than stock. Not high tech or advised unless you did some measuring but it worked out pretty well and as you demonstrate having a little extra droop while not changing your compression isn't too bad :cheers:

ps: waiting to see that arb touch the wall ;)
 
Doc said:
Nice sliders!

Thanks for being the test fitter for these... I love mine.

You didn't really gain a heck of a lot more flex by pulling the front radius arm bolt, did you? I expected more of a gain.
Click to expand...


yeah I know...sliders, in process!!! :grinpimp:

actually, it's somewhat decieving. By pulling that front bolt I only gained 4" over stock because I maxed out my front shock. I don't have enough droop with that shock and too much compression available. I need ~3" more of droop which is what I'm tacking next. So when I pulled the top shock nut to loosen that shock, she flexed another 4" with that pin out.

So if I had a long enough shock to start with, pulling that pin would have netted me 8 more inches of flex...;) which is a pretty good amount.
 
wow...that is quite simple. Are you supposed to mount the shocks that way? I thought some shocks had to be mounted "body up"? Now you just need to adress the shocks in the front. Glad to see you moved the ramp away from the wall to increase your front/rear clearance:D
 
Nicely done Ben.:cheers: Did you remove the weld nuts on the frame and weld new ones on the adaptors?

How do the crappy pro-comps work, ride, what part number? A buddy is looking to run them in a budget wheeler.
 
Tools R Us said:
Nicely done Ben.:cheers: Did you remove the weld nuts on the frame and weld new ones on the adaptors?

How do the crappy pro-comps work, ride, what part number? A buddy is looking to run them in a budget wheeler.
Click to expand...


For now I didn't remove those weld nuts, probably should, well it would be fun, I'll put it that way. Since this was a quick mockup, I'll probably continue to evolve this idea to make it easier to do. A 1" body lift would make it SOOO much easier. I'll see what happens for now. ;p

The pro-comps are some freebies a friend gave to me for the mockup. They are shot so I can't really give a good reply to that. I mean it doesn't ride that much different than OME that I can tell just in town, little more roll in the rear.

They are the ES3000 series, PN 33200 14" travel.
 
Hey Ben, what were your measurements with the hitch pin in, and the front shock disconnected ~35"?
 
Jason Andrews said:
Hey Ben, what were your measurements with the hitch pin in, and the front shock disconnected ~35"?
Click to expand...

It was around 25~26" with that hitch pin in, L shocks all the way around and no swaybars. There is just too much bind up front to max that L shock out with the pin in.

So from the base start of stock 4" lift setup with L's, no sway bars, I have gained 11" ~12" of flex/height of tire by EXTREMLY cheap mods. Throw the sway bars on and you'll prolly be around 23~24" range....
 
FJBen said:
It was around 25~26" with that hitch pin in, L shocks all the way around and no swaybars. There is just too much bind up front to max that L shock out with the pin in.

So from the base start of stock 4" lift setup with L's, no sway bars, I have gained 11" ~12" of flex/height of tire by EXTREMLY cheap mods. Throw the sway bars on and you'll prolly be around 23~24" range....
Click to expand...

Oops, 25 is what I meant to say. Got a little carried away. I'm pretty sure that with mine on the 6"'s it max's out these L's(with pin in). It did when I was installing it at least. I don't pay that much attention on the trails:doh:
 
big ol tire would smash it...at full compresion the tire is up against the frame
 
Jason Andrews said:
Oops, 25 is what I meant to say. Got a little carried away. I'm pretty sure that with mine on the 6"'s it max's out these L's(with pin in). It did when I was installing it at least. I don't pay that much attention on the trails:doh:
Click to expand...


I'm sure you are easily maxxing out those L shocks on the 6" lift. On my 4" lift I only had a ~4.5"-5" of extension on the front, I'm sure you are in the 3-4" range on extension. Just space your travel down up front and that should help.


SOCALFJ said:
Why wouldnt you mount the new bracket outboard? On the other side of the plate. Would seem easier to me than putting it up inside that hole like the factory did.
Click to expand...

There are a few reasons I went and did it this way. #1 this bolts on ;p #2 is up out of the way giving more extension, #3 I'm not sure where else you could put it? can't go outboard the frame, no room.

That being said, I probably will make another version that bolts from the bottom side and extends up. Then you attach your shock first, put it up and bolt it all from the bottom. Much easier, just a little more fab work. I'll work on that, but for now it's on to the front.
 
FJBen said:
....
That being said, I probably will make another version that bolts from the bottom side and extends up. Then you attach your shock first, put it up and bolt it all from the bottom. Much easier, just a little more fab work.
Click to expand...

That's the way I was planning to do it, will probably require enlarging the hole in the frame to get the shoulder of the shock and bracket through.

FJBen said:
I'll work on that, but for now it's on to the front.
Click to expand...

On the front I am thinking about cutting the top off the stock tower and grafting the top few inches of a ford tower on. They are cheap, strong, ready made and it looks like the tower could be lengthened about 2.5" before interfering with the master cylinder. Also looking at cutting the lower mount off the axle and using them for the lower mounts.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=48041
 
I like the ford shocks towers, used those in the past BEEFY!

Well, I went ahead and made some for the front. Here are the front mount/conversions...They have these adapters for sale from various places for about $35~$45 a pair...So for the front you'd be in close to $100. Being that I'm a CB, I decided to try my own for the front and upcoming bilsteins.

I used a scrap chunk of 2" X 3" X 1/4" square tubing, because thats what i had Cut it down to the measurement in the picture. 2" X 1.5" X 2" Popped the hole in the bottom for mounting, and holes through the side to mount the shock in.

Now the problem I *may* have is the ID might be a bit to large for the shock bushing. Worst case, I'll have to shim with washers, kinda :hillbilly: but for the moment they will work. I'll get them installed tonight and see how they all fit. but for now, the pics...pic is crappy cameraphone...
shockbracket.webp
frontshockbrack.webp
 
clownmidget said:
Nice Ben. When I measured my L shock compression and extension with the Slee 6" springs & 37" tires I noticed I still had ~1.5" of compression and they would easily max out on extension. My "cheapo" interim solution for retaining the L shocks was to use poly bushings (the ones from the pins of OME shocks) stacked to lower the top of the rear shock mount plate down about an inch. This took two bushings per bolt and I just bought bolts that were 1" longer than stock. Not high tech or advised unless you did some measuring but it worked out pretty well and as you demonstrate having a little extra droop while not changing your compression isn't too bad :cheers:

ps: waiting to see that arb touch the wall ;)
Click to expand...

About that cheapo solution, did you feel safe doing this? What do you mean by "..advised unless you did some measuring..".
 
I think he means make sure you have enough compression available when you do this, otherwise you'll destroy your shock.

Also some people on here like to argue about safeness of mods no matter what, swaybar removal, flare removal, differenct bumpers, etc etc...
 
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