Bump Stop Extensions Necessary?

[TOY350]

I have J's up front and 863's in the rear and am using L shocks all the way around. I noticed it is recommended to run the 2" bump stop extensions front and rear. I understand that full compression might lead to bottoming out and damaging the shock but there seems to be other concerns out there as well such as damaging the oil pan upon compression. Is this true, I can't figure out how a increased suspension height would compress further than a stock one to the point of hitting the oil pan. Other problems may occur as well but I can't remember those.

So far with my offroading I notice that I get great articulation and can stuff a front wheel far enough that I can get a slight rubbing while turning. This has made me wonder how anyone can run 35's on a J setup and not get major rubbing. I often run chains in the snow and wouldn't want them chewing up the fender wells.

So besides compressing the shocks too far what do I need to worry about? I'm planning on attending Rubithon and don't want to find my answer there

 

[Tools R Us]

IIRC it requires ~1" bump stop extensions to protect the shocks.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

IIRC it requires ~1" bump stop extensions to protect the shocks.

I went with 1 1/4. But that's what I thought too.

 

[TOY350]

Main concern then is the shocks? Where did you source 1 1/4" spacers or did you cut some down? All I'm finding are 2" ones.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Main concern then is the shocks? Where did you source 1 1/4" spacers or did you cut some down? All I'm finding are 2" ones.

I made them.

 

[Bear80]

I measured that the L shocks up front actually have nearly 2" MORE compression ability past the stock bump stops. Meaning there is NO need to lower the front stops.

In the rear the L shocks have only about 1/2" MORE compression ability past the stock bump stops. I could see that HYPOTHETICALLY the rear L shocks could be in danger under a very hard hit.

With my front stops lowered 2" my 36" tires just bearly touch the firewall when compressed. In the rear my stops are lowered 1.25" to keep the tires from rubbing. The 1" wheel spacers help the rear from rubbing combined with the flares/mud flapes trimed.

 

[FJBen]

Get yourself some square tube in whatever size you want, you can make them that way. 3/16" or 1/4"

With SLee 4" springs I didn't run front bumpstops as no matter how hard I tried to compress that front end, it was still 2+" away from the bottom of the shocks. I"m not reccomending this, just my experience. My current 80 has front stops lowered on it though.

 

[reffug]

With SLee 4" springs I didn't run front bumpstops as no matter how hard I tried to compress that front end, it was still 2+" away from the bottom of the shocks.

1. you didn't try hard enough..........

2. you should have gone bigger......

 

[FJBen]

1. you didn't try hard enough..........

2. you should have gone bigger......

true, a bit of flight and I'd imagine those bumpstops would have been handy

Bigger yes...37's are always in my mind

 

[TOY350]

Thanks for the input, that clears some stuff up for me.

 

[Tools R Us]

Best bet is to measure your truck. Take the springs out and push the axle up. Take the lower shock mount off and see how much shock compression is left when the axle is setting on the stop, add at least 1/2" to allow for for stop crush. On the ones that I have done the front wasn't an issue, only the rear.

I make them, it's simple. For the thinner ones I get some aluminum strip the thickness needed and 2" wide. Cut two pieces slightly longer than the stop, IIRC ~6" long. Take off one of your stops, center it on the block, mark, then drill two holes in the block to match the stop, get longer bolts and bolt it on. For thicker ones do the same thing with steel square/rectangular tube.

 

[TOY350]

Best bet is to measure your truck. Take the springs out and push the axle up. Take the lower shock mount off and see how much shock compression is left when the axle is setting on the stop, add at least 1/2" to allow for for stop crush. On the ones that I have done the front wasn't an issue, only the rear.

I make them, it's simple. For the thinner ones I get some aluminum strip the thickness needed and 2" wide. Cut two pieces slightly longer than the stop, IIRC ~6" long. Take off one of your stops, center it on the block, mark, then drill two holes in the block to match the stop, get longer bolts and bolt it on. For thicker ones do the same thing with steel square/rectangular tube.

Sounds good, thanks Kevin.

 

[landtank]

Best bet is to measure your truck. Take the springs out and push the axle up. Take the lower shock mount off and see how much shock compression is left when the axle is setting on the stop, add at least 1/2" to allow for for stop crush. On the ones that I have done the front wasn't an issue, only the rear.

I did this exact thing on my truck and there was plenty of room for the shocks to compress further on the front but the rear needed the two inch drop blocks

 

[ats4x4dotcom]

You need to allow at least 30mm [1.18"] for bump stop crush.

Front shocks on an 80 can run up to around 400mm [16"]compressed length before you need spacers .

On the rear about the same.

We make 40mm [1.6"] bump spacers, internal and external, for the 735mm [29"] shocks we run with slinky coils to stay captive.