Driving without Shocks.

[89s rule]

How far can I reasonably and safely drive without shocks? Top speed?

-I am not sure the shocks I ordered will be in by this weekend. Upstate cruisers has a trail ride and I want to make it if at all possible.
- I tried searching but you cannot search for "without" etc.

I am driving it 10 miles to the nearest town for a front end alignment, etc tomm, not too woried about that as I can go slow if need be.

You can see my set-up in my sig.

 

[SS_Storm]

Shocks are for slowing suspension movment. So with no shocks, you will get more body roll, you hit a bump and youll be bob up and down for a while it will just be annoying as far as I know, nothing BAD about it, it will most likely be a bit harder on your bushings but not too bad.

 

[Darkrealms]

I know that with no shocks there is a lot of body roll but we put the front ones on a rig and it got rid of most of the roll in the turns. So if nothing else you could try to find a crappy old pair for the front end. It seems to make a much bigger difference in the front than in the back.

 

[IH8Wood]

The shock mounts rotted off my old jeep pickup. Drove it with shocks for probably 10 years.

 

[Godwin]

I've lost rear shocks a couple of times and never noticed any change in the handling.

 

[David*BJ70]

shock absorber are made to absord shock (!). If you hit a big bump your truck diff will hit hard your frame. BANG !

 

[PabloCruise]

I'd wait. The rear of my 40 was pretty bouncy while I drove it short distances to get work done on it.

That and I thought I would be pretty bummed with myself if I caused an accident by not having my vehicle under control...

 

[ClemsonCruiser]

matt, I have shocks for a 4" lift if you want to borrow them for the trip. let me know.

 

[89s rule]

Thanks guys, thats what I was thinking.

Well except the "you hit a big bump your truck diff will hit hard your frame. BANG !"

Looks liek my rear shocks will be here today, but fronts might not make it. Maybe I can get my stock ones to extend long enough to run to the trail head, then take them off?

So far I have only dirven it up to say 15mph. Around the block and through town. But I finally got the brakes bled enough and retorqued all my bolts too. I will see how my trip to get the alignment goes.

Thanks again!!

Clemson Cruiser you got PM

 

[agent orange]

If youre alcans are new i bet they are stiff enough to work alright without shocks. I drove my truck with brand new springs with no shocks one time to move it from shop to shop and it was a touch bouncy but not bad. I would worry about hillclimbs under power and busting a u-joint or something from the bouncing.

 

[89s rule]

Alcans are used, but not much at all. Maybe 1K miles.

I hope btwn clemsoncruiser, other guys in the club, and the rears hopefully being here today I will have something at a min.
I will try my best to update either way on my trip to the shop.

 

[89s rule]

Just got back from taking it about 10 miles to the shop. Didnt bounce much at all but could definately tell that the shocks were off. Especially when the road surface changed.

Other good news my shocks came in this morning for the rear. And I was able to pick up the ford shocks towers for the front!

Now I am just hoping that the noises, etc are going to be b/c of my alignment being out of whack b/c of the lift.

 

[agent orange]

Ive gotten differing opinions about whether or not lifting the truck affects the alignment. The last alignment shop i went to told me that i would not need to get it realigned after my lift. Unless the tie rod moves, why would adding arch to the spring affect the alignment?

 

[89s rule]

Well my tires were definatly not straight. It moves the angles of the TR and thus moves thier geometry. Or thats what I would in laymans terms.

 

[agent orange]

Why would the tie rod move? I mean, if lifting a truck would move the tie rod then your tires would go out of alignment everytime the suspension droops even when its stock. The relay rod is in a different position, but that wouldnt affect the tie rod.

Of course i dont doubt that you can tell yours is out of whack, just pondering.