How to tell when the shocks have flogged out and how to correctly measure lift height for specifying replacements ? (1 Viewer)

[sunrk]

Might have been here (?) that it was mentioned about seeing if the shocks on my 80 (7 yr old Icon 1.0's) are flogged out as part of sorting the front-end clanging/banging when traverseing bumps/holes/etc. in roads.

I've never actually contemplated shocks 'going bad' but heck they're mechnical bits and yeah they can flog out.

How do you assess that? And a more basic question - how do you correctly measure lift height for specifying replacement shocks (if that's necessary)?

My 80 has Lovells medium rate springs that give it a 3 to 4 inch lift.

 

[Outsane]

One way to assess flogged shocks is to push down on the corner bumper with all your weight and let go. If it bounces more then 2.5 times you have a 80 shaped Buick.

The shocks job is to slow the vehicles movement down.

Bad shocks should not effect ride height.

There maybe a nitrogen charge but, I don't think it's enough to have an effect like struts or air shocks.

 

[BILT4ME]

Read your FSM.

Yes, it tells you about the shock being flogged.

The length of the shock: There are charts of extended length and compressed lengths for every shock made. Most are listed in here (including the Tokico factory shock). Then, if you added a lift, your extension lengths should increase accordingly. Otherwise, you may need limiting straps to keep your springs from falling out while at full extension because normally, you shocks are what limit the down-travel of your suspension.

 

[rhc404]

From the ICON website:

All ICON shocks are rebuildable and the service interval greatly depends on the usage of the vehicle they are installed on. Application where most of the time the vehicle is used on streets and highways 50,000-80,000 miles can be achieved before a rebuild is required. Where dedicated off-road only vehicles can experience a service interval as short as 1,000 miles between rebuild. It’s recommended to routinely visually inspect shock for signs of damage or leaks.

 

[Squeegee]

All of the juice on the inside starts to go to the outside = flogged

 

[GeoEng]

By flogged you mean too many 150 Lashes (one of the better beers in Oz)?

 

[greentruck]

How old are those coils? They get tired, too, and that can contribute to the flogged feeling up front.

 

[chap79]

When mixing components it’s time to bust out the tape measure. Your shocks extended length is upper perch to lower perch distance with the coil unloaded (support vehicle by frame and lower axle without shock connected). Just make sure the coil doesn’t unseat and it still has “slight pressure”. You don’t want it to be able to unseat and pop out while fully articulated.

Compressed length is just that, the compressed length of the shock from stud to stud. When installing new shocks that didn’t come as part of a standard kit, you should compare the shocks compressed to make sure your bump stops will be engaged before you bottom out the shock. Bump stops will compress so make sure you have adequate distance. Bottoming out the shocks will damage the seals.

 

[sunrk]

Springs are a bit older - probably 9 yrs now. I'm aware of what the shocks do.

 

[greentruck]

Springs are a bit older - probably 9 yrs now.

Probably still some life in them. You might be surprised at the improvement in ride new coils will bring. Our OEM coils were 12 yo when they were replaced with OME stock height coils. They were a great improvement and it wasn't just the extra carrying capacity.

 

[sunrk]

Ok, I've now got a day I can spend a few mins looking at this. I measured the spacing between the top of the spring seat and the bottom of the bump stop on both sides at the front and get 110 mm. Given that I believe the 'factory' ride height is 25 mm that means my understanding of the ride height being approximately a 3.5 inch lift is correct.

Moving on from that, I tried to have a very good look at the springs and the spring mounts on both the lower spring seat and the chassis and cannot determine with any conclusiveness that there's spring to mount contact under 'flex' while driving.

I have tried the 'energetic' approach to each front corner for trying to make the springs and shocks display their motor characteristics and to my empircal mind I can't determine anything out of the ordinary.

However since I have Icon 1's specified for 3 inch are they not correct? I haven't been able yet to do the measurements of full flex up with spring loose-but-retained and with no spring and sitting on bump stop to get the numbers on what sort of shock compression and extension I need. I've never actually seen anyone do that except in a youtube video.

 

[baldilocks]

Given the age of your springs and the struggle this seems to be for you, why not get with Dobinson and purchase a kit complete with the small parts as well as the springs and matching shocks?

I have done my 80’s Ala Cart but it ends up costing more money and requires many hours of labor.